Method and apparatus for facilitating the provision of health care services

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and apparatus for facilitating the provision of health care services using, for example, an application service provider. One embodiment of the invention concerns a physiological testing unit, a RFID tag and a RFID transceiver. The RFID tag communicates with the RFID transceiver. In response, a determination is made regarding whether the physiological testing unit is to be enabled to process physiological data of a patient. If the physiological testing unit is to be so enabled, the physiological testing unit is enabled to process the physiological data of the patient.

1 . A method for facilitating the provision of health care services using a physiological testing unit, one or more memories operable for storing one or more computer program products, and a processor operable for executing the one or more computer program products, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a prompt, through the one or more computer program products, to utilize the physiological testing unit to process a first physiological data of a patient;    determining, through the one or more computer program products, if utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient is authorized; and    if utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient is authorized, enabling, through the one or more computer program products, the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient occurs in response to supplying an enablement code, through the one or more computer program products, to the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the enablement code comprises calibration information for a breathing tube usable in physiological studies.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the enablement code expires after a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prompt is communicated, using a communications network, to the one or more computer program products from a communications device.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the communications device is a telephone.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the communications device is a server computer.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 tracking, through the one or more computer program products, utilization of the physiological testing unit to process physiological data of a patient; and    indicating in a user record, through the one or more computer program products, utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising a step of accessing the user record using a remote computing device, wherein the user record is operatively coupled to the one or more memories.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of accessing the user record using a remote computing device occurs automatically at a predetermined time interval.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of storing the first physiological data of the patient in the one or more memories.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more memories are coupled to the physiological testing unit and a computer server.  
     
     
         13 . A method for facilitating the provision of health care services using a physiological testing unit, a first circuitry; and a second circuitry, the physiological testing unit being operatively coupled to the first circuitry, the method comprising the steps of: 
 operatively coupling the first circuitry to the second circuitry;    communicating between the first circuitry and the second circuitry;    determining, in response to the step of communicating between the first circuitry and the second circuitry, if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled to process a first physiological data of a patient; and    if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled, enabling the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second circuitry comprises an electronic key.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic key comprises an RFID.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic key comprises a dongle.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic key comprises an electromagnetic element.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic key comprises an acousto-magnetic element.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic key is operatively coupled to a credit card.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of disabling the second circuitry.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of disabling the second circuitry comprises the step of exposing the second circuit to disabling radiofrequency energy.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of disabling the second circuitry comprises the step of exposing the second circuit to disabling electromagnetic energy.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second circuitry comprises one or more memories.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more memories are operable for storing the physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more memories are operable for storing one or more computer program products.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising the steps of: 
 tracking, through the one or more computer program products, utilization of the physiological testing unit to process physiological data of a patient; and    indicating in a user record, through the one or more computer program products, utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of generating an invoice in response to the step of indicating in a user record utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the invoice includes charges for use of consumable medical products.  
     
     
         29 . A system comprising: 
 one or more memory units operable for storing one or more computer program products for facilitating the provision of health care services;    a processor coupled to the one or memory units, wherein the processor executes the one or more computer program products for performing the steps of:    receiving a prompt to utilize the physiological testing unit to process a first physiological data of a patient;    determining if utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient is authorized; and    if utilization of the physiological testing unit is authorized, enabling the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient occurs in response to supplying an enablement code, through the one or more computer program products, to the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the prompt is communicated, using a communications network, to the one or more computer program products from a communications device.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the communications device is a telephone.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the communications device is a server computer.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the processor executes the one or more computer program products for performing the additional steps of: 
 tracking utilization of the physiological testing unit to process physiological data of a patient; and    indicating, in a user record, utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         35 . A system for facilitating the provision of health care services comprising: 
 a first circuitry communicating with a second circuitry;    a physiological testing unit, the physiological testing unit being operatively coupled to the first circuitry;    one or more memory units operable for storing one or more computer program products;    a processor coupled to the one or memory units, wherein the processor executes the one or more computer program products for performing the steps of: 
 determining, in response to the first circuitry communicating with the second circuitry, if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled to process first physiological data of a patient; and  
 if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled, enabling the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient.  
   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the second circuitry comprises an electronic key.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the second circuitry comprises a RFID.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the processor executes the one or more computer program products for performing the additional step of disabling the second circuitry.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the second circuitry comprises one or more memories.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the processor executes the one or more computer program products for performing the additional steps of: 
 tracking utilization of the physiological testing unit to process physiological data of a patient; and    indicating, in a user record, utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is comprised of a first processing subunit and a second processing subunit, and further wherein the first processing subunit is coupled to the physiological testing unit and the second processing subunit is coupled to the computer server.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more memories are comprised of a first memory and a second memory, and further wherein the first memory is coupled to the physiological testing unit and the second memory is coupled to the computer server.