15. A method for using speech analysis to detect speech pathologies comprising: registering a patient with a speech-based health monitor; establishing a speech segment baseline representing an initial state of the patient's speech with the speech-based health monitor; when prompted by the speech-based health monitor, submitting of a speech segment to the speech-based health monitor by the patient, wherein the submitted speech segment represents a current state of the patient's speech system; analyzing of the submitted speech segment by the speech-based health monitor with respect to at least one of the established speech segment baseline and a speech segment history associated with the patient, wherein the speech segment history comprises speech segments previously submitted by the patient; based upon said analysis, determining of a satisfaction of at least one health alert definition by the speech-based health monitor, wherein a health alert definition defines at least one action performed by the speech-based health monitor when its associated triggering conditions are satisfied by the analysis; and executing the at least one action associated with the at least one satisfied health alert definition.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein analyzing the submitted speech segment further comprises: comparing the submitted speech segment with the established speech segment baseline; when results of said comparison indicate at least one difference between the submitted speech segment and the established speech segment baseline, determining whether each indicated difference is within a corresponding predefined speech segment tolerance, wherein said predefined speech segment tolerance expresses a maximum value that a speech characteristic of the submitted speech segment is allowed to deviate from the established speech segment baseline; when each indicated difference of the speech segment is within its corresponding predefined speech segment tolerance, canceling the determination of the satisfaction of at least one health alert definition and the execution of the at least one action associated with the at least one satisfied health alert definition, wherein the speech-based health monitor awaits a new submission of the speech segment from the patient; and when at least one indicated difference of the speech segment is outside its corresponding predefined speech segment tolerance, proceeding with the determination of the satisfaction of at least one health alert definition.