Systems and methods for clinical study management

Abstract

Electronic systems and methods for managing and auditing Clinical Trial data includes using storage and classification of all data. New data is added to the data storage system and designated as a current version, rather than deleting previous data and storing only a single version. Further identifying information about the data, including the user name who modified it and the date of modification, may also stored. Computer users are authenticated by the systems and methods and may then add and alter data according to user permissions. Further systems and methods include electronic billing for clinical trials based on statuses of clinical trial procedures. Prices for procedures may be assigned by appropriate users and billing mechanisms may proceed based on statuses of the procedures and not necessarily on the status of the entire clinical trial.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for electronic medical billing, the method comprising:
 storing, via at least one memory, a medical procedure associated with a procedure cost;   associating, via at least one microprocessor, the medical procedure with a patient; and   calculating, via the at least one microprocessor, a patient cost based at least in part on the medical procedure associated with the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the procedure cost comprises a cost of at least one medical item. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising associating, via the at least one microprocessor, the patient cost with a clinical study based at least in part on an association of the patient with the clinical study. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising calculating, via the at least one microprocessor, a study cost associated with the clinical study. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising modifying, via the at least one microprocessor, the procedure cost based on input from an authorized user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising recalculating, via the at least one microprocessor, the patient cost based on modification of the procedure cost. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising recalculating, via the at least one microprocessor, the study cost based on an update of the patient cost. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, via at least one network adapter, the patient cost to a billing recipient. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising storing, via the at least one memory, all prior values of the procedure cost. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising associating, via the at least microprocessor, each of the all prior values with a unique version number. 
     
     
         11 . A system of electronic medical billing, the system comprising:
 at least one microprocessor; and   at least one memory storing computer-readable instructions, the at least one microprocessor operable to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-readable instructions to:
 store a medical procedure associated with a procedure cost; 
 associate the medical procedure with a patient; and 
 calculate a patient cost based at least in part on the medical procedure associated with the patient. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the procedure cost comprises a cost of at least one medical item. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to associate the patient cost with a clinical study based at least in part on an association of the patient with the clinical study. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to calculate a study cost associated with the clinical study. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to modify the procedure cost based on input from an authorized user. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to recalculate the patient cost based on modification of the procedure cost. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to recalculate the study cost based on an update of the patient cost. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to transmit the patient cost to a billing recipient. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to store all prior values of the procedure cost. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to associate each of the all prior values with a unique version number.