Method and system for providing real time appointment rescheduling

• US 8,185,426 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Khoubyari, Siamak
• Primary Examiner(s): Jasmin, Lynda
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walker, III, George H
• Application Number:
  US12/263,676
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/7.19, 705/7.16
• US Class Current: 705/7.19
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A system and method for providing real-time appointment rescheduling by providing access to one or more computer-based appointment scheduling systems and a virtual open appointment wait-list associated with one or more appointment slots in the scheduling systems. One or more service consumers request to be placed on the wait-list. When an appointment becomes available, wait-list data is searched to find the first consumer that is next on the wait-list and whose wait-list data is consistent with the newly available appointment. The first consumer is then contacted with a designated period of time to respond and accept the appointment. After the designated period of time has passed with no response from the first consumer, the wait-list data is searched again to find the second service consumer that is next on the wait-list. The process is repeated automatically until the newly available appointment is accepted.

Claims

1. A system for providing real time appointment rescheduling comprising:

one or more computing processors; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memories having stored therein computing processor executable instructions which when executed by the one or more computing processors perform a process comprising;

obtaining access to one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems, the one or more computing system implemented service appointment management systems being used by one or more service providers;

providing a virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more service appointments scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems;

receiving a request from one or more service consumers to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more service appointments scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems;

obtaining virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the virtual open appointment waitlist data including mobile device contact information for each of the one or more service consumers, and a position on the virtual open appointment waitlist for each of the one or more service consumers relative to each of the other one or more service consumers on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the mobile devices associated with each of the one or more service consumers including a location indicating capability, the virtual open appointment waitlist data further including one or more dates and times that the service consumer is not available for an appointment;

when a service appointment becomes newly available, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the analyzing including determining a location of the one or more service consumers, the analysis excluding from consideration any service consumer that previously indicated a lack of availability for a time or date of the service appointment, the analyzing primarily to determine a first service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment;

automatically contacting the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist using the first service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist data indicating the newly available service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist must accept the newly available service appointment;

after the designated period of time, if the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist has not accepted the newly available service appointment, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a second service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist, after the first service consumer, whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment; and

automatically contacting the second service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist using the second service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the second service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist data indicating the newly available service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the second service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist must accept the newly available service appointment.

2. The computing system for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 1, wherein;

at least part of the virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist is chosen from the group of virtual open appointment waitlist data consisting of;

the service consumer'"'"'s name or other identification data;

contact information for the service consumer;

the name or identification for the service provider, or providers, the service consumer desires to see;

the type of appointment desired;

a time frame for the desired appointment;

an assigned virtual open appointment wait list data identification code indicating the position on the virtual open appointment wait list assigned to the service consumer;

approximate appointment length associated with the type of appointment desired by the service consumer; and

data indicating any currently assigned appointment for the service consumer.

3. The system for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 1, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers to ensure the service provider associated with the newly available service appointment is the same as the service provider the service consumer desires to see.

4. The system for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 1, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers to ensure the type of appointment associated with the newly available service appointment is the same as the type of service appointment the service consumer desires.

5. The system for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 1, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers to ensure the time associated with the newly available appointment is consistent with a time frame for the desired appointment indicated by the service consumer.

6. The system for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 1, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers to ensure the approximate appointment length newly available appointment is consistent with the approximate appointment length associated with the type of service appointment desired by the service consumer.

7. A system for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling comprising:

one or more computing processors; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memories having stored therein computing processor executable instructions which when executed by the one or more computing processors perform a process comprising;

obtaining access to one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems, the one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems being used by one or more healthcare service providers;

providing a virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more healthcare service appointments scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems;

receiving a request from one or more healthcare service consumers to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more healthcare service appointments with the healthcare service provider scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented a healthcare service appointment management systems;

obtaining virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the virtual open appointment waitlist data including mobile device contact information for each of the one or more healthcare service consumers and a position on the virtual open appointment waitlist for each of the one or more healthcare service consumers relative to each of the other one or more healthcare service consumers on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the mobile devices associated with each of the one or more healthcare service consumers including a location indicating capability, the virtual open appointment waitlist data further including one or more dates and times that the healthcare service consumer is not available for an appointment;

when a healthcare service appointment becomes newly available, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist the analyzing including determining a location of the one or more healthcare service consumers, the analysis excluding from consideration any healthcare service consumer that previously indicated a lack of availability for a time or date of the healthcare service appointment, the analyzing primarily to determine a first healthcare service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available appointment;

automatically contacting the first healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist using the first healthcare service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the first healthcare service consumer data indicating the newly available healthcare service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the first healthcare service consumer must accept the newly available healthcare service appointment;

after the designated period of time, if the first healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist has not accepted the newly available healthcare service appointment, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a second healthcare service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist, after the first healthcare service consumer, whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment; and

automatically contacting the second healthcare service consumer using the second healthcare service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the second healthcare service consumer data indicating the newly available healthcare service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the second healthcare service consumer must accept the newly available healthcare service appointment.

