System, method and computer program for interactive voice recognition scheduler, reminder and messenger

• US 20060036478A1
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nexia Health Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nexia Health Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Begeshev, Yuri, Aleynikov, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US10/916,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036478A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• 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, method and computer program for automated appointment scheduling is provided. The system includes a computer linked to a voice messaging utility and to a database and the computer program of the present invention. The computer program defines a scheduling engine that includes a two-way interactive voice response engine, and that enables a user to place a call to the computer and book an appointment by means of a scheduling menu that includes one or more hierarchically defined menu options dynamically defined by the scheduling engine based on user input provided by the user. The computer program enables the scheduling of one or more appointments by users on a fully automated basis. A method of providing automated telephone appointment booking to one or more users is provided, as well as a method for one or more users to book an appointment via an automated telephone appointment booking attendant.

Claims

1. A system for automated appointment scheduling comprising:

(a) A computer linked to a voice messaging utility and to a database; and

(b) A computer application linked- to the computer, the computer application defining on the computer;

(i) A scheduling engine that includes a two-way interactive voice response engine, and that enables a user to place a call to the computer and book an appointment by means of a scheduling menu that includes one or more hierarchically defined menu options dynamically defined by the scheduling engine based on user input provided by the user.

2. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer application further defines on the computer an authentication utility that is operable to enable the computer to:

(a) obtain the input of authentication credentials from the user;

(b) compare the authentication credentials obtained from the user to the authentication credentials for the user stored to the database, and based on such authentication credentials authenticate the user to the computer; and

(c) upon authentication of the user to the computer, provide access to resources and/or data linked to the computer that the user is authorized to access.

3. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the scheduling engine enables the scheduling of one or more appointments by users on a fully automated basis.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scheduling engine includes a logic engine that is operable to dynamically modify the one or more hierarchically defined menus so as to reduce the number of irrelevant options presented to the user for the purpose of enabling the user to book the appointment.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein upon authentication of the user by the authentication facility, the scheduling engine is operable to access from the database a user profile corresponding to the authenticated user, and to adapt the scheduling menu based on data included in the user profile.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the user profile includes data regarding one or more of the following:

(a) The medical conditions of the user;

(b) The scheduling preferences of the user;

(c) The preferred service provider of the user; and

/or

(d) The ongoing treatment plan of the user.

7. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the scheduling engine is operable to present to the user one or more tips based on historical data for booking the preferred appointment times of the user.

8. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the scheduling engine defines a plurality of scheduling rules consisting of:

(a) One or more rules of general application in booking appointments via the computer; and

(b) One or more rules of particular application that reflect particular appointment booking parameters of a particular appointment driven business, such rules of particular application defining a plurality of templates of scheduling rules for different appointment driven businesses.

9. The system claimed in claim 8, wherein the scheduling engine enables the operator of the computer to define one or more custom scheduling rules.

10. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer application includes a call back utility that enables the computer to a make one or more calls to one or more users associated with the computer.

11. The system claimed in claim 10, wherein the computer application defines a waiting list for one or more appointment slots, wherein the scheduling engine enables one or more callers to the computer to provide user input that is operable to enter the one or more callers on the waiting list, the scheduling engine being further operable to administer the waiting list by updating the waiting list based on cancellations or appointment changes affecting the one or more appointment slots, and wherein the call back utility is operable to make a call to the one or more callers in connection with one or more updates to the waiting list.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer application also includes a prescription renewal utility, wherein the prescription renewal utility is operable to obtain input from the user regarding a prescription that the user wishes to have renewed, and to contact at least one health provider for the user to obtain approval for the renewal of the prescription.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the prescription renewal utility is further operable to communicate the prescription renewal to a preferred pharmacist of the user.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer application also defines on the computer a caller administration utility that is operable to define one or more communication parameters for the handling of calls by the computer, such one or more communication parameters including one or more of the following:

(a) Parameters for invoking a receptionist; and

/or

(b) Scheduling of outgoing calls;

(c) Utilization of phone lines connected to the computer.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

(a) The computer consists of a server computer;

(b) The voice messaging utility includes a voice server coupled to one or more voice cards; and

(c) The computer application consists of a server application linked to the server computer;

Wherein the server computer is operable to enable calls to a defined telephone number to be handled by the voice server thereby providing access to callers to the defined telephone number to the resources of the server computer, based on defined parameters.

16. A computer program for automated appointment scheduling, for use in association with a computer, the computer being linked to a voice messaging utility and a database, the computer program comprising computer instructions for defining on the computer:

(a) A scheduling engine that includes a two-way interactive voice response engine, and that enables a user to place a call to the computer and thereby book an appointment by means of a scheduling menu that includes one or more hierarchically defined menu options dynamically defined by the scheduling engine based on user input provided by the user.

17. The computer program claimed in claim 16, wherein the computer program further defines on the computer an authentication utility linked to the scheduling engine, the authentication utility being operable to enable the computer to:

(a) obtain the input of authentication credentials from the user;

(b) compare the authentication credentials to the authentication credentials for the user stored to the database, and based on such authentication credentials authenticate the user to the computer; and

(c) upon authentication of the user to the computer, provide access to resources and/or data linked to the computer that the user is authorized to access.

18. The computer program claimed in claim 16, wherein the scheduling engine enables the scheduling of one or more appointments by users on a fully automated basis.

19. The computer program as claimed in claim 18, wherein the scheduling engine includes a logic engine that is operable to dynamically modify the one or more hierarchically defined menu options so as to reduce the number of irrelevant options presented to the user for the purpose of enabling the user to book the appointment.

20. The computer program as claimed in claim 17, wherein upon authentication of the user by the authentication facility, the scheduling engine is operable to access from the database a user profile corresponding to the authenticated user, and to adapt the scheduling menu based on data included in the user profile.

21. A method of providing automated telephone appointment booking to one or more users comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing a two-way interactive voice communication system that is operable to receive telephone calls from the one or more users;

(b) The one or more users contacting the voice communication system by a dialling a given telephone number;

(c) The voice communication system authenticating each of the one or more users by soliciting authentication data from each of the one or more users, and comparing the authentication data provided with the authentication data associated with the user on a database linked to the voice communication system;

(d) The voice communication system presenting to the one or more users a scheduling menu that includes a plurality of hierarchical menu options defined by an appointment booking process; and

(e) The voice communication system receiving user input from the one or more users, and based on such user input, the voice communication system booking one or more appointments on a fully automated basis.

22. The method claimed in claim 21, comprising the further step of the voice communication system dynamically narrowing the hierarchical menu options, thereby optimizing the efficiency of the booking of the one or more appointments.

23. A method for one or more users to book an, appointment via an automated telephone appointment booking attendant comprising the steps of:

(a) Contacting via telephone a two-way interactive voice communication system;

(b) Providing authentication data to an authentication utility linked to the voice communication system, such authentication utility being operable to compare the authentication data to authentication data for the user stored to a database -linked to the voice communication system; and

(c) Providing user input to one or more scheduling menus defined by a scheduling engine linked to the voice communication system, the scheduling menus defining a plurality of hierarchical menu options corresponding to an appointment booking process, the user thereby booking one or more appointments on a fully automated basis method for one or more users to booking an appointment via an automated telephone appointment booking attendant.