JP2002117152A - Remote medical network system, remote medical service providing method and recording medium stored with program for performing the same method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network system and a providing method for remote medical treatment for efficiently providing a service, while is close to a medical service in Japan, mainly to a traveler under overseas travel. SOLUTION: A traveler to overseas countries makes a remote medical service contract with a service providing company or the like before travel and is given an authentication card. When this traveler is suddenly taken ill or the like in the destination of travel, the medical examination by interview of a doctor in his/her country can be utilized by an inquiry through electronic mail or the like to a call center and the medical service and be utilized while receiving an interpretation service in a hospital or the like linked with the doctor in his/her country as needed. The examination receiving record of the traveler is unitarily managed on the database of the call center by the authentication card. The medical costs of the medical service to the traveler are paid to a medical service provider by the service providing company on the basis of unitarily managed medical information. Thus, the medical service can be provided without limiting a place. Further, the medical examination linked between doctors in remote rural areas is facilitated by unitarily managing the medical information on the database.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system and a method for providing medical services to overseas travelers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, computerization of medical information has been advanced. The usefulness of digitizing medical images such as radiation images and digitizing medical records (electronic medical records) has been discussed in various fields, and some of them have already been adopted in medical practice. The digitization of medical information has the advantages of storing and managing medical information in a database, thereby improving the reliability of information storage, making it easier to search and retrieve information, and is expected to greatly improve the efficiency of medical services. ing.

[0003] On the other hand, the distribution of various types of electronic information represented by the Internet via communication networks is accelerating. Recently, it has become possible to obtain all kinds of information via the Internet while staying at home.
Also, in addition to the text-based information up to now, audio and moving images can be obtained relatively inexpensively and easily.

[0004] As described above, with the progress of computerization of medical information and the acceleration of distribution of electronic information via communication networks,
2. Description of the Related Art Telemedicine, in which patients, doctors, and the like exchange medical information and provide medical services while staying in remote locations, has attracted attention. To date, telemedicine services using videophones for remote areas and elderly caregivers have been conducted experimentally.

[0005] With the development of transportation and the improvement of Japan's economic power, the number of travelers traveling abroad is increasing.
The annual number of overseas departures reaches about 16 million. There has been little medical service for such overseas departures. It is expected that the provision of medical services to overseas departures will be possible in the near future by digitizing medical information and accelerating information distribution through communication networks.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a conventional service provision for overseas travelers. This conventional example is an example of service provision by travel insurance. Travelers traveling abroad pay the contract fee in advance and enroll in overseas travel insurance. If you become ill or injured while traveling abroad, contact the medical institution directly through the contact information obtained at the time of the insurance contract, a local tourist information center, a hotel, etc., and receive medical treatment by a local doctor. Medical costs will be paid at a later date by the insurance company. Some insurance companies offer hospital referrals and interpreting services for consultations. Such conventional medical services for travel abroad are mainly services for paying medical expenses by insurance money, and at present, hospital referrals and interpreting services are additionally provided.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the problem is that the patient must access a medical institution and receive medical treatment in a foreign country where the native language, culture, and medical system are different. was there. In the case of foreign doctors who provide medical treatment, there is a problem for both doctors and patients that accurate communication cannot be carried out due to differences in language and cultural background, preventing sufficient communication. Although there are Japanese doctors who are operating abroad, the absolute number is small and they are unevenly distributed in large overseas cities, so there was a problem that the cases where Japanese doctors could be consulted were limited.

[0008] The present invention provides a remote medical network for providing medical services close to medical services received in Japan mainly to travelers traveling abroad using electronic medical information and a communication network. It is an object to realize a system and a method of providing telemedicine service.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means.

[0010] One means is a database server for storing and managing customer medical information, a plurality of information terminals for accessing the database server, and a communication network connecting the plurality of information terminals and the database server. A telemedicine network system comprising: a high-security network, such as a dedicated line or a virtual private network or a network provided with a means for encrypting information flowing through the network. Means for authenticating that the database server accesses the database server from the information terminal and that the customer is registered in advance, and that the medical information stored and managed only when the authentication is performed is disclosed. Save and manage Means for permitting registration of medical information, and when the information terminal belongs to a telemedicine service provider or a call center, the database is based on communication with a customer who wants to receive telemedicine service. An access means for requesting disclosure of the medical information of the customer stored and managed by the server; and communicating with the customer who is to receive the remote medical service, and providing the customer with a medical-related information based on the disclosed medical information of the customer. Communication means for mediating persons or medical institutions, and when the information terminal belongs to a medical person or medical institutions, communication means for providing medical services to the customer; Access means for requesting additional registration of medical information stored and managed by the database server in order to record medical services provided to the customer; Customers who intends to receive screws is a telemedicine network system characterized by having a communication means for communicating with the information terminal.

