Health-care systems and methods

Abstract

A virtual health-care electronic commerce community includes a network to communicate information relating to the community; one or more patients coupled to the network; one or more treating professionals coupled to the network; and a server coupled to the network, the server storing data for each patient and performing patient data visualization in response to a user request.

1 . A virtual health-care electronic commerce community, comprising: 
 a network to communicate information relating to the community;    one or more patients coupled to the network;    one or more treating professionals coupled to the network; and    a server coupled to the network, the server storing data for each patient and facilitating secured data sharing by the community.    
   
   
       2 . The community of  claim 1 , wherein the treating professional views one or more of the following patient data visualization over the network: a right buccal view; a left buccal view; a posterior view; an anterior view; a mandibular occlusal view; a maxillary occlusal view; an overjet view; a left distal molar view; a left lingual view; a lingual incisor view; a right lingual view; a right distal molar view; an upper jaw view; and a lower jaw view.  
   
   
       3 . The community of  claim 1 , wherein the treating professionals include dentists or orthodontists.  
   
   
       4 . The community of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more partners coupled to the network.  
   
   
       5 . The community of  claim 4 , wherein the partners include a financing partner.  
   
   
       6 . The community of  claim 4 , wherein the partners include a supplier.  
   
   
       7 . The community of  claim 4 , wherein the partners include a delivery company.  
   
   
       8 . The community of  claim 1 , wherein the treating professionals perform office management operations using the server.  
   
   
       9 . The community of  claim 8 , wherein the office management operations include one or more of the following: patient scheduling, patient accounting, and claim processing.  
   
   
       10 . The community of  claim 1 , wherein the treating professionals share a patient's information with a second authorized treating professional for consultation.  
   
   
       11 . A computer-implemented method for performing dental-related electronic commerce, comprising: 
 transmitting teeth data associated a patient from a dental server to a treating professional computer over the Internet upon an authorized request;    displaying a three-dimensional computer model of the teeth at the treating professional computer using a browser;    allowing a treating professional to manipulate the three-dimensional computer model of the teeth using the browser;    transmitting the computer model from the treating professional computer to the server; and    generating an appliance to treat the patient based on the computer model of the teeth.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing financing options for the patient using one or more financing partners.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising offering an on-line shop geared to the patient's dental requirements.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing office management utilities for the treating professional.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the office management utilities include one or more of the following: patient scheduling, patient accounting, and claim processing.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein allowing a treating professional to manipulate the three-dimensional computer model of the teeth using the browser further comprises displaying a plurality of dental views.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the dental views include one or more of the following: a right buccal view; a left buccal view; a posterior view; an anterior view; a mandibular occlusal view; a maxillary occlusal view; an overjet view; a left distal molar view; a left lingual view; a lingual incisor view; a right lingual view; a right distal molar view; an upper jaw view; and a lower jaw view.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein allowing a treating professional to manipulate the three-dimensional computer model of the teeth using the browser further comprises clicking on a tooth to adjust its position.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising displaying x, y and z axis to allow the treating professional to adjust the position of the tooth.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing supplemental services to the patient, including teeth whitening services.  
   
   
       21 . A server to support a health-care electronic commerce community with one or more patients and one or more service providers, comprising: 
 a processor adapted to communicate with a network;    a data storage device coupled to the processor and adapted to store data for each patient; and    software to communicate 3D patient data in response to a patient request.    
   
   
       22 . The server of  claim 21 , further comprising a browser adapted to receive the patient request and transmitting the request to the server.  
   
   
       23 . The server of  claim 22 , wherein the browser further comprises a viewer plug-in to visualize patient data in 3D.  
   
   
       24 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the providers service one or more of the following health-care applications: dentistry applications, cosmetic augmentation, hair-care enhancements, liposuction, plastic or reconstructive surgery.