SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LEVERAGING ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD INFORMATION AND FUNCTIONALITY

A system and method of improving the workflow of healthcare providers assisting patients in reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with medications by aiding healthcare providers in locating manufacturer provided resources including educational information, patient assistance programs, vouchers and/or co-pay cards and, automatically populating fields with the resource with data from an electronic health record database.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to improving the workflow for healthcare providers in educating and assisting patients in filling prescriptions as well as reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with medications, and more particularly to a system and method configured to assist healthcare providers in locating manufacturer provided education, patient assistance programs, vouchers, co-pay cards, or other beneficial patient resources and automatically filling in the information (if needed) necessary for completion with data from a patient's electronic health record.

BACKGROUND

Advances in pharmaceuticals in recent times have led to the effective treatment of many disorders which only a few years ago had no available treatment. While these medications can be invaluable to those who need them, spending on prescription drugs continues to be one of the fastest-growing healthcare costs facing consumers.

With the high cost of drugs to individuals in out-of-pocket expenses, and with many alternative drug choices available, almost all patients are looking for better ways to understand the reason for the medication, fill their prescription, and afford and stay on medicines they have been prescribed. In an effort to address the pressure to lower prices for drugs and to create brand loyalty, many drug manufacturer companies now offer educational resources, patient assistance programs, vouchers, co-pay cards, as well as other patient resources.

Frequently physicians and other healthcare providers assist patients in locating these educational, streamlining, and cost reducing measures during medical visits. Unfortunately, the various patient resources are quite different among the manufacturer companies, which can lead to issues such as, e.g., patient frustration and longer processing times. Frequently the resources can be difficult to locate. Further, many of the resources require the often tedious manual entry of patient information. As a result, healthcare providers, who are already under pressure to minimize their non-reimbursable activities, view the process of locating and completing the necessary information as a burden, competing with the time they have available to treat other patients. As a result, many patients may not obtain the education and cost reduction to which they may otherwise be entitled from which they could benefit.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for improving the workflow of healthcare providers assisting patients in improving their education, streamlining the adjudication process, and reducing the out-of-pocket expenses associated with medicines by aiding healthcare providers in locating manufacturer provided resources including educational resources, patient assistance programs, vouchers, co-pay cards and other patient resources and, automatically populating selected resources with data from an electronic health record database.

One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system for leveraging electronic health record information to improve a workflow of healthcare providers assisting patients in reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with a prescribed medication. The system can include at least one healthcare provider computing device, an electronic health record server, and a base resource server. The at least one healthcare provider computing device can have a graphical user interface configured to aid a healthcare provider in location of the medication specific patient resource. The electronic health record server can be configured to collect and store patient information. The base resource server can be configured to store one or more medication specific patient resources and to establish communication between the at least one healthcare provider computing device and electronic health record server, and to automatically populate patient information from the electronic health record server into the medication specific patient resource as an aid in assisting patients in reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with a prescribed medication.

In one embodiment, the medication specific patient resource is at least one of educational information, a patient assistance program, a discount voucher, or co-pay card. In one embodiment, the patient information includes at least one of a medical history, medications, allergies, immunizations status, laboratory test results, radiology images, vital signs, patient site, patient weight, demographic information, or billing information.

In one embodiment, the graphical user interface of the at least one healthcare provider computing device is configured to aid in guiding a healthcare provider workflow during patient visits. In one embodiment, the graphical user interface includes one or more healthcare provider selectable tabs configured to organize categories of healthcare provider workflows. In one embodiment, at least one of the one or more healthcare provider selectable tabs is installed on the graphical user interface via the base resource server.

