Digital disease management system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for improving the delivery of health care for patients. A first data signal being multimedia data which is indicative of a patient condition of a selected patient is input into a local computer. Clinical data, cost data and administrative data relating to the health of the selected patient is also input into the local computer. The first data signal is combined with the clinical data, cost data and administrative data to form a first patient information signal which is transmitted to a central computer. A predetermined disease stage is then assigned to the selected patient based on the first data signal. The disease stage is combined with the first patient information signal to form a second patient information signal. Then, a first array of risk factors is computed from a database containing a plurality of previously obtained individualized patient information records. A first predictive probability is then assigned to the selected patient based on the second patient information signal and the first array of risk factors. A first patient recommendation signal indicating one of the selected patient would benefit from immediate patient care and the selected patient would not benefit from immediate patient care is generated and then transmitted to the local computer. Both the second patient information signal and the first patient recommendation signal are transmitted to a regional computer in response to the first patient recommendation signal indicating that the selected patient requires immediate patient care.

1 . A method for improving the delivery of health care for patients, comprising the steps of: 
 a. receiving a first patient information signal by a central facility system, the first patient information signal being related to a selected patient and composed of multimedia data selected from the group comprising clinical data, cost data, administrative data, and combinations thereof;    b. assigning one of a plurality of predetermined disease stages to the selected patient based on information contained in the first patient information signal;    c. inputting the predetermined disease stage into the central facility system;    d. assigning a first predictive probability of future progression of the disease to the selected patient by the central facility system based on at least one of the first patient information signal, the disease stage and a first array of risk factors, the first array of risk factors being computed from a database containing a plurality of previously obtained individualized patient information records, each of the patient information records containing patient information relating to the patient care of an individual patient;    e. inputting the first predictive probability into the central facility system;    f. generating a first patient recommendation signal by the central facility system, the first patient recommendation signal indicating a recommendation selected from the group of recommendations comprising the selected patient would benefit from immediate patient care and the selected patient would not benefit from immediate patient care;    g. transmitting the first patient recommendation signal to a local computer means; and    h. transmitting, from the central facility system to a regional computer means located at a regional treatment center, a third patient information signal in response to the first patient recommendation signal indicating that the selected patient would benefit from immediate patient care.    
   
   
       2 . A method, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 i. rendering individualized patient care to the selected patient at the regional treatment center in accordance with the information contained in the third patient information signal.    
   
   
       3 . A method, as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of: 
 j. transmitting, by the regional computer means, a fourth patient information signal relating to the post-treatment health of the selected patient to the central facility system, the fourth patient information signal being multimedia data which is selected from the group comprising clinical data, cost data, treatment parameter data, administrative data, and combinations thereof;    k. receiving the fourth patient information signal by the central facility system; and    l. updating the database with at least the treatment parameter data contained within the fourth patient information signal.    
   
   
       4 . A method, as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of: 
 m. computing a second array of risk factors from the updated database;    n. assigning a second predictive probability to the selected patient based on the information contained in the fourth patient information signal and the second array of risk factors;    o. inputting the second predictive probability into the central facility system; and    p. generating, by the central facility system, a second patient recommendation signal indicating a recommendation selected from the group of recommendations comprising the selected patient would benefit from immediate patient care and the selected patient would not benefit from immediate patient care.    
   
   
       5 . A method, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first patient information signal is transmitted by the local computer means to the central facility system.