Information Processing Apparatus, Information Processing Method, and Program

Abstract

Match an individual who desires medical services including medical devices with a corporation that provides medical services. 【Solution means】When it is necessary to refine predetermined data input by an individual, the information processing device provides the individual terminal with terms of one or more conversion candidates of the predetermined data input by the individual and the predetermined data extracted based on the corporate information. The information processing device replaces the predetermined data based on the information selected by the individual from among the terms of the conversion candidates, makes an inquiry to the corporate information based on the personal information including the replaced data, and calculates a total of first scores for each piece of information in the corporate information. The information processing device extracts a predetermined number of corporate information in descending order of the total of the first scores, calculates a second score for each of the medical institution information associated with the extracted corporate information, and provides the individual terminal with the corporate information that provides medical services and the medical institution information with the second score added.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program that provide a platform for matching an individual who desires a medical service including a medical device with a corporation that provides the medical service.

Background Art

[0002] Social networking services (SNS) that provide various functions for creating, maintaining, or promoting connections between people are widely used. In such services, people are matched based on several parameters such as the same hobbies, preferences, and place of residence. Patent Document 1 discloses a mechanism for automatically realizing communication between viewers of a program. Thus, there are many matching services targeted at people.

[0003] The need for matching is not limited to people, and the need for matching services between people and things, and services is also increasing. For example, there is a need for a matching service between people and medical services, but there are many problems at present.

[0004] An individual with a physical disability due to illness or injury has no choice but to search on their own using the Internet or the like, or to receive an introduction from the medical institution they attend when looking for a treatment method, a medical device that supports the disabled person themselves, and a medical service (for example, rehabilitation guidance) associated with the use of the medical device.

[0005] Corporations that manufacture medical devices capable of addressing specific disorders are working to get medical institutions to adopt their medical devices because it is difficult to individually identify the individuals in question. Such corporations may face extreme difficulties in raising funds for medical device research and development because potential needs are not clear, and when medical devices are subject to insurance coverage, the business burden associated with the application is also quite a load. Countries and the like that conduct medical device reviews do not have a sufficient number of personnel responsible for medical device reviews, and the promotion of use after medical device approval relies on the sales efforts of corporations.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] If an individual can find (match with) a corporation that manufactures a medical device or a medical institution that handles the medical device, the individual can receive medical services that meet their needs. Conventionally, however, the individual had no choice but to search for information on their own using the Internet or to receive an introduction from a medical institution. Such matching requires a great deal of effort for the individual to find the necessary medical services, and it was also difficult for the corporation or medical institution side to find individuals who were troubled by a specific disorder if the individuals did not find the corporation or medical institution.

[0008] When conducting matching, an individual may have other problems. There are cases where an individual cannot explain their own disabilities well to others. For example, when the user's need is a medical device to support independent walking, the use of lower limb orthoses for independent living support, etc. is appropriate, but whether the matching between the individual and the medical service including the provision of medical devices goes well depends on whether the individual can express their symptoms in appropriate words. For example, an individual with a disability in the lower limbs may search for medical devices using search terms such as "cannot walk well" or "it is difficult to walk due to foot pain", and may not be able to find a medical device that meets their needs. Sometimes, they may even find a medical device that does not meet their needs. Therefore, there is a need to provide a mechanism to support individuals who do not know what keywords to use for searching.

[0009] A company is researching and developing medical devices, but it is necessary to conduct clinical trials before the manufacturing and sales of medical devices are approved. However, the company has no connection with individuals who need the medical devices it has developed, and the recruitment of clinical trial participants relies on referrals from medical institutions. The time required to obtain approval for medical devices is quite long. Also, even when the medical device is approved and reaches the commercialization stage, the current situation is that the only way to find individuals who need the medical device is through referrals from medical institutions. Therefore, it is difficult for a company that provides medical devices to find individuals who need the medical devices and provide them. There is a need to provide a mechanism to find such individuals.

[0010] The costs of many medical devices are high, and since the period from development to sales is long, companies cannot secure funds and it is difficult to immediately provide them even if individuals who meet the needs are found.

[0011] Some medical devices are subject to insurance coverage, but the documents for applying for insurance coverage must conform to detailed regulations, etc. The company's staff are not familiar with the applications for devices that are not provided to users very frequently, and the effort required for the applications is also significant.