[0011] Alternatively, in the above-mentioned telemedicine network system, the database server calculates a medical fee based on medical information in which a medical service consultation of the customer is recorded, and stores and manages the calculated medical fee. And a telemedicine network system.

Alternatively, in the above telemedicine network system, when the information terminal belongs to a telemedicine service provider or a call center, a request for disclosure of the customer's medical information in the access means, A telemedicine network for automatically connecting the communication means of the customer to the communication means of an information terminal of a medical person or a medical institution that mediates to the customer based on the disclosure of the medical information. System.

Alternatively, in the above telemedicine network system, if the signal transmitted to the communication network is medical information, the remote medical network system has identification means for indicating that the signal is medical information. The connection means includes means for identifying that the signal input to the router or the connection means by the identification means is medical information, and means for preferentially transferring the signal identified as the medical information. A telemedicine network system comprising:

Alternatively, in the above telemedicine network system, the communication network has an advertisement database for storing and storing the advertisement content, and the advertisement database stores the advertisement content to be stored and stored in the information connected to the communication network. Control means for distributing to the terminal and / or one of the communication means of the customer, wherein one or both of the information terminal and the communication means of the customer display the delivered advertisement content when in a standby state And a remote medical service providing system.

Alternatively, in the above telemedicine network system, the database server has a dictionary in a plurality of languages, and has means for converting medical information input using the dictionary in a plurality of languages into a plurality of languages. A telemedicine network system characterized in that:

Alternatively, in the above telemedicine network system, the database server has information on doctors for each area and for each medical service providing time, and provides a medical service according to the medical service providing time based on the information. A remote medical service provider or an information terminal of a call center accesses the database server when mediating a medical person or a medical institution to a customer by communication means, and accesses the database server to select the doctor. Is a telemedicine network system characterized by mediating.

Alternatively, there is provided a method for providing telemedicine service in the telemedicine network system described above, wherein the payment information contracted with a travel related company and the medical information on a customer who has made an insurance contract before travel with respect to telemedicine are transferred to the telemedicine service It is stored and managed in a network system provided by a communication network operator contracted with the provider, and when the customer is suddenly ill at a travel destination, the network system is accessed by communication means to obtain information on medical personnel or medical institutions. The customer receives the provision of medical services from a medical person or medical institution mediated by the network system, and records the record of the provision of the medical services to the customer to the communication network system. Registered and stored as a medical service to the stored and managed customers. A telemedicine service providing method characterized in that pay medical expenses the customer from the payment agent to the medical service providers based on the medical information recorded to provide service.

Alternatively, a database server for storing and managing the medical information of customers, a plurality of information terminals for accessing the database server, and a highly secure communication network for connecting the plurality of information terminals and the database server. A method for providing medical services in a telemedicine network system configured by:
A communication process in which a customer who wants to receive the telemedicine service communicates with an information terminal of a call center by communication means to request information mediated by a medical person or a medical institution; An access process of accessing the database server in response to a request from a customer who is to receive service and seeking medical information of the customer, and that the database server is registered in advance with the accessed call center and the customer. Authenticate
A step of disclosing the medical information of the customer stored and managed on the information terminal of the call center when the authentication is performed, and a step of disclosing the medical information of the customer from the database server when the information terminal of the call center is disclosed. A communication process for mediating a medical person or medical institution to the customer by a communication means, and a communication in which the customer communicates with an information terminal of the medical person or the medical institution mediated from the call center by a communication means. The database server for recording a medical service consultation received by the customer based on the communication between the customer and the medical personnel or medical institution, Accessing the medical information of the customer stored and managed by the database server; Certifying that the customer is registered in advance, and permitting the information terminal of the certified medical person or medical organization to additionally register the medical information stored and managed. This is a method for providing a remote medical service.

Alternatively, in addition to the above-described remote medical service providing method, the database server may calculate a medical fee based on medical information that records the medical service consultation of the customer, and may calculate the calculated medical fee. Storing and managing the remote medical service.

Alternatively, in the above remote medical service providing method, in the access step in which the information terminal of the call center accesses the database server and requests disclosure of the medical information of the customer, the customer who wants to receive the remote medical service is provided. Automatically responding to and accepting the request from the customer, automatically accessing the database server and requesting disclosure of the medical information of the customer, and the information terminal of the call center communicating the medical person or medical institution to the customer by the communication means. In the communication process of intermediation, when the medical information of the customer is disclosed from the database server, the communication means of the customer is automatically connected to the information terminal of the medical staff or medical institution to be mediated. This is a remote medical service providing method.

