Ken’s Books

Elephant exterminator needed
 
     An Overlooked Idea
 
Improve Health Care — Reduce Cost
 
Experts have probably overlooked my concept for a Secure Medical Communication System because:
·      it will not advance anyone’s career [it only combines existing technologies]
·      seems like cost of creating and operating the system cannot be recovered —- but
Taking a hint from Facebook, I think that advertising will more than cover the cost of creating and operating a secure information transfer network.
 
The elephant in my computer room is [1] how much will the network cost and [2] how much income will generate? 
 
The Concept
The proposed network will securely transfers data between providers who are and are not associated with existing networks. It also securely transfers data between all providers and insurers.
Access to confidential information is limited to intended recipients by a novel application of existing fingerprint technology. The process is explained in Appendix ‘A’. A private enterprise will create the system.
 
In addition to the secure network, the enterprise will provide programs which [1] make ‘Current Information’ more useable and [2] create a ‘New Source for Statistical Information’.
 
Sources of income
The enterprise will profit from:
·      advertising on the network
·      use of the program that make current information usable
·      use of the new source of statistical data
·      skilled consultants, who use the network to participate in coordinated care chat rooms, will share their fees
The network creates a mutually beneficial relationship between the enterprise, hospitals, insurers, the medical community and its suppliers:
·      hospitals gain a profit center if they choose to create the agency which manages the network in their local area; these agencies charge insurers to use the network
·      insurers save more than it costs to use the network; Appendix ‘B’ present examples of savings
·      suppliers increase sales because advertising on the network will be very cost effective
·      providers increase their income by working more efficiently
Agencies do not charge providers to use the network because their income increases with the number of providers who use it to bill insurers.
The enterprise does not charge agencies because their advertising income increases with the number of providers who use the network.
Loan guaranty The enterprise is eligible for a government loan guaranty to create the network, because it will improve health care and be financially successful.
 
Use of Current Information
Trying to use new medical information has been compared to ‘drinking from a fire hose’. Appendix ‘C’ explains how the enterprise will make current best practice more usable.
 
Source for Statistical Information
The information transfer programs can glean statistical data from the medical histories. The concept is explained Appendix ‘D”
 
Improve Health Care and Lower Cost
Appendix ‘E’ presents some of the ways that secure transfers will make our health care system more efficient.
Appendix ‘A’
 
Transferring Confidential Information
 
The enterprise creates a secure information transfer network. Hospitals may create agencies to manage the network in their local area. The enterprise provides these agencies with everything they needed to create and manage the network; and these agencies supply providers with what they need to use the network.
 
Providers access the network using a [1] secure information transfer program [here after called ITP] and [2] computer mousses that have a fingerprint reader in their click buttons [a novel application of existing technology].
ITPs open from a click on provider’s computers taskbar button; but only if the print is that of an authorized person:
·      names and prints of people authorized to open ITP are placed in their computers by their employer
·      names and prints also go to the server that their agencies manages
·      ITP stay open for a short time but every click resets the timer
·      ITP close whenever the mouse is clicked by unauthorized persons
Transmitting
·      senders tell their agency’s server the name of intended recipients
·      server finds the prints and mail address of recipients; the server will have this data or gets it thru the network
·      attaches recipients names and prints to a ‘you have confidential mail’ notices
·      sends notices to recipient’s computers; sender’s and recipients names will appear on the notice
·      data doesn’t move from senders’ computer until intended recipient clicks the notice; identified by prints sent with notice
·      data goes into restricted files in recipient’s ITP
·      restricted files cannot be copied or forwarded
Opening Restricted Files Restricted files are named by agencies servers. The file’s name will be recipient & sender names and the date. Transferred file names are listed in recipients’ ITPs. A click on the file name will open it, but only if the print sent with the notice matches that of the click.
HIPAA Compliance
·      fingerprints are a more secure and reliable way to identify patients than what is currently used
·      ITPs will not transfer data from patients electronic health records [here after called EHR] without patients approval
·      ITPs will not transfer data to other ITP without patients approval
·      transferred files can only be accessed by intended recipients
·      patients authorize transfers by clicking on a forms which appears when authorization is needed
How ITPs Acquire Data from EHRs. ITPs look like a printer to EHR programs. If the patient approves the transfer and the ITP is selected as the printer, printing a page from a person’s record will send that page into a restricted ITP file.
Transmitting restricted files Restricted files can be transmitted only by the provider who put the data in the file.
 
Appendix ‘B’
 
Insurers Reduce Costs by computerizing their labor intensive procedures.
Example: When insurers require approval; providers’ requests for a procedure includes:
·      patient’s prints [insurer determines their coverage by comparing prints, from the mouse click when patient approves the referral, to those obtained when patient buys the insurance]
·      physician’s print [the insurer compares prints, from the mouse click requesting approval to those of authorized providers]
·      the reason for the referral
·      who will provide the service
Given this information, the insurers’ computer can determine the legitimacy of the request and grant approval in second.
 
Insurers Reduce False Billings
False billing will be quickly exposed because too many people and too many computers are involved in the procedure to keep it secret.
The medical and billing procedures include:
·      patients identified by their prints; more convenient and secure then current practice
·      after the medical procedure, patients acknowledge completion with a click
·      the agency certifies that the billing person’s prints are in their file of current employees of the provider
 
Appendixes C, D & E
 
Appendixes C and D describe programs the enterprise will create and
explains how they will:
·      make current best practice more usable
·      glean statistical data from the medical histories
The appendixes present examples of how statistical data will reduce costs and improve health care.
 
Appendix E presents examples of ways fingerprint technology will make our health care system more efficient.
 
If you are interested, e-mail me at rujomiller@att.net, and I will forward them.
 
 Copyright 2011