Methods for providing online medical consultations

Abstract

We will provide continuous online medical consultations to patient users. [Solution] A method for providing online medical consultations to a patient user, wherein the control unit of a first hospital terminal receives an application for online medical consultation from the patient user's terminal and forwards the application to an SNS server. The control unit of the server terminal receives medical questionnaire information from the patient user via the SNS server and transmits the medical questionnaire information to a second hospital terminal. The second hospital terminal generates diagnostic information for the patient user based on the results of the online medical consultation with the patient user and transmits the diagnostic information to the patient user's terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for providing online medical treatment to patient users.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, online medical services implemented between patient users and doctors have become widespread.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, an information processing system capable of quickly providing medicine through online medical treatment for users is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, although the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 discloses a method for smoothly providing medicine to users after online medical treatment, with the spread of online medical treatment, in hospitals, the number of doctors capable of treating users is limited.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to realize a method capable of continuously providing online medical treatment to patient users.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A method for providing online medical consultation to a patient user according to one aspect of the present invention, wherein the control unit of a first hospital terminal receives an application for online medical consultation from the patient user terminal of the patient user and transfers the application to an SNS server; the control unit of the server terminal receives medical questionnaire information from the patient user via the SNS server and transmits the medical questionnaire information to a second hospital terminal; and the second hospital terminal generates diagnostic information for the patient user based on the results of the online medical consultation with the patient user and transmits the diagnostic information to the patient user terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a method that enables the continuous provision of online medical consultations to patient users. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing an online medical consultation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram showing the server terminal 100. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram showing the patient user terminal 200. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of user data stored in server 100. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the data for the first hospital stored on server 100. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the data for the second hospital stored on server 100. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows an example of a method for providing online medical consultations according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are not intended to unduly limit the scope of the present invention as described in the claims. Furthermore, not all components shown in the embodiments are necessarily essential components of the present invention.

[0011] <Structure> Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a system for implementing a method for providing online medical consultations according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This system 1 includes, for example, a server terminal 100 that provides online medical consultation services in cooperation with various hospital terminals, patient user terminals 200A and 200B managed by patient users, a first hospital terminal 300 that receives online medical consultation applications from patient users, a second hospital terminal 400 that supports the first hospital terminal and conducts online medical consultations for patient users, and an SNS server 500 that supports communication between patient users and each hospital terminal. For the sake of explanation, each terminal is described as a single unit or a specific number, but there is no limit to the number of each.

[0012] The server terminal 100, patient user terminals 200A and 200B, the first hospital terminal 300, and the second hospital terminal 400 are each connected via network NW1. Network NW consists of the Internet, intranet, wireless LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), etc.

[0013] The server terminal 100, the first hospital terminal 300, the second hospital terminal 400, and the SNS server may be general-purpose computers such as workstations or personal computers, or they may be logically implemented through cloud computing.

[0014] The patient user terminals 200A and 200B are, for example, information processing devices such as personal computers or tablet terminals, but may also be composed of smartphones, mobile phones, PDAs, etc.

[0015] In this embodiment, the system 1 includes a server terminal 100, patient user terminals 200A and 200B, a first hospital terminal 300, a second hospital terminal 400, and an SNS server. The users of each terminal perform operations on the server terminal 100 using their respective terminals. However, the server terminal 100 may be configured as a stand-alone device and may have a function that allows each user to directly perform operations on the server terminal itself. Hereinafter, the patient user terminals 200A and 200B will be collectively referred to as the patient user terminal 200 as necessary.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a functional block configuration diagram of the server terminal 100 in FIG. 1. The server terminal 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a control unit 130.

[0017] [[ID=�]] The communication unit 110 is a communication interface for communicating with the patient user terminal 200 and the first hospital terminal 300 via the network NW1. Communication is performed according to a communication protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol).

[0018] The storage unit 120 stores programs for executing various control processes and each function in the control unit 130, input data, etc., and is composed of a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. Further, the storage unit 120 has a user data storage unit 121 that stores various data related to the patient user, a first hospital data storage unit 122 that stores various data related to the hospital that accepts an application for online medical treatment from the patient user, and a second hospital data storage unit 123 that stores various data related to the hospital that supports the hospital that accepts the application for the online medical treatment. Note that a database (not shown) storing various data may be constructed outside the storage unit 120 or the server terminal 100.

