Death care management system and method

Abstract

A system that provides automated and semi-automated tools and methods that may be used by providers in the death care industry to manage time sensitive tasks and share information with third party providers of goods and services.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for managing events related to death care comprising:
 (a) a server communicatively coupled with a database; and   (b) a client device comprising a display and a user input, wherein the client device is communicatively coupled with the server;   wherein the server is configured to:
 (i) receive a set of decedent information from the client device, 
 (ii) create a decedent entry, the decedent entry comprising a set of decedent events, based upon the decedent information, 
 (iii) receive a director selection from the client device and associate the director with the decedent entry, 
 (iv) for each decedent event of the set of decedent events, receive a personnel selection from the client device and associate the personnel with the decedent event, and 
 (v) send a set of whiteboard data to the client device, wherein the set of whiteboard data comprises a set of decedent entries; 
   wherein the client device is configured to, in response to receiving the set of whiteboard data, display a whiteboard interface, the whiteboard interface comprising a graphical display of the set of decedent entries.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a service provider device, wherein the server is further configured to:
 (i) receive a service request from the client device via a first channel, the service request associated with a decedent event,   (ii) convert the service request for transmission via a second channel,   (iii) send the service request to the service provider device via the second channel,   (iv) receive a service confirmation from the service provider device via the second channel, and   (v) update the decedent event to indicate that the service confirmation was received.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the server is configured to convert, as the service request, requests for at least one of:
 (i) creation of a burial vault,   (ii) delivery of a burial vault,   (iii) makeup services,   (iv) hair services, or   (v) embalming services; and   wherein the first channel and the second channel are each selected from the group consisting of:   (i) a web based communication,   (ii) a mobile application based communication,   (iii) an email,   (iv) a voice message, and   (v) a text message.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the server is further configured to:
 (i) receive an indication that the service provider device is proximate to a service location associated with the service request, and   (ii) update the decedent event to indicate that the service request is underway.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the server is further configured to:
 (i) receive an indication from the service provider device that the service request has been completed, and   (ii) update the decedent event to indicate that the service request is complete.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the service request is for delivery of a burial vault, the system further comprising a unique identifier placed on the burial vault, wherein the service provider device comprises a global positioning device, wherein the server is further configured to:
 (i) receive the unique identifier from the service provider device,   (ii) associate the unique identifier with the decedent event,   (iii) receive a global positioning signal indicating the location of the service provider device at the time that the unique identifier was received,   (iv) determine the location of the burial vault based upon the global positioning signal, and   (v) update the decedent event to indicate the location of the burial vault.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to:
 (i) in response to the decedent event being incomplete past a first threshold date, send a notification to the personnel associated with the decedent event, and   (ii) in response to the decedent event being incomplete past a second threshold date, send a notification to the director associated with the decedent entry.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the client device is further configured to display each decedent event of the set of decedent events proximate to a weather forecast associated with the date, time, and location of the decedent event. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a personnel device, wherein the server is further configured to:
 (i) determine a subset of the set of whiteboard data, the subset of the set of whiteboard data comprising only the decedent entries and the decedent events that are associated with the personnel that is associated with the personnel device, and   (ii) send the subset of the set whiteboard data to the personnel device;   wherein the personnel device is configured to, in response to receiving the subset of the set of whiteboard data, display a personnel specific whiteboard interface, the personnel specific whiteboard interface comprising a graphical display of the subset of the set of whiteboard data.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the client device comprises one or more of:
 (i) a smart phone,   (ii) a computer, or   (iii) a video display.   
     
