System and method for remote data entry

A method of collecting uniformly formatted sets of data from a remote site and electronically transmitting the data back to a central collection site, comprising the steps of:

• a) specifying the data to be collected;
• b) generating a questionnaire specification file, the questionnaire specification file defining the file specification and associated data structure for creating questionnaires;
• c) establishing a telecommunications link between a central computing/data processing unit at the central collection site and a remote computing/data processing unit at the remote site;
• d) electronically transmitting the questionnaire specification file to the remote data processing unit;
• e) in the remote unit, using the defined file specification and associated data structure in the questionnaire specification file to create at least one questionnaire;
• f) completing the questionnaire at the remote site by entering questionnaire data into the remote unit;
• and
• g) transmitting the data in report format back to the central unit at the central collection site.

A method of collecting uniformly formatted sets of data from remote medical care provider sites and electronically transmitting the data back to a managed care organization, comprising the steps of:

• a) specifying the data to be collected from the provider;
• b) dividing the data into modules;
• c) specifying the modules and the module format;
• d) generating a questionnaire specification file, the questionnaire specification file defining the file specification and associated data structure for creating questionnaires;
• e) establishing a telecommunications link between a central computing/data processing unit at a managed care organization and a remote computing/data processing unit at the remote site;
• f) electronically transmitting the questionnaire specification file to the remote data processing unit;
• g) in the remote unit, using the defined file specification and associated data structure in the questionnaire specification file to create at least one questionnaire;
• h) completing the questionnaire at the remote site by entering questionnaire data into the remote unit;
• i) transmitting the data back to the central unit at the managed care organization.

A method of providing at least one questionnaire at a remote site comprising:

• a) at a central site, specifying the data to be collected by the questionnaire;
• b) at the central site, generating a questionnaire specification file, the questionnaire specification file defining the file specification and associated data structure for creating questionnaires;
• c) establishing a telecommunications link between the central site and a remote computing/data processing unit at the remote site;
• d) electronically transmitting the questionnaire specification file to the remote data processing device;
• and
• e) in the remote unit, using the defined file specification and associated data structure in the questionnaire specification file to create at least one questionnaire.

An apparatus for providing at least one questionnaire at a remote site comprising:

• a) at a central site, means for specifying the data to be collected by the questionnaire;
• b) at the central site, means for generating a questionnaire specification file, the questionnaire specification file defining the file specification and associated data structure for creating questionnaires;
• c) means for establishing a telecommunications link between the central site and a remote computing/data processing unit at the remote site;
• d) electronically transmitting the questionnaire specification file to the remote data processing device;
• and
• e) in the remote unit at the remote site, means for using the defined file specification and associated data structure in the questionnaire specification file to create at least one questionnaire.