[0019] The control unit 130 controls the overall operation of the server terminal 100 by executing the programs stored in the storage unit 120, and is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc. As functions of the control unit 130, it has an information reception unit 131 that receives information from each terminal, and an information processing unit 132 that refers to and processes various data stored in the storage unit 120. This information reception unit 131 and information processing unit 132 are activated by the programs stored in the storage unit 120 and executed by the server terminal 100 which is a computer (electronic calculator).

[0020] The information reception unit 131 receives information from various terminals via the communication unit 110.

[0021] The information processing unit 132 refers to various data (such as user data 1000 described later, etc.) stored in the storage unit 120 among the data received from various terminals, and performs predetermined processing.

[0022] Also, the control unit 130 can also have a screen generation unit (not shown), and generate screen information displayed via the user interface of the patient user terminal 200 as required. For example, using the images and text data (not shown) stored in the storage unit 120 as materials, and based on predetermined layout rules, by arranging various images and texts in a predetermined area of the user interface, the user interface is generated. The processing related to the image generation unit can also be executed by a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

[0023] FIG. 3 is a functional block configuration diagram showing the patient user terminal 200 of FIG. 1. The patient user terminal 200 includes a communication unit 210, a display operation unit 220, a storage unit 230, and a control unit 240.

[0024] The communication unit 210 is a communication interface for communicating with the server terminal 100 via the network NW, and communication is performed using a communication protocol such as TCP / IP.

[0025] The display operation unit 220 is a user interface used to display text, images, etc., in response to input data from the control unit 240, based on instructions from the patient user. If the patient user terminal 200 is a personal computer, it consists of a display and a keyboard or mouse. If the patient user terminal 200 is a smartphone or tablet, it consists of a touch panel, etc. This display operation unit 220 is activated by a control program stored in the storage unit 230 and executed by the patient user terminal 200, which is a computer (electronic calculator).

[0026] The memory unit 230 stores programs for executing various control processes and functions within the control unit 240, input data, etc., and is composed of RAM, ROM, etc. The memory unit 230 also temporarily stores the contents of communications with the server terminal 100.

[0027] The control unit 240 controls the overall operation of the patient user terminal 200 by executing programs stored in the memory unit 230, and is composed of a CPU, GPU, and the like.

[0028] Figure 4 shows an example of patient user data stored in the server terminal 100.

[0029] The user data 1000 shown in Figure 4 stores various data related to the patient user. In Figure 4, for the sake of explanation, an example of one patient user (a patient user identified by user ID "10001") is shown, but information for multiple patient users can be stored. Various data related to the patient user may include, but are not limited to, basic information about the patient user (name, address, contact information, SNS account, payment information, etc.), hospital information (for example, information identifying the hospital the patient user visits), medical history information (for example, information about the patient user's health status and symptoms that the patient user answers before receiving treatment from a doctor, etc.), diagnostic information (for example, information about the diagnosis and prescription of medication provided by the doctor to the patient user through online consultation, etc.), and accounting information (for example, information about the costs paid for online consultation and prescription of medication, etc.).

[0030] Figure 5 shows an example of the first hospital data stored on the server terminal 100.

[0031] Hospital Data 2000 stores various data related to hospitals that accept online medical consultation applications from patient users. In Figure 5, for the sake of explanation, an example of one hospital (a hospital identified by hospital ID "20001") is shown, but it can store information related to multiple hospitals. Various data related to the above hospital may include, but are not limited to, basic information about the hospital (e.g., name, address, URL, doctor), patient user information (e.g., name, address, contact information, SNS account, medical history, diagnosis, prescription, payment information, etc.), medical treatment menu information (e.g., menu items such as morning-after pill, low-dose birth control pill, ED treatment, AGA treatment, etc.), accounting information (e.g., sales for each treatment, total sales, etc.), website information (e.g., article content information, etc.), and affiliated hospital information (e.g., affiliated hospital name, hospital ID, etc.).