[0012] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program that provide a platform for matching an individual who desires a medical service including medical equipment with a corporation that provides the medical service.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program that provide a platform for supporting an insurance application procedure required along with the provision of medical equipment and a financing application procedure for securing necessary funds.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, an information processing apparatus that executes a process of matching a first user who desires a medical service including medical equipment and a second user who provides the medical service according to an aspect of the present invention includes a control unit, a communication unit for communicating with an external network, and a storage unit that stores first user information, second user information, and medical institution information. The control unit determines whether it is necessary to refine predetermined data input by the first user, and the determination includes determining whether the same phrase is included by collating the predetermined data input by the first user with the predetermined data associated with the second user, in response to determining that it is necessary to refine the predetermined data input by the first user, based on the predetermined data input by the first user and at least the predetermined data associated with the second user, extracting one or more conversion candidate terms of the predetermined data, and providing the extracted conversion candidate terms to a first user terminal via the communication unit, replacing the predetermined data based on information selected by the first user from among the conversion candidate terms, Inquire about the second user information based on the first user information including the predetermined data after replacement, calculate a first total score for each piece of information in the second user information, and extract a predetermined number of the second user information in descending order of the first total score; Calculate a second score for each of the medical institution information associated with the extracted predetermined number of the second user information; Provide the extracted predetermined number of the second user information and the medical institution information associated with the extracted predetermined number of the second user information, with the second score added thereto, to the first user terminal via the communication unit; It is configured to execute.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, keywords that appropriately represent an individual's needs can be selected, so that a medical service that matches the individual's needs can be provided to the individual based on the information of the individual, corporation, and medical institution. Further, according to the present invention, it becomes easier for a corporation that has provided medical equipment to perform procedures for insurance applications or procedures for fundraising on behalf of an individual.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] A detailed understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification can be obtained from the following description illustrated in relation to the accompanying drawings.

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] (Overall Configuration) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an entire system including an information processing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Each of the information processing apparatus 10, the personal terminal 11, the corporate terminal 12, and the medical institution terminal 13 is communicably connected to each other via a well-known network 14 such as the Internet or a dedicated line. In this specification, the information processing apparatus 10 is described as one apparatus, but various processes executed by the information processing apparatus 10 may be configured to be executed distributively by a plurality of apparatuses. In FIG. 1, only one personal terminal 11, one corporate terminal 12, and one medical institution terminal 13 are shown, but there may be a plurality of these.

[0018] The information processing apparatus 10 provides a platform for matching individuals who desire medical services including medical devices with corporations that provide such medical services. When an individual conducts information search, the information processing apparatus 10, based at least on the information registered by the individual and the corporation, executes processing such as replacement of ambiguous input text registered by the individual with appropriate terms or narrowing down of terms of replacement candidates using a chat service function or the like, and can perform matching. Further, the information processing apparatus 10 can search for individuals who can be candidates for providers of the medical devices of the corporation based on a request from the corporation, and provide the results to the corporation.

[0019] The information processing apparatus 10 stores information regarding an individual received from the individual terminal 11, such as information about the individual's symptoms, problems, desired medical devices, desired areas, budgets, places of residence, and the like. The information processing apparatus 10 can have a chat program for refining the information input by the individual. As is known to those skilled in the art, corporations and medical institutions handling medical devices know the specialized terms for symptoms and the like used by doctors and the like, but individuals may input information based on their own feelings. Therefore, the information input by the individual needs to be refined so as to be converted into the specialized terms during or before the subsequent matching process. The chat program can determine whether the input symptoms, problems, and other predetermined information match the specialized terms, provide the individual with similar replacement candidate terms based on predetermined data, and support the replacement with the specialized terms.

[0020] The information processing apparatus 10 acquires information regarding medical devices that can be provided from the corporation terminal 12, information related to financing applications for medical devices, information on the suitability of insurance applications, and the like, and stores the acquired information.

[0021] The information processing apparatus 10 acquires information such as the location of the medical institution, medical departments, and the like, and information on medical services including symptoms, problems, target patients, and medical devices that can be handled at the medical institution from the medical institution terminal 13, and stores the acquired information.

[0022] The information processing apparatus 10 executes matching processing between an individual and medical services in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event or a request from any one of the personal terminal 11, the corporate terminal 12, and the medical institution terminal 13, and provides the matching result to the terminal that made the request. The information processing apparatus 10 can calculate a matching degree (also referred to as a "score") according to an algorithm described in detail below and add it to the matching result for provision. In addition, the information processing apparatus 10 can provide the matching result to an ATM or an Internet banking system operated by a financial institution. Therefore, an individual can refer to the matching result on the display of the ATM or any screen of the Internet banking system and confirm the content of medical services including medical devices.

[0023] In this specification, the information processing apparatus 10 is operated by a financial institution or the like, includes the accounting system of the financial institution, or can cooperate with the accounting system. By cooperating with the accounting system, the information processing apparatus 10 can control the deposit and withdrawal processing related to actual fund transfers.

[0024] The information processing apparatus 10 can determine the eligibility for financing based on one or more of information about a corporation, the corporation's account information, deposit and withdrawal data, etc., based on a financing application from the corporation. In addition, the information processing apparatus 10 can also generate data necessary for an insurance application for medical devices based on information about the corporation's medical devices. When generating information for a financing application or an insurance application, known generation AIs or the like can be used to determine the suitability of the input content and to ask questions to the information inputter, for example, using a chat service.

