Method of graphically indicating patient information

• US 20020055855A1
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grady Smith
• Original Assignee: Grady Smith, Lavonne Cule
• Inventors: Smith, Grady, Cule, LaVonne, Frankenberg, Beth
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof

Abstract

A system and method for graphically indicating patient information. The invention includes a representative image of the patient with icons to indicate or inform a health care worker of the condition of the patient. Each icon in a set of icons represents a condition available for use in describing the condition of a particular patient. Each icon is located at a predetermined position of the image in each implementation of the invention. After a user creates an image with icons selected for a particular patient, a fixed representation of the image is created. The fixed representation of the image (e.g., on a sheet of paper) is placed proximal to the patient (e.g., bedside) for visual conveyance of the patient'"'"'s condition.

Claims

1. A method of graphically indicating patient information, said method comprising the steps of:

defining one or more conditions of a patient;

selecting an icon corresponding to each of the defined conditions; and

creating a fixed image wherein each of the selected icons is located at a predetermined position of the image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of proximally associating the image with the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditions are selected from the group consisting of:

hearing impairment, right arm weakness, left arm weakness, special diet, no lift, one person lift, two person lift, comatose, total lift, right leg weakness, left leg weakness, cardiac, pivot lift, wheelchair bound, vision impairment, Alzheimer'"'"'s, potentially combative, incontinent, turn and reposition, cognitive impairment, potential to elope, diabetic, and speech impairment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of associating an electronic representation of the image with the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the fixed image includes generating an electronic representation of the image and moving each of the selected icons to its predetermined position on the image.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of printing the image with the selected icons in their respective, predetermined positions on the image.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of executing a computer program for automatically positioning the selected icons in their respective, predetermined positions on the image.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of storing the image with the selected icons in a computer readable medium.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a plurality of images for different patients are stored in the computer readable medium and further comprising the step of searching for a stored image based on a name associated with the patient.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of modifying a stored image associated with a particular patient when the conditions of the particular patient change.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of customizing at least one icon to represent a specific condition.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of maintaining an archive of original and modified images.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of alerting a health care worker to the at least one condition of the patient via the image.

14. One or more computer readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 1.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the creation component comprises a software application stored on a computer readable medium.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the software application includes computer-executable instructions which, when executed, move each of the selected icons to its predetermined position on the image.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the software application includes computer-executable instructions which, when executed, electronically associate the fixed representation of the image with the patient.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the software application includes computer-executable instructions which, when executed, print the fixed representation of the image with the selected icons in the predetermined positions on the image for placement proximal to the patient.

15. A system for graphically indicating information about a patient, wherein the patient has one or more defined conditions selected from a set of available conditions, said system comprising:

one or more icons, wherein each of the icons corresponds to at least one of the available conditions;

an image, wherein the image has a predetermined position for each of the icons; and

a creation component for creating a fixed representation of the image with selected icons, wherein each of the selected icons corresponds to the defined conditions of the patient.

20. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of providing and selecting from a toolbar on the display, comprising the steps of:

allowing a user to select with the user interface selection device one or more icons from the toolbar, wherein each of the icons corresponds to a condition of a patient; and

displaying each of the selected icons on an image representative of the patient.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying each of the selected icons at a predefined position of an image representative of the patient.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of allowing the user to create a fixed representation of the image.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of allowing the user to proximally associate the fixed representation of the image with the patient.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the icons is linked to at least one other icon such that selecting the at least one icon from the toolbar automatically selects the at least one other icon.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of allowing the user to select with the user interface selection device a form from the group consisting of:

an accident investigation report, an employee information test, an employee report of injury, an employee resident survey, a facility to do list, an incident report, a patient information form, a resident handling ergonomics program, a resident handling program key and explanation, a resident handling program training outline, and at least one safety form.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of allowing the user to customize the selected form by inputting information relevant to the selected form.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of storing each customized form in a computer readable medium.

28. One or more computer readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 20.

29. A system for graphically indicating patient information, said system comprising:

means for defining one or more conditions of a patient;

means for selecting an icon corresponding to each of the defined conditions; and

means for creating a fixed image wherein each of the selected icons is located at a predetermined position of the image.