Auctioning provider prices

• US 7,895,061 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schoenberg, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALTSCHUL, AMBER L
• Application Number:
  US12/059,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/26, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a computer-based system for connecting consumers with providers in real time over the Internet, requested compensation amounts from a plurality of providers. The method also includes displaying a price associated with consulting with a particular provider to a consumer on a user interface, the price being based at least in part on the requested compensation amount received from the provider.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at a computer-based system for connecting consumers with medical service providers in real time over the Internet, requested compensation amounts from a plurality of medical service providers,

receiving, at the computer-based system, a request from a consumer to consult with a medical service provider having a profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes provided by the consumer in the request with one or more of the attributes being associated with medical qualifications;

identifying, by the computer-based system, a plurality of medical service providers satisfying at least some of the attributes in the request from the consumer;

determining prices associated with consulting with at least some of identified medical service providers with the price being based at least in part on the requested compensation amount received from the medical service provider;

generating a user interface that, when rendered on a device, displays at least two of the identified medical service providers and the determined prices associated with consulting with the identified medical service providers to the consumer;

receiving, from the consumer, a selection of one of the identified medical service providers from the at least two of the identified medical service providers displayed on the user interface; and

providing a communication channel to establish a communication between the consumer and the selected one of the medical service providers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the requested compensation amount from the plurality of medical services medical service providers comprises;

receiving a first requested compensation amount from a first medical service provider; and

receiving a second requested compensation amount from a second medical service provider, the second requested compensation amount being different than the first requested compensation amount; and

generating the user interface comprises;

generating the user interface to display an identification of the first medical service provider and a price based on the received first requested compensation amount from a first medical service provider and an identification of the second medical service provider and a price based on the received second requested compensation amount from a second medical service provider.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, from the consumer, a selection of one of the first medical service provider or the second medical service provider; and

providing a communication channel to establish a communication between the consumer and the selected one of the first medical service provider or the second medical service provider.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing to a non-selected one of the first medical service provider the second medical service provider an indication of the requested compensation of the selected medical service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a single user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the user interface to display the at least two of the identified plurality of medical service providers to the consumer on the user interface comprises:

sorting the identified plurality of medical service providers based on a cost to the consumer; and

displaying at least some of the identified plurality of medical service providers in an order based, at least in part, on the cost to the consumer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving a requested compensation amount from a particular medical service provider, comparing the requested compensation amount of the particular medical service provider to an average compensation amount; and

if the requested compensation is above a threshold greater than the average compensation amount providing an indication to the particular medical service provider; and

allowing the particular medical service provider to provide an updated requested compensation amount.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the price comprises displaying the requested compensation amount for a particular medical service provider.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the price comprises:

displaying the requested compensation amount for a particular medical service provider; and

displaying a portion of the requested compensation amount covered by insurance.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an insurance carrier associated with the consumer;

determining an amount the insurance carrier will pay for a service; and

updating the price displayed to the consumer based on the amount the insurance carrier will pay for the service.

11. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for connecting consumers with medical service providers in real time over the Internet, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive requested compensation amounts from a plurality of medical service providers, and

receive a request from a consumer to consult with a medical service provider having a profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes provided by the consumer in the request with one or more of the attributes being associated with medical qualification;

identify a plurality of medical service providers satisfying at least some of the attributes in the request from the consumer;

determine prices associated with consulting with at least some of identified medical service providers with the price being based at least in part on the requested compensation amount received from the medical service provider

generate a user interface that when rendered on a device displays at least two of the identified plurality of medical service providers and the determined prices associated with consulting with the medical service providers to the consumer, the prices being based at least in part on the requested compensation amount received from the medical service provider

receive a selection of one of the identified medical service providers from the at least two of the identified medical service providers displayed on the user interface; and

provide a communication channel to establish a communication between the consumer and the selected one of the medical service providers.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions to:

provide to a non-selected medical service provider an indication of the requested compensation of a selected medical service provider.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the user interface comprises a single user interface.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions to:

sort the identified one or more medical service providers based on a cost to the consumer; and

display the identified one or more medical service providers in an order based, at least in part, on the cost to the consumer.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions to:

upon receiving a requested compensation amount from a particular medical service provider, compare the requested compensation amount of the particular medical service provider to an average compensation amount; and

if the requested compensation is above a threshold greater than the average compensation amount provide an indication to the particular medical service provider; and

allow the particular medical service provider to provide an updated requested compensation amount.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions to:

determine an insurance carrier associated with the consumer;

determine an amount the insurance carrier will pay for a service; and

update the price displayed to the consumer based on the amount the insurance carrier will pay for the service.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for connecting consumers with providers in real time over the Internet, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to;

receive requested compensation amounts from a plurality of medical service providers, and

receive a request from a consumer to consult with a medical service provider having a profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes provided by the consumer in the request with one or more of the attributes being associated with medical qualification;

identify a plurality of medical service providers satisfying at least some of the attributes in the request from the consumer;

determine prices associated with consulting with at least some of identified medical service providers with the price being based at least in part on the requested compensation amount received from the medical service provider

generate a user interface that when rendered on a device displays at least two of the identified plurality of medical service providers and the determined prices associated with consulting with the medical service providers to the consumer, the prices being based at least in part on the requested compensation amount received from the medical service provider

receive a selection of one of the identified providers from the at least two of the identified providers displayed on the user interface; and

provide a communication channel to establish a communication between the consumer and the selected one of the medical service providers.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions to:

providing to a non-selected medical service provider an indication of the requested compensation of a selected medical service provider.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions to:

sort the identified one or more medical service providers based on a cost to the consumer; and

display the identified one or more medical service providers in an order based, at least in part, on the cost to the consumer.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions to:

upon receiving a requested compensation amount from a particular medical service provider, compare the requested compensation amount of the particular medical service provider to an average compensation amount; and

if the requested compensation is above a threshold greater than the average compensation amount provide an indication to the particular medical service provider; and

allow the particular medical service provider to provide an updated requested compensation amount.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising instructions to:

determine an insurance carrier associated with the consumer;

determine an amount the insurance carrier will pay for a service; and

update the price displayed to the consumer based on the amount the insurance carrier will pay for the service.