[0025] The personal terminal 11, the corporate terminal 12, and the medical institution terminal 13 may be any type of device (for example, a smartphone, a PC, a tablet-type terminal, etc.) or a server device that can operate in a wired or wireless environment, and is not limited to a specific device or device.

[0026] (System Configuration) FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of the information processing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing apparatus 10 includes a control unit 101, a main memory unit 102, an auxiliary storage unit 103, an interface (IF) unit 104, and an output unit 105, which are interconnected by a bus 120 or the like, similar to a general computer. Further, the information processing apparatus 10 can include personal information 106, corporate information 107, medical institution information 108, externally acquired information 109, matching information 110, past financing performance 111, and insurance application information 112 in the form of files / databases or the like.

[0027] The control unit 101, also referred to as a central processing unit (CPU), controls each component of the information processing apparatus 10 and performs data calculations, and also reads out various programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103 to the main memory unit 102 for execution. The main memory unit 102, also referred to as a main memory, stores various received data, computer-executable instructions, and data after arithmetic processing by the instructions. The auxiliary storage unit 103 is a storage device represented by a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or the like, and is used when storing data and programs long-term.

[0028] The embodiment of FIG. 2 will describe an embodiment in which the control unit 101, the main memory unit 102, and the auxiliary storage unit 103 are provided inside the same computer. However, as another embodiment, the information processing apparatus 10 can be configured to realize parallel distributed processing by a plurality of computers by using a plurality of the control unit 101, the main memory unit 102, and the auxiliary storage unit 103. Further, as another embodiment, it is also possible to install a plurality of servers for the information processing apparatus 10 and make an embodiment in which the plurality of servers share one auxiliary storage unit 103.

[0029] The IF unit 104 serves as an interface for transmitting and receiving data to and from other systems and devices, and also provides an interface for receiving various commands and input data (various masters, tables, etc.) from the system operator. The output unit 105 provides a display screen for displaying the processed data, printing means for printing the data, and the like.

[0030] The personal information 106 stores information associated with individuals seeking medical services including medical devices. In this specification, "medical services" can indicate not only medical devices but also physical therapy and similar acts that support the actions of individuals using medical devices (for example, rehabilitation, etc.). FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of the data structure of the personal information 106. The personal information 106 can include a personal ID 301, a personal name 302, a wish flag 303, a disease name 304, symptoms 305, issues 306, the name of the medical device used 307, the desired area of use 308, a budget 309, and a place of residence 310, but is not limited to these data items and can also include other data items.

[0031] The personal ID 301 is an identifier for identifying an individual who uses the matching service described in this specification. The personal ID 301 is information (bank code, branch code, account code, account number) of an account opened by an individual with a financial institution that controls the information processing apparatus 10 that provides the matching service. The personal name 302 indicates the name of the individual. The wish flag 303 is a flag indicating whether the individual wishes to use a commercialized medical device or a medical device in the clinical trial stage before commercialization. As is known to those skilled in the art, clinical trials may be conducted before a medical device is approved as a medical device. The matching service allows an individual to wish to use a commercialized medical device or, if desired, a medical device in the clinical trial stage (before commercialization).

[0032] The disease name 304 indicates the disease name reported by a doctor's diagnosis. When an individual visits a medical institution and is informed of the disease name by a doctor, data is entered into this item. The symptom 305 indicates the symptoms of an individual's body. The symptoms felt by an individual may not be in the terms used by experts such as doctors. The issue 306 indicates to what state the individual wants to improve their body. The name of the medical device to be used 307 indicates the name of the medical device that the individual wants to use or the name of the medical device associated with the individual by a matching service. The desired area of use 308 indicates the geographical area available for the individual to use (for example, geographical areas such as prefectures, cities, towns, and wards). The budget 309 indicates the budget that the individual can afford (for example, monthly budget, annual budget, etc.). The place of residence 310 indicates the place of residence of the individual. The place of residence 310 can include the individual's residential address, contact information, and information serving as a starting point when using public transportation (for example, the nearest station, etc.).

[0033] Returning to FIG. 2 for explanation, the corporate information 107 stores information associated with the corporation that provides medical devices. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the data structure of the corporate information 107. The corporate information 107 can include a corporate ID 401, a corporate name 402, a desired flag 403, available medical devices 404, disease names 405, symptoms 406, issues 407, available areas 408, available medical institutions 409, insurance applicability 410, usage fee estimate 411, repayment account number 412, desired financing execution date 413, desired financing amount 414, purpose of funds 415, financing period 416, repayment interval 417, corporate information 418, and settlement information 419, but is not limited to these data items and can also include other data items. For example, the corporate information 107 may include information on other medical devices that are expected to be more effective for specific disorders when used in combination with the company's own medical devices and the corporations handling those medical devices.