     
         11 . A method for managing events related to death care comprising the steps:
 (a) receiving, at a server, a set of decedent information from a client device;   (b) creating in a database a decedent entry, the decedent entry comprising a set of decedent events, based upon the decedent information;   (c) receiving a director selection from the client device and associating the director with the decedent entry;   (d) for each decedent event of the set of decedent events, receive a personnel selection from the client device and associate the personnel with the decedent event;   (e) sending a set of whiteboard data to a client device, wherein the set of whiteboard data comprises a set of decedent entries; and   (f) at the client device, displaying a whiteboard interface, the whiteboard interface comprising a graphical display of the set of decedent entries.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps:
 (a) receiving a service request from the client device via a first channel, the service request associated with a decedent event;   (b) converting the service request for transmission via a second channel;   (c) sending the service request to the service provider device via the second channel;   (d) receiving a service confirmation from a service provider device via the second channel; and   (e) updating the decedent event to indicate that the service confirmation was received.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps:
 (a) receiving an indication that the service provider device is proximate to a service location associated with the service request; and   (b) updating the decedent event to indicate that the service request is underway.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps:
 (a) receiving an indication from the service provider device that the service request has been completed; and   (b) updating the decedent event to indicate that the service request is complete.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the service request is for delivery of a burial vault, wherein a unique identifier is placed on the burial vault, wherein the service provider device comprises a global positioning device, further comprising the steps:
 (a) receiving the unique identifier from the service provider device;   (b) associating the unique identifier with the decedent event;   (c) receiving a global positioning signal indicating the location of the service provider device at the time that the unique identifier was received;   (d) determining the location of the burial vault based upon the global positioning signal; and   (e) updating the decedent event to indicate the location of the burial vault.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps:
 (a) in response to the decedent event being incomplete past a first threshold date, sending a notification to the personnel associated with the decedent event; and   (b) in response to the decedent event being incomplete past a second threshold date, send a notification to the director associated with the decedent entry.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step displaying each decedent event of the set of decedent events proximate to a weather forecast associated with the date, time and location of the decedent event. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps:
 (a) at the server, determining a subset of the set of whiteboard data, the subset of the set of whiteboard data comprising only the decedent entries and the decedent events that are associated with the personnel that is associated with the personnel device;   (b) sending the subset of the set whiteboard data to a personnel device; and   (c) at the personnel device, displaying a personnel specific whiteboard interface, the personnel specific whiteboard interface comprising a graphical display of the subset of the set of whiteboard data.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step displaying each decedent event of the set of decedent events proximate to a set of traffic information for roadways associated with the location of the decedent event. 
     
     
         20 . A system for managing events related to death care comprising:
 (a) a server communicatively coupled with a database; and   (b) a client device comprising a display and a user input, wherein the client device is communicatively coupled with the server;   wherein the server is configured to:
 (i) receive a set of decedent information from the client device, 
 (ii) create a decedent entry, the decedent entry comprising a set of decedent events, based upon the decedent information, 
 (iii) receive a director selection from the client device and associate the director with the decedent entry, 
 (iv) for each decedent event of the set of decedent events, receive a personnel selection from the client device and associate the personnel with the decedent event, and 
 (v) send a set of whiteboard data to the client device, wherein the set of whiteboard data comprises a set of decedent entries; 
   wherein the client device is configured to, in response to receiving the set of whiteboard data, display a whiteboard interface, the whiteboard interface comprising a graphical display of the set of decedent entries; and   wherein the server is further configured to:
 (i) receive a service request from the client device via a first channel, the service request associated with a decedent event, 
 (ii) convert the service request for transmission via a second channel, 
 (iii) send the service request to the service provider device via the second channel, 
 (iv) receive a service confirmation from the service provider device via the second channel, and 
 (v) update the decedent event to indicate that the service confirmation was received; and 
   wherein the service request is for delivery of a burial vault, and wherein the burial vault further comprises a unique identifier, wherein the service provider device comprises a global positioning device, wherein the server is further configured to:
 (i) receive the unique identifier from the service provider device, 
 (ii) associate the unique identifier with the decedent event, 
 (iii) receive a global positioning signal indicating the location of the service provider device at the time that the unique identifier was received, 
 (iv) determine the location of the burial vault based upon the global positioning signal, and 
 (v) update the decedent event to indicate the location of the burial vault.