JP2002533845A - Impact of Prescriptions for Consumers and Methods for Healthcare Professional Information - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] Consumer-professional dialogue and communication regarding products or services that require a professional decision and prescription or approval before the consumer purchases or uses a particular product or professional service. Promote the marketing of regulated products to professional, consumer and health systems by the 2250, 2350, 2750, 2850 or the manufacturer or provide products and services to professional and health systems. A process is disclosed for providing a means for a consumer to influence a decision and for a product or service to be available in a particular health system program.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to (1) a consumer, product or service that requires a professional decision before purchasing or prescribed by a professional. Promote dialogue and communication between the company and professionals, or (2) promote marketing of products regulated by the manufacturer to professionals, consumers and healthcare systems, or (3) products Or to provide services,
A process and apparatus for providing consumers with a means to influence professional and healthcare system decisions regarding obtaining products or services available for purchase in a particular healthcare system program.

Healthcare Product Market The healthcare product market prescribes, identifies, licenses, and prepares products for consumer use.
It is characterized by lawfully and / or contractually delegating the power to cover, ie bear, restrict, prohibit or exclude, to professional and / or healthcare systems. For example, consumers may not independently decide to purchase and use prescription products, and the privilege to grant or deny access to products belongs to professionals with prescription authority. In addition, certain health care systems (eg, Blue Cross of Pennsylvania or Harvard Community He
alth Plan), the “scope” of the availability and / or benefit of certain products
Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, Formulary committee, Pharmacy Benef
It Management company staff, Surgical Care Pathways Committee, Alternative M
It may depend on the approval of the edicine Committee. Thus, the ability of a consumer to use or purchase a particular product depends on the decisions and judgments of professionals and others within these healthcare systems.

[0003] In the relationship between an individual consumer and a health care professional, the decision to use a product is shared. Professionals must approve or prescribe products or services, and consumers must agree to use them. However, the decision process is usually highly asymmetric, with most of the information (about the medical condition under treatment and the products proposed for use)
Initiative is a professional monopoly. Because the process of medical consultation is often rushed, this limits the consumer's ability to participate in the decision-making process, often without extensive or even appropriate communication of information.

[0004] Nevertheless, the power relationships of the relationships have changed, which has changed the cultural attitudes about healthcare relationships, enabling information and communication to enable consumers to seek and find healthcare and health product information. Due to the arrival of the system. In addition, the rapid increase in direct (DTC) marketing activities of pharmaceutical manufacturers to consumers has increased consumer awareness of diagnostics and treatments, especially new marketed treatments. Consumers increasingly gain access to information about medical diagnoses and products, even before such information is received by individual healthcare professionals or healthcare systems and incorporated into implementation protocols. apply.

However, in the context of existing healthcare systems, the ability of consumers to accelerate product considerations and influence product decisions is due to lack of information, time and effort barriers, and launch activities. Remains limited due to the lack of a mechanism for doing so.

[0006] In the relationship between an individual consumer and a professional, an intense and intense consumer attempts to determine whether the professional is knowledgeable about the product of interest before making an appointment. However, the communication and response process of a typical professional office does not provide a reliable and sufficient answer to the question. Consumers will make appointments to consult with professionals on health issues and possible uses of certain products, but information on the reasons for the appointments will not be apparent to the professional until the scheduled visit. not,
Therefore, the professional has no time to prepare. Although consumers bring printed information to visits, due to the busy situation, professionals
Without having the time to review, consider, incorporate and use the information, professionals (as highly trained individuals) will find that the information provided by the consumer is not appropriate for the purpose. Professionals are not prepared to describe a product and may be perplexed and / or negatively biased. Consumers may find that their demands have been overly assertive and the relationship is distorted. At best, professionals will agree to make an effort to research the topic, and consumers will have to return to consult again. Consumers lose a great deal of time, effort and economic costs of consultation. Thus, there is a need to improve this relationship when consumers take steps to investigate treatments for their health.

Consumers have not yet considered, or have considered, a particular healthcare system or insurance company to include in their prescriptions, but are not available, explained, or disagreeable to the consumer You may discover that you rejected it for a reason. Individual consumer preference statements have little or no effect on assessors in a particular healthcare system or insurer. With similar interests,
It is impossible for consumers within the same healthcare system to find specific information to each other without undue effort and expense (e.g., mass emails, published notices, and reworking meeting agendas). It is therefore impossible to aggregate and form a profit group to aggregate and exert their pooled influence.

Thus, in existing health product market systems, (1) consumers are interested in the potential use of the product and cannot predict the specific information needs of health care professionals, or (2) Manufacturers and / or other sources prefer to provide information and information choices to healthcare professionals prior to consultation, or (3) have already been informed, explained and You want to identify and gain access to health professionals who are prepared to consider, or (4) state your product preferences, aggregate reports, learn about other consumer preferences, and understand relevant interest groups Hope to increase the impact of consumer preferences on product decisions in the consumer healthcare system.

[0009] Currently, there are inappropriate means for consumers to accomplish any of the four aforementioned activities. Thus, there is a need in the art to invent a process that facilitates the aforementioned four activities.

The implications of the above four activities can be further developed as follows.

(1) Consumers cannot predict the specific information needs of healthcare professionals.

Professionals may already be well informed and may only need information about what has changed, taking into account the recently reported medical experience. Professionals may need to recall parts of the product information and review or update the information. Professionals are not informed about the product (this is especially true if the information is used for new or rarely encountered disease states), needs to learn about the product, and the product is properly prescribed Professionals who need to consider pathophysiology may need to submit new information about the product to the prescription board, and may need to seek approval of the product in the health care system's drug prescription. In any case, consumers have limited their ability to assess or foresee professional information needs.

[0013] Currently, the healthcare product market system responds to consumer interest in a particular product by providing information or service resources from the manufacturer and other sources of information for the healthcare professional to select. Not to provide. There is a need in the art to do so.

(2) Consumers prefer that manufacturers or other information providers communicate and suggest additional information and service choices to healthcare professionals prior to consultation between the consumer and the professional.

[0015] Consumers gather information and submit it to professionals. Consumer efforts are less efficient than for professionals to make their own choices of information from sources that are properly available. You may feel it. Consumers may find it unpleasant to provide information directly to professionals or to be made aware of certain information by professionals. Therefore, consumers may also prefer that manufacturers or other information providers inform professionals that consumers are interested in products and direct them to provide further product-related information to professionals. is there. Thereby, driven by the consumer's interest in the product, the professional may utilize the services provided by the manufacturer or other information provider, or seek information elsewhere. The professional can then be prepared for explanation and collaborative decisions with the consumer.
In any case, knowing that consumers are interested in a product and will soon be discussing it will allow professionals to make best use of the time and effort spent on continuing education. . The use of available information resources and the need to apply them to professional practices can follow quickly, ensuring that learning is enhanced, professional stress is reduced, Increase consumer satisfaction and improve the efficiency of manufacturers' marketing efforts.

Currently, shared decision-making market systems adequately address such consumer demands for manufacturers to market information or for other sources to provide information to individual healthcare professionals. Not promoting. There is a need for doing so.

(3) Consumers may want to know and gain access to the specific information of health professionals who have already been informed about possible uses of the product and are prepared to explain and consider it.

For example, a consumer interested in a new drug may not have a relationship with a primary or specialized physician, and may want to know the specific information of a doctor already known about a new drug. is there. The professional knowledge of a doctor increases the chances of knowing the specific information of a prepared doctor who consults on that particular product, but especially for new products,
If a manufacturer's marketing efforts are not very efficient, it is not entirely reliable. In addition, while consumers can call a professional office to ask questions about a particular product's knowledge, the professional office staff will have a professional job to ask specific questions. It is more likely to give a vague guarantee than to suspend. Although new drug manufacturers may have the incentive to provide information about a physician informed about a product or service, suitable internet intervening systems for responding to consumer requests for such information include: Not present in the drug manufacturer and, if provided by the manufacturer, may trigger legal review. There is a need in the art to properly provide this information to consumers.

(4) Consumers can aggregate, report and know the preferences of other consumers, participate in the activities of related interest groups, and products in consumer healthcare systems or insurance companies. To increase the impact of consumer preferences on decisions, one may wish to express preferences for a product or service.

While an individual consumer may be interested in a product, an individual consumer may see how many other consumers within the same healthcare system or insurance scheme have similar products to the product. Without knowing or sharing interests, individual consumers do not have a proper way to communicate aggregated information about preferences to doctors, administrators, or committees. This makes it difficult for consumers to influence the decisions of healthcare systems and insurance companies in one class regarding drug prescriptions and other product decisions.

Currently, the healthcare product market system is such a statement of consumer preference,
It does not properly promote aggregation and reporting, and does not encourage consumers to know each other's specific information for the benefit group's activities. There is a need to do so.

Legal Regulations on Providing Information by Manufacturers One further limitation of the existing healthcare prescription drug market is that manufacturers have a motivation to provide comprehensive information to healthcare professionals, while US Food an banning the provision of certain categories
d Trained to evaluate such information in accordance with legal regulations applicable by the Drug Administration (FDA). In particular, despite the legal and ethical adoption of drugs that have not been approved by the FDA by professionals and consumers by professionals and consumers, manufacturers have, with a few exceptions, You are not authorized to provide such usage information. This makes it difficult for consumers or professionals to obtain such information and the manufacturer responds to consumer or professional requests to provide complete information from the medical literature. Make it impossible. Enables the dissemination of information to professionals trained in the art to evaluate such information, but this is done within legal guidelines and helps manufacturers avoid legal disobedience There is a need to be able to do so.