Alternatively, in the above remote medical service providing method, the signal transmitted to the communication network is:
In the case of medical information, it has an identification means for indicating that it is medical information, and a router or connection means in the communication network is a medical information in which a signal input to the router or connection means by the identification means is medical information. The process of identifying
Transferring the signal identified as the medical information preferentially.

Alternatively, in addition to the above-described telemedicine service providing method, an advertisement database for storing and storing advertising content provided in the communication network may further include an information terminal connected to the communication network and the information terminal connected to the communication network. A step of distributing to one or both of the customer's communication means, and a step of displaying the distributed advertisement content when one or both of the information terminal and the customer's communication step are in a standby state. Is a remote medical service providing system.

Alternatively, in the above remote medical service providing method, in the communication process in which the information terminal of the call center mediates a medical person or a medical institution to a customer by a communication means, the information terminal accesses the database server and A remote medical service providing method, wherein a server mediates a doctor providing a medical service selected according to a medical service providing time based on information on a doctor for each area and each medical service providing time.

Alternatively, a program for causing a computer to execute the steps in the above-described method for providing a remote medical service is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the method for providing a remote medical service is performed. This is a recording medium on which a program is recorded.

According to the present invention, a medical service can be provided without being restricted by a place by realizing a means for providing a medical service mainly to an overseas traveler using a communication network. In addition, since the database has a system for centrally managing records of medical service provision, it is easy for doctors at remote locations to cooperate in medical treatment. In addition, by using advertising means to return to network usage fees and the like, expensive network usage fees can be used at low cost.

[0026]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows a workflow according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
Shows a configuration diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention.

First, the flow of medical service providers such as travelers, medical information, and doctors will be described with reference to FIG.

In the description of the present embodiment, it is assumed that a telemedicine service provider provides medical services. Travelers subscribe to telemedicine services in the same way as insurance. At the time of the subscription, information on one's health at the time of the subscription (health information) is provided. This includes information needed to receive medical services, such as current physical condition, past medical conditions, allergies, medical history, lifestyle, native language, nationality, health insurance you have, and the name of your health care provider.

The call center associated with the service provider stores and manages health information provided by customers who have contracted insurance in a database. Also, an ID number is given to the subscriber, and a card on which the ID number, the subscriber name, and the like are written is issued. A card having a magnetic recording mechanism, such as a credit card, an IC card, or the like is used as the card. The card may include authentication information (password, encryption key, etc.) for receiving services and accessing own medical information, in addition to the written ID number and subscriber name. In the case of text-based medical information, the health information provided at the time of subscription may be registered in a database and saved on a card at the same time.

The traveler goes on a trip with the issued card. When it becomes necessary to receive medical services such as illness or injury at a travel destination, the customer first contacts the call center. The contact can be made by telephone, fax, e-mail, videophone, or the like. Basically, the personal computer brought to the hotel, the travel center, and the personal computer provided at the information center are connected to the communication network, and the service provider accesses the Internet home page established at the call center. On the home page, the user enters the ID number, name, password, and the like written on the card to access the home page serving as a window.
The home page is displayed in the native language of the traveler determined from the ID number. The traveler receives a simple medical inquiry from the call center by keyboard operation or voice input, and based on that, the call center of the service provider contacts a doctor suitable for the customer. The physician need not be a physician who is physically near the customer, but may be a physician in the distance. Rather, a physician in the customer's home country that has the same native language and cultural background is chosen.

In the above, the operator may perform the response to the customer at the call center, a simple medical inquiry, and the provision of intermediary information such as doctors and medical institutions.
It can be performed automatically using a computer or the like. Further, it is also possible to automatically connect the communication means of the customer to an information terminal of an intervening doctor or medical institution.

A doctor who intends to provide a medical service using the remote medical network system according to the present invention registers in advance with a service provider (call center). In addition, the time period during which the consultation is possible is notified to the service provider that the consultation is possible. This is because the home page of the service provider may be accessed during the time when the consultation is possible, or the computer may automatically contact the call center of the service provider when the remote medical terminal is started up. You may notify that it is possible. Registered physicians or registered medical institutions are scattered not only in Japan but also all over the world.

[0034] When the call center of the service providing company receives an access from the customer, the call center performs a simple inquiry, and as a result of the inquiry,
Based on the customer's nationality, native language, etc., registered in the database in advance, request a patient treatment from a doctor or medical institution most suitable for the customer.

