Method and a system for effecting transfer of a patient from a hospital via a computer network

• US 20040128168A1
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medical Central Online
• Original Assignee: Medical Central Online
• Inventors: Wyatt, Phil
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method and a system for providing bed availability information via a computer network are provided. A healthcare facility, such as a nursing home, a retirement home or any other type of healthcare or extended care resource, may provide bed availability and/or service information and other types of information to a database on a computer network whereby users of the computer network may access the information within the database. The hospital and/or other healthcare facility may create a transfer request form for discharge of a patient to an extended care facility. The transfer request form containing patient medical information and/or patient treatment information is reviewed by an agent. The agent makes a decision whether to approve or reject the transfer request. Further, a patient interview may be scheduled by the agent prior to making the decision. Notifications are sent to the parties involved with the discharge of the patient to the healthcare facility notifying the parties of the decision of the agent. The transfer request form may be created on-line via the computer network and/or may be reviewed by the agent on-line. The agent may make a decision to approve or to reject the transfer request on-line. In addition, the agent may schedule the patient interview and/or send notifications to the parties on-line.

Claims

1. A method for receiving an approval of a reimbursement guarantee to a healthcare facility for a transfer of a patient with a condition to a healthcare facility on a computer network wherein the healthcare facility has accommodations, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a computer network;

providing a database connected to the computer network wherein the database includes facility information associated with the accommodations of the healthcare facility;

inputting a transfer request information for the patient into the database by a hospital via the computer network wherein the transfer request information is associated with the condition of the patient;

providing a first access to the database for viewing the transfer request information and the facility information by a user of the database via the computer network;

determining suitability of the accommodations of the healthcare facility to the condition of the patient by the user; and

inputting the suitability of the accommodations of the healthcare facility to the condition of the patient into the database by the user via the computer network wherein the approval of the reimbursement for the patient is based on the suitability of the accommodations of the healthcare facility to the condition of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer network is the internet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first access to the database is wireless.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

communicating a notice to the healthcare facility and the hospital via the computer network wherein the notice is associated with the suitability of the accommodations of the healthcare facility to the condition of the patient.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

notifying a transporter of the suitability of the accommodations of the healthcare facility to the condition of the patient to the healthcare facility via the computer network.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a remote server; and

storing the database on the remote server.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing a second access to the database for viewing the transfer request information by the healthcare facility and the hospital via the computer network wherein the transfer request information is associated with the suitability of the accommodations of the healthcare facility to the condition of the patient.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

inputting the facility information into the database by the healthcare facility via the computer.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing codes to the healthcare facility and the hospital for the approval of the reimbursement for the transfer of the patient with the condition to the healthcare facility via the computer network.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing a form on a computer website for inputting the transfer request information into the database wherein the computer website is remote with respect to the database.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the user is an agent of an insurance provider for the patient.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first access to the database is a hyperlink in a webpage on the computer network.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

scheduling an interview of the patient via the computer network wherein the interview determines the suitability of the accommodations of the healthcare facility to the condition of the patient by the user.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

granting permissions to the hospital and the healthcare facility for inputting the suitability of the accommodations of the healthcare facility to the condition of the patient into the database via the computer network.

15. A system for requesting a reimbursement for a transfer of a patient with a condition from a hospital to a healthcare facility on a computer network wherein the healthcare facility has accommodations, the system comprising:

a computer network;

a database associated with the computer network;

means for inputting transfer request information into the database wherein the transfer request information is associated with the condition of the patient and the accommodations of the healthcare facility;

means for accessing the transfer request information and modifying the transfer request information from the database; and

means for determining if the reimbursement is approved based on the transfer request information from the database.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the computer network is the internet.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for scheduling an interview of the patient via the computer network wherein the means for determining if the reimbursement is approved is based on the interview.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

notifications delivered to the hospital and the healthcare facility via the computer network wherein the notifications are associated with the means for determining if the reimbursement is approved.

19. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a remote server wherein the database is contained on the remote server; and

a website providing access to the database.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

codes delivered to the hospital and the healthcare facility via the computer network wherein the codes are associated with the condition of the patient.

21. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

an approval number delivered to the hospital and the healthcare facility via the computer network wherein the approval number is associated with the reimbursement for the transfer of a patient from the hospital to the healthcare facility.