In addition, the FDA is a legal body that functions to authorize (reject) marketing of a product (drug or device) according to the legal composition complex described in the 2I CFR. Generally, the manufacturer submits the appropriate product application (eg, New Drur Application or NDA for drugs or pre-market application or pma for equipment) and the FDA will only communicate with the manufacturer . The result of product marketing approval is that the instructions and label copies for the approved product will be negotiated between the FDA and the manufacturer. The FDA then regulates manufacturers to adhere to approved parameters and monitors submissions of negative incident reports submitted by the manufacturer or occasionally by professionals. Consumers have no impact in the process of product licensing or in the process of authorized use of licensed products. There is a need to provide a means for consumers to have greater impact in this legal process, designed to benefit consumers.

Similarly, the Health and Human Services (HHS) at the federal level and the insurance commissioner at the state level have determined that it is possible or not possible to get a prescription or refunded or not. In regulating
You are authorized to regulate federal healthcare systems, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and state healthcare systems, such as HMO. Again, the consumer has no effect, or at least no significant effect, on such legal guidance. Again, there is a need for consumers to provide a means to have greater influence in this legal process, as this directly affects consumer interests. is there.

Networked Information Systems Networked personal computer systems are a revolutionary process of information, communication, and commercial transactions. These changes have evolved for more than thirty years, but they have recently come with unrestricted access to the Internet and have a high degree of support to facilitate the use of the increasingly valuable resources of the Internet. Rapid progress has been made due to the combination of the availability of inexpensive and powerful personal computer systems with functional software systems. Although the use of the present invention is applicable to any networked information that is readily accessible to consumers, the primary system for practical purposes is the Internet.

The Internet is a widely accepted, standards- and protocol-based electronic communication system that allows users with various computer hardware or software systems to gain access to information and communication resources around the world. It is. Millions of commercial, governmental, and non-commercial entities have formed Internet websites that provide users with information and communication opportunities. For example, pharmaceutical companies create product-specific websites for nearly every new drug and widely advertise the availability of these websites without access restrictions. The user can connect to the website by entering a specific internet website address. For unknown addresses or unknown resources, Internet search engine services allow users to find information on almost any topic of interest. Health-related Internet information resources have a high usage rate by consumers and professionals.

Thus, the art makes use of the efficiency created by the Internet to satisfy the aforementioned needs of consumers, professionals and manufacturers with respect to disseminating product information within legal compliance. There is a need to The present invention addresses the aforementioned need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0028] The present invention relates to (1) the ability of a consumer to interact with a consumer for a product or service that requires a professional decision before purchasing or prescribing the product or service. Facilitate dialogue and communication with professionals, or (2) facilitate manufacturer marketing of regulated products to professional, consumer and healthcare systems, or (3) provide products or services A process to make the consumer and the means to influence professional and health care system decisions about what to do and obtain products or services available for purchase in a particular health care system program. The process comprises: (a Has a connection or link to communication services for transaction-based consumer, professional and manufacturer products or services;
Providing a direct source of health care product or service information to consumers and professionals; (b) (i) informing professionals about their interest in a particular product, service or disease state; ii) providing the information on the specific product or service to the professional; (iii) providing the consumer with the specific information of the professional informed about one specific product or service; and (iv) consuming. To communicate the preferences or desires of healthcare products or services to healthcare systems and professionals who have the means or authority to prescribe, identify, authorize, cover or otherwise cost, restrict, prohibit or exclude products for use by others. To provide consumers with (V) the consumer aggregates and expresses consumer preferences and provides healthcare systems and professionals with regard to consumer availability of products and services. (Vi) provide a means to communicate with the appropriate government mediator or administrator of such products or services, Providing a transaction-based consumer and manufacturer product or service communication service having a consumer transaction menu that enumerates a group consisting of these combinations or selected potential transactions; and (c) the consumer Complete one and multiple transactions The process comprising the steps of

Preferably, the transaction-based product or service communication service between the consumer and the manufacturer further comprises providing consumer specific information to the manufacturer, professional and health care systems, or Provide the consumer with a means for not providing specific information to any or all selected manufacturers, professionals and healthcare systems.

Preferably, the transaction informing the healthcare professional about the consumer's interest in a particular product, service or disease state comprises providing the professional with information about the product or service from the manufacturer, Such information has been approved by the appropriate regulatory authority. Most preferably,
Such information may be supplemented by coupons or vouchers for consumer use, and providing such materials may be done by email or by the manufacturer's sales representative, by the consumer's identified healthcare professional. To be coordinated with providing product specimens. Most preferably, the information provided to the professional is supplemented by independent research (from the manufacturer) on products, services or disease states from the published medical literature. Preferably, the system allows the manufacturer to provide the information based on the indication of the consumer's interest and with information about the specific information of the consumer's healthcare professional (this information may be provided by the consumer directly providing the information). Health, with respect to the consumer's direct interest (with or without specific information) in a product, service, or disease state (obtained from another source, for example, a database of health systems). While allowing the transaction to inform the care professional, the consumer does not overly direct the provision of information to the professional. In such a case, the transaction informing the healthcare professional of the specific information will proceed based on the implicit consumer directive.

Preferably, (ii) the transaction providing information regarding the consumer's interest in a particular product, service or disease state, and further, the professional selected by the consumer authorizes the selected service. Or consulting a database of professionals to determine if they are known in the database as a licensed professional capable of prescribing the selected product.

Preferably, (iii) providing the consumer with a list of professionals informed about the selected product or service, said transaction providing a list of professionals satisfying the criteria for inclusion in one reference system. Includes consulting a participating professional database to find out. Most preferably, the list of professionals provided to the consumer is further based on geographical areas derived from addresses or other criteria (eg, specialty, gender, language, ability, etc.) listed in the professional database. Selected.

Preferably, the information is communicated to either or both of the consumer's desired health care professional and / or health care system, and the consumer under the health care system (health insurance scheme, HMO, etc.) The transaction, which requires having a particular product or service available to the health insurance company / contractor to ensure that consumer preferences or messages have been correctly communicated to the correct recipient. Including consulting with the system. Preferably, in order to bring such consumers into one interest group, said transaction that informs the product or service to other consumers in the appropriate interest group enables communication between consumers Alternatively, the method may include a step of informing the consumers of specific information but not necessarily communicating or notifying the health care system or professional of the specific information.

The present invention further provides an apparatus or server system for conducting transaction-based consumer and manufacturer product or service communication over a wide area network, ie, the Internet, or via telephone and mail means of communication. In the server system, the central processing unit, ROM, RAM
And a data storage device, wherein the data storage device is selected from the group consisting of a manufacturer / product database, a consumer database, a professional database, a participating professional database, a health insurance company or system database, and combinations thereof. Device or server system including one or more databases. Preferably, said device or server system data storage device is capable of completing transactions i-vi,
Includes product database, consumer database, professional database, participating professional database, health insurance company or system database respectively. Most preferably, said device or server system data storage further comprises one or more of a session database, a transaction database, a CDPI process reference database, and combinations thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As described below, the general availability of personal computers and the Internet, and the advent of the present invention, enable and facilitate high impact consumer-directed transactions of the type described above. A mechanism has been made available that increases the efficiency of healthcare professional education and manufacturer marketing activities.

Definitions Healthcare products are primarily prescription-based therapeutics, medical devices, and services (
For example, physical therapy, surgical placement of concern, etc.).

Consumers may be individual consumers or potential consumers of health care products and services, minors and persons responsible for the protection of legally disabled individuals, animals receiving veterinary nursing or potentially receiving animals. Means the owner.

Professionals are professionals who have prescription authority (eg, doctors,
A nursing practitioner, physician assistant, dentist, and veterinarian) or professional (e.g., nurse, therapist, pharmacist, and spinal acupuncture therapist) who has an impact on product selection and prescription.

A health care system refers to a management or business unit within a vast network of managed care and reimbursement systems, such as a health maintenance organization (HMO), a managed nursing provider, a health insurance program, a pharmacy care manager And any other provider or payer based program that is capable of controlling the distribution of healthcare services in any way.

Manufacturer means a manufacturer of drugs or devices or a provider of services.

Health product marketing refers to the regulated means (eg, by the FDA) of promoting, promoting, distributing, and selling drugs, devices, and services used in consumer health care.

A physician means any health care professional with prescriptive authority or influence for a health care product or service.

Government arbitrators and government administrators may use individuals (eg, Food and Drug Advertisements) that regulate or authorize (or deny) the marketing of products by manufacturers or services.
ministration) or if any product or service is a healthcare system (eg, HMO) or a federal health care system (eg, Medicare and Medicaid)
) States that must be offered or refunded (Insurance Comm
issioner) or Federal (Health and Human Services).

Purpose In the healthcare system and healthcare product market, methods of transacting various types of communication, communication, and commercial activities between various parties of these systems have been established. Accordingly, the objects of the present invention include the following.

(1) Consumers in the healthcare product market provide the manufacturer or other party with communication and information regarding the product or related information and services to alert the professionals designated by the consumer. To do so properly.

(2) Professionals in the healthcare product market who are available to provide consultation to consumers and are already ready to consult on the proper use of the identified products. It is possible to know specific information appropriately.

