Patent ID: 7039628

Claim:
An automated system for maintaining patient medical records for a plurality of participating patients and which are remotely accessible for reading and editing of respective patient medical records that are maintained on a server, and permitting entry of the patient medical information in a plurality of categories by the participating patient or by other authorized persons; the system employing a wide area computer network that permits communication between computer devices, each said computer device being suitably programmed with a web browser and having a capability for automatic input of patient identifying data when a patient inserts a coded access means into the computer device, the coded access means identifying the client and pointing to an access portal of said server; said server including a suitably programmed computer; the automated system comprising: a memory for storing said patient medical records, and software providing software modules to each of said computer devices into which a respective one of said coded access means has been inserted, corresponding to a respective given patient, so that the respective computer device displays a patient log-in screen, said log-in screen including means permitting the patient to enter a respective patient name and password that provides access to a series of patient-editable patient history screens, in which the patient can review and change entries of his or her patient medical records on-line; means to access an emergency data screen that displays items of patient health data only in limited ones of said categories for the respective patient sufficient to facilitate emergency care for that patient; said password being required for access to said patient-editable patient history screens; wherein said software modules provide to a patient access computer a set of patient history screens containing a patient medical record of the respective patient, and provide to a physician access computer a set of physician screens containing a physician medical record of the at least one patient; and wherein said server also includes a two-way firewall program that allows both the patient and the physician to access the respective patient medical record for reading and editing, but allows only the physician and not the patient to access the physician medical record; and wherein the physician medical record of the at least one patient includes physician entry of notes concerning symptoms, diagnosis, and medical procedures performed, and wherein said physician entry of notes do not appear on the patient history screens.