Computer software program for mental health professionals

• US 8,069,061 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Eric Heidel
• Original Assignee: Robert Eric Heidel
• Inventors: Heidel, Robert Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAULS, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US12/387,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 705/3
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A computer software program that will allow mental health practitioners to enter data into portable files and send information to various professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities through a direct, secure, and electronic linkage created by registering with said professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities. Mental health professionals using the software program will be able to create portable files containing information about clients, notes, credentials, licenses, certifications, specializations, accreditations, professional memberships, professional trainings, Continuing Education Units, professional activities, supervision hours, education, insurance board memberships. A plethora of relevant professional mental health information will be accessible through the software program. Professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities will be able to advertise and/or send information pertaining to products and services. The software program is a “one-stop shopping” platform for mental health professionals to create portable files and send information in a streamlined and efficient manner.

Claims

1. A method for providing an integrated user interface for one or more mental health professional, the method comprising:

encoding a non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instruction, that when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method, the method comprising;

providing a user interface that provides secure electronic linkages between the software program and a plurality of remote computers;

wherein the remote computers are associated with professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities associated with the one or more mental health professional;

registering the one or more mental health professional with the professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities in order to established the secure linkages are upon; and

wherein the one or more mental health professional includes at least one of a mental health counselor, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, a mental health clinician, a mental health researcher, a psychiatrist, a mental health student and a mental health professor; and

providing a user interface that provides the one or more mental health professional data entry into a preinstalled or uploaded note template; and

providing a user interface that creates and stores electronic data files including said data entry in a storage device; and

providing a user interface that electronically transmits the electronic data files to the professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities;

wherein said data entry includes professional information associated with the one or more mental health professional comprising;

supervision hours continuing education units, credentials, licenses, specializations, accreditations, certifications, professional memberships, professional training completed, and attendance at professional meeting or conferences; and

wherein said data entry includes reimbursement information associated with the one or more mental health professional comprising;

insurance board memberships with Health Maintenance organizations (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), health insurance companies, billing agencies, and third-party reimbursement entities; and

wherein said data entry includes task information associated with the one or more mental health professional comprising;

professional, ethical, and legal tasks, duties, and responsibilities;

providing a user interface that provides the one or more mental health professional access to mental health information;

wherein the mental health information comprises;

client populations, multicultural issues, diagnostic criteria and information, formal evaluation and assessment, statistics, and ethical codes; and

wherein the mental health information further comprises legal statutes, and information related to professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities, professional memberships, medications and/or psychopharmacology, consultation, and research; and

wherein the mental health information pertaining to licensures, certifications, accreditations, specializations, credentials, therapeutic interventions, therapeutic theoretical orientations, educational information, and vocational information; and

wherein the mental health information pertaining to continuing education opportunities, therapy notes and documentation, professional discourse and communication, developmental issues and knowledge, professional issues and knowledge, and supervision practices and regulations

providing a user interface that provides the one or more mental health professional secure credit and/or monetary transactions with the professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities;

providing a user interface that provides advertising from the professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities including advertisements for products and services targeted to the one or more mental health professional.

2. The method of claim 1 further including providing a user interface that electronically transmits data files containing professional credentials associated with the one or more mental health professional to publishers and/or owners of assessments and evaluations.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein mental health information is preinstalled into the software program.

4. The method of claim 1 further including providing a user interface that electronically transmits documentation to insurance entities for reimbursement of services provided to clients associated with the one or more mental health professional.

5. The method of claim 1 further including providing an electronic fund transfer solution that processes reimbursements for mental health services rendered to clients associated with the one or more mental health professional.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertising includes advertising targeted to the one or more mental health professional pertaining to professional organizations, professional conferences, professional meetings, and professional conferences.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertising includes advertising targeted to the one or more mental health professional pertaining to Continuing Education Unit opportunities, hospitals, private practices, treatment centers, job postings, universities, and professional trainings, events, and memberships.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertising includes advertising targeted to the one or more mental health professional pertaining to credentialing opportunities, licensing opportunities, specialization opportunities, and accreditation opportunities.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertising includes advertising targeted to the one or more mental health professional pertaining to publishing companies, pharmaceutical companies, professional mental health related institutions, organizations, businesses, products, and services.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertising includes advertising targeted to the one or more mental health professional pertaining to educational programs, medications, journals, databases, research, publications, books, assessments and evaluations, and other sorts of mental health related products and services.