(3) A consumer in the healthcare product market expresses preferences for the product, aggregates the preferences of other consumers, and is informed about the results of such aggregation;
Establish communication with other interested consumers and report such results publicly and to professional health care systems and government mediators and managers to influence product considerations and decisions. enable.

(4) Enable consumers to accomplish such transactions anonymously or secretly or publicly.

(5) The manufacturer or other party may clarify product-related communications and information and services (eg, specimen delivery) to the professional by clearly identifying the professional's need or responsiveness to such communications, information and services. Allows you to command when it is urgent.

(6) The manufacturer or other party will work with their other marketing and informational activities (especially internet intermediary activities) to accomplish such a transaction while accessing a separate business institution. It allows you to achieve the benefits of outsourcing a transaction process.

(7) Allows professionals to be informed of consumer needs for consultations on particular products before the time of these consultations.

(8) Allow professionals to optimally adapt the timing of their ongoing educational activities related to the use of a particular product to the timing of consultation with consumers.

(9) The professional properly obtains information and services provided by the product manufacturer and information that cannot be provided directly to the professional by the manufacturer due to regulatory restrictions. Make it possible.

(10) Providing services of this value to consumers, professionals, manufacturers, and other parties so that the CDPI system has a solid foundation for commercial success.

In one further preferred embodiment, one is interested in the possible use of a health care product, and is a health care insurer, , Or consumers who rely on professionals, through the process of the present invention,
Or be able to influence the professional decision process. At the same time, due to the influence of interested consumers, the process of the present invention improves the marketing process of the manufacturer or the provider of such a product. At the same time, by closely tailoring the provision of product-related information and marketing services to the timing of the actual medical need for product or service considerations, the process of the present invention provides a continuous education and decision-making process for healthcare professionals. To improve. Interested consumers are informed about possible uses of the product,
To facilitate referrals to professionals who are ready to provide consultation, the process of the present invention provides for proper access of consultation for consumers, efficient learning, medical practice, and professional business, And improve efficient marketing for suppliers. Integrated with these aforementioned activities, including the preparation of information by independent authors and editorial processes, by establishing a source of product-related information that separates it from the information provided by the product manufacturer The process of the present invention forms an accessible means for consumers and professionals to properly acquire, evaluate, and act on information regarding unauthorized use of a product. By reporting to the healthcare system regarding aggregated consumer preferences and communications regarding products or services, the process of the present invention improves consumer participation and consideration of consumer preferences in the healthcare system decision process. I do.

In one preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, the interaction between the CDPI system and the consumer includes accessing the consumer's electronic network (eg, the Internet),
This is achieved by a suitable (eg, graphical) interface and a personal computer system (including software or hardware) that communicates with the CDPI system's network intervening services and information systems. The intent of the CDPI system is to allow consumers to command prescription impact transactions. Further, since the consumer and the professional and / or healthcare system that the consumer identifies may not share common access to the electronic network communication system, the process of the present invention may be implemented in an identified professional or healthcare system. Satisfy consumer-directed transactions with a variety of media appropriate to your communication skills.

(A) Allow consumers to be informed about products In one preferred embodiment, the CDPI system is typically available on a personal computer or other interactive device connected to the Internet Using web browser software to provide product-related information content that can be found by consumers. Information is derived from product manufacturers, other authoritative authors and agencies, and content formed or delegated by the CDPI system. The consumer can perform a general Internet search (using portal sites such as Netscape, Excite, or Alta Visa) using the specified keywords (product name or category, disease state, etc.), or Information by reaching the CDPI website directly in response to website marketing, or by returning to a previously visited CDPI website, or in response to another consumer or healthcare professional recommendation Find such information and the CDPI website that provides. Alternatively, the CDPI website
In response to product marketing directly to the manufacturer's consumer,
It is provided in combination with or linked from the manufacturer's product-specific website. In addition, a different computerized information network (ie, not a personal computer with the Internet and an Internet browser) can be used to achieve access to the CDPI system information source. In addition, despite their inefficiencies compared to Internet-mediated communication, voice telephony, writing / printing (e.g., mail), and other methods of storing, displaying, and communicating information to products related to products Adopted to achieve consumer access.

(B) the consumer gains access to information about the product via a particular medium (as described in (a)) and may have the product for the treatment of a disease condition or health problem With no interest in using the same or different media, inform consumers about the CDPI services available for their products. In one preferred embodiment, this is done by the same media used by consumers to find and / or receive product information immediately. For example, consumers arriving at the CDPI website or the manufacturer's product-specific website will be provided with information about the CDPI service as they browse information about the product. Or, consumers calling a free "1-800" phone number for product information will hear information about the CDPI service. It is also possible to use alternative media for product information and CDPI services provided. For example, a consumer arriving at a product-related website may then be interested in the information available and may provide the consumer's email address and postal address, and messages about the CDPI service may be sent electronically to that address. Or it may be transmitted in hard copy. Conversely, by sending mail with postcards related to magazine advertisements and giving consumers e-mail, consumers who have requested a "hard copy" of product information can use CDs in a faster, Internet-based form.
Messages about PI services may be transmitted.

(C) Enable consumers to choose to command one or more prescription impact service activities. Once informed about the availability of CDPI services, consumers can You will be offered the opportunity to direct one or more of these transactions. In one preferred embodiment, this immediately involves steps (a) and (
Performed by the same medium as used in b). For example, product related 1
Consumers receiving product and CDPI service information from one or more websites immediately use the website's interaction mechanism and the consumer's Internet access system (computer, software, Internet service connection, and browser) You may choose to use the "tell my professional" service. "Do you want your professionals to be informed about this product and about your plan to make an appointment for consultation on your use of this product?" Prompted by the website of the consumer, the consumer responded "high,"
It may also direct specific transactions between the CDPI system and the professional. Alternatively, email, postal, voice telephony, and other communication methods communicate with consumers who have indicated interest (by any medium) in CDPI services and implement consumer directives for offers, choices, and transactions Used to do.

(D) If the consumer informs the identified professional about the identified product before the consumer consultation with that professional,
The process of the present invention provides professionals with information on all possible uses of the product. However, in one preferred embodiment, the CDPI system prompts the consumer to indicate a disease or health condition that is of interest to use the trademark application, product. This allows the process of the present invention to provide more specific information to the professional, thereby reducing the time and effort required for the consultant to prepare for the consultation and reducing the information (especially hard copy, postal information). ) To increase the ability of CDPI systems and manufacturers to respond to consumer and professional needs for information, education, and marketing activities related to specific disease states and health issues. Due to such specificity, the process of the present invention (CDPI system)
It facilitates the formation of consumer interest groups associated with specific disease states and health issues, and allows better market research information to be provided to manufacturers.

(E) Enable Consumers to Provide Information to Know the Specific Information of Health Care Professionals The process of the present invention optionally involves the consumer directive “tell my professional” transaction. Including mechanism. When such a selective mechanism is selected by the consumer, the CDPI system requires the consumer to know the professional specific information. In one preferred embodiment, the consumer provides this information immediately and allows the professional to confirm the specific information (see step (f) below) or at least step (b). Use the same medium as the medium used in (1) to (d). For example, consumers may continue to use the product-related website interactively, choose to order a "tell my professional" transaction, provide disease status information, and then learn about the professional's specific information. Enter sufficient professional specific information (eg, name, city, state, street, and / or phone number). Alternatively, the consumer gives the information to know the professional's specific information verbally, by telephone or by mail.

(F) Allowing the identification of specific and address information for professionals whose specific information has been identified by the consumer. Optional step (e) is the step of consuming for a “tell my professional” transaction. When used by consumers, the CDPI system confirms that the discovery of a consumer's specific information by a consumer, in effect, identifies a single individual professional or a true group of professionals working together.
Consumers may provide insufficient specific information discovery information. For example, if a consumer discovers the identity of a consumer professional as "Dr. Smith" resident in "New York," this may not be appropriate as personally identifiable information, and may not be appropriate for transactions directed by the consumer. Not appropriate to perform. Consumers can also give information about mistakes. For example, a misspelled name, a nickname instead of a professional name, an old street or phone number, or an incorrect recall of a city address can prevent accurate identification. In one preferred embodiment, the consumer provides this information immediately and allows steps (a)-(d) or at least (b) to enable the professional to identify the specific information immediately and in real time. ~ (D
Use the same medium as used in the above). For example, the American Medical Association's database of medical and bone disease physicians is carefully maintained and updated for accuracy and is available for use in automatic or online information systems. Automated, real-time queries of that (or similarly comprehensive and accurate) database by the CDPI system controller allow the system to confirm the identified personal identification of the identified professional, or If that fails, it allows one to select from a list of professionals corresponding to database information that most closely matches the information provided by the consumer. This allows consumers to still interact in real time with the CDPI system,
It is possible to reliably find specific information of the identified professionals and obtain the address information of the professionals. In another real-time implementation of this feature, consumers
Communicate electronically or by telephone with CDPI staff personnel, who can consult electronic or printed databases and use electronic (e.g., website Ask questions by communication or by phone (e.g. via interface or email). Further, one additional embodiment of the process of the present invention is to communicate information from a consumer via any of a number of media (Internet websites, email, mail, voice messages, etc.). Use and then, at a later time, a process (automation and / or staffing) to ensure reliable and personal identification of information is performed. Such a delayed process requires re-establishment of communication with the consumer to correct ambiguous or incorrect identifying information, and if it is not possible to communicate with the consumer, As a result, the discovery of the specific information may fail, and it may become impossible to notify the consumer of the failed transaction.

