Apparatus and method for processing and/or for providing healthcare information and/or healthcare-related information

Abstract

An apparatus for providing healthcare information, comprising a processor for processing a request to at least one of access, obtain, change, alter, and modify, information contained in a patient's at least one of healthcare record and healthcare file and for determining whether a requesting party is authorized to at least one of access, obtain, change, alter, and modify, information contained in the at least one of healthcare record and healthcare file. The processor facilitates the at least one of accessing, obtaining, changing, altering, and modifying, of the information contained in said at least one of healthcare record and healthcare file, and generates a notification report containing information regarding the at least one of accessing, obtaining, changing, altering, and modifying, of the information. The apparatus also comprises a transmitter for transmitting said notification report to a communication device associated with the patient.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 987,226, filed Nov. 14, 2001, and entitled “APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING AND / OR FOR PROVIDING HEALTHCARE INFORMATION AND / OR HEALTHCARE-RELATED INFORMATION”, the subject matter and teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 987,226, filed Nov. 14, 2001, claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 286,422, filed Apr. 25, 2001 and entitled “APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING AND / OR FOR PROVIDING HEALTHCARE INFORMATION AND / OR HEALTHCARE-RELATED INFORMATION”, the subject matter and teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. This application is also a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 737,348, filed Dec. 15, 2000, and entitled “APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING AND / OR FOR PROVIDING HEALTHCARE INFORMATION AND / OR HEAL...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0100] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for providing healthcare information which can be utilized in order to maintain patient healthcare records or files private and / or to safeguard patient healthcare records or files.

[0101] It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for providing healthcare information which can provide notification to patients and individuals when others have accessed, obtained, and / or made changes to their respective healthcare records or files.

[0102] It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for providing healthcare information which can enable patients and individuals to restrict and / or limit access to their healthcare records or files.

Problems solved by technology

There is no doubt that many of these deaths result from inaccurate and / or erroneous information and / or the lack of the availability of correct and / or up-to-date information.

Another problem lies with the fact that the main source of patient information, medical histories, family histories, etc., upon which doctors or providers may base their diagnoses and / or treatments, are patients who usually supply this information on questionnaires or forms just prior to seeing the healthcare provider and / or during a preliminary interview with the provider.

In this regard, information obtained from these questionnaires or forms, as well as from these preliminary interviews with the providers, may not necessarily result in sufficient, comprehensive, and / or accurate, information being obtained regarding the patient.

Further, there is no guarantee that the same information will be provided, in a uniform manner, to a next or different provider.

As a result, patient information may not be uniformly distributed and / or be available to providers at the point of treatment and / or otherwise.

Another problem which exists in the current healthcare system is that doctors or other providers do not always have the latest information and / or research material available to them prior to, and / or during, the diagnosis and / or treatment process.

Typically, these insurance and / or benefits claims take place in a paper-based environment and, as a result are slow and inefficient.

Fraudulent claims and / or claims which cannot be verified pose another major problem for healthcare payers and insurance companies.

These problems only serve to add to the growing costs of healthcare, delayed treatments, and a general dissatisfaction with the current healthcare system.

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