Systems and methods for communicating

Abstract

For a home health system comprising a patient station equipped with an interactive, television-based system and coupled by a data network to a remotely located health care provider station, a method for communicating health-related messages comprises communicating a health-related message over the data network; and notifying of the health-related message at the patient station via the interactive television-based system.

1 . For a home health system comprising a patient station equipped with an interactive, television-based system and coupled by a data network to a remotely located health care provider station, a method for communicating health-related messages comprising:
 communicating a health-related message over the data network; and   notifying of the health-related message at the patient station via the interactive television-based system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the health-related message comprises text, graphics, images, motion videos, audio, visual alert, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data network comprises a public switched telephone network or an Internet network. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the health-related message is constructed and transmitted via a web browser. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein notifying of the health-related message at the patient station comprises activating an alert on an integrated home health system interface device coupled to a television set of the interactive, television-based system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein notifying of the health-related message at the patient station occurs whether the television set is turned on or turned off. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the alert comprises a visual alert, an audible alert, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the alert occurs at a time specified by the home health system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein notifying of the health-related message at the patient station comprises activating an overlay alert onto a television broadcast signal being displayed on a television set of the interactive, television-based system. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the overlay alert comprises an audible alert, a visual alert, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the overlay alert occurs at a time specified by the home health system. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the patient acknowledging the alert. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein acknowledging the alert comprises stopping or postponing the alert. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein acknowledging the alert comprises using a remote control device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising accessing the health-related message on a television set of the interactive, television-based system at the patient station via a patient interface device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the patient interface device is a remote control device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein accessing the health-related message on the television set comprises using a combination of the directional keys and the enter button on the remote control device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising using the patient interface device to navigate a graphical user interface displayed on an interactive health screen displayed on the television set. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein accessing the health-related message on the television set at the patient station comprises:
 acknowledging the alert via the patient interface device; 
 switching the television set to an interactive health screen; and 
 reviewing the health-related message via the television set. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising using the patient interface device to navigate graphical user interface displayed on the interactive health screen. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising responding to the health-related message by interacting with the television set via a patient interface device. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein responding to the health-related message comprises ignoring the health-related message. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein responding to the health-related message comprises requesting that the health-related message be resent at a later time. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein responding to the health-related message comprises acknowledging the health-related message via the patient interface device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein responding to the health-related message comprises entering a user defined response. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein responding to the health-related message comprises selecting from a set of responses defined by the home health system. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising using the patient interface device to navigate a graphical user interface displayed on an interactive health screen displayed on the television set. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the health-related message comprises a reminder message. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the health-related message reminds the patient to take medication. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the health-related message reminds the patient to take vital signs readings. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising:
 displaying current vital signs data, historical vital signs data or a combination thereof on the television set; 
 prompting the entry of vital signs readings to the home health system; and 
 entering vital signs readings to the home health system. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein entering vital signs readings to the home health system comprises uploading vital signs readings stored in one or more medical devices. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising taking vital signs readings in real time via one or more medical devices connected to an integrated home health system interface device coupled to the television set and automatically entering vital signs readings to the home health system. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the health-related message reminds the patient to make a video call to the health care provider station. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the health-related message is a health assessment survey and constructing a health-related message at the provider station comprises constructing a series of inquiries to be answered by a patient at the patient station. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising performing a clinical assessment of the patient at the patient station based upon the answers to the series of inquiries. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising generating a compliance message based upon the response or lack of response to the health-related message. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the compliance message indicates non-compliance based upon no response to the health-related message. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising transmitting the compliance message over the data network to the health care provider station. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising scheduling a remote health care session between the patient station and the health care provider station based upon the response to the health-related message. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the health-related message is transmitted on a recurring frequency. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the recurring transmission of the health-related message expires after a set number of transmission events. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the health-related message comprises an incoming video call and wherein accessing the health-related message on the television set at the patient station comprises:
 accepting the call; and 
 switching the television set to a video call screen. 
 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  wherein accepting the call comprises taking a telephone off hook or using the patient interface device to accept the call via the television set. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43  wherein switching the television set to the video call screen occurs automatically upon accepting the call. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 communicating a second health-related message over the data network; and 
 notifying of the second health-related message at the patient station via the interactive television-based system. 
 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the patient station is coupled by the data network to a second remotely located health care provider station, and the method for communicating health-related messages further comprises:
 constructing a second health-related message at the second provider station; 
 transmitting the second health-related message over the data network; and 
 notifying of the second health-related message at the patient station. 
 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the health-related message is informational and does not require a response from the patient station. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the health-related message comprises an educational video. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the home health system performing an audit and providing an audit report to the provider station. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  wherein performing the audit comprises tracking whether a response was provided to the health-related message. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50  wherein providing the audit report comprises delivery to the provider station when an exception occurs.