[0034] The corporate ID 401 is an identifier that identifies a corporation that provides medical devices and uses the matching service described in this specification. The corporate ID 401 is information (bank code, branch code, account code, account number) of an account opened by a corporation with a financial institution that controls the information processing apparatus 10 that provides the matching service. The corporate name 402 indicates the name of the corporation.

[0035] The information of the desired flag 403 to the settlement information 419 described below can be registered for the number of medical devices. For example, when a corporation is researching or manufacturing three medical devices, three pieces of data can be generated.

[0036] The desired flag 403 is a flag indicating whether to provide a medical device after productization or to provide a medical device in the clinical trial stage before productization. The available medical device 404 indicates the name of the medical device that the corporation can provide. The disease name 405 indicates one or more disease names (the same as those told by a doctor's diagnosis) that the medical device can handle. The symptom 406 is a symptom that can be improved by the medical device and indicates terms used by experts such as doctors. The problem 407 indicates a physical condition that can be improved by the medical device.

[0037] The available area 408 indicates the geographical area where the medical device can be provided. The available medical institution 409 indicates the identifier of one or more medical institutions that can handle the medical device and the content of the medical services of the medical institution. The insurance applicability 410 indicates whether insurance application can be made when using the medical device. For example, the insurance applicability 410 can also include information that can determine whether the price of the medical device can be insured separately from the medical fee points (technical fee). The usage fee estimate 411 indicates an estimate of the usage fee of the medical device (for example, the usage fee per month).

[0038] The repayment account number 412 indicates the account information used for financing during the clinical trial stage of medical devices and the commercialization stage after productization. The financing execution desired date 413 indicates the desired date when the applied-for financing is to be executed. The desired financing amount 414 indicates the amount that a corporation desires to finance during the clinical trial stage or commercialization stage of medical devices. The purpose of funds 415 indicates the purpose of using the financing amount. The financing period 416 indicates the period for receiving financing. The repayment interval 417 indicates the interval (e.g., monthly, etc.) for repaying the financed funds. The corporate information 418 indicates the corporate information (e.g., capital, representative, etc.) required for a financial institution to conduct a review when receiving financing. The financial statement information 419 indicates information such as the balance sheet (BS), profit and loss statement (PL), and cash flow statement of the corporation required for a financial institution to conduct a review when receiving financing.

[0039] Returning to Figure 2 for explanation, the medical institution information 108 stores information associated with a medical institution where an individual visits for outpatient or inpatient care and that can provide medical services including medical devices. Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of the data structure of the medical institution information 108. The medical institution information 108 can include a medical institution ID 501, medical institution name 502, location 503, medical devices 504, issues 505, subjects 506, and access destination 507, but is not limited to these data items and can also include other data items.

[0040] The medical institution ID 501 is an identifier for identifying a medical institution. The medical institution name 502 indicates the name of the medical institution. The location 503 indicates the geographical area where the medical institution exists. The medical devices 504 indicate the medical devices handled by the medical institution. The issues 505 indicate what is desired to be achieved for patients (individuals) using the medical devices (e.g., walking independently). The subjects 506 indicate the gender, age, symptoms, etc. of the individuals assumed to be users of the medical devices. The access destination 507 indicates information on a site that provides detailed information about the medical institution, such as the homepage (HP) of the medical institution, e.g., the URL. Note that the data for medical devices 504 to subjects 506 may be registered in multiple pieces for one medical institution.

[0041] When a medical institution newly joins this service, or when a registered medical institution newly adopts medical equipment for patients, the medical institution terminal 13 is used to access the information processing device 10, and necessary information is input on an input screen (not shown), whereby data is registered in the medical institution information 108.

[0042] The externally acquired information 109 stores keywords related to medical services including medical equipment among the information of search terms that are frequently searched on the Internet and acquired by the information processing device 10 from external devices and the like. The keywords stored in the externally acquired information 109 can have a storage expiration date set, and for example, keywords acquired more than one year ago may be deleted. The matching information 110 stores the matching results of matching individuals, corporations, and medical institutions as a result of the matching process described in this specification. The past financing performance 111 stores information on financing that has been reviewed in response to a corporation's financing application and the result of financing or non-financing. The insurance application information 112 stores application information for insurance application for cases where medical insurance is applicable among the matching results.

[0043] The personal terminal 11, the corporate terminal 12, and the medical institution terminal 13 can include a control unit 101, a main memory unit 102, an auxiliary memory unit 103, an interface (IF) unit 104, and an output unit 105 that are interconnected by a bus 120 or the like as shown in FIG. 2. Since the functions of these components are the same as the functions described above, detailed description is omitted.

