Method for electronically maintaining medical information between patients and physicians

1. A method for maintaining electronic patient medical information, comprising:

generating one electronic patient data structure consisting of patient identification information, patient biographical information, medical history information including medical event information, medication schedule information, appointment schedule information, and log information;

electronically transmitting the patient data structure between a physician computer and a portable patient device, wherein the patient data structure is capable of being modified; and

displaying, in the display of the portable computing device, a main menu of selectable views, wherein the selectable views consist of a patient bio view, a medical history view, a patient medication schedule view, an appointment schedule view, and a log view, and wherein the appointment schedule view displayed in the display of the portable computing device differs from the appointment schedule view that is displayable on a display at the physician computer, and wherein direct selection of one of the selectable views results in that selected view being displayed independently of the other selectable views.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

indicating, with the portable patient device, that one scheduled patient medication shown in the patient medication schedule view was taken, wherein the medication schedule view provides a calendar display of a medication schedule derived from prescription subrecords in a patient record; and

storing the indication that the patient took the scheduled patient medication in the patient data structure in the portable computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting an alarm to activate to provide an alert of one scheduled patient medication or appointment, wherein the alarm is set by a patient for whom the alert is scheduled and who is using the patient portable device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating log information indicating modifications to information in the patient data structure, wherein the log information is read-only and once generated cannot be altered.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adding, with the physician computer, one of appointment and medication events to the patient data structure, wherein one appointment event indicates a scheduled medical related visit and one medication event indicates a drug prescription, wherein the drug prescription is digitally signed with a physician public key so that a pharmacist may authenticate an electronic prescription; and

transmitting the modified patient data structure to the patient device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the patient device includes a display, further comprising:

displaying, in the display of the patient device, in the patient medication schedule view and in the appointment schedule view the added one of appointment and medication events stored in the patient data structure that were added to the patient data structure to allow the patient to review scheduled medication and appointments.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

storing, with the physician computer, patient data structures for multiple patients;

displaying, at the physician computer, an interactive schedule of patient appointments from the appointment schedule view maintained in the patient data structures, wherein appointment events are added to one patient data structure through the displayed interactive schedule of patient appointments, and wherein the displayed interactive schedule of patient appointments displays scheduled appointments for all patient records.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient data structure further includes patient insurance billing information that can be used to generate insurance claims for patient services.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using an additional computer to modify information in the patient data structure and transmit the modified patient data structure to the portable patient device.