Systems and methods for health care records access and notification

• US 7,725,332 B1
• Filed: 04/23/2005
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James William Soong
• Original Assignee: James William Soong
• Inventors: Soong, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHONGSVIRAJATI, POONSIN
• Application Number:
  US11/112,468
• Time in Patent Office: 1,858 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 4, 702 2- 4, 600/300, 707 9- 10
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/941 Human sciences
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A first group of individuals, including a first health care provider, is provided access to a first type of data concerning the patient under control of the access rules determined by the patient. A second group of individuals, including a second health care provider, is provided access to a second type of data concerning the patient under control of the access rules determined by the patient, the second type of data not identical to the first type of data. An indication of a threshold event relating to data about the patient is received, the threshold event determined by the patient. Occurrence of the threshold event is identified by comparing a numerical value, within a numerical range, indicative of degree of health with a threshold value indicative of the threshold event.

Claims

1. A tangible machine readable storage medium storing a set of instructions, the instructions causing a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of records in a database, the plurality of records including types of data concerning a patient;

receiving access rules to selectively control electronic access to the types of data by both health care providers and non-health care providers, the access rules determined by the patient;

controlling access to the types of data by applying the access rules determined by the patient;

providing to a first group of individuals, including a first health care provider, access to a first type of data concerning the patient under control of the access rules determined by the patient;

providing to a second group of individuals, including a second health care provider, access to a second type of data concerning the patient under control of the access rules determined by the patient, the second type of data not identical to the first type of data;

receiving an indication of a threshold event relating to data about the patient, the threshold event determined by the patient;

identifying an occurrence of the threshold event by comparing a numerical value, within a numerical range, indicative of a degree of the patient'"'"'s health with a threshold value indicative of the threshold event; and

in response to the occurrence of the threshold event, providing an electronic notification to an entity selected by the patient, wherein the selected entity is not the patient;

wherein the threshold event and the electronic notification relate to the first type of data;

the selected entity includes a person from the first group of individuals; and

the second group of individuals is denied access to the electronic notification.

2. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein under the access rules the second group of individuals are denied access to the first type of data.

3. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the access rules are stored in a database.

4. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the first type of data includes sensitive information about the patient; and

the second type of data includes non-sensitive information about the patient.

5. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising:

associating with the first type of data permitted transactions including at least one selected from the group consisting of create, display, modify, and transmit, or any combination thereof;

associating with the first type of data unpermitted transactions including at least one selected from the group consisting of create, display, modify, and transmit, or any combination thereof; and

restricting access to the first type of data by the second group of individuals to only the permitted transactions.

6. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the first group of individuals further includes health care providers;

the first type of data includes at least in part medical information about the patient;

the second group of individuals further includes billing or accounting personnel;

the second type of data includes at least in part financial information about the patient; and

under the access rules the billing or accounting personnel are denied access to the medical information about the patient.

7. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first group of individuals includes a first personal relation of the patient and the second group of individuals includes a second personal relation of the patient different from the first personal relation.

8. A tangible machine readable storage medium storing a set of instructions, the instructions causing a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of records in a database, the plurality of records including types of data concerning a patient;

receiving access rules to selectively control electronic access to the types of data by both health care providers and non health care providers, the access rules determined by the patient;

controlling access to the types of data by applying the access rules determined by the

providing to a first group of individuals, including a first health care provider, access to a first type of data concerning the patient under control of the access rules determined by the

providing to a second group of individuals, including a second health care provider, access to a second type of data concerning the patient under control of the access rules determined by the patient, the second type of data not identical to the first type of data;

receiving an indication of a first threshold event relating to data about the patient, the first threshold event determined by the patient;

identifying an occurrence of the first threshold event by comparing a first numerical value, within a first numerical range, associated with at least one record with a first threshold value indicative of the first threshold event; and

providing an electronic notification to an entity selected by the patient in response to the occurrence of the first threshold event;

wherein the first threshold event and the electronic notification relate to monetary amounts owed by the patient;

receiving an indication of a second threshold event relating to data about the patient, the second threshold event determined by the patient;

identifying an occurrence of the second threshold event by comparing a second numerical value, within a second numerical range, indicative of a degree of the patient'"'"'s health with a second threshold value indicative of the second threshold event; and

in response to the occurrence of the second threshold event, providing an electronic notification to an entity selected by the patient, wherein the selected entity is not the patient;

wherein the second threshold event and the electronic notification relate to the first type of data;

the selected entity includes a person from the first group of individuals; and

the second group of individuals is denied access to the electronic notification.

9. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein under the access rules the second group of individuals are denied access to the first type of data.

10. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the access rules are stored in a database.

11. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the first type of data includes sensitive information about the patient; and

the second type of data includes non-sensitive information about the patient.

12. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the electronic notification includes the record.

13. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the first group of individuals further includes health care providers;

the first type of data includes at least in part medical information about the patient;

the second group of individuals further includes billing or accounting personnel;

the second type of data includes at least in part financial information about the patient; and

under the access rules the billing or accounting personnel are denied access to the medical information about the patient.

14. The tangible machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first numerical value includes an account balance.

15. A computer system comprising:

at least one server, including a processor, configured to;

store a plurality of records in a database, the plurality of records including types of data concerning a patient;

receive access rules to selectively control electronic access to the types of data by both health care providers and non-health care providers, the access rules determined by the patient;

control access to the types of data by applying the access rules determined by the patient;

provide to a first group of individuals, including a first health care provider, access to a first type of data concerning the patient under control of the access rules determined by the patient;

provide to a second group of individuals, including a second health care provider, access to a second type of data concerning the patient under control of the access rules determined by the patient, the second type of data not identical to the first type of data;

receive an indication of a threshold event relating to data about the patient, the threshold event determined by the patient;

identify an occurrence of the threshold event by comparing a numerical value, within a numerical range, indicative of a degree of the patient'"'"'s health with a threshold value indicative of the threshold event; and

in response to the occurrence of the threshold event, provide an electronic notification to an entity selected by the patient, wherein the selected entity is not the patient;

wherein;

the threshold event and the electronic notification relate to the first type of data;

the selected entity includes a person from the first group of individuals; and

the second group of individuals is denied access to the electronic notification.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein under the access rules the second group of individuals are denied access to the first type of data.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the access rules are stored in a database.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein:

the first type of data includes sensitive information about the patient; and

the second type of data includes non-sensitive information about the patient.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein:

the first group of individuals further includes health care providers;

the first type of data includes at least in part medical information about the patient;

the second group of individuals further includes billing or accounting personnel;

the second type of data includes at least in part financial information about the patient; and

under the access rules the billing or accounting personnel are denied access to the medical information about the patient.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the first group of individuals includes a first personal relation of the patient and the second group of individuals includes a second personal relation of the patient different from the first personal relation.