Systems and methods for automated repatriation of a patient from an out-of-network admitting hospital to an in-network destination hospital

Abstract

A system server stores and allows access to patient data, and can include a repatriation management system and/or a discharge management system. The repatriation management system provides for transfer of a patient from an admitting out-of-network hospital to a destination in-network hospital. The repatriation management system includes a computer program for analyzing the patient data, analyzing candidate destination hospital data, and calculating matches between the two. The discharge management system provides for transfer of a patient from an acute care hospital environment to a remote care facility. The discharge management system includes a computer program for analyzing the patient data, identifying and formulating resolutions to placement problems, and determining if the patient will be discharged. The system server is networked to allow remote access to the stored data and communication between the admitting hospital, destination hospitals, remote care facilities, and medical transport providers.

1 . A non-transitory computer storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for repatriating a patient from an out-of-network admitting hospital to an in-network destination hospital, said program comprising:
 first instructions that, when executed by computer hardware, automatically match the patient to one or more candidate destination hospitals, wherein the first instructions cause the computer hardware to:
 access from a computer storage medium patient data, the data including at least insurance network information for the patient; 
 access from a computer storage medium data regarding candidate destination hospitals, the data including at least insurance network information for the candidate destination hospitals; and 
 automatically match the patient to one or more of the candidate destination hospitals based at least upon matching the insurance network information of the patient and the insurance network information of the candidate destination hospitals; 
   second instructions that, when executed by computer hardware, handle selection and repatriation requests for candidate destination hospitals and repatriate the patient from the out-of-network admitting hospital to the in-network destination hospital, wherein the second instructions cause the computer hardware to:
 automatically generate a list of candidate destination hospitals automatically matched to the patient; 
 electronically transmit, to the admitting hospital, the list of candidate destination hospitals matched to the patient; 
 electronically receive a repatriation request from the admitting hospital, the repatriation request indicating a selected destination hospital from among the list of the one or more candidate destination hospitals matched to the patient, and electronically transmit the request to the selected destination hospital; and 
 electronically receive an acceptance of the repatriation request from the selected destination hospital and electronically transmit the acceptance to the admitting hospital; 
   third instructions that, when executed by computer hardware, electronically arrange patient transport, wherein the third instructions cause the computer hardware to:
 electronically receive, from the admitting hospital, an ambulance request to schedule transport of the patient to the selected destination hospital, and electronically transmit the ambulance request to the one or more ambulance providers; and 
 electronically receive, from one of the ambulance providers, acceptance of the ambulance request, and electronically transmit acceptance of the ambulance request to the admitting hospital. 
   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the program further comprises fourth instructions that, when executed by computer hardware, cause the computer hardware to receive a patient-specific code, and in response to receiving the patient-specific code, automatically access the patient data. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the patient-specific code is received from a QR scanner or barcode scanner. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the patient-specific code indicates admission to the admitting hospital, and   the fourth instructions cause the hardware to automatically alert an insurer of the patient upon receiving the patient-specific code indicating admission to the admitting hospital.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the patient data further includes one or more medical parameters of the patient,   the data regarding candidate destination hospitals includes one or more clinical capabilities of the candidate destination hospitals, and   the automatically matching the patient to one or more of the candidate destination hospitals is further based at least upon matching the medical parameters of the patient and the clinical capabilities of the candidate destination hospitals.   
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the insurance network information of the patient includes a list of ambulance providers associated with an insurer of the patient, and   the third instructions cause the computer hardware to electronically transmit the ambulance request only to ambulance providers from the list of associated ambulance providers.   
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the third instructions further cause the computer hardware to:
 electronically receive, from three or more of the ambulance providers, acceptance of the ambulance request, and electronically transmit the acceptances of the ambulance request to the admitting hospital, and   electronically receive, from the admitting hospital, a selection from among the accepting ambulance providers.   
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein the third instructions further cause the computer hardware to electronically notify an insurer of the patient of the selected ambulance provider. 
     
