Patent ID: 6850889

Claim:
A method for conducting a physician-patient consultation, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first clinic station operable by a physician, a patient station remote from the first clinic station for communicating information relating to the patient, and a second clinic station operable by medical personnel to conduct a patient examination; providing a communications network including a first communication link between the first clinic station and the patient station, whereby the first communications link utilizes an interactive computer network, and a second communications link between the second clinic station and the first clinic station; remotely interviewing the patient via the first communications link to communicate a first set of patient information from the patient station to the first clinic station and the physician; storing the first set of patient information in the database, such that the set of information is accessible by the first clinic station; at the fist clinic station, determining a second set of patient information distinct from the first set of patient information as being necessary to complete the consultation; directing the patient to the second clinic station for examination by medical personnel and obtaining the second set of patient information; storing the second set of patient information in the database such that both the first and second sets of information are accessible by the first clinic station; at the first clinic station, receiving the second set of patient information, wherein the second set of patient information is obtained by examination of the patient at the second clinic station and is communicated to the first clinic station via the second communications link; at the first clinic station, evaluating the patient's condition upon review of the first and second sets of patient information; and from the first clinic station and via the first communications link, communicating a consultation service selected from the group of consultation services consisting of: providing a diagnosis; prescribing a medication; prescribing a treatment; and combinations thereof; wherein the communications network includes an Internet website accessible by the patient station, and wherein said step of remotely interviewing the patient includes communicating information from the patient station to the first clinic station via the website; and wherein said first set of patient information excludes information obtainable only via direct contact with the patient, and said second set of patient information includes patient information obtainable only by direct contact with the patient.