Method and apparatus for indirect medical consultation

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided comprising a technology engine designed to facilitate indirect medical consultation with health care providers and create a medical record of this indirect consultation event. In one embodiment is provided a method and apparatus for capturing electronically one or more of the following: (a) patient complaints; (b) health care provider's impression/review; (c) health care provider/patient discussion of complaint symptoms following which a treatment plan is formulated regarding health care strategy; (d) any prescription issued by the health care provider; and/or (e) a set of follow-up visits by the patient.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A method of providing indirect medical consultation comprising the steps of:
 (a) receiving a telephone call from a person seeking indirect medical consultation from a human health care provider;   (b) during the telephone call of step “a”, recording a set of information from the person, the set of information including a telephone number, a name of a patient, and an oral description of the problems with the patient;   (c) before contact between the person seeking indirect medical consultation and the health care provider, transmitting this information to the human health care provider who reviews the information, and providing an option for the health care provider to be in telephone contact with the person seeking indirect medical consultation;   (d) after step “c”, based on a command from the health care provider, telephoning the person seeking indirect medical consultation and placing the health care provider in telephone contact with the person;   (e) after step “d”, recording the telephonic conversation between the health care provider and the person seeking indirect medical consultation during the telephone call in step “d”;   (f) compiling a medical record with the information of steps “b” and “e” and transmitting the compiled medical record to the health care provider which compiled medical record includes the recorded telephonic conversation of step “e”; and   (g) providing a computer, the computer performing steps “a” through “f”.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein an option is provided for the oral portions of the compiled medical record to be transcribed. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein after step “c”, but before step “d” the health care provider is electronically prompted to prepare a diagnosis. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the diagnosis by the health care provider is electronically recorded as oral statements from the health care provider and which recorded oral statements are included in the compiled medical record of step “e”. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein after step “c”, but before step “d” the health care provider is electronically prompted to prepare a treatment plan including required therapy. 
     
     
         42 . The method of claim  5 , wherein the treatment plan by the health care provider is electronically recorded as oral statements from the health care provider and which recorded oral statements are included in the compiled medical record of step “e”, and the method further includes recording a prescription from the health care provider and the prescription is transmitted to the pharmacy in step “b”. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein after step “c” and before step “d”, the health care provider is electronically prompted to issue a prescription wherein the prescription by the health care provider is electronically recorded as oral statements from the health care provider and which recorded oral statements are included in the compiled medical record of step “e”. 
     
     
         44 . A method of providing indirect medical consultation comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a telephone call from a person seeking indirect medical consultation from a human health care provider; (b) during step “a”, creating an encounter by recording a set of information for the person, the set of information including a return telephone number, a name of a patient, and an oral description of the complaint; (c) notifying the health care provider that an encounter has been received; (d) before contact between the person seeking indirect medical consultation and the health care provider, in response to being contacted by the health care provider transmitting the information of step “b” to the health care provider; (e) based on a command from the health care provider telephoning the person seeking indirect medical consultation and placing the health care provider in contact with the person; (f) recording the telephonic conversation between the health care provider and the person seeking indirect medical consultation in step “e”; (g) compiling a medical record with the information of steps “b” and “e” and transmitting the compiled medical record to the health care provider, which compiled medical record includes the recorded telephonic conversation of step “f”; and (h) providing a computer, the computer performing steps “a” through “g”. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein between steps “d” and “e”, and before the health care provider has been in first contact with the person seeking indirect medical consultation, recording a series of oral questions from the health care provider, telephoning the person seeking indirect medical consultation and playing the series of recorded oral questions, recording the responses by the person seeking indirect medical consultation to the series of oral questions, and transmitting the recorded oral responses to the health care provider. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein before step (e), the health care provider is electronically prompted to prepare a diagnosis. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the diagnosis by the health care provider is electronically recorded as oral statements from the health care provider and which recorded oral statements are included in the compiled medical record of step “h”. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein before step “e”, the health care provider is electronically prompted to prepare a treatment plan including required therapy. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the treatment plan by the health care provider is electronically recorded as oral statements from the health care provider and which recorded oral statements are included in the compiled medical record of step “h”. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein after step “f” and before step “h”, the health care provider is electronically prompted to issue a prescription, and which prescription is electronically recorded as oral statements from the health care provider and which recorded oral statements are included in the compiled medical record of step “h”. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein before step “e” and when not in contact with the person seeking indirect medical consultation, the health care provider is provided with the option of first soliciting additional information from the person seeking indirect medical consultation. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein if the option of soliciting additional information is selected based on a command from the health care provider, then the health care provider is provided with the option of recording a series of oral questions seeking additional information at a time before the health care provider is first placed in contact with the person seeking indirect medical consultation. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein, at a time when the health care provider is not in contact with the person seeking indirect medical consultation, the recorded series of oral questions is first transmitted to the person seeking indirect medical consultation. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein, when not in contact with the health care provider, the person seeking indirect medical consultation is first provided with the option of recording an oral response to the request for additional information. 
     
     
         55 . A method of providing indirect medical consultation comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a request for an indirect medical consultation from a person seeking indirect medical consultation from a human health care provider; (b) during step “a”, recording a set of information from the person, the set of information including a telephone number, a name of a patient, and an oral description of the problems with the patient; (c) before contact between the person seeking indirect medical consultation and the health care provider, transmitting this information to the human health care provider; (d) after step “c”, based on a command from the health care provider, contacting the person seeking indirect medical consultation, and then recording a telephonic conversation between the health care provider and the person seeking indirect medical consultation wherein the health care provider obtains additional information from the information transmitted in step “c”, and recording a prescription from the health care provider; (e) compiling a medical record with the information of steps “b” and “d” to the health care provider, which compiled medical record includes the recorded telephonic conversation of step “d”; (f) providing access to the compiled medical record to the health care provider; and (h) providing a computer, the computer performing steps “a” through “f”. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein in step “f”, the health care provider is provided the option of downloading the compiled medical record.