(G) The consumer, with respect to the product and product use in which the consumer is interested,
When conducting the Consumer Directive "Inform My Professionals" transaction, which allows you to state the time frame you expect to consult with the identified information professional, the CDPI system will allow consumers to find out if there is a product If consumers accurately identify the time to have an appointment to consult with a professional regarding possible use, it will best satisfy the need to provide information to the professional at the appropriate time. With experience in and on a number of such transactions, the CDPI system measures the use of materials, learning efficiency, consumer satisfaction with professional preparation for consultation, effects on prescribing behavior, and more. Prior to consulting with consumers, determine the best time to communicate product information professionally. If the optimal timing for mail is known to be two weeks before the expected appointment, the system will perform mail delivery at that optimal time. In one preferred embodiment, the consumer uses the same medium to provide this information as the medium used in steps (a)-(f).

(H) Allow the consumer to review and correct the information provided by the consumer. This optional step first checks that the consumer has provided information to the CDPI system. I need. The system immediately communicates information and instructions provided by the consumer (e.g., by display via an Internet browser interface) to the consumer for review and validation prior to conducting the transaction. This allows the consumer to reconsider, correct or change any information, and give final authorization for the transaction. In embodiments of the system that do not provide real-time interaction, validation, and confirmation, this step is less feasible. For example, one embodiment of using mail for consumer requests and system responses includes unavoidable delays and possibly high rates of consumer failure to respond to confirmation mail.

(I) Providing Warning Information on the Responsibilities of Health Care Professionals to Develop Independent Professional Judgment in Approving or Prescribing Products for Diagnosis and Treatment of Disease One Optional Step As and as a regulatory consideration, the process of the present invention requires acknowledgment of the aforementioned warning information and request of the role of the healthcare provider, and approval of the terms of use of the CDPI service. When conducting Consumer Directive "Inform Professionals" or "Contact Professionals" transactions, the CDPI System avoids giving or implying any assurance regarding professional services or responses to consumer inquiries regarding products of interest. I do. That is, the CDPI system allows healthcare professionals to make independent professional judgments about a consumer's disease state or problem and about the proper use of prescription products for the treatment of consumers. However, they do their own business and professionals perform their profession independently of the CDPI system, and the CDPI system states that consumers are not liable for professional decisions, activities or omissions. Communicate clearly and clearly. Similarly, the process of the present invention informs consumers about their responsibilities for ensuring that professional training, experience, and other characteristics are appropriate to their individual interests and needs, Is
Communicate that you cannot be held liable for professional judgment, activity, or omission. These warning communications are based on the CDPI system
Ethical and statutory healthcare professionals in a professional relationship with consumers through participation or obligations with third parties such as CDPI systems, professionals, healthcare systems, or product manufacturers. Implement compliance with separation. The system shall not be subject to any damages (e.g.
It warns consumers that it will not tolerate liability for (eg, the cost of consulting with a professional) and will not tolerate liability for any damage arising from the failure of the system to perform consumer-directed transactions. Consumer acknowledgment of reading and accepting these denials as a condition of use of the CDPI system,
It is a prerequisite for conducting consumer-directed transactions. These communications protect the CDPI system from demanding responsibility for any particular outcome of the system's consumer directives in order to perform the transaction or certain outcomes of the transaction. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, these communications may involve some or all of steps (a)-(b) with the media used for and concurrently with the consumer's interactive achievement. Performed by the same medium.

(J) Enable consumers to inform identified healthcare professionals of their own specific information by name or other specific information discovery information. Consumer Directive “Inform My Professionals” When conducting a transaction, the CDPI system optionally provides consumers with more personalized services by enabling them to inform their professionals of their specific information, Provide useful information to qualified professionals.
This communication service option provides unintended recipients of information with
In protecting against disclosing certain information and disease states or health issues, and in which one consumer is responsible for or on behalf of another consumer,
Use highly efficient methods and apparatus to maintain consumer privacy and confidentiality in protecting against fraudulent communication. One approach to hiding specific information is to avoid consumers actually disclosing specific information to the CDPI system. This is accomplished by providing the consumer with a name / identifier (eg, initials and medical record number) that informs the identified professional of the consumer's specific information but does not inform others. Alternatively, the consumer can provide the actual name and some distinct identifiers (eg, medical record numbers or other information known to professional and / or security intermediaries) Thus, it is possible to reliably know the specific information of the consumer as the commander of the transaction and the creator of any related communication to the professional.
When the specific information information is transmitted to the CDPI system by the consumer and transmitted to the specialized professional by the system, in order to protect the specific information information,
Secure encrypted electronic communication (in the preferred embodiment) is used. Alternatively, secure mail or commercial mail may be used for one or both communications.

(K) Allowing consumers to form messages to be delivered to professionals who have found specific information Adapting consumer needs optimally to receiving and using product information by professionals To that end, the CDPI system selectively allows consumers to form messages that deliver product information professionally. For example, Smith hopes to tell Dr. Jones that his Parkinson's disease has been intermittently helpless and that he is interested in Dr. Jones's idea of a new anti-Parkinson's drug. The process of the present invention forms a mechanism that allows and encourages consumers to attempt to influence professional thinking about the prescription of a particular product, and to implement its effects, including message communication. Provide a coordinated mechanism for In one preferred embodiment, the consumer enters such a message into a CDPI system as a securely transmitted offered or voice email together with the consumer's specific information announcement. In addition, it is possible to use the consumer's Internet browser interface. Alternatively, the consumer can write a message that is transmitted to the CDPI by mail, or speak a message that is recorded and / or forwarded by the CDPI system. The system then communicates the message in a manner appropriate to the identified professional communication skills and preferences, such as e-mail, mail, voice mail, and the like.

(L) Information provided by the consumer to the identified professional (product, disease or health problem, consumer specific information announcement, consumer message, expected time of consumer consultation with the professional) To provide relevant information from product manufacturers and other sources as required by the consumer and deemed more appropriate by the manufacturer or other source. Satisfies the consumer directive "Inform My Professionals" requirements by communicating information to identified professionals in a manner that is appropriate. In one preferred embodiment, the communication skills, preferences, and addresses of the professionals are stored in a CDPI system database, which allows electronic communication (e.g., e.
Mail) and use mail if mail is preferred, or use mail if transmission of information and / or materials (printed or otherwise) is required. You. The first communication of the CDPI system to a particular professional may necessarily be by mail. With that communication, the CDPI system professionally queries about preferences for future communication. With the accumulation of such information, communication with an increasing number of professionals can take place according to the expressed preferences of the professionals.

The information provided to the professional identified by the consumer is product specific and relates to the disease state or health problem identified by the consumer. further,
By forming and maintaining a database record of each "tell my professional" transaction and each use of the information resource by the professional, the CDPI system provides each professional with the appropriate information for their professional use history I do. For example, a professional who has previously received consumer directive communication for a particular product or disease state will receive a subsequent consumer directive communication for the same product or disease state,
Recalling previous communications and being provided with selected updates of information, this makes the professional's work on topic review more efficient. Similarly, professionals encouraged by their communication to utilize the CDPI System's Internet website information resources will be provided with customized information in accordance with the professional use of the information resources. For example, product labeling information may be displayed with text that highlights the labeling changes made to the labeling information since the professional's previous prior review.

(M) Simultaneously with the communication of step (l), inform the professional about the availability of further information or service resources relating to the product or disease state specified in the consumer's request. Internet website (of the person, CDPI system, or other source), postal mail (following any suitable medium such as e-mail, website, reply postcard, free "1-800" number, etc.), or other medium Via, other sources of information (electronic, printed, etc.) and other sources of services (continuous education modules, meetings, manufacturer representatives, product specimens, etc.)
The information is guided. Appropriate access to such information (ie, appropriate to the manufacturer's marketing request) will provide an electronic password, print coupon, or other qualification proof for access to the information or service by the CDPI system May be restricted to qualified professionals. Professional familiarity with these sources of information, developed through dialogue with the CDPI system,
Improve the responsiveness of professionals to the system's consumer-directed transactions and increase the voluntary, uninspired use of these sources by professionals.

(N) United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which maximizes the breadth of the information, forms the information in a manner that complies with government regulations on the marketing of healthcare products, and provides the information to consumers and professionals; Government regulatory agencies for prescription products limit and regulate the information provided by manufacturers to consumers or healthcare professionals. Use of the product (without a label ring) ie
Use not authorized by the FDA is specifically regulated. To maximize information services to consumers and professionals, the CDPI system optionally maintains its editorial or physical separation from the information and services provided by product manufacturers, and thus And include information written, compiled, and presented in such a manner that such information and services are provided to consumers and healthcare professionals without violating government regulations. Coordinate the formation or editing of product-related information and services. For example, consumer directive communication to identified professionals could include regulatory marketing material provided by the product manufacturer, which would not be directly disseminated by the product manufacturer. It may also include a CDPI message that informs the professional about the availability (eg, via a website or direct mail, etc.) of other information resources containing certain information. Similarly,
Internet websites operated by the CDPI system can offer consumers information about the use of their products beyond the information that can be disseminated by product manufacturers.

(O) Enables consumers to indicate interest in receiving the name and contact information of a healthcare professional at the appropriate address, informed about a particular product and ready for consultation The consumer indicates interest in this CDPI service through the medium described in step (c).

