JP7601370B2 - Medical App Activation System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to activation of medical software.

In recent years, technology has been developed that treats illnesses through software applications (hereafter referred to as medical apps) installed on digital devices such as smartphones, instead of the traditional administration of medication prescribed after a face-to-face diagnosis with a doctor. With this technology, the patient's illness or pathology is identified through a doctor's diagnosis, or through an alternative system's diagnosis, and an appropriate medical app is prescribed. The patient then practices this medical app instead of administering medication to receive treatment. There is great anticipation for the development of medical apps, as they do not have the serious side effects of medication and can be easily implemented on patients' smartphones, tablets, or PCs.

However, current medical apps do not allow settings for dosage periods or dosage amounts like medications (for medications, you can specify one tablet each morning, noon and night, for two weeks, or a certain number of times), and once prescribed, the app can be used indefinitely, which can lead to problems such as app dependency and unprescribed use due to app re-use. Therefore, there was a need for technology that would make it easy to set whether an app can be used, the period of use, etc.

Patent Document 1 describes a technology in which, when a server receives a system registration request from a treatment-related app installed on a user's device, the server registers the treatment-related app that made the request as a legitimate app and removes restrictions on functions related to communication with doctors.

Patent No. 6611112

The problem to be solved is to provide a system that can easily set whether medical apps can be used and the period of use. There is also a demand for a system that can easily process expenses associated with app use.

(1) A medical system comprising a medical institution terminal, a patient terminal, and a server,
The patient's terminal downloads the medical application program from the server,
A system characterized in that an activation code is issued from a medical institution's terminal to a patient's terminal.
(2) The system according to (1), wherein the activation code includes information regarding the period of use.
(3) The system according to (1) or (2), wherein the activation code includes information regarding usage time.
(4) A system according to any one of (1) to (3), characterized in that the activation code includes information regarding the maximum number of available uses.
(5) Any of the systems (1) to (4), characterized in that the activation code is included in prescription information issued by a medical institution. (6) Any of the systems (1) to (5), characterized in that the activation code is provided as barcode or two-dimensional code information.
(7) A system according to any one of (1) to (6) above, characterized in that a fee is charged to the patient's terminal at the time of downloading, and the fee is paid to the app maker.
(8) A system according to any one of (1) to (7), characterized in that a server notifies a health insurance association, etc., at the time of activation of the medical application or at the completion of prescription of the medical application, and the health insurance association, etc., pays the fee to the app maker based on the result of the notification.

According to the medical system of the present invention, it is possible to easily set whether or not to use a medical app and the usage period. In addition, it is also easy to process expenses associated with the use of the app.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a medical system. FIG. 2 shows a system for use in a medical system. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a hand scanner. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a medical system. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a medical system.

The present invention achieves the objective of making it possible to easily set whether or not a medical app can be used and the usage period by making it possible to use a medical app stored on a server and used on a patient's device using an activation code issued by a medical institution. In particular, medical apps for which the availability and usage period have not been set can be stored on a server other than that of the medical institution, making maintenance of the medical app easier.

Example 1
FIG. 1 shows an example of the system configuration of an embodiment of a medical system 100 of the present invention, which includes a medical facility 101, a patient 102, a server 103 (typically an app store), and an app maker 104.

The medical facility 101 is typically a hospital to which a doctor belongs, but may also be an online clinic or other facility. The information processing terminal of the medical facility 101 generates prescriptions and other medication information based on diagnoses by a doctor or AI. This generation is typically issued through an existing system such as an electronic medical record (not shown) provided in the medical facility 101 based on the diagnosis results, but the issuing means is not limited to this. The server 103 is typically a server that stores application programs that can be downloaded to a smartphone or PC. The server 103 is typically operated by a third party different from the medical facility 101 and the patient 102, which is convenient because it can be maintained independently of the medical institution, but it can also be installed alongside the medical facility 101. The app maker 104 is a manufacturer that creates medical application programs (medical apps), creates medical apps, uploads the programs to the server 103, and performs maintenance of the medical apps, such as version upgrades. The medical apps used in this embodiment are programmed to be used for the purpose of treating a specific disease or for the purpose of supplementing a specific disease, and are configured to be available by entering an activation code. The control of whether or not the app can be used can be performed using a programming technique known to those skilled in the art. An activation code for a medical app that does not include available period information includes at least prescription period information (e.g., 2 weeks or 1 month from the activation date), and an activation code for a medical app that includes available period information (e.g., a 1-month app) includes at least information about the start date (e.g., November 3, 2020). The usage period is defined by these activation codes, and at least a part of the treatment function of the app is configured to be unavailable after the usage period has elapsed. Whether the usage period is within or outside the range is determined by comparing the date and time information set as the usage period with the date and time information of the clock in the terminal or the date and time information obtained via the network. Here, if the usage period can be redefined (extended) by reauthentication of an additional activation code, it is convenient because there is no need to download it again if it is prescribed again by a doctor.