In one embodiment, the graphical user interface includes at least one of a text box or drop-down menu configured for an entry of a prescription drug name. In one embodiment, upon entry of a prescription drug name, the graphical user interface is configured to display one or more associated medication specific patient resources. In one embodiment, the graphical user interface is configured to enable selection of one of the one or more associated medication specific patient resources stored on the base resource server. In one embodiment, the graphical user interface is further configured to request one or more signatures for completion of the medication specific resource. In one embodiment, the system further includes an internet-based server configured to collect a completed medication specific patient resource.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system for leveraging electronic health record information to improve a workflow of healthcare providers assisting patients in reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with a prescribed medication. The system can include an Internet-based server, at least one healthcare provider computing device, an electronic healthcare record server, and a base resource server. The internet-based server can be configured to host a website on which a medication specific patient resource is provided. The at least one healthcare provider computing device can have a graphical user interface configured to aid a healthcare provider in location of the medication specific patient resource on the internet-based server. The electronic health record server can be configured to collect and store patient information. The base resource server can be configured to establish communication between the at least one healthcare provider computing device, electronic health record server, and internet-based server to enable automatic population of patient information from the electronic health record server into the medication specific patient resource as an aid in assisting patients in reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with a prescribed medication.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of leveraging electronic health record information to improve a workflow of healthcare providers assisting patients in reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with a prescribed medication, comprising: accepting a desired therapy on a graphical user interface; displaying one or more medication specific patient resources associated with the desired therapy on the graphical user interface; accepting a selection of one of the one or more medication specific patient resources; obtaining the selected medication specific patient resource from at least one of a base resource server or an internet-based server; populating fields in the selected medication specific resource with patient information from an electronic health record server; and obtaining one or more signatures for completion of the selected medication specific resource.

The summary above is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure. The figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify these embodiments.

While embodiments of the disclosure are amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof shown by way of example in the drawings will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, an architecture diagram for a system100configured to improve the workflow of healthcare providers assisting patients in, e.g., reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with medicines, is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. In one embodiment, the system100can generally include one or more on-site healthcare provider components102, one or more electronic health record (EHR) components104, one or more Internet-based components106, and one or more base resource network components108. Other system architecture designs are also contemplated.

In one embodiment, the one or more on-site healthcare provider components102can, for example, include one or more computing devices110configured to be operated by a healthcare provider (e.g., physician, physician assistant, nurse, or any other provider with access to electronic health records). Examples of computing devices110include desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile computing devices, tablets, cellular telephones, and the like. The one or more computing devices110can include a user interface, such as, e.g., a graphical user interface300(as depicted inFIG. 3-8) configured to enable a healthcare provider to access the other components104,106,108of the system100, thereby aiding in the location of manufacturer provided patient assistance programs, vouchers and/or co-pay cards, and where possible, automatically filling in the information necessary for completion with data gathered from the electronic health record components104. In one embodiment, the one or more on-site healthcare provider components102can further include a printer112to enable the healthcare provider to print certain aspects of the graphical user interface and/or other information available within the system100.

The one or more electronic health record components104can include a server114configured to collect and store patient information. Examples of patient information include a medical history, medications and allergies, immunization status, laboratory test results, radiology images, vital signs, personal statistics such as age, height and weight, demographic information and billing information. In some embodiments, the server114can be co-located with the on-site healthcare provider components102. In other embodiments, the server114can be remotely located, and accessible via a wired or wireless network.

The Internet-based components106can include a third-party resource server116, such as a server providing a drug manufacturer or pharmaceutical company website, where for example one or more medication specific patient resources (e.g., educational information, assistance programs, vouchers and/or co-pay cards) can be located. The Internet-based components106can further include a manufacturer company fulfillment center118, which may include a server120configured to collect completed patient assistance programs, vouchers and/or information from patient co-pay cards. In one embodiment, the Internet-based components106can further include, or be in communication with, one or more other computing devices122, thereby enabling healthcare providers utilizing the system100to communicate electronically with patients and other individuals.

The base resource network components108can include a server124and a database126configured to tie the various other system components102,104,106together such that they may be in communication with one another in various combinations and configurations, and to store certain manufacturer provided resources (e.g., educational information, or one or more forms relating to patient assistance programs, vouchers and/or co-pay cards), for ease in automatically populating patient information from the electronic health record server114into the resource. Server124can communicate with the other system components via the Internet.

