Individual health record system and apparatus

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and related methods for the collection, processing, evaluation, transformation, and reporting of individual health care information from diverse information systems and sources. An individual health record (IHR) of the present invention provides a structure for individuals to participate in, and manage, their health and their medical care. An IHR object may be formed by obtaining information from diverse health care information systems and sources, and transforming and re-purposing into a coherent account of the individual's overall health and care using a comprehensive health care ontology. As information from various sources is updated or available, the IHR is dynamically updated on a continuous or periodic basis. In one embodiment, the IHR system is contained in a self-contained package or “appliance” designed to “plug and play” in existing health care information technology systems and networks, with minimal effort and intervention.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for processing, storing and handling health care information, comprising:
 a computing device with a processor or microprocessor in electronic communication with a persistent data storage device;   an information input component, adapted to receive health care information from one or more health care information sources, wherein at least a portion of said health care information is received from preexisting external electronic data records; and   a central health record component, adapted to create or modify health care objects from that information;   wherein the creation or modification of each health care object comprises the steps of:
 automatically transforming the health care information using a central health care ontology comprising a specific set or hierarchy of concepts and relationships related to health care; 
 automatically determining whether to create a new health care object or modify an existing health care object based upon whether the transformed information is matched to any entity already existing in a record in said persistent data storage device; and 
 automatically creating or modifying said health care object or objects using said transformed information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a content repository for the storage of non-object oriented data. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface component accessible through an Internet Web browser. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further wherein each health care object is an object-oriented software environment object subject to an object hierarchy associated with said health information model. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further wherein the information received may include clinical, financial, personal, health, or administrative information, or some combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , further wherein the health care objects can be modified or extended by modifying the ontology. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the modification is done non-programmatically. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the components of the system are contained in a single appliance device, said appliance device adapted to be incorporated into an existing network or information technology system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein multiple appliance devices are incorporated into an existing network or information technology system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the healthcare information is weighted by an indicator. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a confidence indicator is determined for each health care object. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the confidence indicator is based at least in part upon the health care information source or sources. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the confidence indicator is based at least in part on the reliability of the derivation, creation or modification of the health care object. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a security custodial component, wherein access to health care objects is based upon a user's relationship or role with respect to that object. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-based method for processing, storing and handling health care information, comprising:
 receiving, using a computer processor or microprocessor, health care information from one or more health care information sources, wherein at least a portion of said health care information is received from preexisting external electronic data records;   automatically transforming, using said processor or microprocessor, the health care information using a central health care ontology comprising a specific set or hierarchy of concepts and relationships related to health care;   automatically determining, using said processor or microprocessor, whether to create a new health care object or modify an existing health care object based upon whether the transformed information is matched to any entity already existing in a record in said persistent data storage device; and   automatically creating or modifying, using said processor or microprocessor, one or more of said health care object or objects using said transformed information.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further wherein the step of automatically creating or modifying said health care object comprises weighting the healthcare information by an indicator. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of determining a confidence indicator for each health care object. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of determining a confidence indicator for each health care object comprises the step of weighting the healthcare information by a factor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of applying a plurality of rules to each health care object when created or modified. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said health care objects comprise one or more of health conditions, health services, health results, health products, health care relationships, individual entities, and organizational entities.