System and method for uniformly pricing items

Abstract

A computer-assisted method for uniformly pricing chargeable items in a healthcare provider's chargeable item database is disclosed. The method applies uniform pricing to identical or related chargeable items. A system for uniformly pricing related chargeable items is also disclosed.

1 . A computer-assisted method for uniformly pricing chargeable items, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. accessing a revenue data set for each chargeable item, each said revenue data set comprising at least one of a gross revenue, a sales volume, and a reference price;   b. accessing said healthcare provider's chargeable item database, said chargeable item database storing a plurality of data entries for each said chargeable item, said data entries comprising an identifier that uniquely identifies said chargeable item, a charged price, and a procedural code derived from a coding system that assigns the same procedural code to related chargeable items; and   c. reviewing said charged price for each said related chargeable item, said step of reviewing comprising at least one of the following:
 i. calculating a final price for each of said related chargeable items, said final price equaling said reference price for said related chargeable item having a preselected parameter, said preselected parameter being derived from said revenue data set; or 
 ii. excluding from said calculation any of said related chargeable items having an exclusionary code as one of said data entries. 
   
     
     
         2 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising the step of calculating a predicted price. 
     
     
         3 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said preselected parameter is selected from the group consisting of a highest reference price, a highest gross revenue, a highest sale volume, a lowest reference price, a lowest gross revenue, a lowest sale volume, a mean reference price a mean gross revenue, a mean sale volume, a median reference price, a median gross revenue, a median sale volume, a reference price falling within a percentile, a gross revenue falling within said percentile, and a sale volume falling within said percentile. 
     
     
         4 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said preselected parameter is a reference price. 
     
     
         5 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said preselected parameter is a gross revenue. 
     
     
         6 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said preselected parameter is a sale volume. 
     
     
         7 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said reference price is said charged price. 
     
     
         8 . A method as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said reference price is said predicted price. 
     
     
         9 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a duplicate database, said duplicate database being a duplicate of said chargeable item database, said duplicate database being stored in one of said storage media and capable of being updated. 
     
     
         10 . A method as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said step of calculating is performed in said duplicate database. 
     
     
         11 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising the step of updating said chargeable item database such that said charged price for each of said related chargeable items equals said calculated final price. 
     
     
         12 . A method as set forth in  claim 10  further comprising the steps of:
 a. updating said duplicate chargeable item database such that said charged price for each of said related chargeable items equals said calculated final price; and   b. uploading said updates to said chargeable item database.   
     
     
         13 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said chargeable item database is a Chargemaster. 
     
     
         14 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said chargeable item database is a product list. 
     
     
         15 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said chargeable item database is a Service Master. 
     
     
         16 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said procedural code is selected from the group consisting of a Current Procedural Terminology code, a HCFA Common Procedure Coding System code, an International Classification of Disease code, an internal code, and a private insurer's code. 
     
     
         17 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said procedural code is a Current Procedural Terminology code. 
     
     
         18 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said procedural code is a HCFA Common Procedure Coding System code. 
     
     
         19 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said procedural code is an International Classification of Diseases code. 
     
     
         20 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising the step of creating said revenue data set. 
     
     
         21 . A uniform pricing system for use by a healthcare provider, said system comprising:
 a. for each chargeable item in said healthcare provider's chargeable item database, a revenue data set comprising at least one of a gross revenue, a sales volume, and a reference price, said revenue data sets for related chargeable items being used to derive a preselected parameter,   wherein said chargeable item database stores a plurality of data entries for each said chargeable item, said data entries comprising an identifier that uniquely identifies said chargeable item, a charged price for said chargeable item, and a procedural code derived from a coding system that assigns the same procedural code to related chargeable items; and   b. a processor configured to review said charged price for each said related chargeable item, said review comprising at least one of the following:
 i. calculating a final price for each of said related chargeable items, said final price equaling said reference price for said related chargeable item having said preselected parameter; or 
 ii. excluding from said calculation any of said related chargeable items having an exclusionary code as one of said data entries. 
   