The doctor who receives the request faces the patient directly using the communication means. The communication means here is assumed to be communication by videophone using a personal computer, etc.
Communication means such as a mobile phone and an e-mail may be used. The first thing that happens between the physician and the patient is that the patient complains of symptoms and the physician listens and prepares for a diagnosis from a medical perspective. In order for patients to complain of symptoms (called chief complaints) and for physicians to understand them, it is extremely important that they have communication in their native language and have the same cultural background between patient and physician. In the present invention, this is realized using communication means. The doctor who performs the examination of the patient, at the same time as talking to the patient using the communication means, read the medical information about the patient previously stored in the database,
It can be displayed on an information terminal. The doctor can listen to the patient's chief complaint while referring to medical information about the patient and make a diagnosis. In addition, the doctor adds the content of the patient's chief complaint, the diagnosis, and the subsequent policy to the patient's medical information in the database as needed. At this time, the database has a signature means so that the doctor who has additionally written can be specified.

Now, based on the patient's chief complaint, the physician indicates the next action to be taken by the patient. At this point, an examination using a simple vital sensor such as body temperature, blood pressure, and heart sound may be performed, sent to a doctor via a communication network, and used as a reference for diagnosis. A physician prescribes a drug when the condition can be identified to some extent from a series of information, can be clearly diagnosed, and it is only necessary to prescribe the drug. In that case, you should contact the local pharmacy through the service provider and have them deliver the medicine.

When it is difficult to make a diagnosis only by the first consultation, the doctor instructs various tests. This includes tests that can only be done in a medical facility, such as radiography and blood tests. The service provider contacts the nearest medical facility where the patient is located, schedules tests, arranges patient transfers, and so on. At the medical facility that is contacted, the examination is performed according to the instructions from the service provider. The examination result such as an X-ray image is transferred to the doctor who performed the examination via the network. The doctor makes a diagnosis while looking at the transferred test data in addition to the contents of the chief complaint. Next, a treatment policy is established based on the diagnosis. If the established treatment policy ends only with the prescription of the drug, the service provider will deliver the specified drug to the patient as described above.

In some cases, the treatment policy is a treatment that cannot be performed at a local site, such as injection, infusion, surgery, and hospitalization. In that case, the patient is handed over to a doctor at the local medical institution. Local physicians and home physicians will take over the network. At this time, the history of the diagnosis from the consultation of the patient is stored in a database as a record. Even when the patient is handed over to a local doctor, all medical data relating to the patient is registered and stored in the database, so there is no transfer of medical data, and only the succeeding doctor gains access to the database. The succeeding physician performs treatment based on the medical treatment data, examination data, the findings of the physician before the succession, and the treatment policy. In order to transfer the responsibility for medical treatment to the doctor after the handover, the findings and treatment policy before the handover are newly diagnosed as a second opinion, a treatment policy is established, and treatment is performed. At the time of handover, doctors before and after the handover may cooperate in making a diagnosis and formulating a treatment policy. Even after the treatment is completed, the physician who first diagnoses can monitor the progress as necessary, and can continue to carry out the necessary treatment and the like at hand even after returning to the patient. The flow of providing the medical service in the present embodiment has been described above.

Next, a system configuration for realizing the embodiment of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The system includes a database server 1 having a database for storing and managing customer information, medical information, medical records, and the like, terminals 2 to 6 located in a service provider, a laboratory, a doctor, a call center, and communication for connecting these. It comprises a network 7. In addition, doctors and call center terminals 4
6 also have means for communicating with the patient. This means that if the patient has the terminal 8 that can connect to the Internet, the doctor and the terminals 4 to 6 of the call center are connected to the Internet.
In the case of a fax or the like, a call center has an intermediary function to secure communication means between the doctor and the patient. In this example, the database server 1 is arranged separately from the terminal 6 of the call center, but may be arranged in the call center as shown in FIG.

The communication network 7 for connecting the database server 1, the terminals 2 to 6 on the insurance company side and the service providing side, for example, uses a dedicated line or a virtual private network (V
PN) or a network configured such that only information encrypted using a cryptographic function is distributed in the network. The customer and medical-related terminals are connected by a communication network 9 such as the general Internet or telephone network (public network). As described above, by forming the network into two layers and distributing the medical information only within the more secure network, there is obtained an advantage that leakage, tampering, and the like of the medical information can be prevented. In addition, if encryption technology is established for the connection between the customer and medical-related terminals, using it is desirable for ensuring security,
Of course it does not matter. In addition, in order to ensure security, in response to access to the database server 1 (registration of medical information to be stored and managed and a request for disclosure thereof), means for authenticating whether or not the access target is registered in advance, It is desirable that the database server 1 be provided with means for authenticating whether the customer is registered in advance and means for permitting access only when the customer is authenticated.