(P) Enable consumers to indicate one or more health care professionals or disease state expertise of interest if they find an informed and ready professional In certain steps, for example, a particular product may be indicated for use in the treatment of more than one disease state, and such various disease states may require the expertise of different professional professionals. Sometimes it belongs to the field. For example, beta blockers are used by cardiologists to treat cardiovascular disease and sometimes by neurologists to treat migraine. To meet the consumer's need for appropriate referrals, the CDPI system encourages consumers to obtain information about disease states or health issues of interest to them, and any professional Inform the consumer as to whether to maintain expertise in diagnosis and treatment, usually on the issue. This prompts the consumer to select a professional professional for whom reference information is desired. The medium for communicating and displaying such information is step (d)
, (E) and other steps.

(Q) Allowing the Consumer to Indicate the Preferred Places for Consumers to Consult with Informed and Ready Professionals With the communication and display media described above, consumers can make choices. In particular, it is also possible to view information on the location of participating professionals ready to consult about the product or disease state of interest. Consumers are prompted to indicate which geographic areas are appropriate for the consumer's access to referral professionals.

(R) Preparing for disease and product related consultation creates and maintains a database of information on professionals who meet the standards established by the CDPI system. One alternative to consumer demand for referrals. A good response requires one vast database (or multiple databases) of participating professionals. Professionals can receive consumer inquiries to professionals, and thus, professionals seek to meet established criteria for participation. Such criteria may be established, for example, by the manufacturer of the product, e.g., attend a professional meeting with the manufacturer's representative, attend a professional education meeting, or May include the completion of an educational module on disease state isolation and treatment. The recruitment of professionals for participation is one feature of the CDPI system, in which case the system forms and fills its own database of participating professionals. Alternatively, the manufacturer's sales force recruits participating professionals and transfers information directly or indirectly to a database. The database is established by the CDPI system or the manufacturer, and in any case, the CDPI
The system, in one preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, implements direct electronic communication with a database to obtain the information needed to respond to consumer requests.

(S) Providing the Consumer with a List of Informed and Ready Professionals that Satisfy Consumer Descriptive Criteria In one preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, the CDPI system includes a Conduct direct electronic communication. Information about the professionals appropriate for the consumer's inquiry is then obtained during the same website interaction session, and immediately after the consumer communicates the selected information to the CDPI system, via an Internet browser and graphical display in the personal computer system. The interface is provided to the consumer. Other communication media can also be used, including non-graphical computer interfaces (eg, email or alphanumeric displays), print reports, mail, voice calls, and the like. Some such media for reporting require a delay between the consumer's request and the provision of the requested information.
If the number of participating professionals that meet the consumer's selection criteria is insufficient, a department / interim list will be provided immediately and the system will allow consumers to report later. Prompt to give address information. In such cases, CDPI
The system then recruits additional participating professionals, either directly or by the product manufacturer, as described in step (r).

(T) Inform each professional about the number of consumers given the consumer inquiry and the professional specific information notification information. This step motivates professionals to review product-related information immediately and in a timely manner, and motivates ongoing professional participation in consumer referral activities. This can be achieved by a communication medium appropriate to the professional's personal communication skills or preferences. In one preferred embodiment, this is done with an internet browser and graphical interface on a professional personal computer system.

(U) Allow consumers to know specific information of a health care system or health insurer The performance of the above transaction is based on multiple insurance companies, health insurance products, and business names of health care systems. Or, information about the field of operation, and information about the scope of activity of these businesses or the incorporation of specific products into recipes, requires that large databases be created and filled. Such databases can be provided by the CDPI system or by the manufacturer or other parties.
Sometimes formed and maintained, CDPI systems require access to such databases to respond to consumer requests for information. In one preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, the consumer and the CDPI system communicate with each other via an Internet website and a suitable interface, as described above, and the CDPI system communicates through direct and existing electronic communication. Implement access to the database. Consumers should ensure that the CDPI system provides sufficient information about the insurance system or healthcare system of interest to enable it to reliably find the identity of a single conformant in its database. Be prompted. This is similar to the process for ensuring that the specific information of the identified healthcare professional is found from its CDPI database, as described in steps (e) and (f). Depending on the level of detail required to respond to consumer inquiries, the information required will include the name of the scheme and system, geographical service area, consumer insurance group number, consumer employer, etc. May include.

(V) Access to the CDPI, which allows consumers to query for the availability of a particular product in an insurance coverage, or for a product prescription in a consumer's healthcare system, may be product specific. For consumers implemented by communication, product specificity is known to the system. In other situations (e.g., consumer access via a website with information about a large number of products), the consumer is prompted to indicate which products are of interest. Incorporation of a health or health system coverage or product into a prescription is associated with a disease state (ie, in scope for the treatment of one disease state and not in another). Some consumers are prompted to indicate which disease state or health problem is of interest. Given this information, the CD
The PI system can query consumers for a database of product coverage and prescription embedded information reports.

(W) Aggregated assertions about the preference of certain consumers for certain products by consumers, generally and in connection with the inquiring consumer's health insurer and healthcare system The database of information about health insurers and healthcare systems also includes accumulated information about consumer statements of interest in particular products. This information
When requested, it can be displayed. For example, Lady Smith may want to know how many other consumers have expressed a preference for cover of product use with the CDPI system. She may have stated how many other consumers covered by her health insurer or healthcare system have a preference for covering or prescribing the use of the product for certain disease states. I also want to know. This information, which forms the aggregated consumer opinion directive, allows Lady Smith to approach her manager of her insurance or healthcare system and consider or reconsider product coverage or inclusion. You may feel that it is possible to request

(X) Enable consumers to express their consumer preferences for health coverage and product incorporation into prescriptions, and add consumer preference statements to appropriate database categories. This selective transaction allows the consumer to command the consumer's statement of product-related preferences. Statements of preference include consumption of products, health system experience, and messages directed to other consumers, insurance companies, or health system personnel, rather than only including “voting” counts for product coverage / embedding. Includes the text of the comment of the person. For example, Jones may want to report to other consumers his experience with attempting to establish a cover for the use of products to treat cancer from. In one preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, this is accomplished by the use of Internet service indentation, a web browser, a graphical interface, and a personal computer system that communicates with the website service and information system of the CDPI system.

(Y) Allow the consumer to transmit a message to a health insurance company or healthcare system personnel, with or without personally identifiable information announcements. This transaction comprises the steps (j ) And (k),
The CDPI system allows you to dictate comments on product cover or prescription integration to alert the designated personnel of a health insurer or healthcare system. Such messages are at the consumer's discretion,
It can also be posted into the CDPI system for other consumers to see. These transactions require the consumer to be able to enter or quote the name, subject, and address of the recipient of the message, and to the designated person (such as For example, pharmaceutical company manager, CE
O, such as the chairman of the pharmaceutical company and the therapist committee) requires the formation and maintenance of a CDPI database.

(Z) The present invention allows consumers to indicate whether they want to be informed about upcoming events for a specified product and a specified health insurer or healthcare system. The process allows consumers to enter the consumer's address (email or other) into the CDPI system, and in this way, the system can later provide the required (product, professional, disease Relay messages to the consumer about the information (for status or health care system) or from other interested consumers, while maintaining the consumer's address and specific information as confidential.

(Aa) allowing consumers to transmit messages to a group of similarly interested consumers to share information and attempts to form an active interest group, eg She may wish to organize and coordinate the activities of the benefit / defense group on products or related disease states for consumers within her health care system. The CDPI system allows her to identify (eg, her interests and knowledge of the healthcare system's decision process, suggestions for action, and
The message (which describes the ongoing electronic conference or actual consumer conference) is the address of another interested consumer of Smith's Women's Healthcare, for that purpose, said other consumer. (Email, postal address, etc.) to other consumers who have given the CDPI system. CDPI systems can relay such messages while keeping the consumer's address and specific information secret.

The above-described process provides an opportunity for a manufacturer to suggest applying a CDPI system to a manufacturer's product marketing. The value of the CDPI system to manufacturers in promoting the consumer directive impact on product formulations provides a major basis for CDPI's commercial success.

Figures and Flowcharts The apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIGS. In one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a CDPI system controller 400, a consumer interface device 200 and a consumer communication support 2250 for a CDPI system, a professional interface device 300 and a professional communication support 2350 for a CDPI, an associated database (an insurance company). And Health System Database Source 2650, Professional Identity Validation Database Source 26
00, and participating professional database sources 2500), product-related consumer interest group services with access to public communication devices 275027
00 and includes a product related professional interest group service 2800 with access to the professional communication device 2850. The present invention provides consumers interested in the product with a process of consumer defense, including healthcare product consideration, selection, prescription integration, health coverage, prescription, and consumer defense to government mediators and managers. To direct CDPI system transactions to exert the effect of In one preferred electronic network (eg, Internet) embodiment, the present invention makes the provision of such services commercially feasible and practically suitable for consumer use. Network architecture

The components of one preferred embodiment of the present invention are shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the device of the present invention comprises a consumer interface device 200, a central system controller 400, and a professional interface device 3.
Including 00. These devices include the mail, public telephone network, the Internet, cellular and
Communication may also occur using one or more of a system such as a satellite data transmission link.

As shown in FIG. 2, the central system controller 400 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 405, a RAM 430, a ROM 440, a clock 445, an operating system 450,
It includes application software 455, cryptographic processor 460, communication interface 470, and data storage 420.

