Patents Examined by R. David Rines
  • Patent number: 7890350
    Abstract: A method for providing prescription renewal request information via an electronic network. Upon receiving a request from a client for renewal request information for a particular prescriber, a report is generated containing the requested renewal request information and transmitted to the client. The transmitted report allows the client to easily review renewal request information and helps the client to manage appointments with patients whom the prescriber wishes to see.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Epocrates, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Alan Fiedotin, Geoffrey David Hyde, Diane Elizabeth Fraser
  • Patent number: 7844473
    Abstract: A method in a computer system for optimizing allocation of a fixed medical payment to a variety of medical services. The method includes the steps of first selecting a standard rate representing an unadjusted amount of money to be received for the rendering of medical services. Next, the method generates an adjusted standard rate by adjusting the standard rate by at least one adjustment factor. The method then selects a base medical service rate from a plurality of medical service rates. Finally, the method divides the adjusted standard rate by the base medical service rate in order to generate a quantity of medical service points available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: LHC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Verne Adrian, Marie-Francoise Broussard, William Morris, Keith G. Myers
  • Patent number: 7558738
    Abstract: A system and method relating to managing patient referrals is disclosed. One method includes providing a web site accessible to a plurality of health care providers; receiving through the web site, a plurality of health care provider registrations each associated with a health care provider; receiving a request for a patient consultation from a first health care provider to be performed by a second health care provider, both the first health care provider and the second health care provider having a health care provider registration; and notifying the second health care provider of the request for a patient consultation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Inventor: Jerrold V. Flatt
  • Patent number: 7552061
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for enabling an employer or other entity the ability to provide prescription drug coverage efficiently and cost effectively. A card (or other object) may enable access to a general account established by a plan sponsor (e.g., an employer) where the plan sponsor may pay for the pharmacy benefits. As the card is used for the purchase of prescription drugs (or other authorized use), the plan sponsor's general account balance may be reduced. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the card may be restricted for use at selected merchants and may be coded for one or more specific uses, such as obtaining prescription drugs. Other restrictions may be specified for other venues and/or other uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Inventor: Gregory Richmond
  • Patent number: 7552062
    Abstract: There is provided a process analysis method capable of clustering of executed processes and extraction of similar processes. A process analysis method of the present invention converts the similarity between processes into a numeric value as a metric by including a process matrix transform 12 and a metric calculation 14 for process records 11 made up of a series of records of rendered service of at least three elements of the time of service, the type of service, and the quantity of service. This enables the calculation of the similarity between processes as a metric from information of only a series of records of rendered services. Accordingly, it becomes possible to cluster the executed processes and to extract similar processes based on the metric herein calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Bito, Shigeo Sumino, Hajime Sasaki, Hitoshi Matsuo, Yoshiyuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 7542913
    Abstract: A healthcare management system and method identify individuals at risk of high near-term healthcare use. On step of the method includes collecting information from an individual for a predetermined set of predictive factors. Another step of the method includes assigning, based upon the information from the individual, a separate value to each predictive factor of the predetermined set of predictive factors. The method further includes the step of generating, based upon a predetermined predictive model and the separate values assigned to the predetermined set of predictive factors, a risk level of the individual utilizing healthcare services at a predetermined level within a prospective time span.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: CareGuide, Inc.
    Inventors: Julie A. Meek, Brenda L. Lyon, Wendy D. Lynch
  • Patent number: 7505916
    Abstract: A method in a computer system for optimizing allocation of a fixed medical payment to a variety of medical services. The method includes the steps of first selecting a standard rate representing an unadjusted amount of money to be received for the rendering of medical services. Next, the method generates an adjusted standard rate by adjusting the standard rate by at least one adjustment factor. The method then selects a base medical service rate from a plurality of medical service rates. Finally, the method divides the adjusted standard rate by the base medical service rate in order to generate a quantity of medical service points available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: LHC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Verne Adrian, Marie-Francoise Broussard, William Morris, Keith G. Myers
  • Patent number: 7493263
    Abstract: An imaging and workflow method, system, computer readable medium and user interface for processing information efficiently for the processing of medical prescription orders. The system includes support for document scanning, automated rules-based order processing, statistical reporting, document generation and document storage and retrieval. The present invention takes advantage of imaging technology to assist the user in scanning information into the system and software modules to improve the processing of orders. The present invention also includes database tables that identify to application processing logic the types and sequences of actions to be implemented for orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Helmus, Donna L. Rosen, Leo H. Bressman
  • Patent number: 7493264
    Abstract: An interactive computer assisted method compiles comprehensive health care information on patients in a central repository, assesses and analyzes this information, and identifies high utilizers of health care services using a computer and a user associated therewith. The method includes the steps of creating a central repository of various databases containing patient information, including demographic information and behavior, and optionally the results of a core survey of health status questions. The invention optionally involves the step of determining the appropriate core questions and the criteria to determine whether and when to ask certain questions of particular patients based on their response to prior questions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Medco Health Solutions, Inc,
    Inventors: Miriam A. Kelly, Alan M. Lotvin
  • Patent number: 7490049
    Abstract: Computer-assisted methods, systems and mediums for providing, to a physician, information relating to a patient. One embodiment of the present invention is a method that comprises the steps of collecting a prescription history that includes information relating to one or more prescriptions issued to the patient and a prescription purchase history, storing the prescription history and prescription purchase history of the patient into a database, and accessing, by the patient, the database for the stored prescription history and prescription purchase history of the patient. The prescription purchase history includes information relating to one or more prescription purchases made by the patient in accordance with the one or more prescriptions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Michael Miller, Mark J. Halloran, Lynn A. Petersen, Donna T. Whiteford, Dorian King-Cheung Lo, Patrice Bavaro, Anthony J. Schueth
  • Patent number: 7490050
    Abstract: A method and system for furnishing an on-line quote for an insurance product, such as auto insurance, makes use of computer hardware and software to provide a user with an on-line, real-time quote. The system allows the user to enter user information and recommends coverages, liabilities, and deductibles to help the user determine the best insurance coverage for the user's needs. Upon entering the user data and coverage information on a presentation server, deployable content profile information is retrieved by the presentation server, and a quote is displayed for the user. If the user indicates a continued interest in the quote, a client number is presented to the user and sent to a computer telephony integration database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Travelers Property Casualty Corp.