[0032] Figure 6 shows an example of the second hospital data stored on the server terminal 100.

[0033] Hospital Data 3000 stores various data related to hospitals that support the medical care of hospitals that accept applications for online medical consultations. In Figure 6, for the sake of explanation, an example of one hospital (a hospital identified by hospital ID "30001") is shown, but it can store information related to multiple hospitals. Various data related to the above hospital may include, but are not limited to, basic information about the hospital (e.g., name, address, URL, doctor), patient user information (e.g., name, address, contact information, SNS account, payment information, etc.), medical history information (e.g., information about the patient's health status and symptoms that each patient user answers before receiving medical treatment from a doctor, etc.), diagnostic information (e.g., information about the diagnosis and prescription of medication provided by the doctor to each patient user through online medical consultation, etc.), accounting information (e.g., sales for each consultation, total sales, etc.), and affiliated hospital information (e.g., name of affiliated hospital, hospital ID, etc.).

[0034] <Processing flow> Referring to Figure 7, the processing flow of a method for providing online medical consultations in which multiple hospitals and server terminals 100 cooperate, as executed by System 1 of this embodiment, will be described. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a method for providing online medical consultations according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Note that the functional configuration of the server terminal 100 may be provided in the second hospital terminal 400, in which case the second hospital terminal 400 may execute the processing that the server terminal 100 executes as described in the above embodiment. Furthermore, the server terminal or the second hospital terminal can directly conduct interviews and the like with the patient user terminal without going through the SNS server.

[0035] First, as a preliminary step to step S101, a patient user who wishes to receive online medical treatment searches for a medical service menu (e.g., "morning-after pill") via their user terminal 100 and accesses the hospital's website. Here, the website of the hospital to which the patient user applies for online medical treatment (hereinafter referred to as Hospital 1) can present various medical service menus for online consultations (e.g., morning-after pill, low-dose birth control pill, ED treatment, AGA treatment, etc.) and include SEO-based article content containing keywords related to each item on the medical service menu (e.g., morning-after pill). By providing Hospital 1's website in this way, it is possible to attract patients.

[0036] First, in step S101, the patient user accesses the website of the first hospital terminal 300 using a web browser or application on their respective patient user terminal, selects a desired diagnostic item (e.g., emergency contraception) from the medical treatment menu provided through the website, and submits a request for online medical treatment by performing a predetermined operation (e.g., tapping "Receive online medical treatment"). In step S102, when the first hospital terminal 300 receives the online medical treatment request from the patient user terminal 200, it redirects (forwards) the access from the patient user terminal 200 to the SNS server 500 (e.g., the server of the communication application).

[0037] Next, as part of step S103, the SNS server 500 sends an application acceptance message along with a medical questionnaire input form to the patient user terminal 200 via a chat communication interface displayed on the patient user terminal 200 as a screen for applying for online medical consultation. The patient user answers each question in the medical questionnaire input form via the chat communication interface (for example, items asking for the patient user's basic information such as "name," "gender," "date of birth," and "medication delivery address," and questions depending on the medical treatment menu such as "date and time of sexual activity" and "history of liver disease, heart disease, kidney disease, etc."). Then, as part of step S104, the SNS server 500 receives the medical questionnaire information (including the patient user's basic information) from the patient user terminal 200.

[0038] Next, as part of step S105, the SNS server 500 transmits the medical interview information received from the patient user to the server terminal 100. As part of step S106, the server terminal 100 performs user registration by storing the received basic information and medical interview information of the patient user as user data 1000 in the user data storage unit 121 of the storage unit 120. The server terminal 100 also stores the above basic information and medical interview information as hospital data 2000 in the first hospital data storage unit 122 of the storage unit 120.

