SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALTERING AN INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR

• US 20140272846A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Health Fitness Corporation (Trustmark Mutual Holding Company)
• Original Assignee: Health Fitness Corporation (Trustmark Mutual Holding Company)
• Inventors: Richling, Dennis E.
• Application Number:
  US14/208,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20140272846A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 Nutrition
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Systems and methods for altering participants'"'"' behaviors associated with a health care system are provided. In one example, a method of altering a behavior of a participant associated with a health care system includes assessing activities of the participant over a network via at least one electronic device, determining a behavior of the participant based on the activities of the participant, determining a motivation level of the participant, the motivation level is associated with an extent to which the participant is willing to change the behavior, categorizing the participant into a first category of a plurality of categories based on the behavior and the motivation level of the participant, and communicating with the participant based on the category in which the participant is categorized over a network via at least one electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of altering a behavior of a participant associated with a health care system, the method comprising:

assessing activities of the participant over a network via at least one electronic device;

determining a behavior of the participant based on the activities of the participant;

determining a motivation level of the participant, wherein the motivation level is associated with an extent to which the participant is willing to change the behavior;

categorizing the participant into a first category of a plurality of categories based on the behavior and the motivation level of the participant; and

communicating with the participant based on the category in which the participant is categorized over a network via at least one electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing activities further includes:

presenting a plurality of questions to the participant over the network to the at least one electronic device;

displaying the plurality of questions on the at least one electronic device for viewing by the participant; and

communicating data associated with the participant'"'"'s answers to the plurality of questions over the network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the network is one of an Internet, an intranet, a cellular network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and a cable network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one electronic device is at least one of a personal computer, a portable computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a cellular phone, and a hardwired telephone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the behavior is one of an unhealthy behavior and an absent behavior.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein categorizing further includes categorizing the participant in the first category when the behavior is an unhealthy behavior and categorizing the participant in a second category different than the first category when the behavior is an absent behavior.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein communicating further includes:

intervening with the participant at a first intervention level when the participant is categorized in the first category; and

intervening with the participant at a second intervention level when the participant is categorized in the second category, wherein the first intervention level and the second intervention level are different.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the behavior is one of an unhealthy behavior and an absent behavior, and wherein the motivation level is one of a high motivation level and a low motivation level.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein categorizing further includes:

categorizing the participant in the first category when the behavior is an unhealthy behavior and the motivation level is a high motivation level;

categorizing the participant in a second category of the plurality of categories when the behavior is an unhealthy behavior and the motivation level is a low motivation level;

categorizing the participant in a third category of the plurality of categories when the behavior is an absent behavior and the motivation level is a high motivation level; and

categorizing the participant in a fourth category of the plurality of categories when the behavior is an absent behavior and the motivation level is a low motivation level.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein communicating further includes:

intervening with the participant at a first intervention level when the participant is categorized in the first category;

intervening with the participant at a second intervention level when the participant is categorized in the second category;

intervening with the participant at a third intervention level when the participant is categorized in the third category; and

intervening with the participant at a fourth intervention level when the participant is categorized in the fourth category;

wherein the first intervention level, the second intervention level, the third intervention level and the fourth intervention level are different.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein, when the behavior is an absent behavior, the method further comprises:

comparing the absent behavior to a list of healthy behaviors stored in a database; and

identifying at least one healthy behavior absent from the activities of the participant.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining a motivation level of the participant further includes:

displaying the at least one healthy behavior on the electronic device for the participant to view; and

presenting at least one motivation question to the participant on the electronic device pertaining to the at least one healthy behavior displayed on the electronic device to determine the motivation level of the participant to begin performing the at least one healthy behavior.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the motivation level is a high motivation level when the participant has a high level of motivation to begin performing the at least one healthy behavior, and wherein the motivation level is a low motivation level when the participant has a low level of motivation to begin performing the at least one healthy behavior, wherein categorizing further includes categorizing the participant in the first category when the participant has a high motivation level and categorizing the participant in a second category of the plurality of categories different than the first category when the participant has a low motivation level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein communicating further includes:

intervening with the participant at a first intervention level when the participant is categorized in the first category; and

intervening with the participant at a second intervention level when the participant is categorized in the second category, wherein the first intervention level and the second intervention level are different.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein, when the behavior is an unhealthy behavior, determining a motivation level of the participant further includes:

presenting at least one motivation question to the participant on the electronic device inquiring about when the participant will begin changing the unhealthy behavior to determine the motivation level of the participant.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the motivation level is a high motivation level when the participant has a high level of motivation to begin changing the unhealthy behavior, and wherein the motivation level is a low motivation level when the participant has a low level of motivation to begin changing the unhealthy behavior, wherein categorizing further includes categorizing the participant in the first category when the participant has a high motivation level and categorizing the participant in a second category different than the first category when the participant has a low motivation level.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein communicating further includes:

intervening with the participant at a first intervention level when the participant is categorized in the first category; and

intervening with the participant at a second intervention level when the participant is categorized in the second category, wherein the first intervention level and the second intervention level are different.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing activities and communicating with the participant occur over a same network and via a same electronic device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing activities and communicating with the participant occur over different networks.

20. A method of altering a behavior of a participant associated with a health care system, the method comprising:

communicating first data associated with a first question over a network to an electronic device, wherein the first question pertains to a health activity of the participant;

displaying the first question on a display of the electronic device;

activating an input device on the electronic device by the participant to answer the first question;

communicating second data associated with the answer to the first question over the network;

determining a behavior of the participant based on at least the answer to the first question, wherein the behavior is one of a plurality of behaviors;

communicating third data associated with a second question over the network to the electronic device, wherein the second question pertains to a participant'"'"'s motivation to change the behavior;

displaying the second question on the display of the electronic device;

activating the input device on the electronic device by the participant to answer the second question;

communicating fourth data associated with the answer to the second question over the network;

determining a motivation level of the participant based on at least the answer to the second question, wherein the motivation level is one of a plurality of motivation levels;

categorizing the participant into one of a plurality of categories based on the behavior and the motivation level of the participant; and

communicating with the participant, over the network via the electronic device, based on the one of the plurality of categories in which the participant is categorized.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first question is one of a plurality of first questions and determining a behavior further includes determining a behavior of the participant based on answers to the first plurality of questions, and wherein the second question is one of a second plurality of questions and determining a motivation level further includes determining a motivation level of the participant based on answers to the second plurality of questions.