Computerized medical diagnostic and treatment advice system including network access

• US 6,206,829 B1
• Filed: 08/17/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clinical Decision Support, LLC (Tivity Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: First Opinion Corporation (Tivity Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Iliff, Edwin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/376,185
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/481-486, 600/500-508, 600/525-545, 128/900, 128/903, 128/904, 128/920-925, 705/1-3
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• 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 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/925 Neural network

Abstract

A system and method for providing computerized, knowledge-based medical diagnostic and treatment advice. The medical advice is provided to the general public over networks, such as a telephone network or a computer network. The invention also includes a stand-alone embodiment that may utilize occasional connectivity to a central computer by use of a network, such as the Internet. Two new authoring languages, interactive voice response and speech recognition are used to enable expert and general practitioner knowledge to be encoded for access by the public. “Meta” functions for time-density analysis of a number of factors regarding the number of medical complaints per unit of time are an integral part of the system. A re-enter feature monitors the user'"'"'s changing condition over time. A symptom severity analysis helps to respond to the changing conditions. System sensitivity factors may be changed at a global level or other levels to adjust the system advice as necessary.

Claims

1. A computerized method of providing information to any one of a plurality of patients for use in a medical diagnostic or treatment advice system on a computer network, the method comprising:

selectively executing at least one of a plurality of medical complaint algorithms;

accessing a patient medical history during an evaluation process, wherein each patient is associated with at least one file unique to the patient file containing medical information unique to the medical condition of the patient, and wherein the patient medical history is persistently stored in the at least one file;

determining medical advice particular to a medical condition associated with one of the medical complaint algorithms through communication on the computer network with a selected one of the patients and with information stored in the patient medical history; and

providing the medical advice to the selected patient.

2. The method defined in claim 1, additionally comprising generating a diagnosis during the selective execution of one of the medical complaint algorithms.

3. The method defined in claim 2, additionally comprising:

storing a treatment table on the computer network;

accessing the treatment table based on the diagnosis to select a treatment; and

communicating the selected treatment to the patient.

4. The method defined in claim 1, additionally comprising protecting the medical history of the patient against unauthorized access.

5. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the patient medical history is stored at a central location on the computer network.

6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the patient medical history resides at a client computer connected to the computer network.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the patient medical history comprises a plurality of files.

8. A computerized method of providing information to a patient for use in a medical diagnostic or treatment advice system having a user access processor on a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving at the user access processor of the patient or an assistant to the patient, information indicative of at least one of a plurality of medical complaint algorithms;

transmitting information indicative of the patient from the user access processor, the information being of use in conjunction with persistently stored patient information; and

receiving medical advice particular to a medical condition associated with one of the medical complaint algorithms.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the user access processor utilizes a browser.

10. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the user access processor utilizes a script engine.

11. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the persistently stored patient information comprises a patient medical history.

12. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.

13. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the computer network comprises an intranet.