Method and system for communication and collaboration between a patient and healthcare professional

• US 20040210458A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NICE North America LLC
• Original Assignee: iMetrikus, Inc.
• Inventors: Evans, Junius, Higgins, Rose, Pettus, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Methods and platforms for enhancing collaboration and communication between a patient and his healthcare team are described. A personal health record is created for a patient and maintained by a service provider. The health record is updated with self-monitored or remote device readings. These readings are sent, in a secure format that insures patient privacy, to the service provider and inserted into a health record via a computer connected to the Internet or via a telephone line without the use of a computer, i.e., by directly connecting an intermediate device to a phone outlet. Other health and wellness data may be written to the health record via a computer or via conventional means. Personal health records are created with minimal effort from healthcare professionals and patients. Third-party companies in the healthcare industry, such as insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies, can sponsor programs encouraging the creation of personal health records and, in turn, receive depersonalized summary information from the service provider to study healthcare trends. By enhancing collaboration between patients and their healthcare teams, patients are more likely to improve their health conditions, particularly chronic conditions, and reduce healthcare costs.

Claims

1. A method of collaboration between a consumer and a healthcare provider comprising:

transmitting a first set of health data to a database over a network, wherein the first set of health data is caused to be transmitted by a consumer from a computer or data linking device and originates from one or more self-monitoring devices;

transmitting a second set of health data to the database, wherein the second set of health data is caused to be transmitted by a provider, the first and second sets of data being accessible by a plurality of providers as authorized by the consumer; and

wherein the database stores the first and second sets of data in the form of a personal health record maintained by a third party on the network.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the personal health record is maintained in the database by a third party.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising executing an online healthcare data management program to update the personal health record at the database.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising allowing a healthcare provider to access the personal health record if the consumer has granted authority.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising enabling the consumer to grant authority to access a personal health record corresponding to the consumer to one or more healthcare providers.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising pushing data to a consumer, the data originating from a healthcare provider, the data including relevant health data to the consumer.

7. A method of communication between a patient and a healthcare provider comprising:

receiving, at a remote database over a network, health data from the patient, wherein the patient transmits the health data to the remote database directly from a non-computer device;

storing the health data in a personal health record corresponding to the consumer at the remote database, wherein the personal health record is capable of containing measurement data from various self-monitoring health devices; and

examining the health data, stored in the remote database, at a healthcare provider computer.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the personal health record is maintained in the remote database by a third party.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising executing an online healthcare data management program to update the personal health record at the remote database.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising allowing a healthcare provider to access the personal health record if the consumer has granted authority.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising enabling the consumer to grant authority to access a personal health record corresponding to the consumer to one or more healthcare providers.

12. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising pushing data to a consumer, the data originating from a healthcare provider, the data including prompts for the consumer to act, notifications to the consumer of developments relating to a condition, alerts, reminders, and personalized messages.

13. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising pushing data to a patient, the data based on the patient demographics or on data contained in a corresponding personal health record.

14. A method of registering a new patient into an online health management system operated by a service provider, comprising:

creating a unique program sponsor serial number corresponding to a third-party sponsored program generated by the service provider;

associating a plurality of practice sites with the unique program sponsor serial number corresponding to a third-party sponsored program, wherein a third-party informs the service provider of the plurality of practice sites;

creating a patient membership card having a card identifier corresponding to the third-party sponsored program and a specific practice site;

enrolling the specific practice site in the third-party sponsored program;

enrolling a patient in the third-party sponsored program thereby providing the patient with a patient membership card;

creating a personal health record for the patient;

associating the patient membership card with the personal health record; and

granting the healthcare provider access to the personal health record.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

informing the service provider of the number of patient membership cards to be given to a specific practice site.

16. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the patient membership card is enclosed in a patient package containing instructions on how to enroll in the third party sponsored program.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the third party creates brand name recognition through distribution of the patient membership card and patient package.

18. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

the service provider distributing a plurality of patient membership cards to the plurality of practice sites.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein distributing patient membership cards further comprises:

giving a patient a patient membership card when the patient is at the practice site.

20. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

the service provider assisting a practice site in enrolling in the third party sponsored program.

21. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

providing the service provider with initial data wherein the service provider uses the initial data to create a personal health record for the patient.

22. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

populating the personal health record with additional data, wherein the additional data is inserted directly into the personal health record.

23. A method as recited in claim 22 further comprising:

transmitting the additional data via the Internet or a telephone line.

24. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

determining whether a personal health record exists; and

if a patient health record exists, associating a patient membership card identifier with an existing personal health record.

25. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

determining whether a patient is eligible to an entitlement based on the third party sponsored program and specific practice site.

26. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising:

determining whether the patient is eligible to an intermediate data linking device having a device serial number; and

if eligible, associating the device with the personal health record, whereby readings from the device can be automatically associated with the personal health record using a data stream containing the t device serial number.

27. A method of rewarding compliance with a treatment strategy, the method comprising:

defining a treatment strategy as having one or more thresholds, a threshold being a value that a patient attempts to exceed or remain below, the threshold relating to health or wellness;

determining whether a patient has passed a threshold by examining a corresponding personal health record; and

assigning points to the patient if a threshold has been passed.

28. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein the value corresponds to a number of occurrences of a specific activity.

29. A method as recited in claim 27 further comprising:

exchanging points for a benefit that is used by the patient.

30. A method as recited in claim 29 wherein the benefit is related to health or wellness.

31. A method as recited in claim 30 wherein the benefit is intended to provide motivation for a patient to comply with the treatment strategy.

32. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein a third-party service provider determines when a threshold has been passed and maintains point assignments for a patient.

33. A method of facilitating chronic condition self-management, the method comprising:

receiving self-monitoring device readings from a patient over a telephone network;

examining the readings to determine whether the patient is complying with a treatment plan; and

enabling authorized healthcare providers to view the readings via the Internet.

34. A method as recited in claim 33 wherein examining the readings further comprises:

assigning points to the patient if the readings or a patient activity indicate that the patient is complying with a treatment strategy for improving a chronic condition.

35. A method as recited in claim 33 further comprising:

receiving health and wellness data from the patient over the Internet.

36. A method as recited in claim 35 further comprising:

examining the health and wellness data to determine whether the patient is complying with a treatment plan.

37. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein examining the health and wellness data further comprises:

assigning points to the patient if the data indicates that the patient is complying with the treatment plan or using an online health management program for improving a chronic condition.

38. A method as recited in claim 37 further comprising:

enabling authorized healthcare providers to view the readings via the Internet.

39. A method as recited in claim 33 wherein the self-monitoring device readings are uploaded by the patient at a location without the use of the Internet.

40. A method as recited in claim 33 wherein an authorized healthcare provider includes a nurse, a pharmacist, a home healthcare provider, a clinician, and a physician.

41. A method as recited in claim 33 further comprising:

formatting the self-monitoring device readings to a uniform format; and

storing the self-monitoring device readings in the uniform format in a database maintained by a service provider.

42. A method as recited in claim 33 further comprising:

enabling the patient to select a self-monitoring device from a plurality of self-monitoring devices from which the patient can transmit data to a database.