Message and program system supporting communication

Abstract

One aspect of this invention embodies a method of messaging upon a network involving at least one physician, at least one patient and a workflow engine. Each physician operates a computer from time to time capable of receiving and sending messages upon the network at a corresponding address on the network. Each patient operates a computer from time to time capable of receiving and sending messages upon the network at a corresponding address on the network. The workflow engine accesses the network for receiving and sending messages upon the network at a workflow engine address on the network. The method comprises using a first medical message wizard by the patient on the patient operated computer, a medical profiler process performed by the workflow engine and a second medical message wizard by the first physician on the physician operated computer at the first corresponding physician address.

This disclosure is provided to reveal a embodiment of the invention and a best mode for practicing the invention. However, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other approaches may be substituted for those set forth herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, additional advantages, applications and modifications of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention should only be limited by the claims included below.  
     
         1 . A method of providing professional services, the method comprising the following performed by a data processing system: accepting entry of information associated with a matter of a person, wherein the information is entered via a client device in communication with the data processing system; assigning the person to one of a plurality of pools of people based on the entered information; allowing a professional services provider qualified to advise people in the assigned pool to view the entered information; and providing a secure area within which the professional services provider provides information about the matter, wherein the secure area is accessible by the person via the client device.  
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising allowing the person to access the secure area and view the information provided by the professional services provider.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising notifying the person that the professional services provider has provided information about the matter within the secure area.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the information is entered by the person in a predetermined, structured format.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the following performed prior to accepting entry of information associated with a matter of a person: identifying the person; and verifying that the person is eligible to receive professional services.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein assigning the person to a pool is based upon one or more attributes of the person and/or one or more attributes of the professional services provider.  
     
     
         7 . A method of providing healthcare services to patients, the method comprising the following performed by a data processing system: accepting entry of information about a medical condition of a patient, wherein the information is entered via a client device in communication with the data processing system; assigning the patient to one of a plurality of pools of patients based on the entered patient information; allowing a healthcare provider qualified to treat patients in the assigned pool to view the patient information; and providing a secure area within which the healthcare provider provides a diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation for the medical condition of the patient, wherein the secure area is accessible by the patient via the client device.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising allowing the patient to access the secure area and view the diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation provided by the healthcare provider.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising notifying the patient that the healthcare provider has provided a diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation for the medical condition of the patient within the secure area.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the information is entered by the patient in a predetermined, structured format.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein a treatment recommendation provided by the healthcare provider includes a medication prescription, and further comprising communicating the medication prescription to a pharmacy for fulfillment.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the following performed prior to accepting entry of information about a medical condition of a patient: identifying the patient; and verifying that the patient is eligible to receive healthcare services.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein assigning the patient to a pool is based upon one or more attributes of the patient and/or one or more attributes of the healthcare provider.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein allowing the patient to access the secure area and view the diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation provided by the healthcare provider comprises allowing the patient to select a specific medication prescription for treating the patient.  
     
     
         15 . A data processing system that facilitates the provision of professional services, comprising: means for accepting entry of information associated with a matter of a person, wherein the information is entered via a client device in communication with the data processing system; means for assigning the person to one of a plurality of pools of people based on the entered information; means for allowing a professional services provider qualified to advise people in the assigned pool to view the entered information; and means for providing a secure area within which the professional services provider provides information about the matter, wherein the secure area is accessible by the person via the client device.  
     
     
         16 . The data processing system according to  claim 15 , further comprising 
 means for allowing the person to access the secure area and view the information provided by the professional services provider.    
     
     
         17 . The data processing system according to  claim 15 , further comprising 
 means for notifying the person that the professional services provider has provided information about the matter within the secure area.    
     
     
         18 . The data processing system according to  claim 15 , wherein the information is entered by the person in a predetermined, structured format.  
     
     
         19 . The data processing system according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 means for identifying the person; and means for verifying that the person is eligible to receive professional services.    
     
     
         20 . The data processing system according to  claim 15 , wherein the means for assigning the person to a pool comprises means for assigning the person to a pool based upon one or more attributes of the person and/or one or more attributes of the professional services provider.  
     
     
         21 . A data processing system that facilitates the provision of healthcare services to patients, comprising: means for accepting entry of information about a medical condition of a patient, wherein the information is entered via a client device in communication with the data processing system; means for assigning the patient to one of a plurality of pools of patients based on the entered patient information; means for allowing a healthcare provider qualified to treat patients in the assigned pool to view the patient information; and means for providing a secure area within which the healthcare provider provides a diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation for the medical condition of the patient, wherein the secure area is accessible by the patient via the client device.  
     