[0044] (Processing Flow: Registration of Personal Information) FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the registration process of personal information according to the present invention. It is assumed that an individual who uses the matching service described in this specification has already opened an account with a financial institution that controls the information processing device 10. As described above, the personal ID 301 for using the matching service is the account information (bank code, branch code, account code, account number) of the individual.

[0045] In S601, in response to access from the personal terminal 11 by an individual, the information processing apparatus 10 provides the personal information input screen 700 to the personal terminal 11 via the network 14. FIG. 7 shows an example of the personal information input screen 700. On the personal information input screen 700, a personal ID (personal account information) and a personal name are displayed, and an individual (the first user) can input items that are known among the desired usage method, disease name, symptoms, problems, medical device name, desired usage area, and budget. The personal information input screen 700 can include information necessary for matching in addition to the data items illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0046] The personal information input screen 700 has a registration button 701 and a matching button 702. The registration button 701 determines whether it is necessary to refine the information input to a predetermined data item among the data input to the personal information input screen 700. If it is determined that it is necessary, it executes a refinement process as described later. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not necessary, it is a button for registering the data input to the personal information input screen 700 in the personal information 106. The operation of registering in the personal information 106 is executed by the information processing apparatus 10. The matching button 702 is a button for executing the matching process described in this specification.

[0047] In S602, in response to the pressing of the registration button 701, the information processing apparatus 10 determines whether it is necessary to refine the data input in the "symptoms" and "problems" columns of the personal information input screen 700. That is, the information processing apparatus 10 collates the data input in the "symptoms" and "problems" columns with the data registered in the symptoms 406 and problems 407 of the corporate information 107 to determine whether the same words are included. If the same words are included, the data input in the "symptoms" and "problems" columns has been refined, so the process proceeds to S604. On the other hand, if the same words are not included, since it has not been refined, the process proceeds to S603.

[0048] In S603, the information processing device 10 activates the chat program and collates the data entered in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns of the personal information input screen 700 with the data registered in the symptoms 406 and issues 407 of the corporate information 107, the data stored in the external acquisition information 109, and the data stored in the matching information 110, and extracts terms of one or more conversion candidates for the data entered in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns. The process of extracting terms of one or more conversion candidates may be referred to as refinement processing. The chat program may utilize the function of the generation AI. In such a case, the information processing device 10 can cause the generation AI to read the above-described data and extract terms of one or more conversion candidates.

[0049] The information processing device 10 provides the extracted terms of one or more conversion candidates to the personal terminal 11 and displays them on the personal information input screen 700. The individual selects an appropriate term from among the terms of one or more conversion candidates in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns displayed on the personal information input screen 700. If there is no appropriate term among the terms of one or more conversion candidates, the extraction process (refinement process) of the above-described terms of one or more conversion candidates is performed again via the function of the chat program. That is, the information processing device 10 communicates with the personal terminal 11 via the function of the chat program and causes the individual to select an appropriate term from among the terms of one or more conversion candidates. There may be a plurality of appropriate terms.

[0050] In S604, the information processing device 10 stores the input data of the personal information input screen 700 including the refined data in the personal information 106.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, it has been explained that the refinement process is performed in response to the pressing of the registration button 701, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a "refinement button" may be provided on the personal information input screen 700, and the refinement process may be configured to be executed each time data is entered in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns.

[0052] (Processing Flow: Registration of Corporate Information) FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the registration process of corporate information according to the present invention. It is assumed that the corporation using the matching service described in this specification has already opened an account with the financial institution that controls the information processing apparatus 10. As described above, the corporate ID 401 for using the matching service is the account information (bank code, branch code, account code, account number) of the corporation.

[0053] In S801, in response to an access from the corporate terminal 12 by the corporation, the information processing apparatus 10 provides the corporate information input screen 900 to the corporate terminal 12 via the network 14. FIG. 9 shows an example of the corporate information input screen 900. On the corporate information input screen 900, the corporate ID (corporate account information) and the corporate name are displayed. The corporation (second user) can input items such as the method of providing medical devices, the name of medical devices, the diseases, symptoms, problems, available areas, available medical institutions, insurance applicability, and usage fee estimates that the medical devices can handle. Since the corporation is engaged in the business of manufacturing, selling, leasing, etc. of medical devices, it is assumed that the corporation can input the same terms as those used by experts such as doctors in data items such as diseases, symptoms, and problems. In this regard, it is different from an individual who may input ambiguous content.

[0054] The corporate information input screen 900 has a registration button 901, a matching button 902, and a financing information screen button 903. The registration button 901 is a button for transmitting the data input on the corporate information input screen 900 to the information processing apparatus 10 and registering it in the corporate information 107. The matching button 902 is a button for executing the matching process described in this specification. This matching button 902 is a button for performing a process of matching another corporate information associated with the corporate information. The financing information screen button 903 is a button for displaying a financing application screen for inputting information for applying for financing for medical devices.