According to the above-described embodiment, the customer can consult a doctor having the same native language and cultural background anywhere in the world. This gives the patient a sense of security and at the same time
There is an advantage that more reliable information exchange between doctors can be expected, and the quality of medical services can be improved.
In addition, in the present embodiment, the doctor in the home country and the local doctor where the traveler is located can easily cooperate with the doctor via the network and the database, thereby providing an advantage that a more reliable medical service can be provided. Can be

[Second Embodiment] The second embodiment is characterized in that the flow after the patient requests a medical examination is sequentially recorded in a database (database server).

From the point in time when the patient accesses the service provider for a consultation, the date and time of the consultation request, the place, the corresponding doctor,
A series of medical procedures, including the chief complaint, responses to it, and subsequent tests, diagnoses, and treatments, and the records of the people involved in the procedure are recorded in a database. It is mainly the doctor who fills out the record, and when filling out the record, the doctor who fills out the record is clearly identified. In addition, the remuneration of doctors, laboratory technicians, and the like involved in medical treatment is calculated using this record, and the results are similarly recorded in the database. Based on this record, doctors, laboratory technicians, nurses, etc. related to a series of medical treatments will be paid.

As described above, in the present embodiment, all the information relating to the medical treatment is recorded in the database, and the calculation of the medical treatment fee and the recording of the fee amount are also performed. As a result, there is an advantage that the role of the medical service is clarified and the medical service can be provided from a plurality of doctors beyond the place.

Conventionally, one physician or hospital records all medical information and calculates medical fees based on this record. However, this provides continuous medical services to multiple medical organizations. It was difficult to do.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, when it is necessary to urgently diagnose an image having a large amount of data such as a radiological image or a pathological image and the transfer time tends to be long, the image interpretation is performed from the examination place. Sent to a radiologist who can transfer images at a relatively high speed in the near future, have them read the images, record the results in a database, and transfer the images compressed by the lossy compression method to the doctor who requested the examination at high speed. You can also make them refer to it. Of course, even in this case, the inspection image data is registered in the database via the network using a free time later.

As described above, in the present embodiment, there is obtained an advantage that the sharing of medical services can be performed easily and reliably.

[Third Embodiment] FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment is characterized in that a means for preferentially transferring medical information is provided on a dedicated line or virtual private network connected to a medical database, or on the general Internet.

The medical information includes a large amount of image data such as a radiation image and a pathological image. For example,
The data volume of a typical chest radiographic image reaches 8 MB.
In order to transfer such image data in real time via a network, a high-speed line is required. For example, if you want to transfer an 8MB medical image in 1 second,
A 4 Mbps (64 megabits per second) line is required. Exclusive use of such a high-speed line only for transferring medical information becomes very expensive and inefficient in operating the network.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, an identifier is added to the medical information signal transmitted from the hospital or the like to the network as identification means indicating the medical information. FIG.
A router or connection means in the network shown in (a) is provided with an identifier recognizing means, and when recognizing that a signal (packet) input from the identifier is medical information, the band priority control means The signal is routed preferentially over the other customers A to H. In this way, as shown in the medical information priority control in FIG. 3B, the network capacity when the medical information signal is transferred is temporarily increased, and a large amount of medical information can be transferred in a short time. It becomes possible to transfer. Usually (at the time of normal communication), since the network speed is the same as that of the other customers A to F, the advantage that the network exclusive charge is small can be obtained.

[Fourth Embodiment] The fourth embodiment of the present invention is an embodiment relating to a method for providing a medical service using the remote medical network system according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment is characterized in that an advertisement database is provided in the system in addition to the telemedicine network system of FIG.

An advertising company that wants to advertise a customer who wants to receive medical services or a medical service provider, such as a doctor, a laboratory technician, or a hospital, pays an advertising fee to the medical service provider and prepares advertisement content prepared in advance. Is registered in the advertisement database 10. At this time, the information about the advertising partner is also registered (doctor, customer, country, region, etc.). The advertisement database 10 distributes advertisement contents to the related terminals 2 to 5 and 8 via the communication network 7 and the communication network 9 based on the registered information. As the advertisement content, a still image-based content such as a screen saver screen of a personal computer, an advertisement banner on a home page, or a moving image content of several seconds to several tens of seconds can be used.

