Method and system for providing online records

• US 8,117,646 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MyMedicalRecords Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MyMedicalRecords Incorporated
• Inventors: Lorsch, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morgan, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHNG, JOY POH AI
• Application Number:
  US12/204,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 726/3
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

A method is provided for providing a user with the ability to access and collect records associated with the user in a secure and private manner. The method includes assigning a phone number to the user for private fax and voice communications from service providers, associating access information with the user for the user to use to access a web site, receiving a private fax communication comprising a record associated with the user for which the user has requested and given permission to the service provider to send to the phone number, converting the private fax communications into an image file format, storing the record encoded in the image file format, and providing the user with access to the web site using the access information and providing on the web site an interface to the records of the user for the user to access the record.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user with a web-based service to access and collect records associated with the user in a secure and private manner, comprising:

assigning through a web site a phone number to the user for private fax and voice communications from service providers;

assigning through the web site a user account to the user;

associating access information with the user for the user to use to access the user account on the web site on a web server;

creating through the web site a document for the user to provide to the service providers requesting the service providers to send the records to the phone number and granting the service provider permission to send the records to the phone number;

receiving a private fax communication at a fax server, the private fax communication comprising a record associated with the user for which the user has requested and given permission to the service provider to send to the phone number, the record is from the set consisting of a patient chart, a birth certificate, a vaccination record, a medical history, a lab report, a test result, a prescription, an x-ray result or image, a scan, and an EKG result or image;

converting the private fax communication into an image file format at the fax server;

storing the record encoded in the image file format such the record is accessible only through the user account on the web site on the web server;

providing a means of receiving a voice communications message from the service provider and providing the user with access information to access the voice communications message;

alerting the user of the voice communications message from the service provider and providing the user with the access information to access the voice communications message;

providing the user with access to the user account on the web site on the web server using the access information and providing on the web site an interface to the records of the user for the user to access the record; and

wherein the web site interface further provides for organizing and annotating the records by the user into separate file folders with functionality for the user to name the file folders and add file folders;

wherein the web site interface further provides for assigning additional password protection to one or more of the folders.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the document is a sticker adapted for attachment to the records or a file folder associated with the records.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user with an emergency access card comprising the access information and adapted for use by a third-party to access the records associated with the user in event of an emergency associated with the user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising alerting the user of a fax transmission from the service provider.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving payment from the user for facilitating access to the records associated with the user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the web site provides means to facilitate creation of wallet cards containing access information and stickers requesting service providers to fax records to the phone number.

7. A method for providing a user with the ability to access and collect records associated with the user in a private manner, comprising:

assigning through a web site a destination address associated with a user for private fax communications from a service provider and a user account associated with the user;

associating access information with the user for the user to use to access the user account through the web site, the web site stored at a web server;

receiving a private fax communication at a fax server, the private fax communication comprising a record associated with the user for which the user has requested and given permission to the service provider to send to a fax number;

converting the record into an image file format at the fax server;

storing the record encoded in the image file format such that the record is accessible only through the user account on the web site;

automatically associating the record encoded in the image file format with the user account of the user, the record from the set consisting of a patient chart, a birth certificate, a vaccination record, a medical history, a lab report, a test result, a prescription, an x-ray result or image, a scan, and an EKG result or image;

providing the user with access to the user account on the web server using the access information;

providing a means of receiving a voice communications message from the service provider and providing the user with access information to access the voice communications message;

alerting the user, of the voice communications message from the service provider and providing the user with the access information to access the voice communications message;

wherein a web site stored on the web server provides an interface to the user for organizing and annotating the records into separate file folders with functionality for the user to name the file folders and add file folders; and

wherein the interface further provides for assigning additional password protection to one or more of the folders.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the destination address identifies the user or the user account.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the destination address comprises an individualized fax number.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the destination address comprises an email address.

11. A method for providing a user with functionality for accessing and collecting records associated with the user, comprising:

assigning a user account to the user;

assigning a fax number to the user account of the user;

providing the user with a document to provide to a service provider of the user, the document identifying the user, providing the fax number, and directing the service provider to fax the records associated with the user to the fax number;

associating access information with the user to use to access the user account through a web site;

receiving at a computer a record encoded in an image file format from the service provider;

automatically determining by the computer the user account associated with the record and associating the record with the user account;

providing the user with access to the user account on the web site using the access information;

providing a means of receiving a voice communications message from the service provider and providing the user with access information to access the voice communications message;

alerting the user of the voice communications message from the service provider and providing the user with the access information to access the voice communications message;

wherein the record encoded in the image file format is a representation of a faxed communication from the service provider;

wherein the record is from the set consisting of a patient chart, a birth certificate, a vaccination record, a medical history, a lab report, a test result, a prescription, an x-ray result or image, a scan, and an EKG result or image;

wherein the faxed communication is a faxed communication to a phone number individually associated with the user;

wherein the web site provides for organizing records into folders, creating additional folders, and naming the folders;

wherein the web site further provides for assigning additional password protection to one or more of the folders.

12. A method for providing a user with the ability to access and collect records associated with the user in a secure and private manner, comprising:

assigning through a computer an identifier to the user for private fax and voice communications from service providers;

associating by the computer access information with the user for the user to use to access a web site on a server;

receiving at a fax server a plurality of private fax communications from different providers, each of the private fax communications comprising a record associated with the user for which the user has requested and given permission to the service provider to send to the phone number;

converting the private fax communications into image file formats at the fax server;

storing the records encoded in the image file formats at the server;

providing the user with access to the web site on the server using the access information and providing on the web site an interface to the records of the user for the user to use to access the record;

wherein the record is from the set consisting of a patient chart, a birth certificate, a vaccination record, a medical history, a lab report, a test result, a prescription, an x-ray result or image, a scan, and an EKG result or image;

providing a means of receiving a voice communications message from the service provider and providing the user with access information to access the voice communications message;

alerting the user of the voice communications message from the service provider and providing the user with the access information to access the voice communications message;

wherein the interface provides for organizing the records into folders, creating additional folders, and naming the folders; and

wherein the interface further provides for assigning additional password protection to one or more of the folders.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the interface further provides for assigning additional password protection to one or more of the folders.