A standard personal computer or computer workstation with appropriate processing power and memory can also be used as the central system controller 400. In one embodiment, it operates as a web server and C
Receive and respond to a consumer request 100 for access to a DPI service. The central system controller 400 can perform database queries quickly and handle input and output needs. Sun Mi
A crosysytems 300 MHz UltraSparc II processor can be used for the CPU 405. 500 MHz Compaq Alpha 12264 or 450 MHz Intel. Inc. Pe
Similar processors, such as ntium II, can also be used.

The ciphertext processor 460 may be formed as part of the CPU 405 or may utilize a dedicated processor such as Semaphore Communications Roadrunner 284 or VLSI Technology 6868. The ciphertext processor 460 encrypts potentially sensitive data during transfer between the consumer interface device 200 and the central system controller 400 and between the professional interface device 300 and the central system controller 400. Used to transform

The operating system 450 includes a CPU 405, a data storage device 420, a RAM 430, a ROM 4
Provide application software 455 with an interface to 40, clock 445, and communication interface 470. In one embodiment, operating system 450 may be a commonly available system such as Sun Microsystems' Solaris 7. A possible alternative is MicrosoftCorporation
Includes' s Windows NT Server or Compaq's Digital UNIX.

The application software 455 comprises software necessary to perform the functions of the central controller 400. This software may include database management software such as Oracle Corporation's Oracle 8, and any custom developed applications needed to handle the consumer request 100 for access to CDPI services.

The data storage device 420 may be a hard disk magnetic storage device, a magnetic tape, or a CD-ROM.
It consists of a storage medium such as a ROM drive. Data storage device 420 comprises a database used to process transactions in the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, these databases include a manufacturer / product database 424, a session database 422, a transaction database 423, a consumer database 424,
It consists of a physician database 425, a participating physician database 425, and a health insurance company or system database 427. Software such as Oracle 8 mentioned above may be used to form and manage these databases. The data storage also includes an operating system 450 and application software 455.

The manufacturer / product database 421 contains data about products in the system whose information is made available to consumers and professionals by the CDPI system. The manufacturer / product database 421 contains a unique key, product name,
Includes multiple fields such as manufacturer, product description fields, pharmacological categories, disease status indications, marketing material text / images / layouts, authoritative monographs, etc. This information may be entered via data transfer from the manufacturer, or
Keyed in by CDPI system personnel or by another system for data entry.

The session database 422 contains information about the timing and flow of each session of the interaction (online in one preferred embodiment) between the consumer and the CDPI system controller 400. The session database 422 includes information fields such as a unique key, a consumer identification information notification number, a time, a date, a choice suggested to the consumer, and a choice made by the consumer. This allows tracking of system experiences with various consumers and analysis of patterns of session events in relation to variables in the format, sequencing and content of information and service options offered to consumers. Becomes

The transaction database 423 contains data about each interaction commanded by the consumer and processed by the CDPI system controller 400. The transaction database 423 includes fields such as a unique key, a consumer identification information announcement number, a time, a date, and a transaction type. The information in this database is primarily useful for performing consumer-directed transactions and allows for historical and privileged tracking of transactions processed by the system. This information is automatically stored by the application software 455 each time a transaction is performed.

[0097] Consumer database 424 includes data about each consumer who has used the system. The consumer database 424 contains a unique key, a "cookie" located in the consumer's computer memory by the CDPI system controller 400, and any information provided by the consumer, e.g., name, email address, phone number, street address, Includes professional and message text films. The consumer enters this information using the consumer interface device 200 so that the information is stored by the application software 455.

[0098] Professional database 425 contains data about all professionals that the CDPI system has or has been instructed to have contacts with. The professional database 425 contains unique keys, names, street numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, occupational locations, professional types, disease states or products identified by the consumer, and CDPI system controller 400 in the professional computer memory. Including fields such as "cookies" located in This information is entered by the consumer interface device 200 upon consumer contact with the CDPI system controller 400 and is obtained by querying an external database (e.g., a professional identity verification database source 2600) to provide the professional with the CDPI system controller 400. May be entered by a professional at the time of contact, entered by a keyboard by CDPI system personnel, and electronically transferred from the manufacturer's database.

The participating professional database 426 has a “report informed physician”
The transaction (FIG. 7) contains information about physician turns that have qualified for consumer referrals. Participating professional database 426 includes fields similar to professional database 425, plus films on professional qualifications for referrals and professional history on consumer referral transactions. This information may be entered by CDPI personnel, by a physician in the course of completing a qualification activity, such as an online product related continuing education module, or by electronic transfer from the manufacturer data system.

The health insurance company or health system database 425 includes data regarding which insurance companies cover which products (provide refunds or payments). The health insurance company or health system database 425 contains unique keys, insurer names, geographic areas, schemes and policy types, products covered, disease states indicating covered use, professionals participating in the scheme, etc. Field. Similar information fields are written and maintained in connection with the health care system, including prescription inclusion / exclusion information, criteria, and provision of available policies / procedures. This information may be entered by electronic transmission from CDPI personnel, manufacturer personnel, or external data sources. This information may include reports entered by consumers regarding their experience with insurers or healthcare systems.

Communication interface 470 is a connection used by central controller 400 to communicate with consumer interface device 200 and professional interface device 300. In one preferred embodiment, the communication interface 470 is connected using a high-speed data line, such as a T1 or T3 line to the Internet. In this preferred embodiment, communications are handled by commercial web server hardware and software, with the assistance of custom software. The communication interface 470 can be formed in other ways, such as an interactive telephone answering system or an email automated message communication system.

Although the above embodiments describe a single computer, the central system controller 400 functions can also be distributed across two or more computer systems. In another embodiment, the central controller consists of separate systems, each system handling a specific task, such as a database system and a web server system. Multiple systems may be used for each role to provide redundancy in case of connectivity or hardware failure.

The consumer interface device 200 allows the consumer to
A system used to interact with In one ideal embodiment, the device includes an input device 280, such as a keyboard and mouse, generated speech input, a biometric or speech recognizer that performs personal identification, and a CPU 205, RAM 230, RO
M240, operating system 250, video monitor 295, data storage 220
, And a communication interface 270. Consumer interface device 200 may be a telephone, fax machine, or other communication device.

In the aforementioned consumer interface device 200 shown in FIG. 2, the central processing unit 205, the RAM 230, the ROM 240, the video driver 290, and the video monitor 295
It must be any combination sufficient to run operating system 250 and application software 255. Communication interface 270 may be a conventional modem connected to the Internet via a standard telephone, or other communication means such as an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADS).
L) or Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN).

In one preferred embodiment, the consumer's personal computer has application software 255, such as Netscape Communications Corporation's Communi.
cator web browser, Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer web browser,
Or run another Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) compatible web browser. In another embodiment, the device is an email package such as Microsoft
Corporation's Outlook or International Business Machine's Lotus Notes
For example, it may be a similarly formed computer system that interacts. Professional interface device 300 is essentially similar to consumer interface device 200 described above.

Online Embodiment In one embodiment of the present invention, communication between the consumer and the CDPI service system occurs over an electronic network, where the CDPI system controller 400 operates as a network server. In FIG. 1, the consumer interface device 200 most frequently communicates by modem over a dial-up or other electronic link to the Internet, thereby communicating to consumer communication support 2250, shown in FIG. 2. Internet connected personal computer. In this case, the Internet web server is controlled by the CDPI system controller 400 via its communication interface 470. Alternatively, consumer interface device 200 may be a “smart” or “dumb” (non-programmed) computer workstation on a non-Internet network (eg, a company intranet or a wide area network of a pharmaceutical company chain), Communicate with the server, the network server can communicate with non-internet or internet channels, consumer communication support 2250 and
Communicate with the CDPI system controller 400. In any case, "online" means that the consumer has a real-time interactive connection to the CDPI system controller 400, which allows the consumer to obtain information about the CDPI service and
Including first and subsequent instructions to provide access to CDPI services,
Various instructions and information 100 can be transmitted to the CDPI system controller 400, allowing consumers to receive information from the CDPI system controller 400. The same consumer interface device 200 allows for online communication with a product-related consumer benefit group service 2700, which may be operated in cooperation with the CDPI service, but is not necessarily under the CDPI system controller 400.

[0107] The consumer initiates contact with the CDPI service controller 400 by any of several online strategies. Consumers may use Internet search engine services (eg, Yahoo! or Alta Vista) to find specific health care products by name, and then visit specific websites. Consumers may also visit websites, such as websites controlled by the CDPI service controller 400, which are known for comprehensively offering information and services related to healthcare products. Or, the consumer searches for information about a particular health or disease state,
They may find that the product is indicated for treatment and be linked to product-specific information. Alternatively, the consumer knows the Internet URL of the product-specific website as a result of the manufacturer's product marketing directly to the consumer,
Sometimes they visit the website. In any of these contexts, the consumer is provided with information and solicitation for using the CDPI service. With the consumer's acknowledgment of the invitation, the consumer interface device 200 can be linked directly to the CDPI service website or without technically "leaving" from an internet browser connection with the parent website. ,
Simply reach the CDPI service function "through the window". For example, a manufacturer's product-specific website offers CDPI services to visiting consumers, and then, through a "window" within the product-specific website, the consumer communication support 2250 and the consumer with the CDPI service controller 400 And then close the “window” after completing the interaction with the CDPI service controller 400 to maintain a connection with the consumer.