For a doctor who intends to perform medical treatment using the medical service of the present invention, it is necessary to turn on the power supply of the terminal for a standby time to be in a standby state. During the standby time, the terminal is not used, but it is assumed that the doctor is always near the terminal, for example, doing other work nearby. In addition, even while using the medical service of the present invention, it is assumed that incomplete waiting time often occurs during connection with a patient, transfer of medical information, and movement of a patient for examination purposes. . In the present embodiment, the advertisement content is broadcast using such a standby time, and the advertisement content is displayed on a computer screen of a terminal such as a doctor or a patient.
For customers (patients) who use telemedicine services,
The advertisement content is distributed during a waiting time such as a time period during which a doctor is searched or a waiting time for a test result.

According to the present embodiment, for the advertising company, the people who see the advertisement are limited people such as doctors, medical personnel, patients who seek medical services, and these people are always on standby. Since it is necessary to view the advertisement repeatedly, the advantage that the advertisement can be surely obtained is obtained. In addition, by distributing the advertisement content in consideration of the advertisement during the provision of the medical service, there is obtained an advantage that a high advertisement effect can be obtained. In particular, since the patient feels grateful, an increase in the advertising effect can be expected.

In the present embodiment, it is possible to achieve a return by allocating the advertising expenses to a part of the communication network use expenses, the maintenance and management expenses, the database operation expenses, and the like. This has the advantage that doctors and patients can use the telemedicine service of the present invention at low cost.

[Fifth Embodiment] FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The present invention assumes that overseas travelers receive medical services abroad. The doctor involved in the treatment may be Japanese or a local doctor. Doctors involved in providing medical services access the database and browse medical information.
The present embodiment is characterized in that the database includes means for providing medical information in a language most suitable for the doctor.

First, the database has dictionaries in a plurality of languages. This includes a dictionary of medical terminology in addition to a general dictionary. A physician who wishes to enter medical information into the database enters the medical record into the database in his or her native language or the language in which the normal medical record is written. The recorded data is usually read out in the recorded language, but if a doctor in another country wants to view the medical record in his or her native language, he or she informs the database to that effect. The database receives this and converts the medical record into a desired language and then discloses it.
Medical records are limited to words used to some extent, such as disease names and symptoms. In addition, some terms are universal medical terms, and it is relatively easy to convert medical records into other languages.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a registration method in the database at the time of a patient inquiry. Interviews are conducted by asking questions to the patient in a somewhat fixed format, which the patient answers. The patient's answers entered in the questionnaire are encoded. The questionnaire table is prepared in the same format in a plurality of languages, and the multilingualization can be achieved simply by inputting the symbolized answer into a format in another language.

As described above, in the present embodiment, there is obtained an advantage that international telemedicine can be smoothly performed because the database supports multiple languages.

Sixth Embodiment FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the database has doctor information, and when a patient occurs, a doctor can be selected in consideration of a time difference.

First, a physician involved in providing a medical service registers in a database in advance. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), special subjects of the doctor's place of residence (that is, the place where medical activities are performed), nationality, native language (or a language that can be supported) are included. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, if the world is divided into three zones 1 to 3 and doctors A to C are always present in each zone, the working time in the daytime in each zone (for example, morning By providing medical treatment by doctors from 9:00 to 5:00 in the evening, medical services can be provided around the clock.

In the present embodiment, when a request for consultation occurs from anywhere in the world and a corresponding physician is selected, the physician in the working time zone is preferentially dealt with. This can avoid the problem that a doctor is woken up in the middle of the night for emergency patients. In addition, for hospitals that pay human rights fees and have doctors who are staying at home, providing a system that allows multi-zone doctors to respond by telemedicine has the advantage that 24-hour medical services can be provided at low cost. Can be

Such a 24-hour medical treatment system is particularly effective when a diagnosis is made only from medical images and medical information for a patient, such as radiological interpretation and pathological image diagnosis.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the database has information on the doctor's residence,
When a patient occurs, by selecting a doctor in charge in consideration of the time difference and the place where the doctor lives, there is obtained an advantage that both the patient and the doctor can provide reasonable telemedicine services.

[Embodiment 7] FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a seventh embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment shows an example of a business model of international telemedicine realized by the present invention.

First, when the customer applies for a trip to a travel company such as a travel agency or an airline, a payment agent such as an insurance company or a card company with which the travel affiliate has an insurance contract is introduced. Make an insurance contract with this payment agent. As a result, the travel related company can reduce the travel risk and thereby increase the number of customers. In addition, the payment agent can increase the number of contractors by increasing the number of customers, and can improve the efficiency of business by outsourcing medical information.

The payment agent contracts with the telemedicine service provider for the provision of telemedicine service to the customer, pays the contract fee, and when the contracted customer receives the telemedicine service provided by the company, In addition to receiving medical information such as medical records from a telemedicine service provider using a network, the medical expenses for providing the telemedicine service are paid.