[0055] At S802, when information is input into the corporate information input screen 900 and the registration button 901 is pressed, the input information is transmitted to the information processing apparatus 10. The information processing apparatus 10 registers the received information in the corporate information 107.

[0056] (Processing Flow: Matching Process for Personal Information and Corporate Information) FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the matching process for personal information and corporate information according to the present invention.

[0057] At S1001, in response to the matching button 702 being pressed on the personal information input screen 700, the information processing apparatus 10 receives a start request for the matching process for the personal information input on the personal information input screen 700 and starts the matching process.

[0058] At S1002, in response to receiving the start request for the matching process, the information processing apparatus 10 determines whether it is necessary to refine the data input in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns of the personal information input screen 700. That is, the information processing apparatus 10 compares the data input in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns among the personal information input by the personal terminal 11 with the data registered in the symptoms 406 and issues 407 of the corporate information 107 to determine whether the same text is included. If the same text is included, the data input in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns has been refined, so the process proceeds to S1004. On the other hand, if the same text is not included, since it has not been refined, the process proceeds to S1003.

[0059] In S1003, the information processing apparatus 10 starts a chat program and collates the data input in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns of the personal information input screen 700 with the data registered in the symptoms 406 and issues 407 of the corporate information 107, the data stored in the external acquisition information 109, and the data stored in the matching information 110, extracts terms of one or more conversion candidates for the data input in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns, and provides them to the personal terminal 11 via the interface of the chat program. The collation may be performed based on the data registered in the symptoms 406 and issues 407 of the corporate information 107 without using the data stored in the external acquisition information 109 and the data stored in the matching information 110. The process of extracting terms of one or more conversion candidates may be referred to as refinement processing. The individual selects an appropriate term from among the provided terms of one or more conversion candidates and inputs it into the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns. As a result, the information originally input in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns is replaced with the appropriate terms selected by the individual. The information processing apparatus 10 registers the data input in the personal information input screen 700, including the data newly input in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns, in the personal information 106.

[0060] If there is no appropriate term among the terms of one or more conversion candidates, the individual inputs additional information regarding "Symptoms" and "Issues" on the interface of the chat program and requests extraction and display of other candidates. When the information processing apparatus 10 receives the request, it performs collation based on the aforementioned information and the additional information, extracts terms of one or more conversion candidates for the data input in the "Symptoms" and "Issues" columns, and displays them on the personal terminal 11 via the interface of the chat program. The process of inputting additional information and extracting other candidates can be repeated any number of times.

[0061] In S1004, the information processing apparatus 10 makes an inquiry to the corporate information 107 based on the values of "Desired Usage Method", "Symptoms", "Problems", "Desired Service Area", and "Budget" on the personal information input screen 700, that is, the values of the desired flag 303, symptoms 305, problems 306, desired service area 308, and budget 309 of the personal information 106, and calculates the first matching degree (the first score) based on these pieces of information and the values of the desired flag 403, symptoms 406, problems 407, available service area 408, and approximate usage fee 411 of the corporate information 107 respectively.

[0062] Here, the criteria for determining the strength of the first matching degree (the first score) will be described. For example, the first score can be represented by a score out of 100. Suppose the information processing apparatus 10 compares the personal information to be compared with the retrieved corporate information and obtains the following results.

[0063]

Table 1

[0064] The information processing apparatus 10 repeats such comparison processing for the number of data stored in the corporate information 107, calculates the total score of the first score (the total first score) for each piece of information in the corporate information, and extracts a predetermined number (for example, a maximum of 3 pieces) of corporate information in descending order of the total first score.

[0065] After that, the information processing apparatus 10 reads out the available medical institutions 409 of the extracted predetermined number of corporate information, makes an inquiry to the medical institution information 108, and calculates the travel time from the individual's place of residence to the location of each medical institution. The information processing apparatus 10 can assign a higher score (the second score) to medical institutions with shorter calculated travel times. The information processing apparatus 10 may make an inquiry to a known traffic information providing site to calculate the travel time. Alternatively, the information processing apparatus 10 may assign a higher score (the second score) to a lower travel cost, either in addition to or instead of the calculated travel time.

[0066]

[0066] In S1005, the information processing apparatus 10 provides the personal terminal 11 with a screen of the matching result 1100 that displays the second scores of the medical institutions of a predetermined number of corporate information items extracted based on the first total score.

[0067] In the above, the embodiment in which the information processing apparatus 10 matches personal information and corporate information has been described. In other embodiments, the information processing apparatus 10 can execute a process of further matching corporate information with this matching result in combination. For example, a medical device capable of dealing with a certain disorder may be effectively used in combination with another medical device. In such a case, the information processing apparatus 10 may be configured to match the corporate information of the medical device shown in the matching result with the corporate information of another medical device after the personal information and corporate information matching result is obtained. As described above, since the corporate information 107 can include information on other medical devices that are expected to be more effective for a specific disorder when used in combination with the company's own medical devices and the corporations handling those medical devices, the information processing apparatus 10 can execute the matching process using this information.

