Personalized display of health information

Abstract

Delivery of health information to a patient suffering from a chronic condition is personalized by displaying the health information directly on a customized image of a body. The patient's medical record, standards of care for the condition, prescribed treatments, and patient input are applied to a generalized health model of a disease to generate a personalized health model of the patient. The personalized health model comprises an HTML file encoding an image map of a body. The body image illustrates the health condition of the individual patient. Preferably, data is collected from health provider sources and stored in a database on a server at a service provider site. The data is processed at the server, and is displayed in the patient's home using a TV connected to a multimedia processor. The multimedia processor connects the television set to a communications network such as the Internet. Applications include preventive care of chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for displaying health information comprising: 
 a) a set of inputs for generating a set of data {D[j]}, j=1 . . . J, a datum D[j] characterizing a personal health condition of a patient;    b) a processing means in communication with said set of inputs, for generating a personalized health model of said patient from a generalized health model of said patient and from said set of data {D[j]}; and    c) a display means in communication with said processing means, for generating a display comprising a body image, said body image illustrating said personalized health model.    
     
     
         2 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said personalized health model comprises a set of parameters {P[k]}, k=1 . . . K.  
     
     
         3 . The system of    claim 2    wherein said generalized health model specifies a dependence of said set of parameters {(P[k]} on said set of data {D[j]}.  
     
     
         4 . The system of    claim 2    wherein said processing means is adapted to assign values to said set of parameters {P[k]} using said set of data {D[j]}.  
     
     
         5 . The system of    claim 2    wherein said set of parameters {P[k]} comprises a blood glucose level.  
     
     
         6 . The system of    claim 2    wherein said set of parameters {P[k]} comprises a condition of a part of said patient.  
     
     
         7 . The system of    claim 2    wherein said set of parameters {P[k]} comprises a parameter selected from the group of respiratory flow, blood pressure, cholesterol level, patient weight, T-cell count, and frequency of health episodes.  
     
     
         8 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said set of inputs comprises a medical record of said patient.  
     
     
         9 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said set of inputs comprises a record of a standard of care for a general health condition of said patient.  
     
     
         10 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said set of inputs comprises a record of a prescribed treatment of said patient.  
     
     
         11 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said set of inputs comprises a record of a display preference.  
     
     
         12 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said set of inputs comprises a record of a personal profile of said patient.  
     
     
         13 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said set of inputs comprises a patient identification means in communication with said display means, for specifying an identity of said patient.  
     
     
         14 . The system of    claim 13    wherein said patient identification means is adapted to specify a prescribed treatment of said patient.  
     
     
         15 . The system of    claim 13    wherein said patient identification means comprises a card.  
     
     
         16 . The system of    claim 13    wherein said patient identification means is in communication with said display means and is adapted to specify an address of said processing means, for allowing a communication between said display means and said processing means.  
     
     
         17 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said set of inputs comprises a patient feedback means in communication with said processing means, for generating a subset of feedback data.  
     
     
         18 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said display means comprises a television set.  
     
     
         19 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said display means comprises a multimedia processor for connecting said television set to said processing means.  
     
     
         20 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said data set {D[j]} comprises a subset of simulation data characterizing a simulated personal health condition of said patient.  
     
     
         21 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said display comprises a section assigned to a parameter P[k].  
     
     
         22 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said body image comprises a section assigned to a parameter P[k].  
     
     
         23 . The system of    claim 1    wherein a set of characteristics of said body image match a set of predetermined physical characteristics.  
     
     
         24 . The system of    claim 23    wherein said set of physical characteristics comprises a characteristic selected from an age, a height, a gender, a weight, a skin color, and a hair color.  
     
     
         25 . The system of    claim 23    wherein said body image comprises a reproduction of an image of said patient.  
     
     
         26 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said body image comprises an image of a fictional character.  
     
     
         27 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said processing means is in communication with said display means over a remote network.  
     
     
         28 . The system of    claim 1    wherein said processing means is in communication with said set of inputs over a remote network.  
     
     
         29 . The system of    claim 1    further comprising a data aggregation means in communication with said set of inputs and with said processing means, for collecting a subset of said set of data {D[j]} from said set of inputs.  
     
     
         30 . The system of    claim 29    wherein said data aggregation means is in communication with said display means over a remote network.  
     
     
         31 . A method of providing personalized health information to a patient, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) generating a set of data {D[j]}, j=1 . . . J, from a set of inputs, a datum D[j] characterizing a personal health condition of a patient;    b) generating a personalized health model of said patient from a generalized health model of said patient and from said set of data {D[j]}; and    c) generating a display comprising a body image, said body image illustrating said personalized health model.