Continuing the description of the online embodiment of the CDPI system shown in FIG. 1, that is, the CDPI controller 400 is in electronic communication with the source of information necessary to complete the consumer-directed transaction. I understand. Communication links may be local or remote, networked, internet mediated, or otherwise. Information sources include the following:

[0109] The professional ID verification database source 2600 is an information source relating to a professional's name, educational background, license, specialty, street address, telephone number, and the like. For example, the AMA maintains and frequently updates such databases for all MDs and DOs in the United States. AMA is made available on a subscription basis online or on CD by several distributors. Similar databases are available for different categories of healthcare professionals. The professional database 425 (Figure 4) was derived from a query of the professional identity verification database source 2600 and from the interaction of the CDPI system controller 400 with consumers and professionals via the consumer and professional interface devices 200 and 300. Written with information.

The participating professional database source 200 provides information about which physicians are participating in the product-related consumer referral program (ie, new consumers who are informed and have experience with using the product). Source of information about whether you meet CD system standards, such as wanting to receive an inquiry. The source of such information is typically the product manufacturer. For example, a manufacturer's sales staff may report participating physician information to participating professional database sources 2500 via an interface that includes an Internet-connected computer, a telephone message system, and the like. Alternatively, a physician may be invited to qualify as a participating professional by completing a continuing education program (online or otherwise) that includes information about the indicated product and disease state. The manufacturer independently maintains a database of participating professionals and, if necessary, makes use of it on a network or secure Internet server acting as a participating professional database source 2500 for the CDPI system controller 400 for queries enable. Alternatively, server 2500
May be part of the CDPI System Information System. In any case, the participant physician database 426 (FIG. 4) inherent in the CDPI system controller 400 is written with information obtained by querying the participating professional database source 2500.

The insurance company and health system information database source 2650 is a source of information about health insurance companies and health care system covers and prescription-incorporated insurance policies for specific products. Typically, this information is provided by the manufacturer as a result of information gathering activities of the manufacturer's sales personnel. Alternatively, this information may be provided by reporting the consumer's experience with the consumer's insurer and healthcare system, or the information may be provided by the insurer and healthcare system It is legally ordered to make it public. The server 2650 may be controlled by or independently maintained by the CDPI system controller 400, and in one preferred embodiment, the network of the CDPI system controller 400 to obtain the information needed by the query. And other automation connections available. CDPI
The health insurance company or system database 427 (FIG. 4) inherent in the system controller 400 is populated with information obtained by such a query.

The CDPI system controller 400 communicates with the product related consumer interest group service 2700 to facilitate consumer access to product related information and CDPI system services. For example, a consumer interacting with the interest group website 2700 may be informed about, linked to, or "windowed" with the CDPI system service. Consumers using the CDPI service, upon request,
It may be informed and linked to interest groups (eg, disease states, health system defense, or product purchaser clubs). In one preferred embodiment,
Product-related consumer interest group 2700 is accessible to consumers through Internet-ready personal computers, network workstations, automated or public communication devices 2750 including voice telephones, direct mail, etc. And satisfy the needs of the situation.

Similarly, the CDPI system controller 400 communicates with a product-related professional interest group service 2800 to facilitate the achievement and efficiency of consumer-directed transactions with the CDPI system controller 400. For example, with a consumer's "professional" transaction, the CDPI system controller 400 communicates with the consumer-specified professional. This communication includes information about products of interest to the consumer and guides professionals to the information and service sources available through the product-related professional interest group service 2800. In one preferred embodiment, the professional then connects to the service 2800 via an online connection (professional communication device 2850) to obtain such additional product related information and services. Alternative embodiments enable achievement of such transactions and profit group communication by telephone, fax, mail, etc., as needed. Consumer Directive Prescription Impact Process

One preferred embodiment of the CDPI process, including both essential and optional steps, is shown in FIGS. FIG. 5 illustrates the overall process for a transaction initiated by a consumer or via an Internet means of communicating with a CDPI website. In FIG. 5, the consumer begins to collect information about a product or a particular disease state from any number of means 500, such as a product website, broadcast advertising, print advertising and referrals. Product information sources provide a means to influence a consumer's professional or healthcare system to enable consumers to acquire a particular product or service of interest. Such a means allows the consumer to obtain a particular product or service of interest. Such means may be provided by the referral web address or by a direct link to the CDPI website server.
Inquired or linked to CDPI website 510.

The consumer then chooses to start the transaction, or
Simply, the various professionals that are linked to the CDPI website process and offered by such sites choose to be informed about the transaction notification service or the healthcare system transaction notification service. The consumer chooses to start a transaction session 520, and a session record is started in session database 422. The consumer selects various available options described herein,
Proceed with transaction 530. Such a transaction may be as simple as informing a professional (the attending physician within the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)) of incoming visits and the desire to consult about possible uses of new drugs, such as Viagra®. . The CDPI process “informs” selected professionals about incoming visits and, if required,
Maintain consumer confidentiality and provide professionals with product information if they so desire. Alternatively, or in addition, the CDPI process can initiate and complete a transaction that queries consumers for professionals in the consumer's selected geographic area, informed about the particular product of interest. Yes, it is possible for consumers to rate professionals for prescriptions. Once a transaction is completed, the CDPI process asks the consumer if another transaction will take place. If another transaction exists, the CDPI process resets the transaction sequence 540, displays the next selected transaction, and starts additional transaction recording in the transaction database 423. Alternatively, the session
Completed 570, in which case the session is recorded 580, and the consumer is optionally returned to the Internet product information source 590.

FIG. 6 illustrates that when a consumer knows a product or service and plans to discuss it with the professional in an incoming appointment, the consumer will be The process for notifying is explained. Consumers are, first of all, interested
Confirm 610, transaction instruction appears 620. Consumers give 630 information that they know about a particular professional (physician). The professional database 425 is queried 631 to provide professionals that match the information provided by the consumer. Professional information, if necessary
Corrected and professional information confirmed 632. The consumer then provides information about the disease state of interest associated with the product and provides information about the expected time frame of the appointment with the professional 650. The consumer then has a choice 660 of whether or not to announce the consumer himself, and if the consumer decides to announce himself, a message block to the professional is provided 665. Consumers can also transmit messages 670, 675 to the professional regarding the consumer's specific information without announcing the specific information. The consumer is provided with a transaction service condition 680 and the consumer is given a final opportunity to review the transaction before the transaction is completed.

In FIG. 7, the consumer knows and can consult a product or service that can be prescribed only by a professional and prescribes the product or service for the consumer. I would like to visit a local professional who was informed. The consumer obtains 710 information about the product or service of interest, as well as provides 720 the specific information of the professionals who knew the product or service of interest. Consumers are subject to the criteria 730 selected by the consumer.
Based on the query, the participating professional database 426 is queried 730, the appropriate database 426 is queried 740, and if a match exists, the match is displayed 750. If the match is insufficient, selection limits are displayed 752, and an opportunity to change the selection criteria is provided 752, or an opportunity for later reporting is provided 754. Consumers,
When modifying criteria, such as geographic area coverage 756, the revised criteria are maintained 730, the participating professional database 426 is queried again, and the results are
740 displayed. Consumers are informed of the transaction service terms for the informed professional report for a particular product or service.
, The report, in the printable form, for the consumer 770, if the consumer so chooses,
Is displayed.

FIG. 8 shows a consumer command “express preference” transaction. This type of transaction involves the consumer's preference for a particular product or service that can be covered or incorporated into the prescription, changing the healthcare system (HMO, healthcare provider) Etc.).
This transaction also provides information to consumers as to whether a particular product is currently covered by a particular healthcare system program, if such information is available. This transaction process allows a consumer to express interest in a particular product or service, allowing the 810 product-specific website to launch, providing a link to the CDPI website, The option to communicate with the healthcare system or to communicate about the consumer's healthcare system,
Optional for consumer transactions. If notifying the consumer's healthcare system is selected as a transaction after information about it is displayed, the consumer provides 830 information about the health insurance company or healthcare system. Once such information has been entered, the health insurance company or system database 427 is queried 840 to match the information provided by the consumer. Information is displayed 845 for customer validation if a match is present in database 427. The consumer can then express their preferences 850 (and optionally enter them 855), announce themselves specific information 860 (and optionally announce themselves specific IDs 865), the message 870 (and 875 entering a message in the health system),
You are then prompted to provide 880 (and optionally provide 885) such as consumer address and contact information. The consumer is then provided 890 with the transaction terms, and if accepted, the stated preference result is provided 895 to the consumer.

[0119] The process of the present invention also provides a means for obtaining reliable, specific information discovery of the consumer, for validation purposes, while still being a professional, product or service manufacturer or provider, and health system. Provide a means to maintain consumer confidentiality, if desired by the consumer. In FIG. 9, the consumer selects his or her ID
10, then the consumer optionally chooses to display information about the consumer ID function 920, accepts the conditions of the consumer ID function 930, and provides the consumer specific information notification information
940, such specific information notification information is displayed, and the consumer can confirm 945 such information. Similarly, as further shown in the flow chart on the right side of FIG. 9, the consumer optionally selects 950 a message, and then optionally selects 960 to receive information about the message function, Accept or reject the conditions of the message function 970, select the address to transmit the message 980
(Eg, a health insurer, HMO, professional, or even product manufacturer), provide the message 990, and then review and confirm both the address and text of the message to be transmitted 995.

