SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERING MEDICAL CONSULTATION AT PHARMACIES

摘要

Systems, apparatus, techniques and methods for enabling medical consultations between a medical professional using a consultant station in a brick and mortar medical facility linked via a network to a patient using a patient station located at a pharmacy. Both the patient station and consultant station are equipped with video and audio conferencing apparatus, and the consultant station further includes a specialized medical images display for viewing medical images relating to the consultation. A patient logs in to the patient station, verifying who the patient is and the patient's eligibility to consult with one or more medical facilities and/or professionals. Likewise, the medical professional at the consultant station must verify their authorization to participate in the consultation. Consultations begin with collection of patient vital signs and any other information needed to generate a "doorstep" check report that would typically be generated by a nurse prior to actual consultation with a doctor in the doctor's office. Moreover, patient data in the form of medical records and/or images might be available via one or more servers and storage apparatus for reference during the consultation. While the consultation proceeds, an encrypted patient data record is created and maintained at the patient station in case the consultation is interrupted or unintentionally terminated and is erased when the consultation is properly terminated. Multiple consultants can participate in the consultation using embodiments of the present invention, typically by using multiple consultant stations or a combination of telephone and consultant station apparatus. Such remote medical consulting stations and similar systems can be adapted for remote operation of equipment and telematics.