Method of promoting patient adherence to a treatment regimen

• US 20050108051A1
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Asthma and Allergy Care of Delaware
• Original Assignee: Asthma and Allergy Care of Delaware
• Inventors: Weinstein, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/968,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108051A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

A method and apparatus for promoting and improving patient adherence to a treatment regimen for a chronic disease. The method including the steps of surveying a patient with questions related to the treatment of the chronic disease; analyzing the patient'"'"'s survey responses to said questions; selecting instructions for healthcare providers and patients based on analyzing the patient'"'"'s survey responses; communicating the patient'"'"'s survey responses and instructions for healthcare providers to the healthcare providers; communicating instructions for the patient to the patient; and prescribing a new treatment regimen to improve the patient'"'"'s adherence based on the patient'"'"'s survey responses and instructions communicated to the healthcare providers and the patient.

Claims

1. A method for promoting and improving patient adherence to a treatment regimen for a chronic disease comprising:

surveying a patient with questions based on a group of factors related to the treatment of the chronic disease;

analyzing the patient'"'"'s survey responses to said questions;

selecting instructions for healthcare providers based on analyzing the patient'"'"'s survey responses;

selecting instructions for the patient based on analyzing the patient'"'"'s survey responses;

communicating the patient'"'"'s survey responses and instructions for healthcare providers to the healthcare providers;

communicating instructions for the patient to the patient; and

prescribing a new treatment regimen to improve the patient'"'"'s adherence based on the patient'"'"'s survey responses and instructions communicated to the healthcare providers and the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said group of factors further comprises at least one of the patient'"'"'s attitude toward the condition being treated, the patient'"'"'s understanding of the treatment regimen prescribed, the patient'"'"'s self-assessment of his/her adherence to the treatment regimen, the patient'"'"'s satisfaction with the healthcare provider, the patient'"'"'s understanding of factors affecting the chronic disease being treated;

and the patient'"'"'s concerns about the treatment regimen.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said patient'"'"'s concerns include at least one of cost, side effects and the patient'"'"'s support structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing is performed by at least one of a computer system local to the patient and a computer system local to the healthcare provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting instructions for healthcare providers is performed by at least one of a computer system local to the patient and a computer system local to the healthcare provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting instructions for the patient is performed by at least one of a computer system local to the patient and a computer system local to the healthcare provider.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicating the patient'"'"'s responses and instructions is provided by at least one of direct communications, wireless communications, local area networks and Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicating instructions for the patient is provided by at least one of direct communications, wireless communications, local area networks and Internet.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein direct communications includes at least one of oral, written and wired telephone communications.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein wireless communications includes at least one of radio and cellular telephone.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein direct communications includes at least one of oral, written and wired telephone communications.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein wireless communications includes at least one of radio and cellular telephone.

13. An apparatus for promoting and improving patient adherence to a treatment regimen for a chronic disease comprising:

means for surveying the patient with questions based on a group of factors related to the treatment of the chronic disease;

means for analyzing the patient'"'"'s survey responses to said questions;

means for selecting instructions for healthcare providers based on analyzing the patient'"'"'s survey responses;

means for selecting instructions for the patient based on analyzing the patient'"'"'s survey responses;

means for communicating the patient'"'"'s responses and instructions for healthcare providers to the healthcare providers;

means for communicating the instructions for the patient to the patient; and

means for prescribing a new treatment regimen to improve the patient'"'"'s adherence based on the patient'"'"'s survey responses and instructions communicated to the healthcare providers,

wherein the means for surveying and the means for analyzing are connected by the means for communicating.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said group of factors comprise at least one of the patient'"'"'s attitude toward the condition being treated, the patient'"'"'s understanding of the treatment regimen prescribed, the patient'"'"'s self-assessment of his/her adherence to the treatment regimen, the patient'"'"'s satisfaction with the healthcare provider, the patient'"'"'s understanding of factors affecting the chronic disease being treated;

and the patient'"'"'s concerns about the treatment regimen.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said means for analyzing includes at least one of a computer and communication system local to the patient and a computer and communication system local to the healthcare provider.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said means for selecting is performed by at least one of a computer system local to the patient and a computer system local to the healthcare provider.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said means for communicating is provided by at least one of direct communications, wireless communications, local area networks and Internet.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said concerns include at least one of cost, side effects and the patient'"'"'s support structure.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for analyzing further comprises a microprocessor, memory, input devices and output devices.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the memory is at least one of a diskette, compact flash and portable media.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the input devices are at least one of a touch panel screen display, keyboard, mouse and microphone.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the output devices are at least one of a graphics display monitor and speaker.