Patent ID: 7865386
Filing Date: 2011-01-04
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method for providing real-time alerts to users of an online appointment system of changes in an appointment schedule, wherein said users comprise a practitioner, a client or an administrator, wherein an appointment is scheduled between a practitioner and said client, said computer implemented method comprising the steps of: creating a preferred appointment schedule by the users in said online appointment system by logging into the online appointment system using a unique identification data, wherein said online appointment system comprises one or more server computers and a central database; checking said central database, by said one or more server computers, for prior appointments of said client with said practitioner and preventing duplication of appointments by said client during creation of said preferred appointment schedule by said client appointment, wherein preventing duplication of appointment schedule is prevented by allowing said user to request an appointment schedule different from a prior appointment schedule, wherein at a time, the user is allowed to request only a single appointment schedule; recording the availability status, by said one or more server computers, for each of the users scheduled for appointment within a predetermined period from said preferred appointment time into said online appointment system; automatically detecting, by said one or more server computers, changes to the preferred appointment schedule in real time and recording said changes in said central database in the online appointment system, wherein said changes are detected when one or more of said users change one or more preferred appointment times in said preferred appointment schedule on the online appointment system; creating a revised appointment schedule, by said one or more server computers, based on the availability status of each of the users scheduled for appointment within said predetermined period from said preferred appointment time based on said detected change by the online appointment system and creating a revised appointment schedule in view of said detected change in said preferred appointment schedule; comparing the status of the preferred appointment schedule against the revised appointment schedule of appointments, by said one or more server computers, when said change is detected in the preferred appointment schedule and at predetermined intervals of time, wherein said step of comparing the status of the preferred appointment schedule and constructing the revised appointment schedule of appointments is performed automatically by said one or more server computers in the online appointment system; creating messages from said practitioner and displaying said messages to each of said clients scheduled for appointment with said practitioner; automatically generating a plurality of alert messages, by said one or more server computers, wherein said alert messages include said change in the status or the schedule of appointments wherein the alert messages generated are communicated to the users by one or more of a short message service (SMS), a pre-recorded voice message, an electronic mail, and a call; sending said plurality of alert messages, by said one or more server computers, in real time to affected users scheduled for appointment within said predetermined time window, indicating the change in status or the schedule of appointments; alerting the users, by said plurality of alert messages, of newly available appointment schedule when there is a cancellation of an appointment; and generating an automatic reminder by said plurality of alert messages, by said one or more server computers, the reminder including a schedule of appointments to the users before a predetermined time interval.