Physician to patient network system for real-time electronic communications & transfer of patient health information

Abstract

The Physician To Patient (P2P) network system, a private & secure infrastructure for independently practicing physicians and patients for real-time electronic communication & transfer of patient health information is disclosed by the invention. The invention also discloses an efficient and natural method for creation of Electronic Medical Records by physicians in their own handwriting. The P2P network system utilizes a plurality of devices and components defined by the invention, and custom programming to integrate all equipment, devices and components of the network system. The invention also discloses a highly targeted method of advertising, the One2One Advertising, for healthcare product manufacturers to reach physicians and patients. A number of healthcare related business processes, currently executed manually are performed automatically by P2P network system software. The invention will improve the quality of services to patients, and reduce the overhead cost of the medical offices, and the healthcare industry.

1 . An EMR computing system for exchanging patient health information among healthcare user groups or the healthcare user group and patients over a network, the system comprising:
 a central computer program embodied in a computer readable medium or embodied in a central server and a central database storing patient EMR data for access by authorized users, the central computer program configured to:
 communicate through at least one computer program, which includes EMR and billing software, with at least one private database for a healthcare user group, the database comprising at least patient EMR and billing data, and accounting data confidential for the healthcare user group; 
 receive from the at least one private database EMR data including at least one of health problems, medications, diagnosis, prescriptions, notes written by a healthcare service provider, diagnostic test results or patient accounts data for storing in the central database, wherein the healthcare user group's confidential accounts data including one or more insurance companies accounts data, is not received; 
 selectively retrieve the stored EMR data, generate one or more healthcare reports including one or more of health problem list, medication list, diagnoses report, prescription, diagnostic test result report, patient billing report; and 
 transmit one or more healthcare reports to an authorized healthcare user group or the authorized patient for reviewing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central computer program is further configured for:
 facilitating one or more video conferencing sessions between one or more healthcare service providers and one or more patients; and
 enabling the one or more healthcare service providers to:
 access the EMR data stored in the at least one database; 
 generate EMR data including at least one of the health problems, diagnosis, medications, prescriptions, notes related to the current medical conditions of the patient or the patient billing data; and 
 store the EMR data in the at least one database. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central computer program is further configured for:
 receiving authorization, patient personal and healthcare information as patient registration data; and   storing the patient registration data in the at least one central database or at least one private database for access by authorized users.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central computer program is further configured for:
 enabling a patient to make an appointment with a healthcare service provider for his ailment.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the central computer program is further configured for:
 assisting a patient in making an appointment for his ailment by offering a number of questions related to his health condition; and   allocating an appropriate appointment slot based on patient's answers.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central computer program is further configured for:
 enabling a healthcare service provider connect to the central database by entering user authorization information, review the test results, tele-diagnose and generate one or more diagnosis reports.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central computer program is further configured for:
 receiving one or more advertisements from at least one healthcare product or service business entity; and   outputting the one or more received advertisements to the one or more healthcare service providers or the patient for viewing, the one or more advertisements being relevant to at least one medical condition of the patient.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central computer program is further configured for:
 outputting healthcare product or service information or an advertisement relevant to the one or more health conditions of the patient for viewing by the patient; and   enabling a patient connect to the central database and purchase one or more healthcare products or services.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the central computer program is further configured for:
 enabling the patient fill one or more registration forms, wherein the registration form facilitates the patient entering correct answers in response to a series of questions, and based on the answers not allowing the patient enter wrong or conflicting patient information.   
     
