Methods and systems for integrated health systems

Abstract

Methods, business methods, and systems are provided herein for integrated healthcare. As the amount of medical information increases rapidly, including information from multiple biomarkers, analysis and management of that information becomes more and more important to extract meaningful conclusions from the information. Statistical and computational methods are described herein that have been created for the methods and systems for integrated healthcare. For example, a computer system is described extracts significance over time of PSA and fPSA biomarker tests for prostate health.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . A method for calculating a probability of prostate cancer in a subject, comprising:
 obtaining a series of at least two PSA values from a subject;   using a computer system to calculate a characteristic of said series of PSA values, wherein said characteristic is PSA variation;   measuring a prostate volume in said subject;   comparing said PSA variation and said prostate volume to population data; and   calculating a probability of prostate cancer in said subject based on the comparison.   
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the step of using a computer system to calculate a characteristic of said series of PSA values comprises:
 using a computer system to fit said series of PSA values to form a fitted trend; and   calculating said characteristic of said fitted trend, wherein said characteristic reflects variation of said series of PSA values from said fitted trend.   
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the population data is stored in a computer-readable medium. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the step of calculating a probability of prostate cancer in the subject is performed by a computer system. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising obtaining a series of values of a prostate biomarker from said subject, wherein calculating a probability of prostate cancer is further based on said series of values of said prostate biomarker. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein said prostate biomarker is free PSA. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 64 ,
 wherein measuring a prostate volume in said subject comprises measuring prostate volume in said subject at least two times to obtain a series of prostate volumes and calculating a prostate volume growth of said subject; and   wherein comparing said prostate volume to population data comprises comparing said prostate volume growth to population data.   
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising calculating a recommended time for medical action, wherein said medical action is biopsy or medical treatment. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein said population data comprises pre-calculated frequency distributions of PSA variation. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein said population data comprises pre-calculated frequency distributions of prostate volume. 
     
     
         74 . A method for calculating a probability of death due to prostate cancer by a subject, comprising:
 obtaining a series of at least two PSA values from a subject;   using a computer system to calculate a characteristic of said series of PSA values, wherein said characteristic is PSA variation;   measuring a prostate volume in said subject;   comparing said PSA variation and said prostate volume to population data; and   calculating a probability of death due to prostate cancer by said subject based on the comparison.   
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the step of using a computer system to calculate a characteristic of said series of PSA values comprises:
 using a computer system to fit said series of PSA values to form a fitted trend; and   calculating a characteristic of said fitted trend, wherein said characteristic reflects variation of said series of PSA values from said fitted trend.   
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein calculating a probability of death due to prostate cancer by said subject comprises calculating a probability of prostate cancer in said subject. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 74 , further comprising calculating a recommended time for a medical action, wherein said medical action is biopsy or a medical treatment. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77 , wherein calculating a recommended time for a medical action comprises comparing said probability of death due to prostate cancer with a risk of side effects of said medical action. 
     
     
         79 . A computer system for calculating a probability of prostate cancer in a subject, comprising:
 a processor suitable for performing computer-readable instructions for:
 receiving a series of PSA values measured in a subject; 
 receiving a prostate volume measured in said subject; 
 calculating a characteristic of said series of PSA values, wherein said characteristic is PSA variation; 
 comparing said PSA variation and said prostate volume to population data; and 
 calculating a probability of prostate cancer in said subject based on the comparison; 
   a storage unit comprising said population data in communication with said processor; and   an output device suitable for transmitting the results of said computer-readable instructions to a user.   
     
     
         80 . The computer system of  claim 79 , wherein calculating a characteristic of said series of PSA values comprises:
 fitting said series of PSA values to form a fitted trend; and   calculating a characteristic of said fitted trend, wherein said characteristic reflects variation of said series of PSA values from said fitted trend.   
     
     
         81 . The computer system of  claim 79 , wherein said processor is further suitable for performing computer-readable instructions for calculating a probability of death due to prostate cancer by said subject. 
     
     
         82 . The computer system of  claim 79 , wherein said output device is a device for network communication. 
     
     
         83 . The computer system of  claim 79 , further comprising an input device for receiving data taken from said subject.