Next, an example of the operation of the medical system 100 is shown using FIG. 1. First, a medical app is uploaded to the server 103 by the app maker 104 (app supply). Next, in the medical facility 101, information on the app used for treatment and a method for generating an activation code for the app are acquired in a system such as an electronic medical record used in the facility. Next, a patient 102 visits the medical facility 101 and is examined by a doctor at the medical facility 101. As a result of the examination, a diagnosis of the disease name, etc. is made, and the decision to use the medical app is made. The doctor then gives the patient informed consent regarding the medical app and explains how to use the medical app, etc. Next, the doctor or a person who receives instructions from the doctor issues a prescription through a system such as an electronic medical record. An example of a prescription is shown in FIG. 2. It is convenient to output the prescription by selecting the disease name, medical app name, and prescription period from a list on the electronic medical record in a format that is linked to the electronic medical record. This allows prescriptions to be issued in the same manner as before, by selecting the drug name and quantity in the electronic medical record. The prescription period includes the starting date, and it is convenient if the available period cannot be updated multiple times with the same code. In addition, some medical apps may include multiple treatment modules, so if there are multiple available modules, it is possible to specify whether to use one of them or to set a flag. In addition, it is possible to include recommended time information for using the app (for example, in the case of medicines, information corresponding to the time of taking the medicine, such as after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner, before bed, etc.), and to encourage the patient to use the medical app by displaying a pop-up message on a smartphone or the like at the recommended time. Furthermore, the app may be provided with a memory for storing the number of uses, and the number of uses in the memory may be updated each time the patient uses the app, and information on the maximum number of uses of the app may be included in the activation code, and the actual number of uses may be compared with the maximum number of uses specified in the activation code, and the use of the app may be restricted when the maximum number of uses is reached. Information such as the prescription period may be provided as barcode or two-dimensional code information that can be read by a smartphone or the like. The prescription information may also include information on the URL of an app store where the medical app can be downloaded and the URL where the manual for the medical app can be downloaded in the form of an address, barcode, two-dimensional barcode, etc. Note that the medical app may be searched for by name in the app store.

Next, the patient 102 who has received the prescription accesses the URL for the download destination of the medical app written on the prescription from a terminal such as a smartphone used by the patient and requests the download of the desired medical app. The server 103 checks whether the medical app can be downloaded, and if so, transfers the program to the terminal of the patient 102. If the download server is unavailable due to maintenance or the like, the server 103 may notify the patient that the download is unavailable and introduce an alternative app if one is available. Next, after the desired medical app has been downloaded, the patient 102 installs the app on the terminal used by the patient. After the installation, the medical app is started, and typically an activation code issued by the medical facility 101 is read using a code reader function of the terminal, making the medical app available. The patient 102 can receive treatment using the treatment program of this medical app for a specified period of time. Furthermore, the system determines that the prescription is complete when the medical facility sends electronic medical record information (particularly whether or not there is a prescription) to the server 103, and the prescription information in the electronic medical record is paired with a download request from the patient 102. Alternatively, the system may determine that the prescription is complete by notifying the server or medical facility 101 that a medical app has been activated, or the server 103 may notify the medical facility 101 of the fact that the download has been made and determine that the prescription is complete.

(Charging method)
When a prescription for a normal medicine is issued, the medicine is prescribed at a medical facility 101 or a pharmacy (not shown) that prescribes medicines and provided to the patient 102. The patient 102 is usually enrolled in health insurance such as national health insurance or a health insurance association, and the cost of the medicine is determined in advance by an agreement with the health insurance association or the like. For example, if the patient's share is 30%, the patient pays 30% of the medical expenses, and the remaining 70% is paid by the health insurance association. In this case, on the day the patient visits the medical institution, the patient pays only 30% of the payment to the medical institution, and the health insurance association pays the remaining amount to the facility that prescribed the medicine at a later date. In the system of the present invention, when the patient 102 downloads the application, the server 103 charges the patient 102 for the share paid by the patient, and the server 103 pays the fee minus the usage fee of the server 103 to the application maker 104 as necessary. The server 103 notifies the health insurance association (not shown) of the remaining cost, and the health insurance association pays the application maker 104. However, the fee for using the server 103 can also be paid in one lump sum from the app store, without deducting the fee for each app.
On the other hand, in the case of an app, simply downloading the app does not make it clear whether the app is actually being used. Therefore, when the completion of the above-mentioned prescription is determined, the billing procedure for the patient may be carried out and/or the health insurance association may be notified. The health insurance association may electronically receive this notification using a server included therein, and pay the total amount to the app maker 104 at any time or for a predetermined period of time.