     
         10 . An EMR computing system for exchanging patient health information among healthcare user groups or the healthcare user group and patients over a network, the system comprising:
 a private computer program for a healthcare user group, which includes patient EMR and billing software, embodied in a computer readable medium or embodied in a server; and   a private database for the healthcare user group comprising at least EMR data, billing data, and healthcare user group's confidential accounting data, the private computer program configured to:
 selectively retrieve patient EMR data from the private database including at least one of health problems, medications, diagnosis, prescriptions, notes written by a healthcare service provider, diagnostic test results, or patient accounts data; 
 transmit the retrieved EMR data to a central database through a central computer program embodied in a computer readable medium or a server; and 
 facilitate storage, generation and transmission of one or more healthcare reports including at least one of the health problem list, medication list, diagnosis report, prescription, diagnostic test result report or patient billing report for reviewing by one or more authorized healthcare user groups or the authorized patient, wherein the healthcare user group's confidential accounts data including the accounts data of one or more insurance companies is not transmitted. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the private computer program is further configured for:
 generating an electronic superbill that includes at least one diagnosis code or procedure code;   searching the databases for codes related to the medical conditions of the patient; and   assisting the healthcare service provider in selecting the appropriate one or more procedure or diagnosis codes.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the private computer program is further configured for:
 generating at least one prescription for the patient;   searching the databases for medicines related to the medical conditions of the patient;   facilitating the healthcare service provider in selecting one or more medicines for the prescription; and   transmitting the prescription to at least one pharmacy healthcare user group or the patient.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the private computer program is further configured for:
 enabling a healthcare service provider generate hand-written EMR data using an electronic writing and display device.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the private computer program is further configured for:
 searching the databases for one or more diagnosis codes or procedure codes related to the medical conditions of the patient; and   facilitating the healthcare service provider in selecting at least one of a procedure code or a diagnosis code for the hand-written EMR data.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the private computer program is further configured for:
 receiving one or more advertisements from at least one healthcare product or service business entity; and   outputting the one or more advertisements on a healthcare service provider display device, wherein the one or more advertisements are related to the one or more medical conditions of the patient.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the private computer program is further configured for:
 facilitating one or more video conferencing sessions between one or more healthcare service providers and one or more patients; and
 enabling the one or more healthcare service providers to:
 access the EMR data stored in the at least one database; 
 generate EMR data including at least one of the health problems, diagnosis, medications, prescriptions, notes related to the current medical conditions of the patient or the patient billing data; and 
 store the EMR data in the at least one database. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the private computer program is further configured for:
 providing an electronic patient sign-in sheet wherein the patient signs in to be listed on an electronic waiting list displayed at least in the waiting room.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the private computer program is further configured for:
 enabling a healthcare service provider generate at least one patient referral; and   transmit the referral and related patient health information including patient registration data to at least one second healthcare user group or the patient.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the private computer program is further configured for:
 generating at least one electronic superbill that includes at least one diagnosis code and at least one procedure code;   exchanging referrals generated by one or more healthcare service providers among healthcare user groups;   generating at least one prescription for the patient and transmitting to at least one pharmacy healthcare user group or the patient;   converting one or more paper or imaging film medical records by scanning and linking the converted medical records of one or more patients with their electronic medical records;   performing insurance verification for one or more patients;   transmitting one or more insurance claims through a clearing house or directly to the healthcare insurance company;   receiving insurance payment information transmitted from the insurance company and posting the insurance payment information in the private data storage; and   generating a patient billing statement, print or electronically transmit the patient billing statement to the authorized patient.   
     
     
         20 . An EMR computing system for exchanging patient health information among healthcare user groups or the healthcare user group and patients over a network, the system comprising:
 a first private database for a first healthcare user group storing patient EMR data for access by authorized users and a first computer program embodied in a computer readable medium or embodied in a server, the first computer program configured to:
 communicate through a second computer program, which includes EMR and billing software, with at least one second private database for a second healthcare user group, the second database comprising at least patient EMR and billing data, and accounting data confidential for the second healthcare user group; 
 receive from the at least one second private database the EMR data including at least one of health problems, medications, diagnosis, prescriptions, notes written by a healthcare service provider, diagnostic test results or patient accounts data for storing in the first database, wherein the second healthcare user group's confidential accounts data including one or more insurance companies accounts data, is not received; 
 selectively retrieve the EMR data stored in the first database, generate one or more healthcare reports including one or more health problem list, medication list, diagnoses report, prescription, diagnostic test result report, or patient billing report; and 
 transmit one or more healthcare reports to an authorized healthcare user group or the authorized patient for reviewing.