[0068] In other embodiments, the matching process can be started in response to the pressing of the matching button 902 on the corporate terminal 12. That is, the information processing apparatus 10 can also execute a process of matching another corporate information associated with a certain corporate information (matching process between corporate information items). The person in charge of the corporation operates the corporate terminal 12 and presses the matching button 902 while the first corporate information is displayed on the corporate information input screen 900. The information processing apparatus 10 can inquire of the corporate information 107, search for the medical devices of the second corporation that are effective when used in combination with the medical devices of the first corporate information, and provide the searched result to the corporate terminal 12 as the matching result.

[0069] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a screen showing a matching result 1100. The matching result 1100 can show, as an initial display, the corporate name, medical device name, cost of the corporation with the highest total score, and one or more medical institutions handling the medical device. Each medical institution can show a score (second score) and a link destination (e.g., URL) to access the detailed information of the medical institution.

[0070] The matching result 1100 has a previous data display button 1101 and a next data display button 1102. As described above, since the screen of the matching result 1100 can display a predetermined number of corporate information, the information processing apparatus 10 displays corporate information with a relatively high total first score in response to the pressing of the previous data display button 1101, and displays corporate information with a relatively low total first score in response to the pressing of the next data display button 1102.

[0071] (Processing Flow: Registration Process of Financing Information) FIG. 12 is a flowchart for the information processing apparatus 10 according to the present invention to determine whether the financing application content is appropriate based on the financing application information input on a financing information screen (not shown).

[0072] In S1201, in response to the pressing of a financing information screen button 903 on the corporate information input screen 900, the information processing apparatus 10 displays a financing information screen (not shown) on the corporate terminal 12. The person in charge of the corporation inputs information corresponding to a repayment account number 412, a desired financing execution date 413, a desired financing amount 414, a fund use 415, a financing period 416, a repayment interval 417, corporate information 418, and settlement information 419 on the financing information screen. The financing information screen may be configured to be able to input other information necessary for determining the availability of financing. The financing information screen may be configured to upload files such as corporate information and settlement information.

[0073] In S1202, the information processing apparatus 10 makes an inquiry about the past financing performance 111, reads out the information on the past financing performance of other companies in the same industry of the corporation, and compares the financing amount, the use of funds, the financing period, and the repayment interval with the thresholds associated with their respective data items to determine whether they are within a predetermined range, that is, whether it is an appropriate financing application that does not deviate significantly from the past financing performance of other companies in the same industry. The thresholds may vary by industry type and scale (based on capital, sales, etc.). In addition, the information processing apparatus 10 can determine whether it is an appropriate financing application by inferring the future prospects of the business based on the deposit and withdrawal information and account balance of the corporation's account.

[0074] Furthermore, the information processing apparatus 10 may be configured to use a generative AI to determine the appropriateness of the information required for the financing application. The generative AI of the information processing apparatus 10 can have a conversation with the corporate terminal 12 through a chat function. With such a configuration, the generative AI of the information processing apparatus 10 can prompt the corporation to reconsider the content of a certain input item, for example, prompt the change of the repayment period.

[0075] If it is determined that the financing application is appropriate, the process proceeds to S1203. On the other hand, if it is determined that the financing application is not appropriate, the process returns to S1201 for re-entry of information.

[0076] In S1203, the information processing apparatus 10 registers the information input on the financing information screen (not shown) in the corporate information 107 and notifies the review department of the financial institution that a financing application has been made.

[0077] (Processing flow: Insurance application processing) FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a processing flow for generating documents for insurance application of medical devices. The "Guidebook on Insurance Application for Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostic Pharmaceuticals" issued by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare stipulates the mechanism and application method for insurance application of medical devices. That is, in order to apply for insurance for medical devices, it is necessary to make an application in accordance with this guidebook. For example, based on the classification for insurance application of medical devices, it is determined whether a medical institution can claim the price of a medical device for insurance separately from the medical treatment fee points (technical fee).

[0078] At S1301, in response to the pressing of an insurance application button (not shown) on the corporate information input screen 900, the information processing apparatus 10 reads information for determining whether a medical device can be applied for insurance from the corporate information 107.

[0079] At S1302, the information processing apparatus 10 identifies information on the insurance application of the medical device based on the read information, for example, the classification described in the above guidebook (for example, 'C2' (new function, new technology) entered in the 'Insurance Application' column of FIG. 9). This classification is defined in the above guidebook. If the medical device is eligible for insurance application, the process proceeds to S1303; otherwise, this processing flow ends.