    Inventors: Ruth B. Grover, Donald White, Linda Hirning, Eric Neely, Charlene G. Woronowicz
  • Patent number: 7421398
    Abstract: A method of discouraging healthcare fraud in conjunction with providing a health care service to a patient in which the patient provides a biometric signature. An event record is created where the event record creates an association between the biometric signature, a patient identifier, and location information indicating a location at which the biometric signature is obtained. The event record is stored in a central data store and can be later retrieved to verify the patient was present at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Inventor: Scott T. Kimmel
  • Patent number: 7421399
    Abstract: A method of discouraging healthcare fraud in conjunction with providing a health care service to a patient in which the patient provides a biometric signature. An event record is created where the event record creates an association between the biometric signature, a patient identifier, and location information indicating a location at which the biometric signature is obtained. The event record is stored in a central data store and can be later retrieved to verify the patient was present at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Inventor: Scott T. Kimmel
  • Patent number: 7418400
    Abstract: An Internet-enabled method and system for processing insurance claims. The system may include an insurance claim processing server which is configured to estimate a value of an insurance claim as a function of insurance claim assessment data entered by a user during an insurance claim consultation session. The insurance claim assessment data may include one or more bodily injuries and one or more treatments of the bodily injuries. The insurance claim processing server may include a rules engine and a web server which may be executable to generate and send to a client computer system a plurality of web pages comprising insurance claim assessment questions. The client computer system may be coupled to the insurance claim processing server through a network such as the Internet. The client, including a web browser, may be operable to receive the insurance claim assessment data entered by the user and send the insurance claim assessment data across the network to the insurance claim processing server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Computer Sciences Corporation
    Inventor: Scott Lorenz
  • Patent number: 7340403
    Abstract: A method for generating a diverse list of N travel options Rts from a larger list of travel options Ts, is described. The method includes generating a prioritized ordered list of requirements Rs and sorting the list of travel options Ts by an ordering function F to produce a best-first ordered list Ts2 with the list of options being optimized travel options for a set of travel requirements R in accordance with the ordering function F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: ITA Software, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl G. DeMarcken
  • Patent number: 7333940
    Abstract: System, methods, and computer program products for facilitating negotiations for reinsurance of a risk. The negotiations for reinsurance of a risk are conducted between a cedent and one to many assumers. An interface is provided for allowing submissions of risk for reinsurance, responses from selected assumers, and replies to the responses as necessary to continue or conclude the negotiation. The interface also allows users to view information exchanged during various stages of the negotiation. Additional functionality including categorizing risk, categorizing reinsurance, required distribution, distribution preferences, and endorsement agreements are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Ereinsure.com, Inc.
    Inventor: Igor Best-Devereux
  • Patent number: 7330819
    Abstract: A system for recording and analyzing reliability data during a dynamically-planned maintenance check includes means for obtaining and logging warranty-based reliability data from maintenance records generated during the performance of any routine or non-routine tasks that may exist, and which pertain to rotable parts; means for obtaining and logging maintenance program-based reliability data from maintenance records generated during the performance of any non-routine tasks that may exist; means for identifying for each non-routine task, a routine task whose performance resulted in the generation of the non-routine task; means for obtaining and logging maintenance program-based reliability data from maintenance records generated during the performance of any identified routine tasks that may exist; and means for analyzing and reporting the warranty-based reliability data and the maintenance program-based reliability data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Sinex Aviation Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Barry Sinex
  • Patent number: 7313529
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for managing chronic home care of patients with one or more implanted medical devices (IMDs) includes a mobile portable device for use by a visiting nurse. Specifically, the portable device integrates various systems to enable the nurse to schedule her day and get directions to a first and subsequent visit destination via a GPS system or equivalent. The portable device includes an identification system including a security protocol to identify the nurse/home health care provider. Additionally, the portable device incorporates a communication system such as a cellular phone that would enable the nurse to connect to other clinical support personnel such as a doctor or a specialist. The portable device further includes a wireless communication system that enables communication between the portable device and one or more IMDs in a patient. Upon arrival at the patient's home, the nurse may download data from the one or more IMDs directly into the portable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: David L. Thompson