Medical implant verification card

• US 8,082,162 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark Andrus Flood
• Original Assignee: Mark Andrus Flood
• Inventors: Flood, Mark Andrus
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunham, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Altschul, Amber
• Application Number:
  US12/657,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20100127075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 4
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

A medical implant verification card (MIVC) having information provided on one or both sides thereof. Information for enabling access to a Medical Implant Verification Account (MIVA) of a patient is one the card. An image showing a medical implant as implanted within a body of the patient (e.g., reproduction of an x-ray image) is on the card. An image of an actual implant operation scar of the patient is on the card. The implant operation scar image shows a scar on the body of the patient resulting from implantation of the medical implant within the body of the patient. Implant identification information designating a type of the medical implant is on the card. Information designating a name of a surgeon having performed the operation for implanting the medical implant and/or information for contacting the surgeon is on the card.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture configured for facilitating verification of an as-implanted medical implant within a patient in possession of the article of manufacture, the article of manufacture comprising:

a medical implant verification card having a first side and a second side substantially opposite the first side,

information designating a Medical Implant Verification Account (MIVA) of the patient on at least one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating said MIVA designating information to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card;

an image showing a medical implant as actually implanted within a body of the patient on at least one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating said implant image to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card, wherein said medical implant image is an image produced by imaging the medical implant while still implanted within the body of the patient such that a resulting imaged depiction of the medical implant is dependent upon the manner in which the medical implant is implanted within the patient'"'"'s body; and

an image of an actual implant operation scar of the patient on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating said implant operation scar image to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card, wherein said implant operation scar image shows a scar on the body of the patient resulting from actual implantation of the medical implant within the body of the patient.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein said MIVA designating information includes an account number corresponding to a medical implant verification account of the patient.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein:

said MIVA designating information is on the first side of the medical implant verification card; and

said medical implant image is on the second side of the medical implant verification card.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 3 wherein said medical implant image is a reproduction of an X-ray image showing the medical implant as implanted within the body of the patient.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein said medical implant image is a reproduction of an X-ray image showing the medical implant as implanted within the body of the patient.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein:

said access enabling information includes an account number corresponding to a medical implant verification account of the patient;

said access enabling information is on the first side of the medical implant verification card; and

said medical implant image is on the second side of the medical implant verification card.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein said medical implant image is a reproduction of an X-ray image showing the medical implant as implanted within the body of the patient.

8. An article of manufacture configured for facilitating verification of an as-implanted medical implant within a patient in possession of the article of manufacture, the article of manufacture, comprising:

a medical implant verification card having a first side and a second side substantially opposite the first side,

information designating a Medical Implant Verification Account (MIVA) of the patient provided on at least one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating said MIVA designating information to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card;

an image showing a medical implant as actually implanted within a body of the patient on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating said implant image to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card, wherein said medical implant image is an image produced by imaging the medical implant while still implanted within the body of the patient such that a resulting imaged depiction of the medical implant is dependent upon the manner in which the medical implant is implanted within the patient'"'"'s body;

an image of an actual implant operation scar of the patient on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating said implant operation scar image to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card, wherein said implant operation scar image shows a scar on the body of the patient resulting from actual implantation of the medical implant within the body of the patient;

implant identification information designating a type of the medical implant on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card; and

information designating at least one of a name of a surgeon having performed the operation for implanting the medical implant and information for contacting the surgeon on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein said MIVA designating information includes an account number corresponding to a medical implant verification account of the patient.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein:

said MIVA designating information is on the first side of the medical implant verification card; and

said medical implant image is on the second side of the medical implant verification card.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10 wherein said medical implant image is a reproduction of an X-ray image showing the medical implant as implanted within the body of the patient.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein said medical implant image is a reproduction of an X-ray image showing the medical implant as implanted within the body of the patient.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 8, further comprising:

information designating a location of the body of the patient at which the medical implant is located on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein:

said access enabling information includes an account number corresponding to a medical implant verification account of the patient;

said access enabling information is on the first side of the medical implant verification card; and

said medical implant image is on the second side of the medical implant verification card.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14 wherein said medical implant image is a reproduction of an X-ray image showing the medical implant as implanted within the body of the patient.

16. An implant verification article configured for facilitating verification of an as-implanted medical implant within a patient in possession of the implant verification article, the implant verification article, comprising:

a medical implant verification card having a first side and a second side opposite, an account number corresponding to a medical implant verification account of

the patient on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card;

a reproduction of an X-ray image on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating the X-ray image to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card, wherein the X-ray image shows a medical implant as actually implanted within the body of the patient while such that the imaged depiction of the medical implant within the X-ray image is dependent upon the manner in which the medical implant is implanted within the patient'"'"'s body;

an image of a face of the patient on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating said face image to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card;

an image of an actual implant operation scar of the patient on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating said implant operation scar image to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card, wherein said implant operation scar image shows a scar on the body of the patient resulting from actual implantation of the medical implant within the body of the patient;

implant identification information on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card in a manner facilitating said implant identification information to be visually inspected by viewing the medical implant verification card, wherein said implant identification information designates a type of the medical implant; and

surgeon contact information on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card, wherein said surgeon contact information includes a name of a surgeon having performed the operation for implanting the medical implant and a phone number for contacting the surgeon.

17. The implant verification article of claim 16 wherein:

the image of the face of the patient is on a first side of the medical implant verification card;

said X-ray image is on a second side of the medical implant verification card; and

said implant operation scar image is on the second side of the medical implant verification card.

18. The implant verification article of claim 17, further comprising:

information on one of said sides of the medical implant verification card designating a location of the body of the patient at which the medical implant is located.