Abstract: A method for directing a patient within a medical facility having a main corridor with an entrance at one end and an exit at another end, and with several hallways that extend substantially perpendicular off the main corridor. Each room in the medical facility has a room number, whereby the room numbers signify a relative location of each room with respect to the entrance and the exit and the other rooms in the medical facility. A patient enters the medical facility and goes to a receiving area near the entrance, and then is directed to go to a particular room number in the medical facility. If the patient is treated in different rooms, the patient knows where to go next after one treatments is finished, based solely on the room number of the next room as compared to the room number of the current room that the patient is in.

Abstract: This invention provides a method/process of determining a personal dietary supplement profile of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, herbs, and other nutritional supplements for an individual based on information from a health questionnaire and comparing the individual's health information to an ideal health profile in a computer data base. Optionally, information provided by physical examination and laboratory studies can be incorporated into the method/process of determining the dietary supplement profile. The profile can be further defined by listing commercially available products that provide the suggested dietary supplements.

Abstract: An Internet on-line insurance policy service system that facilitates real-time automated communication of policy information, adjustment of policy parameters, calculation and communication of resulting policy quotes, and implementation of policy changes, while obviating insurer personnel involvement and supervision of the communication. The system comprises a plurality of software modules relating to on-line real-time communication of existing policy information, testing of a wide range of variations in policy parameters, computing and communicating changes in policy premiums that would result from such variations, communicating desired changes in policy parameters and implementing desired policy changes. Other modules relate to communication of claims information and the providing of on-line forms.

Abstract: A method for insuring a stock option issued by an individual company from among a population of companies, to a beneficiary from among a population of beneficiaries, against loss of working ability of the beneficiary and consequent loss of the stock option, the stock option being vestable on at least one vesting date, the method including computing an economic risk factor characterizing the behavior of stock options in the population of companies and an actuarial risk factor characterizing the likelihood of loss of working ability in the population of beneficiaries and, on at least one vesting date, computing a premium based on the economic and actuarial risk factors and on the value of the shares on the vesting date.

Abstract: An interactive system and method of selling reinsurance involves preliminary steps of enrolling a plurality of primary insurers or cedents to use the system, formulating reinsurance proposals to make available to the cedents through the interactive system, posting the proposals on a secure server in the system and calculating and allocating risk capacity to the proposals and cedents. Each cedent is provided secure access to a list of proposals being made available to it. Upon selection and submission of a proposal by a cedent, the system server generates an acceptance notice, transfers the information on the proposal to a listing of agreements entered into by that cedent, recalculates the available allocated capacity and withdraws from availability any proposals whose acceptance would reduce the available allocated capacity below a selected amount.

Abstract: A method and system for transferring patient information from a source patient monitor having a source patient database to a destination patient monitor having a destination patient database. In a preferred embodiment, a transport module is connectable to a source patient monitor and a destination patient monitor. The transport module is also connectable to a patient for receiving patient information. The transport module contains a transport database for storing patient information. The transport module is connected to the patient. The transport module is then connected to the source patient monitor. Upon receiving a request to move the patient, patient information is uploaded from the source patient database to the transport database. The transport module is then disconnected from the source patient monitor. The patient is then moved.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process and an apparatus for (1) facilitating patient and professional health care provider interaction and communication about a diagnosis that requires a professional decision, and (2) providing patients with a means for making their own health care decisions by empowering patients with the means for potential self diagnosis of symptoms.

Abstract: The invention considers a widely applicable method of constructing segmentation-based predictive models from data that permits constraints to be placed on the statistical estimation errors that can be tolerated with respect to various aspects of the models that are constructed. The present invention uses these statistical constraints in a closed-loop fashion to guide the construction of potential segments so as to produce segments that satisfy the statistical constraints whenever it is feasible to do so. The method is closed-loop in a sense that the statistical constraints are used in a manner that is analogous to an error signal in a feed-back control system, wherein the error signal is used to regulate the inputs to the process that is being controlled.

Abstract: Methods and systems for promptly paying health care providers for rendered health care services. A medical technician operating a client computer establishes communication with a remote server. Using a claim form, the technician enters patient, insurance, and treatment information which is transmitted to the server to determine whether the claim is eligible for advance payment. If the claim is eligible, the server transmits claim information to an appropriate carrier for claim processing. The remote server also transmits claim information to a payment entity which requests from a financial entity that funds be credited to an operational account and a reserve account. The funds of the operational account are immediately accessible to the health care provider. The funds of the reserve account are debited for expenses. When the carrier finally processes the claim, any payment for the claim is deposited into the reserve account.

Abstract: A prescription creation software system implemented on a computer is provided. The prescription creation software system includes a prescription creation screen display to allow the data capture of information including, patient-identifying data, prescribed drug identification data and drug quantification data. The prescription creation software system additionally provides a prescriber with drug formulary information identifying at least one drug as a patient's drug formulary preference, prior to completion of the prescription.

