Notification services for patients

• US 8,670,998 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mckesson Specialty Arizona Inc. (McKesson Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Mckesson Specialty Arizona Inc. (McKesson Corp.)
• Inventors: Bertha, Brian, O'Neill, Darren, Kachnowski, Stan, Griffin, Margaret, Manship, Cole
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuelling, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/309,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20130144637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for providing at least one notification to a patient. In one embodiment, health-related data/information may be used to identify a patient that satisfies one or more business rules. Notifications to the patient'"'"'s mobile device can then be provided based on location data.

Claims

1. A method for providing at least one notification to a patient, the method comprising:

for a patient registered for notification services, determining, via one or more processors, whether health-related data associated with the patient satisfies one or more business rules;

storing, via the one or more processors, notification preferences for the patient that identify at least one communication format and at least one electronic destination address to be used in providing notifications to a mobile device associated with the patient, wherein the at least one communication format is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an email message, and a voice message;

monitoring, via the one or more processors, the location of the mobile device associated with the patient to determine when the location of the mobile device associated with the patient is within a predetermined distance from a designated location; and

responsive to determining that the location of the mobile device associated with the patient is within the predetermined distance from the designated location, providing, via the one or more processors, a notification to the mobile device associated with the patient, the notification corresponding to the one or more business rules, the notification preferences, and the designated location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the health-related data comprises claims data and external data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) the notification is an incentive based at least in part on the health-related data and (b) the incentive comprises a discount for purchasing an item.

4. A computer program product for providing at least one notification to a patient, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to, for a patient registered for notification services, determine whether health-related data associated with the patient satisfies one or more business rules;

an executable portion configured to store notification preferences for the patient that identify at least one communication format and at least one electronic destination address to be used in providing notifications to a mobile device associated with the patient, wherein the at least one communication format is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an email message, and a voice message;

an executable portion configured to monitor location of the mobile device associated with the patient to determine when the location of the mobile device associated with the patient is within a predetermined distance from a designated location; and

an executable portion configured to, responsive to determining that the location of the mobile device associated with the patient is within the predetermined distance from the designated location, provide a notification to the mobile device associated with the patient, the notification corresponding to the one or more business rules, the notification preferences, and the designated location.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the health-related data comprises claims data and external data.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein (a) the notification is an incentive based at least in part on the health-related data and (b) the incentive comprises a discount for purchasing an item.

7. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

for a patient registered for notification services, determine whether health-related data associated with the patient satisfies one or more business rules;

store notification preferences for the patient that identify at least one communication format and at least one electronic destination address to be used in providing notifications to a mobile device associated with the patient, wherein the at least one communication format is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an email message, and a voice message;

monitor the location of the mobile device associated with the patient to determine when the location of the mobile device associated with the patient is within a predetermined distance from a designated location; and

responsive to determining that the location of the mobile device associated with the patient is within the predetermined distance from the designated location, provide a notification to the mobile device associated with the patient, the notification corresponding to the one or more business rules, the notification preferences, and the designated location.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the health-related data comprises claims data and external data.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein (a) the notification is an incentive based at least in part on the health-related data and (b) the incentive comprises a discount for purchasing an item.