Referring toFIG. 2, a method200for improving the workflow for healthcare providers assisting patients in reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with, e.g., prescription drugs is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The method begins at S202. At S204, a healthcare provider launches a portal on the computing device110. In some embodiments, the portal displays a login screen for authentication prior to enabling access to the healthcare record system. At S206, verification of the login information or other credentials provided is completed.

If authentication is successful, a healthcare provider can enter the patient name to display certain patient information from the patient electronic health record. For example, with reference toFIG. 3, an exemplary screenshot from a graphical user interface300is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Collectively, exemplary screenshot depicted inFIG. 3and other screenshots disclosed hereafter represent portions of a user interface, such as the graphical user interface300, which may be displayed on the healthcare provider computing device110. As depicted, the fictitious patient name “Natasha Romanovo” has been entered. In one embodiment, information, such as the patient's medical record number (MRN) and other patient identification can be displayed (e.g., in proximity to a top of the screenshot).

The graphical user interface300can be utilized by a healthcare provider as an aid or tool in guiding the workflow during patient visits. For example, during a visit, a healthcare provider can select various tabs located in the graphical user interface300during the process of administering care to the patient. As depicted inFIG. 3, in one non-limiting example, the tabs can include names such as: snapshot; chart review; flow sheets, results review, synopsis, growth chart, medications, immunizations, older entry, MAR, communications, and visit navigator. The inclusion of other tabs or combinations of tabs is also contemplated. Any number and combination of tabs with various names and functions may be used. In addition, other mechanisms besides tabs may be used to organize various categories to guide a user in the selection process, whether via the graphical user interface shown inFIG. 3, a different graphical user interface having another configuration, a non-graphical user interface (e.g., audio, alphanumeric, etc.) or any combination thereof.

In one embodiment, a user, such as a healthcare provider, can access the base resource server124via the computing device110to load an additional tab302, depicted inFIG. 3as a tab named “patient assistance” (although other tab names such as “patient resources,” “ resource portal,” or the like are also contemplated). For example, in one embodiment, the additional tab302can be added by downloading software configured to execute the method200via Epic's App Orchard store, or a similar site for downloading software applications. Once downloaded, tab302may be installed and added to the previously existing graphical user interface300. Thereafter, the newly added tab302can be selected to complete method200.

With continued reference to bothFIGS. 2 and 3, at5208, the healthcare provider can enter a desired therapy in, e.g., a text box304. The desired therapy can include, for example, a patient disease or condition, a treatment plan, a manufacturer or pharmaceutical company name, a medication, supplement or prescription drug name, or the like. In some embodiments a drop-down menu or the like can be provided to display available resources from which a healthcare provider can select the appropriate therapy. Alternatively, a healthcare provider may simply type in or otherwise request (e.g., via a voice command or the like) the selected therapy. As depicted inFIG. 3, the fictitious drug name “Alphabet” has been entered.

With the desired therapy entered (e.g., Alphabet), at5210the user interface300can display one or more resources306available for the selected therapy. Such resources can include, for example, savings cards, patient assistance enrollment, and other resources that help to educate or reduce the cost of medications. At S212, the healthcare provider can select one of the displayed resources306. When one of the resources306is selected, at S214a determination can be made by the base resource server124as to whether the resource is stored within the base resource network components108(i.e., the base resource server124or associated database126) or whether the resource is retained with a third-party resource server116.

If the resource306is stored within the base resource network components108, the method proceeds to S216, where the inquiry is made as to whether the resource requires data mapping from the electronic health record server114. For example, with reference toFIG. 4, if the “patient assistance form” resource is selected (which in this embodiment is stored within the base resource network components108and requires data mapping), at S218the base resource server124automatically populates the resource fields307with patient information from the electronic health record server114. For example, in one embodiment, the server124can automatically enter the patient's name, date of birth, gender, address, phone number and email address into the form with data obtained from the electronic health record. In other embodiments, more or less patient information can be entered, in various combinations, depending on the requirements of a particular form and how much of the information required by the form can be obtained from the electronic health record. At S219, any additional information, which may be missing or otherwise not included in the patient's electronic health record, can be requested and/or filled in via the user interface300. In embodiments, the additional information can be requested by a pop-up window or message having data entry boxes requesting the required information.

