Method and apparatus for improving access to literature

• US 20010051943A1
• Filed: 08/14/2001
• Published: 12/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clinical Focus Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Clinical Focus Incorporated
• Inventors: Meyer, Jonathan D., Drucker, Ernest, McGinn, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 6,505,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/941 Human sciences
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method and apparatus for improving access to literature is described. Embodiments of the invention comprise an access mechanism that searches current and past literature (e.g., journal publications or other articles) and selects some or all of the literature for a user based on criteria established for the user. In one embodiment of the invention, the access mechanism is coupled to an electronic medical records system used to enter patient information and user profile information and coupled to one or more literature (e.g., medical, scientific, current affairs, law, dental, etc.) libraries or database(s). Search criteria is obtained from user profile information established for a physician (or other user of the electronic medical records system) and patient information. The search criteria is used to generate a request for literature from the libraries. The search criteria may act as a filter of the literature that is contained in a library. In addition, the results of the request obtained from a library may be filtered based on criteria established for the user. The user may view, save, and/or print the results.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a method of accessing information comprising:

specifying search criteria;

performing a search of a plurality of literature sources using said search criteria;

filtering results of said search to eliminate literature included in a previous search.