The telemedicine service provider contracts with a network operator to use the network infrastructure,
That is, a network system such as a database server is provided. As a result, network operators can expect to increase sales of network services, reduce international communication costs for customers who have made the above insurance contracts, and enclose customers by adding services such as inexpensive use of the Internet. . The telemedicine service provider contracts with a medical service provider such as a hospital or a pharmacy to mediate and provide medical information between a customer and a medical service provider using a network.

A medical service provider such as a hospital, a doctor, a clinic, a nurse, a pharmacy, a laboratory, or a laboratory technician pays a contract fee to a telemedicine service provider and receives a mediation using a network. Provide medical services to customers. The telemedicine service provider stores and manages medical records, provides information to a payment agent, requests payment of medical expenses, and pays medical expenses to the medical service provider on behalf of the medical service provider. This allows healthcare providers to:
The number of patients can be expected to increase, and the quality of medical services can be improved and the efficiency of information management operations can be improved.

On the patient side, if medical information is accessed using inexpensive network services, appropriate medical services can be received in a timely manner anywhere in the world, providing a sense of security and reducing travel risks. QOL (Quality of Life: Quality of Life) can be improved.

The present invention describes a remote medical network system and a service providing method for providing medical services to travelers traveling abroad.
The application and application of the present invention are not limited to this, and can be widely applied and applied, such as providing medical services in Japan.

Also, it is possible to make a computer execute the processing steps shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, or to realize a part or all of the functions of each unit shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 by using a computer. Needless to say, a program for causing a computer to execute the processing process or a program for realizing the function of each unit in the computer can be stored in a storage medium readable by the computer, for example, FD (Floppy Disk). It can be recorded on a disc (registered trademark), an MO, a ROM, a memory card, a CD, a DVD, a removable disk, or the like, and can be stored, provided, or distributed.

[0073]

As described above, according to the present invention, medical services can be provided mainly to overseas travelers using a communication network, so that medical services can be provided without being restricted by places. This has the effect. In addition, since the database can centrally manage the records of the provision of medical services, there is an effect that it is easy for doctors at remote locations to cooperate in medical treatment. further,
By using the advertising means, there is also obtained an effect that an expensive network usage fee can be used at a low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a workflow according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a conventional example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Database server 2 ... Terminal of service provider company, insurance company, etc. 3 ... Terminal of examination device etc. 4 ... Terminal of foreign doctor 5 ... Terminal of doctor 6 9 Communication network 10 Advertising database

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Tetsuro Fujii 2-3-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Sadayasu Ono 2-3-3, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. 1 Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F-term (reference) 5B049 BB41 BB49 DD04 EE21 GG02

