Television enabled therapeutic communication systems and methods

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for delivering messages to a television set includes the use of a health-related digital content messaging and compliance system (HDCMC) to facilitate communication between a medical provider, a digital television station and eventually the television set of an end user. The medical provider can place requests to the HDCMC to deliver requested health-related content to the television of the end user. The HDCMC transmits the requested health-related content to the digital television station, which in turn transmits the requested health-related content received from the HDCMC to the television of the end user using verification codes to ensure that the requested content is delivered to the intended television and/or viewer.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A health-related digital content messaging and compliance system comprising:
 a main processing element;   a health-related content database;   a specific health-related content request database;   a patient personal medical information database;   a communication interface with a medical provider; and   a communication interface with a television station;   
       the main processor constructed and arranged to facilitate communication and access of the health-related content database, the specific health-related content request database, the patient personal medical information database by at least one of the medical provider and the television station. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the health-related content database contains health-related messages, the messages consisting of: reminder messages, warning messages, miscellaneous information messages, educational messages, motivational messages, instructional messages and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the health-related messages are provided in a plurality of formats, the formats consisting of: text format, audio format, video format and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising an individual access code generator, the individual access code generator constructed and arranged to provide an individual access code to a health-related message. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the health-related message is requested by the medical provider via the communication link with the medical provider. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the health-related message is sent to the television station via the communication link with the television station. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising at least one television set, the at least one television set in communication with the television station through at least one medium of the group consisting of: a digitally broadcast television signal, a cable delivered digital television signal, a satellite delivered digital television signal, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the health-related message is sent to the at least one television set by the television station, the at least one television set having a unique user identification code, the health-related message is displayed on the at least one television set only when the unique user identification code of the at least one television set matches the individual access code of the health-related message. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the communication between the television station and the at least one television set is bidirectional. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising a remote control in communication with the at least one television set upon which the health-related message is to be displayed, upon the display of the health-related message on the at least one television set, an acknowledgement of the health-related message can be input into the remote control and communicated back to the medical provider through the communication interface with the television station and the communication interface with the medical provider. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the health-related message is a confidential message, the individual access code generator constructed and arranged to provide the confidential message with an individual viewer access code. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the confidential message is sent to the at least one television set by the television station, the at least one television set having a unique user identification code, the confidential message is displayed on the at least one television set only when the unique user identification code of the at least one television set matches the individual access code of the confidential message and the individual viewer access code of the confidential message matches a personal individual viewer access code input to the at least one television set. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a remote control, the remote control in communication with the at least one television set upon which the confidential message is to be displayed, the personal individual viewer access code being input into the at least one television via the remote control. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein input from the remote control is recorded in the patient personal medical information database.