At S220, the resource can then be presented on the computing device110, with all of the required information fields filled in with the applicable patient data. Alternatively, where patient no data is required the method200can proceed from S216directly to S220for presentation of the resource on the computing device110. For example, with reference toFIG. 5, if the fictitious drug name “Alphabet” and the co-pay savings program card is selected, a copy of the resource can be displayed at S220. Alternatively, the resource may be filled out without presenting the completed form to the user.

At S220, one or more signatures and/or authorizations can be requested. For example, with reference toFIG. 6, in one embodiment, the user interface300can indicate the type of signatures and/or authorizations required308, as well as the options310for providing the signatures and/or authorizations. In some embodiments, the signatures and/or authorizations can include a signature from the patient or legal representative of the patient, Health Insurance

Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) consent, a prescriber signature, and the like; although other types of signatures, authorizations and consents are also contemplated. In some embodiments, the signing options can include downloading the form to enable a printed document to be physically signed, or the ability to electronically sign the resource. With reference toFIG. 7, in some embodiments, the user interface300can provide a number of different ways in which the resource can be electronically signed. For example, as depicted, the electronic signature and/or consent can be completed through the user interface300(e.g., by capturing a signature on a touchscreen of the computing device110), or via e-mail; other methods of electronic signature are also contemplated. Where the electronic signature, authorization and/or consent is to be completed via e-mail, various authentication options can be provided. For example, in some embodiments, a code sent via SMS, text message or via phone, may be required to complete the electronic signature, consent and/or authorization. With reference toFIG. 8, in some embodiments, the user interface300can request relevant contact information (e.g., e-mail address, phone number, etc.) necessary to complete the resource. With continued reference to the method200flowchart ofFIG. 2, at S222A-C, the healthcare provider can optionally select whether to: (1) send the resource to the printer112; (2) send the resource to a patient computing device122; and/or (3) send the resource to a fulfillment center118. In some embodiments, the resource can be sent to the fulfillment center, patient or other destination via email, fax, or the like.

Alternatively, if it is determined by the base resource server124that the resource306is not stored within the base resource network components108, at S224the healthcare provider is notified that the resource306is located on a third-party resource server116. At S226, a determination is made as to whether the healthcare provider agrees to proceed to the third-party resource server116. If the healthcare provider agrees to proceed, at S228the graphical user interface300provides a portal to the third-party resource server116. For example, with reference toFIG. 9, if the “savings card” resource is selected (which in this embodiment is stored on a third-party resource server116), at S230the resource from the third-party resource server116is displayed.

At S232, a determination can be made as to whether additional information is needed to complete the resource. If additional information is required, at S234the healthcare provider can complete the requested information. At S236A-B, the healthcare provider can optionally select whether to, for example: (1) send the resource to a patient computing device122; and/or (2) send the resource to the printer112. At S238, the method200is complete with the patient having been assisted in filling out the resource and/or submitting the resource to the fulfillment center.

With reference toFIG. 10, the visit navigator tab312on the graphical user interface300can alternatively and/or additionally be utilized to access patient assistance resources. After selecting the visit navigator tab312, a healthcare provider can then select the treatment plan for ordering a prescription medication. In one non-limiting embodiment, a selection box314can be provided under the medication indicating whether a patient assistance program; the listing of resources, such as patient education, co-pay card, voucher, or other patient resource is available. Selection of the selection box314can initiate portions of the method200.

For example, with reference toFIG. 11, selection of the selection box314can be followed by S214, wherein a determination is made as to whether the resource is stored within the base resource network components108or whether the resource is retained with a third-party resource116. As depicted inFIG. 8, if the resource is located on the base resource network components108, method200can proceed through steps S216-S220, to populate the fields with patient information from electronic health records, and obtain any required signatures. If the resource is located on a third party network, the method200can proceed through steps S224to S236A-B to provide access to the resource via the third party network.