     
     
         22 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  said preselected parameter is selected from the group consisting of a highest reference price, a highest gross revenue, a highest sale volume, a lowest reference price, a lowest gross revenue, a lowest sale volume, a mean reference price a mean gross revenue, a mean sale volume, a median reference price, a median gross revenue, a median sale volume, a reference price falling within a percentile, a gross revenue falling within said percentile, and a sale volume falling within said percentile. 
     
     
         23 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said preselected parameter is a highest reference price. 
     
     
         24 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said preselected parameter is a highest gross revenue. 
     
     
         25 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said preselected parameter is a highest sale volume. 
     
     
         26 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said reference price is said charged price. 
     
     
         27 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said reference price is a predicted price. 
     
     
         28 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  further comprising a duplicate database, said duplicate database being a duplicate of said chargeable item database, said duplicate database being stored in one of said storage media and capable of being updated. 
     
     
         29 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said chargeable item database is a Chargemaster. 
     
     
         30 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said chargeable item database is a product list. 
     
     
         31 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said chargeable item database is a Service Master. 
     
     
         32 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said procedural code is selected from the group consisting of a Current Procedural Terminology code, a HCFA Common Procedure Coding System code, an International Classification of Disease code, an internal code, and a private insurer's code. 
     
     
         33 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said procedural code is a Current Procedural Terminology code. 
     
     
         34 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said procedural code is a HCFA Common Procedure Coding System code. 
     
     
         35 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein said procedural code is an International Classification of Diseases code. 
     
     
         36 . A system as in  claim 21  wherein at least one of said data entries is an exclusionary code that excludes said chargeable item from said calculations. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus for uniformly pricing chargeable items, said apparatus comprising:
 a. means for accessing a revenue data set for each chargeable item to derive a preselected parameter, each said revenue data set comprising at least one of a gross revenue, a number of units sold, and a reference price;   b. means for accessing a healthcare provider's chargeable item database, said chargeable item database storing a plurality of data entries for each said chargeable item, said data entries comprising an identifier that uniquely identifies said chargeable item, a charged price, and a procedural code derived from a coding system that assigns the same procedural code to related chargeable items; and   c. means for reviewing said charged price for each said related chargeable item, said means for reviewing comprising at least one of the following:
 i. means for calculating a final price for each of said related chargeable items, said final price equaling said reference price for said related chargeable item having said preselected parameter; or 
 ii. means for excluding from said calculation any of said related chargeable items having an exclusionary code as one of said data entries. 
   
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 37  wherein said preselected parameter is at least one of reference price, gross revenue, sale volume, charged price, or a predicted price. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 37  wherein said procedural code is at least one of a Current Procedural Terminology code, a HCFA Common Procedure Coding System code, or an International Classification of Diseases code. 
     
     
         40 . A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 a. access a chargeable item database that stores a plurality of data entries for a plurality of said chargeable items, said data entries comprising an identifier that uniquely identifies said chargeable item, a charged price, and a procedural code derived from a coding system that assigns the same procedural code to related chargeable items;   b. identify all related chargeable items having a selected procedural code;   c. access a revenue data set for each of said related chargeable items, each said revenue data set comprising at least one of a gross revenue, a sales volume, and a reference price; and   d. review said charged price for each said related chargeable item, said instructions for said review comprising at least one of the following:
 i. calculating a final price for each of said related chargeable items, said final price equaling said reference price for said related chargeable item having a preselected parameter, said preselected parameter being derived from said revenue data set; or 
 ii. excluding from said calculation any of said related chargeable items having an exclusionary code as one of said data entries. 
   
     
     
         41 . A computer readable medium as set forth in  claim 40  wherein said preselected parameter is at least one of reference price, gross revenue, sale volume, charged price, or a predicted price. 
     
     
         42 . A computer readable medium as set forth in  claim 40  wherein said procedural code is at least one of a Current Procedural Terminology code, a HCFA Common Procedure Coding System code, or an International Classification of Diseases code.