[0080] At S1303, the information processing apparatus 10 outputs information required for the application determined by the identified classification and generates application documents. When generating the application documents, the information processing apparatus 10 uses the chat function of the generation AI for checking to inquire of the corporate terminal 12 about missing items and items with inappropriate content. The corporate person in charge can input the information required for insurance application into the application documents by answering the inquiry, and finally, the information processing apparatus 10 can register the information of the insurance application documents in the insurance application information 112 and output it to the corporate terminal 12.

[0081] While the principles of the present invention have been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments above, those skilled in the art will understand that various embodiments can be implemented with changes in configuration and details without departing from the gist of the present invention. That is, the present invention can take embodiments as, for example, a system, an apparatus, a method, a program, or a storage medium.

Explanation of Signs

[0082] 10 Information processing apparatus 11 Personal terminal 12 Corporate terminal 13 Medical institution terminal 14 Network 101 Control unit 102 Main memory unit 103 Auxiliary storage unit 104 Interface (IF) unit 105 Output unit 106 Personal information 107 Corporate information 108 Medical institution information 109 Externally acquired information 110 Matching information 111 Past financing performance 112 Insurance application information

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus that executes a process of matching a first user who desires medical services including medical devices with a second user who provides the medical services, a control unit, a communication unit for communicating with an external network, and a storage unit that stores first user information, second user information, and medical institution information and is provided with, wherein the control unit determines whether it is necessary to refine predetermined data input by the first user, and the determination includes determining whether the same text is included by collating the predetermined data input by the first user with the predetermined data associated with the second user, in response to determining that it is necessary to refine the predetermined data input by the first user, based on the predetermined data input by the first user and at least the predetermined data associated with the second user, extracting terms of one or more conversion candidates of the predetermined data, and providing the extracted terms of the conversion candidates to a first user terminal via the communication unit, replacing the predetermined data based on information selected by the first user from among the terms of the conversion candidates, inquiring about the second user information based on the first user information including the predetermined data after replacement, calculating a first total score for each piece of information in the second user information, and extracting a predetermined number of the second user information in descending order of the first total score, calculating a second score for each of the medical institution information associated with the predetermined number of the second user information extracted, and providing the predetermined number of the second user information extracted and the medical institution information associated with the predetermined number of the second user information, with the second score added thereto, to the first user terminal via the communication unit, is an information processing apparatus configured to execute.

2. After providing the extracted terms of the conversion candidates to the first user terminal via the communication unit, receiving additional information about the predetermined data and an extraction request for other candidates, Based on the predetermined data input by the first user, the additional information, and at least the predetermined data associated with the second user, extracting terms of one or more conversion candidates of the predetermined data, and providing the extracted terms of the conversion candidates to the first user terminal via the communication unit; The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further configured to execute the above.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second score is calculated based on a travel time from the residence of the first user to the location of each medical institution.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second score varies based on the calculated length of the travel time.

5. The storage unit further includes external acquisition information storing keywords related to medical services including medical devices among information on search terms frequently searched on the Internet, and matching information storing past matching results regarding the first user, the second user, and medical institutions. The extraction of terms of one or more conversion candidates of the predetermined data is performed based on the predetermined data input by the first user, the predetermined data associated with the second user, the external acquisition information, and the matching information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined data indicates information on symptoms and problems input by the first user.

7. Determining whether it is necessary to refine the predetermined data input by the first user is started in response to receiving a start request for matching processing regarding the first user information from the first user terminal via the communication unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

8. A method executed by an information processing apparatus that executes a process of matching a first user who desires medical services including medical devices with a second user who provides the medical services, wherein the information processing apparatus includes: a control unit; a communication unit for communicating with an external network; a storage unit storing first user information, second user information, and medical institution information; and is provided with wherein the control unit determines whether it is necessary to refine the predetermined data input by the first user, and the determination is Determining whether the same text is included by collating the predetermined data input by the first user and the predetermined data associated with the second user; In response to determining that the control unit needs to refine the predetermined data input by the first user, based on the predetermined data input by the first user and at least the predetermined data associated with the second user, extracting terms of one or more conversion candidates of the predetermined data, and providing the extracted terms of the conversion candidates to a first user terminal via the communication unit; The control unit replacing the predetermined data based on the information selected by the first user from among the terms of the conversion candidates; The control unit making an inquiry to the second user information based on the first user information including the predetermined data after replacement, calculating a first total score for each piece of information of the second user information, and extracting a predetermined number of the second user information in descending order of the first total score; The control unit calculating a second score for each of the medical institution information associated with the predetermined number of the second user information extracted; The control unit providing the predetermined number of the second user information extracted and the medical institution information associated with the predetermined number of the second user information extracted, with the second score added thereto, to the first user terminal via the communication unit; A method comprising the above.

9. A program that, when executed, causes a computer to execute the method according to Claim 8.

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