Example 2
In the medical system 200 of the second embodiment, the medical application is configured to refer to a data module having period information, which is separate from the medical application program itself, and the data module includes period information, and is configured to allow the medical application to be used for the period specified by the information. The rest of the system operates in the same manner as in the first embodiment. That is, in the operation of the first embodiment, the patient 102 installs and activates the medical application, and then a data module including license information (e.g., October 1, 2021 to October 30, 2021) corresponding to the period information included in the activation code is downloaded from the server 103 and stored in a predetermined location, and the medical application accesses the information of the data module each time it is started, and the patient 102 can use the medical application during the period during which the license information is valid. In addition, the license information of the data module may only have information on the available period, and the license activation operation may be performed to set the available period by combining the start date and the available period of the medical application. In this case, it is convenient to charge for the data module, especially when downloaded from the app store.

Example 3
In the medical system 300 of the third embodiment, first, the application maker 104 supplies the medical application to the server 103, and the server 103 stores the medical application. Next, the patient 102 visits the medical facility and obtains a prescription including an activation code. Here, the activation code includes an identification number for identifying an application customized for the patient. Next, the medical facility 101 notifies the server 103 of prescription information including available period information, typically via electronic medical record software. The server 103 customizes the stored medical application for an individual so that the available period corresponds to the prescription period, and associates it with the above-mentioned identification number and stores it anew. Next, the patient 102 accesses the server 103, transmits the activation code including the identification number to the server 103, and causes the server 103 to download the modified medical application stored in correspondence with the identification number. The patient 102 installs the downloaded medical application on the patient's terminal and uses it for treatment.

Example 4
In the medical system 400 of the fourth embodiment, a management server 105 is added in addition to the medical facility 101, the patient 102, the server 103, and the application maker 104. The medical system 400 of the fourth embodiment is different in that the activation code provided from the medical facility 101 to the patient 102 does not need to include period information. Instead, the prescription of this embodiment includes an activation code including the patient's identification information, and the identification information is registered in the application. Then, information regarding the prescription period is transmitted from the medical facility 101 to the management server 105 together with the identification information. The medical application accesses the management server every time the patient starts the program, and the management server 105 compares the user (patient 102) of the medical application with the user information stored in the management server 105 based on the identification information, and after identity verification, if it is determined that the application is within the available period, it replies that the application is available, and the medical application executes the treatment program. If it is determined that the application is not within the available period, the execution of the treatment program is stopped.

In the case of Example 4, the billing method is such that the individual's portion is billed to the management server when the medical app is downloaded from server 3 or when the management server is accessed for the first time, and the health insurance association's share is notified to the health insurance association when the management server is accessed for the first time, and payment is then made to the app maker 104.

By making medical apps stored on a server and used on patient devices available using an activation code issued by a medical institution, the goal of making it possible to easily set whether or not a medical app can be used and the usage period has been achieved. In particular, medical apps for which the availability and usage period have not been set can be stored on a server other than that of the medical institution, making maintenance of the medical app easier.

101 Medical facility 102 Patient 103 Server 104 App maker 105 Management server

Claims (3)

A medical system comprising a medical institution terminal, a patient terminal, and a server,
The patient's terminal downloads the medical application program from the server,
The medical institution terminal issues an activation code for a medical application program prescribed according to the patient's disease or pathological condition identified by a diagnosis of the patient by a doctor or a system that substitutes for a doctor's diagnosis,
A system characterized in that the activation code includes a usage period of the medical application program , a usage time of the medical application program , or an upper limit number of usages of the medical application program . The system according to claim 1, wherein a fee is charged to the patient's terminal at the time of downloading, and the fee is paid to an application maker that creates a medical application program. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which a notification is sent from the server to the health insurance association at the time of activation of the medical application program or at the completion of prescription of the medical application program, and based on the notification result , the health insurance association pays the fee to the app maker, which is the manufacturer that creates the medical application program .

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