[0120] Similarly, the consumer can select whether the consumer wishes to receive a message in response to the message transmitted in the optional process of FIG. Again, such messages can be transmitted with or without consumer specific information announcement features, at the consumer's option. If the consumer chooses to receive the message 1010, information about the message receiving function is displayed 1020, and the consumer then accepts the terms of the receiving function, and if so, the consumer Prompt to receive the message category, 1040, the consumer provides the address (or a command to form the address) 10
50. The consumer confirms the sender's command and address of the message to be received. In each of the foregoing transactions shown in FIGS. 5-9, a database is selected and queried from the group of databases 421-428 shown in FIG. The process for reference database checking is shown in FIG. 11, depending on the particular transaction selected. In particular, the reference database query request message 1110 is automatically linked to the central server 1120 and then diverted to the automated reference database 1130 and the appropriate specific database of the selected transaction, or directly to that database 1140. CDPI to query
Transmitted to personnel in the system. The response is provided 1150 and returns to the appropriate consumer interface, for example, via an internet website or even a telephone connection.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a hardware configuration for a consumer directive prescription impact service and information system (CDPI system).

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a consumer interface device.

FIG. 3 shows a professional interface device in a block diagram.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a CDPI system controller, illustrating one embodiment of a computer controller for a consumer directed prescription impact service and information system.

FIG. 5 shows a CDPI Internet interface flow chart illustrating one embodiment having the logic and sequence of events of an interactive session between a consumer and a CDPI system.

FIG. 6: Consumer Directive “Dear Doctor,” indicating how consumers interact with the CDPI system to direct the provision of product information and consumer-specific information to designated professionals (ie, doctors). Indicates a "notify" transaction.

FIG. 7: Consumer Directive “How to Consumer Interacts with CDPI System to Direct Physician's Report Informed about Product That Satisfies Consumer Selection Criteria”
Show the "Doctor Informed About Report" transaction.

FIG. 8: How consumers interact with the CDPI system to direct product and disease state-related consumer preference statements, and how consumers direct these preference communications FIG. 5 illustrates a consumer-directed "express preference" transaction, which shows how and how the consumer directs subsequent routing of the relevant message to the professional or healthcare system through the CDPI system.

FIG. 9 illustrates consumption, which illustrates how a consumer interacts with a CDPI system to direct consumer-specific information and / or messages to a designated recipient. 3 shows a CDPI system process flowchart having a user ID and a message function.

FIG. 10 illustrates a CDPI system in which a consumer chooses to receive a subsequent topical message by the CDPI system, where the consumer delivers a message to the consumer at an address specified by the consumer. Indicates whether to interact with the CDPI system to command

FIG. 11 illustrates a reference database query process, where the CDPI central controller queries an external reference database system with or without human-to-computer interface participation.

Claims (15)

[Claims] Claims 1. (1) Consumer-professional dialogue and communication regarding products or services that require a professional decision before the consumer purchases or prescribes a particular product or service. Promote, or (2) promote the manufacturer's marketing of regulated products to professional, consumer and healthcare systems, or (3) provide products or services and A method for providing consumers with a means to influence professional and healthcare system decisions with respect to obtaining products or services available for purchase in a healthcare system program, comprising: (a) transaction-based consumption; Person, professional Providing a source of healthcare products or services for consumer direct sales and professionals with a connection or link to the communication services of the manufacturer's products or services; and (b) (i) specific products and services Or with regard to the consumer's interest in the disease state,
Inform the professional; (ii) provide the professional with information about said particular product or service; and (iii) provide the consumer with the professional's specific information that was informed about one particular product or service. And (iv) provide healthcare systems and professionals with the means or authority to prescribe, identify, authorize, cover or cost, restrict, prohibit or exclude products for use by consumers, Providing consumers with a means to communicate their preferences or desires to cover covering the costs of such healthcare products and services; and (v) Health, with regard to the availability of products and services to consumers. Providing the means to form interest groups that affect ASYS and professionals, and (vi) providing the means to communicate with the appropriate government officials or officials of such products or services. Providing a transaction-based consumer and communication service for a manufacturer's product or service, having a consumer transaction menu listing potential transactions selected from the group consisting of these combinations; A) allowing the consumer to complete one or more transactions. 2. To promote dialogue and communication between the consumer and the professional with respect to products and services that require a professional decision before the consumer purchases or is prescribed by the professional. The transaction-based communication service between the consumer and the manufacturer about the product or service, further providing the consumer with specific information to the manufacturer, professional and health care systems, or The method of claim 1, wherein the method provides the consumer with a means for not providing specific information to any or all of the selected manufacturer and professional and healthcare systems. 3. To promote dialogue and communication between the consumer and the professional with respect to products and services that require a professional decision before the consumer purchases or is prescribed by the professional. The transaction of (ii) for a particular product, service or disease state,
Claiming that informing a healthcare professional of consumer preferences provides information from the manufacturer about the product or service to the professional, and such information from the manufacturer has been approved by appropriate administrative authorities. 2. The method according to 1. 4. To promote dialogue and communication between the consumer and the professional regarding products and services that require a professional decision before the consumer purchases or is prescribed by the professional. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information provided to the professional is supplemented by independent research (from the manufacturer) on products, services or disease states from the published medical literature. 5. To promote consumer-professional dialogue and communication with consumers about products and services that require a professional decision before purchasing or prescribing a particular product or service by a professional. In such a manner, such information may be supplemented by a coupon or voucher for consumer use, and providing such material may be identified by email or by the manufacturer's sales representative. 4. The method of claim 3, coordinated with providing a sample of the product to a health care professional. 6. To facilitate dialogue and communication between the consumer and the professional regarding products and services that require a professional decision before the consumer purchases or is prescribed by the professional. Wherein the transaction comprises: (ii) providing information about a consumer's interest in a particular product, service or disease state, further comprising: determining whether a participating manufacturer has subscribed to a transaction service. 2. The method of claim 1, comprising querying a manufacturer and product database to determine a. 7. To promote consumer-professional dialogue and communication with consumers about products and services that require a professional decision before purchasing or prescribing a particular product or service by a professional. (Ii) a transaction that provides information about the consumer's interest in a particular product, service or disease state, and further comprises a professional selected by the consumer authorizing or selecting the selected service. The method of claim 1, comprising querying a database of professionals to determine if they are known in the database as a licensed professional capable of prescribing a given product. 8. To promote dialogue and communication between the consumer and the professional with respect to products and services that require a professional decision before the consumer purchases or is prescribed by the professional. (Iii) providing the consumer with a list of professionals informed about the selected product or service, wherein the transaction finds a list of professionals that meet the criteria for inclusion in one referral system. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying a participating professional database. 9. To promote dialogue and communication between the consumer and the professional regarding the products and services that require a professional decision before the consumer purchases or is prescribed by the professional. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the list of professionals provided to the consumer is further selected based on the enumerated geographic area obtained from addresses or other content of data fields in the professional database. The described method. 10. To promote dialogue and communication between the consumer and the professional regarding products and services that require a professional decision before the consumer purchases or is prescribed by the professional. A particular product or service available to the consumer under the consumer's healthcare system, informing the consumer's desired healthcare professional and / or healthcare system Said transaction requiring having a further step of interrogating a health insurance company or system to ensure that consumer preferences or messages have been correctly communicated to the identified recipient. Claim 1
The method described in. 11. To promote dialogue and communication between the consumer and the professional with respect to products and services that require a professional decision before the consumer purchases or is prescribed by the professional. In order to bring such consumers into one interest group, said transaction of informing the product or service to other consumers in the appropriate interest group enables communication between consumers The method of claim 1, comprising the step of communicating or informing consumers of specific information, but not necessarily communicating or informing health care systems or professionals of specific information. 12. An apparatus or server system for performing transaction-based consumer and manufacturer product or service communication over a wide area network, the Internet, or via telephone and mail means of communication, said server. System is central processing unit, ROM, RAM
, And a data storage device, wherein the data storage device is a manufacturer or product database, a consumer database, a professional database, a participating professional database, a health insurance company or system database,
An apparatus or server system including one or more databases selected from the group consisting of these combinations. 13. An apparatus or server system for performing transaction-based consumer and manufacturer product or service communication over a wide area network or the Internet or via telephone and mail means of communication. Or the server system data storage further comprises one or more of a session database, a transaction database, a CDPI method reference database, and combinations thereof.
An apparatus or a server system according to item 1. 14. An apparatus or server system for performing transaction-based consumer and manufacturer product or service communication over a wide area network or via telephone and mail means of communication, said apparatus or server system. A system data store capable of completing transactions i-vi, including each of a manufacturer or product database, a consumer database, a professional database, a participating professional database, a health insurance company or system database; The transaction may include (i) informing a professional about a consumer's interest in a particular product, service or disease state, and (ii) providing information about the particular product or service to a professional. Providing to consumers in a fashionable manner; (iii) providing the consumer with professional specific information informed about one particular product or service; and (iv) prescribing, identifying,
Providing consumers with a means to communicate their preferences or desires for healthcare products or services to healthcare systems and professionals that have the means or authority to authorize, cover or cost, limit, prohibit or exclude, And (v) allow consumers to aggregate and express consumer preferences and provide healthcare systems and professionals with regard to consumer availability of products and services. Providing the means to form an influential interest group; and (vi
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the details are selected from the group consisting of providing a means for communicating with appropriate government mediators or managers of such products or services, and combinations thereof. Or server system. 15. An apparatus or server system for conducting transaction-based consumer and manufacturer product or service communication over a wide area network or via telephone and mail means of communication, said apparatus or server system. The apparatus or server system of claim 14, wherein the system data storage further comprises one or more of a session database, a transaction database, a CDPI method reference database, and combinations thereof.