Method and apparatus for facilitating the provision of healthcare services

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and apparatus for facilitating the provision of health care services using, for example, an application service provider. In one embodiment of the invention, a server computer, physiological testing unit and one or more computer program products coordinate with one another to perform the following tasks. First, receiving a request to utilize the physiological testing unit to process physiological data of a patient. Second, if the request is granted, enabling the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient. Third, if the request is granted, processing the account of a user.

1 . A method for facilitating the provision of health care services using a physiological testing unit, one or more memories operable for storing one or more computer program products, and a processor operable for executing the one or more computer program products, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a prompt, through the one or more computer program products, to utilize the physiological testing unit to process first physiological data of a patient;    determining, through the one or more computer program products, if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled to process the first physiological data of the patient; and    if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled, enabling, through the one or more computer program products, the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises the step of determining if utilization of the physiological testing unit is authorized.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises the step of determining if a second data is available, wherein the second data is needed to utilize the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more memories are coupled to the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more memories are further coupled to a computer server.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is coupled to the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is comprised of a first processing subunit and a second processing subunit, and further wherein the first processing subunit is coupled to the physiological testing unit and the second processing subunit is coupled to a computer server.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prompt to utilize the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient is communicated, using a communications network, from the physiological testing unit to the one or more computer program products.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prompt to utilize the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient is communicated, using a communications network, from a communications device to the one or more computer program products.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the communications device comprises a client computer.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to obtain the first physiological of the patient.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to display the first physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of storing, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient in the one or more memories wherein the first physiological data of the patient is obtained utilizing the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of storing, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient in a second one or more memories wherein the first physiological data of the patient is obtained utilizing the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of displaying, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient in proximity to a second physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prompt to utilize the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises a request for performance of a specific physiological test, and wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting a display, through the one or more computer program products, in response to the request for performance of the specific physiological test.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the display comprises a graphical user interface.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient; wherein the first physiological data of the patient is obtained utilizing the physiological testing unit; and    processing, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient to produce a second processed physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the second processed physiological data comprises one or more HRV measurements.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more HRV measurements are selected from the group consisting of: 30:15 Ratio, NNmin Standing, NNmax Standing, Tmax, Trec, E/I Ratio, SD, NNmin SB, NNmax SB, VARmax, VARmean, RMS-SD, NN, SDNN, TP, LFnorm, HFnorm, LF/HF, VLF, LF, HF, VR and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of receiving the first physiological data of the patient, the step of processing the first physiological data of the patient to produce the second processed physiological data of the patient, and a step of sending the second processed physiological data, through the one or more computer program products, to a first location are performed in a substantially real-time manner, wherein the first location is selected from the group comprising: the physiological testing unit, and a communications device operatively coupled to the one or more memories using a communications network.  
     
     
         22 . A system comprising: 
 one or more memory units operable for storing one or more computer program products for facilitating the provision of health care services;    a processor coupled to the one or more memory units, wherein the processor executes the one or more computer program products for performing the steps of: 
 receiving a prompt to utilize a physiological testing unit to process first physiological data of a patient;  
 determining if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled to process the first physiological data of the patient; and  
 if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled, enabling the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient.  
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the step of determining if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises the step of determining if utilization of the physiological testing unit is authorized.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the step of determining if the physiological testing unit is to be enabled to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises the step of determining if a second data is available, wherein the second data is needed to utilize the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more memories are coupled to the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more memories are further coupled to a computer server.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the processor is coupled to the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the processor is comprised of a first processing subunit and a second processing subunit, and further wherein the first processing subunit is coupled to the physiological testing unit and the second processing subunit is coupled to a computer server.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the prompt to utilize the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient is communicated, using a communications network, from the physiological testing unit to the one or more computer program products.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the prompt to utilize the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient is communicated, using a communications network, from a communications device to the one or more computer program products.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the communications device comprises a client computer.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to obtain the first physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises the step of enabling the physiological testing unit to display the first physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of storing, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient in the one or more memories wherein the first physiological data of the patient is obtained utilizing the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of storing, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient in a second one or more memories wherein the first physiological data of the patient is obtained utilizing the physiological testing unit.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34  further comprising the step of displaying, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient in proximity to a second physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the prompt to utilize the physiological testing unit to process the first physiological data of the patient comprises a request for performance of a specific physiological test, and wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting a display, through the one or more computer program products, in response to the request for performance of the specific physiological test.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the display comprises a graphical user interface.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient; wherein the first physiological data of the patient is obtained utilizing the physiological testing unit; and    processing, through the one or more computer program products, the first physiological data of the patient to produce a second processed physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the second processed physiological data comprises one or more HRV measurements.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more HRV measurements are selected from the group consisting of: 30:15 Ratio, NNmin Standing, NNmax Standing, Tmax, Trec, E/I Ratio, SD, NNmin SB, NNmax SB, VARmax, VARmean, RMS-SD, NN, SDNN, TP, LFnorm, HFnorm, LF/HF, VLF, LF, HF, VR and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the step of receiving the first physiological data of the patient, the step of processing the first physiological data of the patient to produce the second processed physiological data of the patient, and a step of sending the second processed physiological data, through the one or more computer program products, to a first location are performed in a substantially real-time manner, wherein the first location is selected from the group comprising: the physiological testing unit, and a communications device operatively coupled to the one or more memories using a communications network.  
     
     
         43 . A method for facilitating the provision of health care services using a physiological testing unit, one or more memories operable for storing one or more computer program products, and a processor for executing the one or more computer program products, the method comprising the steps of: 
 tracking, through the one or more computer program products, utilization of the physiological testing unit to process physiological data of a patient; and    indicating in a user record, through the one or more computer program products, utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  further comprising the step of generating an invoice in response to the step of indicating in a user record utilization of the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the invoice includes charges for use of consumable medical products.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the step of tracking utilization of the physiological testing unit to process physiological data of a patient comprises the step of tracking, through the one or more computer program products, generation of a patient report.  
     
     
         47 . A method for facilitating the provision of health care services using a physiological testing unit, one or more memories operable for storing one or more computer program products, and a processor for executing the one or more computer program products, the method comprising the steps of: 
 accessing the one or more computer program products;    requesting, through the one or more computer program products, use of the physiological testing unit to process physiological data of a patient; and    if the request is granted, utilizing the physiological testing unit to process the physiological data of the patient.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising the steps of: 
 requesting, through the one or more computer program products, performance of a specific physiological test; and    receiving a display, through the one or more computer program products, wherein the display is selected in response to the step of requesting performance of the specific physiological test.