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A database server configured to store and manage medical information of a customer, a plurality of information terminals for accessing the database server, and a communication network connecting the plurality of information terminals and the database server. A telemedicine network system, wherein the communication network comprises a high security network, and the database server authenticates that the information terminal accesses the database server and that the customer is registered in advance. Means, and means for permitting disclosure of the stored and managed medical information and registration of the stored and managed medical information only when the authentication is performed, wherein the information terminal is a remote medical service provider or a call center. If so, the customer seeking telemedicine service Access means for requesting disclosure of medical information of a customer stored and managed in the database server based on communication with the customer, and communicating with the customer who is to receive the remote medical service, Communication means for mediating a medical person or a medical organization to the customer based on the information terminal, and providing the medical service to the customer when the information terminal belongs to a medical person or a medical organization. Communication means for recording the medical service provided to the customer, and access means for requesting an additional registration to the medical information stored and managed in the database server to receive the remote medical service. Wherein the customer has communication means for communicating with the information terminal. 2. The remote medical network system according to claim 1, wherein the database server calculates a medical fee based on medical information that records the medical service consultation of the customer, and the calculated medical fee. And a means for storing and managing the information. 3. The telemedicine network system according to claim 1, wherein, when the information terminal is a telemedicine service provider or a call center, the access information is used to disclose customer medical information. Request, and that the connection of the communication means of the customer to the communication means of the information terminal of the medical person or medical institution that mediates to the customer based on the disclosure of the medical information of the customer is automatically performed. Characteristic telemedicine network system. 4. The remote medical network system according to claim 1, wherein when the signal transmitted to the communication network is medical information, the identification means indicates that the signal is medical information. A router or connection means in the communication network, wherein the identification means identifies the signal input to the router or connection means as medical information, and the identification means identifies the signal as medical information. Means for transferring a signal preferentially. 5. The telemedicine network system according to claim 1, further comprising an advertisement database for storing advertisement content in the communication network, wherein the advertisement database stores the advertisement content. Means for delivering advertisement content to one or both of an information terminal connected to the communication network and communication means of the customer, and when one or both of the information terminal and the communication means of the customer are in a standby state, A remote medical service providing system comprising a control unit for displaying the distributed advertising content. 6. The telemedicine network system according to claim 1, wherein the database server has a dictionary in a plurality of languages, and the medical service is inputted using the dictionary in a plurality of languages. Means for converting information into a plurality of languages. 7. The remote medical network system according to claim 1, wherein the database server has information on doctors for each area and each medical service providing time, and based on the information. It has means for selecting a physician who provides medical services according to the medical service provision time, and when the information terminal of the remote medical service provider or the call center mediates the medical personnel or medical institutions to the customer by communication means A remote medical network system accessing the database server and mediating the selected physician. 8. A method for providing telemedicine service in the telemedicine network system according to claim 1, wherein a payment agent contracted with a travel affiliate company and an insurance contract for telemedicine before travelling. The medical information on the customer who performed the service is stored and managed in a network system provided by a communication network operator contracted with a remote medical service provider, and when the customer becomes ill in a travel destination, the network system is accessed by communication means. Requesting the provision of information on medical personnel or medical institutions, the customer receives the provision of medical services from the medical personnel or medical institutions mediated by the network system, and provides medical services to the customers. The provision record is registered as medical information in the communication network system and stored and managed. Telemedicine service providing method, characterized in that it pay the medical expenses of the customer from the payment agent to the medical service providers on the basis of medical information recorded the provision of medical services to the customer. 9. A database server for storing and managing medical information of a customer, a plurality of information terminals for accessing the database server, and a highly secure communication network connecting the plurality of information terminals and the database server. A method for providing a medical service in a telemedicine network system comprising: a customer who wants to receive the telemedicine service communicates with an information terminal of a call center by a communication means to mediate between medical personnel or medical institutions A communication process for requesting information; an information terminal of the call center receiving a request from a customer who wants to receive the remote medical service, accessing the database server and requesting disclosure of medical information of the customer; The database server is used by the accessed call center and the customer A step of authenticating that the information has been registered in advance, and a step of disclosing the medical information of the customer stored and managed on the information terminal of the call center when the authentication has been performed; and When the medical information of the customer is disclosed, a communication process of mediating a medical person or a medical institution to the customer by a communication means, and the medical person or the medical institution that the customer mediates from the call center A communication process of communicating with the information terminal of the medical person or medical institution by the communication means, and the medical service received by the customer based on the communication between the customer and the medical person or medical institution by the information terminal of the medical person or medical institution Accessing an additional registration of the medical information of the customer stored and managed by the database server for the record of the consultation of the patient; Authenticated that the accessed medical personnel or medical institutions and the customer have been registered in advance, and added to the stored medical information on the information terminal of the authenticated medical personnel or medical institutions. Permitting registration. 10. The remote medical service providing method according to claim 9, wherein the database server calculates a medical fee based on medical information that records the medical service consultation of the customer. And storing and managing the medical fee. 11. The remote medical service providing method according to claim 9, wherein the information terminal of the call center accesses the database server to request disclosure of the medical information of the customer. Receiving an automatic response to a request from a customer who intends to receive the request, automatically accessing the database server and requesting disclosure of the medical information of the customer, and the information terminal of the call center is a medical person or a medical organization. In the communication process of mediating the customer by the communication means, when the medical information of the customer is disclosed from the database server, the information terminal of the intermediary medical person or medical institution is automatically connected to the information terminal of the customer. A remote medical service providing method. 12. The remote medical service providing method according to claim 8, wherein when the signal transmitted to the communication network is medical information, identification indicating that the signal is medical information. Means for identifying a signal input to the router or the connection means by the identification means as medical information, and identifying the signal or the medical information by the identification means. Transferring the received signal preferentially. 13. The remote medical service providing method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the advertisement database for storing advertisement content provided in the communication network includes the advertisement content stored and stored. To the information terminal connected to the communication network and / or the communication means of the customer, and the advertising content delivered when one or both of the communication process of the information terminal and the customer is in a standby state Displaying a remote medical service. 14. The remote medical service providing method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the information terminal of the call center uses a communication means to mediate a medical person or a medical institution to a customer by a communication means. Accessing the database server, wherein the database server mediates a doctor providing a medical service selected according to the medical service providing time based on information on the doctor for each area and each medical service providing time. To provide telemedicine services. 15. A program for causing a computer to execute the steps in the remote medical service providing method according to claim 9 on a recording medium readable by the computer. A recording medium on which a program for executing the remote medical service providing method is recorded.