Method and system using combined healthcare payment device and web portal for receiving patient medical information

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods in accordance with the present invention relate to a centralized portal for making healthcare information of a patient accessible to a plurality of entities, including but not limited to the patient himself/herself, healthcare providers authorized by the patient, and healthcare payers (insurance carriers) authorized by the patient. In one embodiment, the portal comprises a website associated with a portable consumer device (such as a HSA magnetic stripe credit/debit card) of the patient, and hosted on a server accessible over the world wide web or another computer network. The patient sets a privacy level associated with his or her medical record on the host site, the privacy level granting certain entities (for example healthcare providers or insurance carriers) access to particular medical records of the patient. Upon presenting the portable consumer device to an authorized healthcare provider, medical information previously transmitted through a payment processing network may be received at the authorized healthcare provider.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a computational apparatus, a medical service eligibility inquiry message from a first healthcare provider via a payment processing network,
 the medical service eligibility inquiry message indicating a medical record information access request, 
 the payment processing network being configured to communicate and process transactions using financial transaction credit card account originated communication message protocols having a financial interchange specification; 
   retrieving, by the computational apparatus, a privacy level associated with a patient's medical record, wherein the privacy level is designated to a first healthcare provider via a user interface of a host site; and   granting, by the computational apparatus, the first healthcare provider access to the patient's medical record, based on the privacy level, wherein the first healthcare provider has a different level of access to the patient's medical record than a second healthcare provider.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising processing the privacy level to allow the first healthcare provider to access at least one of patient eligibility information, patient co-payment information, patient deductible information, and patient balance owed post-adjudication. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising processing the privacy level to prevent the first healthcare provider from accessing patient medical information on a medical treatment unrelated to an area of practice of the first healthcare provider. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising processing the privacy level to prevent the first healthcare provider from accessing patient medical information not pertinent to a specific procedure performed or to be performed by the first healthcare provider. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising setting a second privacy level governing access of a healthcare insurance carrier to the patient's medical record. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical service eligibility inquiry message complies with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) 270. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving patient feedback relating to treatment provided by the first healthcare provider; and   incorporating the feedback into a rating associated with the first healthcare provider.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:
 receiving a medical service eligibility inquiry message from a first healthcare provider via a payment processing network,
 the medical service eligibility inquiry message indicating a medical record information access request, 
 the payment processing network being configured to communicate and process transactions using financial transaction credit card account originated communication message protocols having a financial interchange specification; 
 
 retrieving a privacy level associated with a patient's medical record, wherein the privacy level is designated to a first healthcare provider via a user interface of a host site; and 
 granting the first healthcare provider access to the patient's medical record, based on the privacy level, wherein the first healthcare provider has a different level of access to the patient's medical record than a second healthcare provider. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to process the privacy level to allow the first healthcare provider to access at least one of patient eligibility information, patient co-payment information, patient deductible information, and patient balance owed post-adjudication. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to process the privacy level to prevent the first healthcare provider from accessing patient medical information on a medical treatment unrelated to an area of practice of the first healthcare provider. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to process the privacy level to prevent the first healthcare provider from accessing patient medical information not pertinent to a specific procedure performed or to be performed by the first healthcare provider. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to set a second privacy level governing access of a healthcare insurance carrier to the patient's medical record. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the medical service eligibility inquiry message complies with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) 270. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to perform:
 receiving patient feedback relating to treatment provided by the first healthcare provider; and   incorporating the feedback into a rating associated with the first healthcare provider.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus at least to perform:
 receiving a medical service eligibility inquiry message from a first healthcare provider via a payment processing network,
 the medical service eligibility inquiry message indicating a medical record information access request, 
 the payment processing network being configured to communicate and process transactions using financial transaction credit card account originated communication message protocols having a financial interchange specification; 
   retrieving a privacy level associated with a patient's medical record, wherein the privacy level is designated to a first healthcare provider via a user interface of a host site; and   granting the first healthcare provider access to the patient's medical record, based on the privacy level, wherein the first healthcare provider has a different level of access to the patient's medical record than a second healthcare provider.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to process the privacy level to allow the first healthcare provider to access at least one of patient eligibility information, patient co-payment information, patient deductible information, and patient balance owed post-adjudication. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to process the privacy level to prevent the first healthcare provider from accessing at least one of:
 patient medical information on a medical treatment unrelated to an area of practice of the first healthcare provider, and   patient medical information not pertinent to a specific procedure performed or to be performed by the first healthcare provider.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to set a second privacy level governing access of a healthcare insurance carrier to the patient's medical record. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the medical service eligibility inquiry message complies with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) 270. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to perform:
 receiving patient feedback relating to treatment provided by the first healthcare provider; and   incorporating the feedback into a rating associated with the first healthcare provider.