Abstract: Prescription data representing a prescription for a particular drug is arranged into records. Each record includes fields for identifying a patient and a subscriber, and for indicating the date for dispensing the drug and the drug dosage, among other things. Based on the information in the fields, a prescribed drug is identified as a new therapy or a continuation therapy. In addition, a therapy switch is ascertained on the basis of the drug identified as the new therapy for a patient.

Abstract: A healthcare information network provides a global database at a central information system which is synchronized with local databases at respective healthcare provider offices. The local database are used by the healthcare providers for confirming patient and healthcare information. As patient and health plan information is added, updated or deleted from any of the local databases, files are generated to update the global database. The proposed changes to the global database are verified and the global database is modified. Modification of the global database is memorialized in a repository which is then used to produce SQL commands to update each of the local databases so that they are synchronized with the global database.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tracking physical assets between a central site and other sites is disclosed. Assets are received at the central site and receive a unique identification number. Their location, at the central site, is recorded in a database. On each movement of an asset, exit of the asset is recorded in the database, as is the intended destination. When the asset arrives at the intended destination, its entry thereto is verified and its current location updated accordingly. In addition to the location information, configuration information (e.g. software build), specific to each asset, is recorded in the database.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for processing phone-in prescription requests. The apparatus is in the form of a prescription processing network that includes a prescription processing system and a communication device remotely located from the prescription processing system. The communication device is used to establish a communication channel with the prescription processing system and submit a prescription request over the communication channel. A pharmacist, associated with the prescription processing system, prepares a completed prescription form based, at least in part, on the submitted prescription request. The prescription processing network also includes a pharmacy for receiving the completed prescription form, and filling the prescription request based on the completed prescription form.

Abstract: The method for reducing fraud in a healthcare program by registering a service provider with a healthcare provider and issuing a service provider identification code entails registering at least one service of the service provider with the private healthcare provider and identifying a claim code for each registered service; issuing a code based on data from a biometric reading, a keypad entry with a PIN code, or an electronic signature pad entry to an individual related to a benefits program of the healthcare provider; using the code to determine if the individual is eligible for the healthcare program and performing three transmissions of information to reduce fraud in the systems.

Abstract: A system for designing and monitoring clinical trials includes a main database of information concerning prior clinical trials and resources available to conduct future clinical trials. In part information in the main database is obtained through data links to other databases in the enterprise, e.g., human resources and finance databases. Some of the information in the main database concerns prior clinical trials and is, in part, in the form of protocols of (a) scheduled visits of a test subject to a treatment site, (b) measurement of prescribed physical attributes of the subject during the visits and (c) administration of at least one prescribed medical product to the subject during the visit to determine over time the subject's response thereto. The protocols of prior clinical trial are stored in the main database in the form of a software template.

Abstract: An insurance policy and insurance method for providing financial assurance for decommissioning a nuclear power plant using insurance is described. In one embodiment, a financial product, such as a decommissioning insurance policy, provides financial assurance for the decommissioning of a nuclear power facility, and provides, in exchange for payment of a premium, for an insurer to pay actual decommissioning expenses for the nuclear power facility between a policy inception date and a policy termination date. In another embodiment, the insurance policy includes a premium that is based on an adjusted sum of costs and expenses that is equalized over a plurality of scenarios, where each scenario is based on the decommission starting, e.g., in a different year.

Abstract: A technique is provided for servicing a plurality of medical diagnostic systems remotely. The systems are coupled to an internal network of a medical institution or facility. A data communications control system serves to link the institution to a remote service provider via an external network. Service requests and data are generated at the systems or at the control system. The requests are then transmitted to the remote service provider via the control system, and responses to the requests are received by the control system for distribution to the diagnostic systems. The technique permits systems to be remotely serviced which may not be equipped for separate communication via external networks, reduces infrastructure and costs, and facilitates the coordination of service needs of the institution.

Abstract: Methods for registering individuals with government programs to eliminate fraud are described herein. The method includes registering a first person with a government entity having a governmental program and issuing an individual identification code (IIC) to the first person, entering the individual identification code (IIC) into an electronic retrieval system and obtaining first data on the first person at a first point in time. The first data can include first biometric data, a first personal identification code, a first electronic signature, and combinations thereof. The method further includes linking the first data to the individual identification code (IIC), and reading second data at a second point in time, wherein the second data can include second biometric data, a second personal identification code, a second electronic signature and combinations thereof, of a second person, and wherein the second point of time is later than the first point of time.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for convergence of multiple independent applications into a single payment vehicle. In the context of a medical procedure, the invention provides for the convergence of medical/dental insurance with at least one secondary payment source to effect payment for the entire procedure. Through the instant invention insurance benefit information can be determined and funds blocked, then secondary payment source(s) can be utilized to effect payment of the insurance co-payment amount. The use of Smart Card technology enables the convergence at the point of sale of information about multiple applications/payment sources (i.e. insurance plan and secondary payment plan) that are processed to determine the amount of payment to be received from each source.