Systems and methods for sensor-enhanced recovery evaluation

• US 8,638,228 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Amigo, Andrew J., Gingrave, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): KING, CURTIS J
• Application Number:
  US12/793,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20100241464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/20 Workers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/105 Human resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Systems and methods are discussed for providing sensor enhanced safety, recovery, and movement evaluation systems. Sensors that monitor user activity and behavior are worn by a user and/or placed in the user environment. Data from the sensors are processed to obtain a safety, recovery, and/or activity evaluation. Based on the evaluation, recommendations or adjustments to the terms of an insurance policy covering the user, the user'"'"'s employer, or a facility providing health care to the user to accurately reflect the risks associated with the user, employer, and/or facility.

Claims

1. A recovery evaluation system for use in managing an insurance-related process, comprising:

at least one sensor configured to monitor movement of an individual associated with and distinct from an insured entity;

a data store storing at least one recovery guideline associated with the individual, the recovery guideline comprising at least one movement guideline;

a movement evaluation module configured to;

collect data from the at least one sensor;

analyze the collected data to determine movement characteristics of the individual; and

output a recovery evaluation based on the movement characteristics and the at least one stored recovery guideline;

an output device configured to provide feedback to at least one of the insured entity and a healthcare provider that is based at least in part on the recovery evaluation;

a communications module for communicating at least one of the collected data and the recovery evaluation to a server operated by an insurance company insuring the entity; and

a business logic processor configured to adjust a term of an insurance policy covering the insured entity based on the recovery evaluation, wherein the business logic processor is configured to adjust the term so as to provide an adjustment favorable to the insured entity responsive to the recovery evaluation being indicative of adherence to the recovery guideline.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein adjusting the term of the insurance policy comprises adjusting at least one of a premium, a deductible, a limit, services associated with the insurance policy, costs of the services, rating plan parameters, and dividend plan parameters based on at least one of the collected data and the recovery evaluation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the business logic processor is further configured to adjust a renewal decision of an insurance policy covering the insured entity based on at least one of the collected data and the recovery evaluation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the business logic processor is further configured to adjust a parameter associated with the use of the healthcare provider as a vendor based on at least one of the collected data and the recovery evaluation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is worn by the individual, and is configured to provide a notification if the at least one sensor is removed from the individual.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the output device provides real-time feedback to at least one of the healthcare provider and the insured entity, the feedback comprises at least one of a visual, audio, or tactile stimulus.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the individual is an injured employee, the at least one movement guideline comprises a lifting behavior threshold selected for the injured employee, and the feedback includes at least one of immediate feedback characterizing a particular lift and a recovery plan conformance evaluation summary.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the individual is a motion-restricted person, the insured entity is an entity providing care to the motion- restricted person, the movement characteristics are at least partially representative of caregiver-initiated physical movements of the motion-restricted person, the at least one movement guideline comprises a prescribed movement guideline for the motion-restricted person, and the feedback is indicative of the degree to which the caregiver-initiated physical movements meets the prescribed movement guideline.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the individual is an injured person, the insured entity is an entity providing care to the injured person, the at least one movement guideline comprises a rehabilitation timeline, and the feedback is indicative of the degree to which the movement of the injured person corresponds to the rehabilitation timeline.

10. A recovery evaluation system for use in managing an insurance-related process, comprising:

a server configured to receive recovery evaluation data derived at least in part from at least one sensor monitoring movement of an individual associated with and distinct from an insured entity; and

a business logic processor configured to adjust an insurance-related parameter associated with the insured entity based at least in part on an analysis of the received data and at least one recovery guideline, the recovery guideline comprising at least one movement guideline, by a recovery evaluation module;

wherein the business logic processor is configured to adjust the parameter so as to provide an adjustment favorable to the insured entity responsive to the analysis being indicative of adherence to the recovery guideline.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein adjusting an insurance-related parameter comprises adjusting at least one of a premium, a deductible, a limit, services associated with the insurance policy, costs of the services, rating plan parameters, and dividend plan parameters.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein adjusting an insurance-related parameter comprises adjusting a renewal decision of an insurance policy covering the insured entity.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein adjusting an insurance-related parameter comprises adjusting a parameter associated with the use of a healthcare provider as a vendor.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the individual is an injured employee and the at least one movement guideline comprises a lifting behavior threshold selected for the injured employee.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the individual is a motion-restricted person, the insured entity is an entity providing care to the motion- restricted person, the recovery evaluation data is at least partially representative of caregiver-initiated physical movements of the motion-restricted person, and the movement guideline comprises a prescribed movement guideline for the motion-restricted person.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the individual is an injured person, the insured entity is an entity providing care to the injured person, and the movement guideline comprises a rehabilitation timeline for the injured person.

17. A method for evaluating the recovery of an individual associated with an insured entity for use in managing an insurance-related process, comprising:

receiving by a server recovery evaluation data derived at least in part from at least one sensor monitoring movement of an individual associated with and distinct from an insured entity; and

adjusting by a business logic processor an insurance-related parameter associated with the insured entity based at least in part on an analysis of the received data and at least one recovery guideline, the recovery guideline comprising at least one movement guideline, by a recovery evaluation module, the adjusting comprising adjusting the parameter so as to provide an adjustment favorable to the insured entity responsive to the analysis being indicative of adherence to the recovery guideline.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting the insurance-related parameter comprises adjusting at least one of a premium, a deductible, a limit, services associated with the insurance policy, costs of the services, rating plan parameters, and dividend plan parameters.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting an insurance-related parameter comprises adjusting a renewal decision of an insurance policy covering the insured entity.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting an insurance-related parameter comprises adjusting a parameter associated with the use of a healthcare provider as a vendor.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the individual is an injured employee and the at least one movement guideline comprises a lifting behavior threshold selected for the injured employee.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the individual is a motion-restricted person, the insured entity is an entity providing care to the motion- restricted person, the recovery evaluation data is at least partially representative of caregiver-initiated physical movements of the motion-restricted person, and the movement guideline comprises a prescribed movement guideline for the motion-restricted person.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the individual is an injured person, the insured entity is an entity providing care to the injured person, and the movement guideline comprises a rehabilitation timeline for the injured person.