     
         22 . The data processing system according to  claim 21 , further comprising means for allowing the patient to access the secure area and view the diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation provided by the healthcare provider.  
     
     
         23 . The data processing system according to  claim 21 , further comprising 
 means for notifying the patient that the healthcare provider has provided a diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation for the medical condition of the patient within the secure area.    
     
     
         24 . The data processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein the information is entered by the patient in a predetermined, structured format.  
     
     
         25 . The data processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein a treatment recommendation provided by the healthcare provider includes a medication prescription, and further comprising means for communicating the medication prescription to a pharmacy for fulfillment.  
     
     
         26 . The data processing system according to  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 means for identifying the patient; and means for verifying that the patient is eligible to receive healthcare services.    
     
     
         27 . The data processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein the means for assigning the patient to a pool comprises means for assigning the patient to a pool based upon one or more attributes of the person and/or one or more attributes of the professional services provider.  
     
     
         28 . The data processing system according to  claim 22 , wherein the means for allowing the patient to access the secure area and view the diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation provided by the healthcare provider comprises means for allowing the patient to select a specific medication prescription for treating the patient.  
     
     
         29 . A computer program product that facilitates the provision of professional services, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code that accepts entry of information associated with a matter of a person, wherein the information is entered via a client device in communication with the data processing system; computer readable program code that assigns the person to one of a plurality of pools of people based on the entered information; computer readable program code that allows a professional services provider qualified to advise people in the assigned pool to view the entered information; and computer readable program code that provides a secure area within which the professional services provider provides information about the matter, wherein the secure area is accessible by the person via the client device.  
     
     
         30 . The computer program product according to  claim 29 , further comprising 
 computer readable program code that allows the person to access the secure area and view the information provided by the professional services provider.    
     
     
         31 . The computer program product according to  claim 29 , further comprising 
 computer readable program code that notifies the person that the professional services provider has provided information about the matter within the secure area.    
     
     
         32 . The computer program product according to  claim 29 , wherein the information is entered by the person in a predetermined, structured format.  
     
     
         33 . The computer program product according to  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 computer readable program code that identifies the person; and computer readable program code that verifies that the person is eligible to receive professional services.    
     
     
         34 . The computer program product according to  claim 29 , wherein the computer readable program code that assigns the person to a pool comprises computer readable program code that assigns the person to a pool based upon one or more attributes of the person and/or one or more attributes of the professional services provider.  
     
     
         35 . A computer program product that facilitates the provision of healthcare services to patients, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code that accepts entry of information about a medical condition of a patient, wherein the information is entered via a client device in communication with the data processing system; computer readable program code that assigns the patient to one of a plurality of pools of patients based on the entered patient information; computer readable program code that allows a healthcare provider qualified to treat patients in the assigned pool to view the patient information; and computer readable program code that provides a secure area within which the healthcare provider provides a diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation for the medical condition of the patient, wherein the secure area is accessible by the patient via the client device.  
     
     
         36 . The computer program product according to  claim 35 , further comprising computer readable program code that allows the patient to access the secure area and view the diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation provided by the healthcare provider.  
     
     
         37 . The computer program product according to  claim 35 , further comprising 
 computer readable program code that notifies the patient that the healthcare provider has provided a diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation for the medical condition of the patient within the secure area.    
     
     
         38 . The computer program product according to  claim 35 , wherein the information is entered by the patient in a predetermined, structured format.  
     
     
         39 . The computer program product according to  claim 35 , wherein a treatment recommendation provided by the healthcare provider includes a medication prescription, and further comprising computer readable program code that communicates the medication prescription to a pharmacy for fulfillment.  
     
     
         40 . The computer program product according to  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 computer readable program code that identifies the patient; and computer readable program code that verifies that the patient is eligible to receive healthcare services.    
     
     
         41 . The computer program product according to  claim 35 , wherein the computer readable program code that assigns the patient to a pool comprises computer readable program code that assigns the patient to a pool based upon one or more attributes of the person and/or one or more attributes of the professional services provider.  
     
     
         42 . The computer program product according to  claim 36 , wherein the computer readable program code that allows the patient to access the secure area and view the diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation provided by the healthcare provider comprises computer readable program code that allows the patient to select a specific medication prescription for treating the patient.