Connecting Service Providers And Consumers Of Services Independent Of Geographical Location

1 . A computer-implemented method comprises:

receiving a request from a consumer of services in a first geographical location to consult with a service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider;

rendering at least one user interface that indicates available service providers and their respective geographic locations;

selecting an available service provider in a second, different geographical location from the consumer, the available service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes; and

establishing a communication channel between the consumer of services and the selected service provider.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first geographical location and the second geographical location are in different countries.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first geographical location and the second geographical location are in different regions.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the selected service provider is of a first type of service provider, and the method further comprises:

selecting a second available service provider in a third geographical location of a second type of service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes; and

establishing a second real-time communication channel for a communication between the consumer of services and the second selected service provider.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein if the communication channel with the first selected service provider is established before the second communication channel, the method further comprises:

providing information describing an outcome of the communication between the consumer of services and the first selected service provider to the second selected service provider in advance of establishing the second communication channel.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing information describing an outcome of the communication between the consumer of services and the selected service provider to a second service provider associated with the consumer of services.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the communication channel comprises:

selecting a communication type for contacting the consumer of services; and

instructing the selected service provider to initiate a communication using the selected communication type.

8 . A computer implemented method comprises:

sending a request from a patient in a first geographical location for an on-demand, real-time consultation with a physician having a physician profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable physician;

rendering at least one user interface that indicates available physicians and their respective geographic locations;

receiving a message selecting at least one available physician in a second, different geographical location from the consumer and satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes; and

establishing a communication channel between the patient and the available physician to allow the requested consultation.

9 . A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive a request from a consumer of services in a first geographical location to consult with a service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider;

render at least one user interface that indicates available service providers and their respective geographic locations;

select an available service provider in a second, different geographical location from the consumer, the available service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes; and

establish a communication channel between the consumer of services and the selected service provider.

10 . The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the first geographical location and the second geographical location are in different countries.

11 . The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the first geographical location and the second geographical location are in different regions.

12 . The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the selected service provider is of a first type of service provider, and the computer program product further comprises instructions to:

select a second available service provider in a third geographical location of a second type of service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes; and

establish a second real-time communication channel for a communication between the consumer of services and the second selected service provider.

13 . The computer program product of claim 12 wherein if the communication channel with the first selected service provider is established before the second communication channel, the computer program product further comprises instructions to:

provide information describing an outcome of the communication between the consumer of services and the first selected service provider to the second selected service provider in advance of establishing the second communication channel.

14 . The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising instructions to:

provide information describing an outcome of the communication between the consumer of services and the selected service provider to a second service provider associated with the consumer of services.

15 . The computer program product of claim 9 wherein instructions to establish a communication channel comprises instructions to:

select a communication type for contacting the consumer of services; and

instruct the selected service provider to initiate a communication using the selected communication type.

16 . An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to:

receive a request from a consumer of services in a first geographical location to consult with a service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider,

render at least one user interface that indicates available service providers and their respective geographic locations;

select an available service provider in a second, different geographical location from the consumer, the available service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes; and

establish a communication channel between the consumer of services and the selected service provider.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first geographical location and the second geographical location are in different countries.

18 . The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first geographical location and the second geographical location are in different regions.

19 . The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the selected service provider is of a first type of service provider, and the computer program product further comprises instructions to:

select a second available service provider in a third geographical location of a second type of service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes; and

establish a second real-time communication channel for a communication between the consumer of services and the second selected service provider.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 wherein if the communication channel with the first selected service provider is established before the second communication channel, the computer program product further comprises instructions to:

provide information describing an outcome of the communication between the consumer of services and the first selected service provider to the second selected service provider in advance of establishing the second communication channel.

21 . The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising instructions to:

provide information describing an outcome of the communication between the consumer of services and the selected service provider to a second service provider associated with the consumer of services.

22 . The apparatus of claim 16 wherein instructions to establish a communication channel comprises instructions to:

select a communication type for contacting the consumer of services; and

instruct the selected service provider to initiate a communication using the selected communication type.