[0039] Next, as part of step S107, the server terminal 100 refers to the hospital data 2000 stored in the first hospital data storage unit 122 of the memory unit 120, identifies the partner hospital (hereinafter referred to as the second hospital), and transmits the registered patient user's basic information and medical history information to the second hospital terminal 400 of the second hospital, thereby sending a medical treatment instruction to the patient user. Here, the server terminal 100 can send a medical treatment instruction to the second hospital that has been pre-registered as a partner of the first hospital, or it can select a hospital based on the medical treatment content (medical menu) that the patient user wishes to receive, as received by the first hospital, and send the medical treatment instruction as the second hospital. In addition, it can also refer to the medical treatment status (status of available doctors) of each second hospital and send a medical treatment instruction to the second hospital selected based on the medical treatment status.

[0040] Next, in step S108, the second hospital, having received the medical instruction, sends a request to start the medical consultation to the patient user terminal 200 via the second hospital terminal 400. In step S109, the patient user accepts the request to start the medical consultation via the patient user terminal 200, thereby initiating an online medical consultation with a physician belonging to the second hospital. Here, the request to start the medical consultation and the consultation itself can be conducted via video calls or other means through a chat communication interface displayed on the patient user terminal 200 and the second hospital terminal 400 via the SNS server 500, or through other video conversation applications (not shown). Here, the physician can conduct the consultation while referring to the medical history information entered by the patient user on the management screen displayed on the second hospital terminal 400.

[0041] Next, as part of step S110, the physician, through online consultation, inputs diagnostic information, including the diagnosis and prescription details for the patient user, and accounting information (in this case, billing information for the patient user's consultation fee) on the management screen displayed on the second hospital terminal 400. The second hospital terminal 400 then generates the diagnostic information and accounting information and stores the diagnostic information in a storage unit (not shown). Furthermore, as part of step S111, the second hospital terminal 400 transmits the generated diagnostic information and accounting information, including the billing amount, to the patient user terminal 200, and as part of step S112, transmits the diagnostic information and accounting information to the server terminal 100. The server terminal 100 stores the received patient user's diagnostic information and accounting information as user data 1000 in the user data storage unit 121 of the storage unit 120. The server terminal 100 also stores the above basic information and medical history information as hospital data 3000 in the second hospital data storage unit 123 of the storage unit 120.

[0042] Here, the server terminal 100 refers to the accounting information stored in the second hospital data storage unit 123 of the memory unit 120, calculates the amount to be paid to the first hospital (revenue share amount) based on the billing amount charged to the patient user by the second hospital data and a predetermined rate, and executes the process of paying the first hospital. This revenue share amount may also be calculated at the second hospital terminal and paid directly to the first hospital.

[0043] As described above, this embodiment can solve the problem of physician and staff resource issues in hospitals providing online medical consultations, and enables the continuous provision of online medical consultations while expanding patient acquisition.

[0044] Although embodiments of the invention have been described above, these can be implemented in various other forms, and can be carried out by various omissions, substitutions, and modifications. These embodiments and variations, as well as those with omissions, substitutions, and modifications, are included within the technical scope of the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1 System: 100 Server terminals, 110 Communication unit, 120 Storage unit, 130 Control unit, 200 User terminals, 300 Enterprise terminals, NW1 Network

Claims

1. A method for providing online medical consultations to patient users, The control unit of the first hospital terminal is: The patient user's terminal accepts applications for online medical consultations. The aforementioned application is forwarded to the SNS server. The control unit of the server terminal is: The system receives medical information from the patient user via the aforementioned SNS server. The aforementioned medical questionnaire information is transmitted to the second hospital terminal. The second hospital terminal, based on the results of the online consultation with the patient user, The diagnostic information of the aforementioned patient user is generated, A method for transmitting diagnostic information to the aforementioned patient user terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, A method for the second hospital terminal to transmit accounting information, including the amount to be billed to the patient user, based on the results of an online medical consultation with the patient user.

3. The method according to claim 2, The second hospital terminal calculates the amount to be paid to the first hospital based on the billing amount.

4. The method according to claim 1, The method involves the first hospital terminal providing the patient user terminal with a menu of online medical consultations, and the patient user terminal requesting the application for the desired diagnostic items from the diagnostic menu.

5. The method according to claim 1, A method for providing the patient user terminal with a web page containing keywords related to the items of the online medical consultation menu, wherein the first hospital terminal provides the patient user terminal with a web page containing keywords related to the items of the online medical consultation menu.

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