     
         9 . A method for repatriating a patient from an out-of-network admitting hospital to an in-network destination hospital, the method comprising:
 automatically matching the patient to one or more candidate destination hospitals, wherein the automatically matching comprises:
 accessing from a computer storage medium patient data including at least insurance network information for the patient; 
 accessing from a computer storage medium data regarding candidate destination hospitals, the data including at least insurance network information for the candidate destination hospitals; and 
 automatically matching, using computer hardware, the patient to one or more of the candidate destination hospitals based at least upon matching the insurance network information of the patient and the insurance network information of the candidate destination hospitals; 
   handling, using computer hardware, a request to repatriate the patient from the out-of-network admitting hospital to the in-network destination hospital, wherein the handling comprises:
 electronically transmitting, to the admitting hospital, a list of the one or more candidate destination hospitals matched to the patient; 
 electronically receiving a repatriation request from the admitting hospital, the repatriation request indicating a selected destination hospital from among the list of the one or more candidate destination hospitals matched to the patient, and 
 electronically transmitting the request to the selected destination hospital; and 
   electronically receiving an acceptance of the repatriation request from the selected destination hospital and electronically transmitting the acceptance to the admitting hospital;   electronically arranging, using computer hardware, patient transport, the electronically arranging comprising:
 electronically receiving, from the admitting hospital, an ambulance request to schedule transport of the patient to the selected destination hospital, and electronically transmitting the ambulance request to the one or more ambulance providers; and 
 electronically receiving, from at least one of the ambulance providers, acceptance of the ambulance request, and electronically transmitting acceptance of the ambulance request to the admitting hospital. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising receiving a patient-specific code from a QR or barcode scanner, and in response to receiving the patient-specific code, automatically accessing the patient data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the patient-specific code indicates admission to the admitting hospital, the method further comprising automatically alerting an insurer of the patient upon receiving the patient-specific code indicating admission to the admitting hospital. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the patient data further includes one or more medical parameters of the patient,   the data regarding candidate destination hospitals includes one or more clinical capabilities of the candidate destination hospitals, and   the automatically matching the patient to one or more of the candidate destination hospitals is further based at least upon matching the medical parameters of the patient and the clinical capabilities of the candidate destination hospitals.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the insurance network information of the patient includes a list of ambulance providers associated with the patient's insurer, the method further comprising transmitting the ambulance request only to ambulance providers from the list of associated ambulance providers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 electronically receiving, from three or more of the ambulance providers, acceptance of the ambulance request, and electronically transmitting the acceptances of the ambulance request to the admitting hospital;   electronically receiving, from the admitting hospital, a selection from among the accepting ambulance providers; and   electronically notifying an insurer of the patient of the selected ambulance provider.   
     
     
         15 . A system for repatriating a patient from an out-of-network admitting hospital to an in-network destination hospital, said system comprising:
 one or more computing devices;   physical computer storage that stores data comprising:
 patient data including at least insurance network information for the patient; 
 candidate destination hospital data including at least insurance network information for candidate destination hospitals; 
   an admitting hospital module comprising instructions stored on one or more computer memory devices that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the admitting hospital module to:
 provide an interface to receive a request to match a patient admitted to the admitting hospital to one or more candidate destination hospitals, said matching based at least upon matching the insurance network information of the patient and the insurance network information of the candidate destination hospitals; 
 automatically match one or more candidate destination hospitals to the patient; 
 list the one or more candidate destination hospitals matched to the patient; 
 receive a repatriation request indicating a selected destination hospital from among the listed one or more candidate destination hospitals matched to the patient; 
 indicate that the selected destination hospital has accepted the repatriation request; 
 electronically arrange transport of the patient to the selected destination hospital; and 
 indicate acceptance of the transport request from one or more medical transport providers; 
   a destination hospital module comprising instructions stored on one or more computer memory devices that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the destination hospital module to:
 indicate the receipt of a repatriation request from the admitting hospital; and 
 receive an acceptance of the repatriation request from the destination hospital; and 
   a medical transport provider module comprising instructions stored on one or more computer memory devices that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the medical transport provider module to:
 indicate the transport request from the admitting hospital; and 
 receive an acceptance of the transport request from the medical transport provider. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the admitting hospital module further comprises instructions stored on one or more computer memory devices that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the admitting hospital module to display an indication that a patient-specific code may be entered by scanning a QR code or barcode to automatically obtain patient data. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the insurance network information of the patient includes a list of medical transport providers associated with the patient's insurer, and   the medical transport provider module only displays an indication of the transport request from the admitting hospital for medical transport providers from the list of medical transport providers associated with the patient's insurer.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the admitting hospital module further comprises instructions stored on one or more computer memory devices that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the admitting hospital module to:
 indicate acceptances of the transport request from three or more of the medical transport providers; and   receives a selection of one of the accepting medical transport providers.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the admitting hospital module further comprises instructions stored on one or more computer memory devices that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the admitting hospital module to receive a request to alert an insurer of the patient of the selection of the accepting medical transport provider. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the medical transport provider module further comprises instructions stored on one or more memory devices that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the medical transport module to indicate that the transport request from the admitting hospital has been cancelled.