8. The system for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 7, wherein;

at least part of the virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist is chosen from the group of virtual open appointment waitlist data consisting of;

the healthcare service consumer'"'"'s name or other identification data;

the name or identification for the healthcare service provider, or healthcare providers, the healthcare service consumer desires to see;

the type of healthcare service appointment desired;

a time frame for the desired appointment;

an assigned virtual open appointment wait list data identification code indicating the position on the virtual open appointment wait list assigned to the healthcare service consumer;

approximate appointment length associated with the type of appointment desired by the healthcare service consumer; and

data indicating any currently assigned appointment for the healthcare service consumer.

9. The system for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 7, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers to ensure the healthcare service provider associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment is the same as the healthcare service provider the healthcare service consumer desires to see.

10. The system for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 7, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment comprises comparing data associated appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers to ensure the type of healthcare service appointment associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment is the same as the type of healthcare service appointment the healthcare service consumer desires.

11. The system for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 7, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers to ensure the time associated with the newly available healthcare appointment is consistent with a time frame for the desired healthcare service appointment indicated by the healthcare service consumer.

12. The system for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 7, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers to ensure the approximate appointment length newly available healthcare service appointment is consistent with the approximate appointment length associated with the type of healthcare service appointment desired by the service consumer.

13. A computer program product for providing a process for providing real time appointment rescheduling comprising:

a nontransitory computer readable medium;

and computer program code, encoded on the computer readable medium, comprising computer readable instructions for;

obtaining access to one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems, the one or more computing system implemented service appointment management systems being used by one or more service providers;

providing a virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more service appointments scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems;

receiving a request from one or more service consumers to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more service appointments scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems;

obtaining virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the virtual open appointment waitlist data including mobile device contact information for each of the one or more service consumers, and a position on the virtual open appointment waitlist for each of the one or more service consumers relative to each of the other one or more service consumers on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the mobile devices associated with each of the one or more service consumers including a location indicating capability, the virtual open appointment waitlist data further including one or more dates and times that the service consumer is not available for an appointment;

when a service appointment becomes newly available, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the analyzing including determining a location of the one or more service consumers, the analysis excluding from consideration any service consumer that previously indicated a lack of availability for a time or date of the service appointment, the analyzing primarily to determine a first service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment;

automatically contacting the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist using the first service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist data indicating the newly available service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist must accept the newly available service appointment;

after the designated period of time, if the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist has not accepted the newly available service appointment, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a second service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist, after the first service consumer, whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment; and

automatically contacting the second service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist using the second service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the second service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist data indicating the newly available service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the second service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist must accept the newly available service appointment.

14. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 13, wherein;

at least part of the virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist is chosen from the group of virtual open appointment waitlist data consisting of;

the service consumer'"'"'s name or other identification data;

contact information for the service consumer;

the name or identification for the service provider, or providers, the service consumer desires to see;

the type of appointment desired;

a time frame for the desired appointment;

an assigned virtual open appointment wait list data identification code indicating the position on the virtual open appointment wait list assigned to the service consumer;

approximate appointment length associated with the type of appointment desired by the service consumer; and

data indicating any currently assigned appointment for the service consumer.

15. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 13, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers to ensure the service provider associated with the newly available service appointment is the same as the service provider the service consumer desires to see.

16. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 13, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers to ensure the type of appointment associated with the newly available service appointment is the same as the type of service appointment the service consumer desires.

17. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 13, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers to ensure the time associated with the newly available appointment is consistent with a time frame for the desired appointment indicated by the service consumer.

18. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time appointment rescheduling of claim 13, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers to ensure the approximate appointment length newly available appointment is consistent with the approximate appointment length associated with the type of service appointment desired by the service consumer.

19. A computer program product for providing a process for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

and computer program code, encoded on the computer readable medium, comprising computer readable instructions for;

obtaining access to one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems, the one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems being used by one or more healthcare service providers;

providing a virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more healthcare service appointments scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems;

receiving a request from one or more healthcare service consumers to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more healthcare service appointments with the healthcare service provider scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented a healthcare service appointment management systems;

obtaining virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the virtual open appointment waitlist data including mobile device contact information for each of the one or more healthcare service consumers and a position on the virtual open appointment waitlist for each of the one or more healthcare service consumers relative to each of the other one or more healthcare service consumers on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the mobile devices associated with each of the one or more healthcare service consumers including a location indicating capability, the virtual open appointment waitlist data further including one or more dates and times that the healthcare service consumer is not available for an appointment;

when a healthcare service appointment becomes newly available, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist the analyzing including determining a location of the one or more healthcare service consumers, the analysis excluding from consideration any healthcare service consumer that previously indicated a lack of availability for a time or date of the healthcare service appointment, the analyzing primarily to determine a first healthcare service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available appointment;

automatically contacting the first healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist using the first healthcare service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the first healthcare service consumer data indicating the newly available healthcare service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the first healthcare service consumer must accept the newly available healthcare service appointment;

after the designated period of time, if the first healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist has not accepted the newly available healthcare service appointment, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a second healthcare service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist, after the first healthcare service consumer, whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment; and

automatically contacting the second healthcare service consumer using the second healthcare service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the second healthcare service consumer data indicating the newly available healthcare service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the second healthcare service consumer must accept the newly available healthcare service appointment.

20. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 19, wherein;

at least part of the virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist is chosen from the group of virtual open appointment waitlist data consisting of;

the healthcare service consumer'"'"'s name or other identification data;

the name or identification for the healthcare service provider, or healthcare providers, the healthcare service consumer desires to see;

the type of healthcare service appointment desired;

a time frame for the desired appointment;

an assigned virtual open appointment wait list data identification code indicating the position on the virtual open appointment wait list assigned to the healthcare service consumer;

approximate appointment length associated with the type of appointment desired by the healthcare service consumer; and

data indicating any currently assigned appointment for the healthcare service consumer.

21. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 19, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers to ensure the healthcare service provider associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment is the same as the healthcare service provider the healthcare service consumer desires to see.

22. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 19, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers to ensure the type of healthcare service appointment associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment is the same as the type of healthcare service appointment the healthcare service consumer desires.

23. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 19, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers to ensure the time associated with the newly available healthcare appointment is consistent with a time frame for the desired healthcare service appointment indicated by the healthcare service consumer.

24. The computer program product for providing a process for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling of claim 19, wherein;

analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment comprises comparing data associated with the newly available healthcare service appointment with the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers to ensure the approximate appointment length newly available healthcare service appointment is consistent with the approximate appointment length associated with the type of healthcare service appointment desired by the service consumer.

25. A system for providing real time appointment rescheduling comprising:

one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems;

one or more mobile devices, the one or more mobile devices being associated with one or more healthcare service consumers; and

a processor for executing at least part of a process for providing real time appointment rescheduling, the process for providing real time appointment rescheduling comprising;

obtaining access to the one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems, the one or more computing system implemented service appointment management systems being used by one or more service providers;

providing a virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more service appointments scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems;

receiving a request from one or more service consumers to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more service appointments scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented appointment management systems;

obtaining virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the virtual open appointment waitlist data including mobile device contact information for each of the one or more service consumers, and a position on the virtual open appointment waitlist for each of the one or more service consumers relative to each of the other one or more service consumers on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the mobile devices associated with each of the one or more service consumers including a location indicating capability, the virtual open appointment waitlist data further including one or more dates and times that the service consumer is not available for an appointment;

when a service appointment becomes newly available, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the analyzing including determining a location of the one or more service consumers, the analysis excluding from consideration any service consumer that previously indicated a lack of availability for a time or date of the service appointment, the analyzing primarily to determine a first service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment;

automatically contacting the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist using the first service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist data indicating the newly available service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist must accept the newly available service appointment;

after the designated period of time, if the first service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist has not accepted the newly available service appointment, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a second service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist, after the first service consumer, whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available service appointment; and

automatically contacting the second service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist using the second service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the second service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist data indicating the newly available service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the second service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist must accept the newly available service appointment.

26. A system for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling comprising:

one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems, the one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems being used by one or more healthcare service providers;

one or more mobile devices, the one or more mobile devices being associated with one or more healthcare service consumers; and

a processor for executing at least part of a process for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling, the process for providing real time healthcare service appointment rescheduling comprising;

obtaining access to the one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems;

providing a virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more healthcare service appointments scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented healthcare service appointment management systems;

receiving a request from one or more healthcare service consumers to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist for one or more healthcare service appointments with the healthcare service provider scheduled through one or more of the one or more computing system implemented a healthcare service appointment management systems;

obtaining virtual open appointment waitlist data associated each of the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the virtual open appointment waitlist data including contact information for each of the one or more mobile devices associated with the one or more healthcare service consumers and a position on the virtual open appointment waitlist for each of the one or more healthcare service consumers relative to each of the other one or more healthcare service consumers on the virtual open appointment waitlist, the mobile devices associated with each of the one or more healthcare service consumers including a location indicating capability, the virtual open appointment waitlist data further including one or more dates and times that the healthcare service consumer is not available for an appointment;

when a healthcare service appointment becomes newly available, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist the analyzing including determining a location of the one or more healthcare service consumers, the analysis excluding from consideration any healthcare service consumer that previously indicated a lack of availability for a time or date of the healthcare service appointment, the analyzing primarily to determine a first healthcare service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available appointment;

automatically contacting the first healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist using the first healthcare service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the first healthcare service consumer data indicating the newly available healthcare service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the first healthcare service consumer must accept the newly available healthcare service appointment;

after the designated period of time, if the first healthcare service consumer on the virtual open appointment waitlist has not accepted the newly available healthcare service appointment, analyzing the virtual open appointment waitlist data from the one or more healthcare service consumers requesting to be placed on the virtual open appointment waitlist to determine a second healthcare service consumer in the highest relative position on the virtual open appointment waitlist, after the first healthcare service consumer, whose associated virtual open appointment waitlist data is consistent with the newly available healthcare service appointment; and

automatically contacting the second healthcare service consumer using the second healthcare service consumer'"'"'s mobile device contact information and sending the second healthcare service consumer data indicating the newly available healthcare service appointment and data indicating a designated period of time within which the second healthcare service consumer must accept the newly available healthcare service appointment.