METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ONLINE RECORDS

• US 20090007237A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MyMedicalRecords Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MyMedicalRecords Incorporated
• Inventors: LORSCH, ROBERT H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

A method is provided for providing a user with the ability to access and collect records associated with the user in a secure and private manner. The method includes assigning a phone number to the user for private fax and voice communications from service providers, associating access information with the user for the user to use to access a web site, receiving a private fax communication comprising a record associated with the user for which the user has requested and given permission to the service provider to send to the phone number, converting the private fax communications into an image file format, storing the record encoded in the image file format, and providing the user with access to the web site using the access information and providing on the web site an interface to the records of the user for the user to access the record.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user with the ability to access and collect records associated with the user in a secure and private manner, comprising:

assigning a phone number to the user for private fax and voice communications from service providers;

associating access information with the user for the user to use to access a web site;

receiving a private fax communication comprising a record associated with the user for which the user has requested and given permission to the service provider to send to the phone number;

converting the private fax communications into an image file format;

storing the record encoded in the image file format;

providing the user with access to the web site using the access information and providing on the web site an interface to the records of the user for the user to access the record; and

wherein the web site interface further provides for organizing and annotating the records by the user into separate file folders with functionality for the user to name the file folders and add file folders.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user with a document to provide to the service provider requesting the service provider to send the records to the phone number and granting the service provider permission to send the records to the phone number.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the web site further provides for creating the document to provide to the service provider.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the document is a sticker adapted for attachment to the records or a file folder associated with the records.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user with an emergency access card comprising the access information and adapted for use by a third-party to access the records associated with the user in event of an emergency associated with the user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the web site interface further provides for assigning additional password protection to one or more of the folders.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the record is from the set consisting of a patient chart, a birth certificate, a vaccination record, a medical history, a lab report, a test result, a prescription, an x-ray result or image, a scan, and an EKG result or image.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a means of receiving voice communications message from the service provider to the user and maintaining the voice communications message as private.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising alerting the user of the voice communications message from the service provider and providing the user with access information to access the voice communications message.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising alerting the user of a fax transmission from the service provider.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving payment from the user for facilitating access to the records associated with the user.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the web site provides means to facilitate creation of wallet cards containing access information and stickers requesting service providers to fax records to the phone number.

13. A kit for assisting a user with exercising rights to records associated with the user and created by a service provider, accessing the records, maintaining the records as private, and providing access to the records in case of emergency, the kit comprising:

an access card comprising access information associated with the user to be used to access a secure web site providing access to records of the user to be used to convey the access information to another in event of an emergency associated with the user;

at least one document comprising a request to a service provider to electronically send the records to a destination and granting permission by the user to the service provider to electronically send the records to the destination and wherein the records sent to the destination are accessible on the secure web site.

14. The kit of claim 13 wherein the destination is a toll-free number.

15. The kit of claim 13 wherein the at least one document is a sticker adapted for attachment to the records.

16. The kit if claim 13 wherein the access card is printed with the toll-free number.

17. A system for communicating records of a user, comprising:

a consent document providing instructions for and giving permission to a service provider to fax records of a user to a dedicated phone number associated with the user;

a fax server for receiving faxes of the records directed to the dedicated phone number;

a web server in operative communication with the fax server and adapted to provide a secure web-based interface to the records; and

wherein the web-based interface provides for organizing and annotating the records by the user into separate file folders with functionality for the user to name the file folders and add file folders.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the consent document is a sticker for attachment to one of the records.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the dedicated phone number is a toll free number.

20. The system of claim 17 further comprising an access card comprising access information associated with the user to be used to access the secure web-based interface to the records of the user to be used to convey the access information to another in event of an emergency associated with the user.

21. A method for providing a user with the ability to access and collect records associated with the user in a private manner, comprising:

assigning a destination address associated with a user for private fax communications from a service provider;

associating access information with the user for the user to use to access a web site;

receiving a private fax communication comprising a record associated with the user for which the user has requested and given permission to the service provider to send to a fax number;

converting the record into an image file format;

storing the record encoded in the image file format;

associating the record encoded in the image file format with a user account of the user;

providing the user with access to the user account on the web site using the access information;

wherein the web site provides an interface to the user for organizing and annotating the into separate file folders with functionality for the user to name the file folders and add file folders.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the destination address identifies the user or the user account.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the destination address comprises an individualized fax number.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the destination address comprises an email address.

25. A method for providing a user with functionality for accessing and collecting records associated with the user, comprising:

associating access information with the user to use to access a web site;

receiving a record encoded in an image file format from a service provider;

automatically determining a user account associated with the record and associating the record with the user account;

providing the user with access to the user account on the web site using the access information;

wherein the record encoded in the image file format is a representation of a faxed communication from the service provider.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the faxed communication is a faxed communication to a phone number individually associated with the user.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the web site provides for organizing records into folders, creating additional folders, and naming the folders.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the web site further provides for assigning additional password protection to one or more of the folders.

29. A method for providing a user with the ability to access and collect records associated with the user in a secure and private manner, comprising:

assigning an identifier to the user for private fax and voice communications from service providers;

associating access information with the user for the user to use to access a web site;

receiving a plurality of private fax communications from different providers, each of the private fax communications comprising a record associated with the user for which the user has requested and given permission to the service provider to send to the phone number;

converting the private fax communications into image file formats;

storing the records encoded in the image file formats;

providing the user with access to the web site using the access information and providing on the web site an interface to the records of the user for the user to use to access the record; and

wherein the interface provides for organizing the records into folders, creating additional folders, and naming the folders.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the interface further provides for assigning additional password protection to one or more of the folders.