Endoscopic examination system with security for report preservation or transmission improved

• US 20030018640A1
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Omori, Shinichi, Kawamura, Asuka, Ito, Nobuyasu, Watai, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/9
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices

Abstract

An endoscopic examination system consists mainly of an examination terminal, a report input/output terminal, and a server. The examination terminal is connected to endoscopic examination equipment. The report input/output terminal is used to enter environmental information concerning the details of an environment under which an endoscopic examination is performed (an examining doctor'"'"'s name, a name of equipment employed, etc.), and reporting information concerning the results of an endoscopic examination (findings, diagnosis, etc.). The examination data (endoscopic image data, etc.) sent from the examination terminal, and the reporting information and examination request sent from the report input/output terminal server are preserved in the server.

Claims

1. An endoscopic examination system comprising:

a reporting information input module for use in entering environmental information and reporting information concerning an endoscopic examination;

a data storage module in which the environmental information and reporting information entered at the reporting information input module are stored;

a first password discrimination module for discriminating a first password that enables entry of the environmental information and reporting information at said reporting information input module;

a second password, discrimination module for discriminating a second password entered at said reporting information input module at the time of storage of the reporting information in said data storage module.

2. An endoscopic examination system according to claim 1, wherein said first password is associated with any of a plurality of access levels that defines access authorities permitting a user to access said data storage module.

3. An endoscopic examination system according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of access levels defining access authorities includes at least:

a first level permitting a user to store both the environmental information and reporting information in said data storage module and to view both the environmental information and reporting information;

a second level permitting a user to store both the environmental information and reporting information in said data storage module and to view the reporting information alone; and

a third level permitting a user to merely view both the environmental information and reporting information stored in said data storage module.

4. An endoscopic examination system according to claim 3, wherein only when said first password is associated with said first level, said second password discrimination module requests entry of said second password at said reporting information input module, and discriminates said second password.

5. An endoscopic examination system according to claim 1, further comprising an information transmission module for transmitting the environmental information and reporting information over a network outside said system, wherein:

said information transmission module controls transmission of the environmental information and reporting information over said network according to the second password discriminated by said second password discrimination module.

6. An endoscopic examination system according to claim 5, wherein the first password is associated with any of a plurality of access levels that defines access authorities permitting a user to access said data storage module.

7. An endoscopic examination system according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of access levels defining access authorities includes at least:

a first level permitting a user to store both the environmental information and reporting information in said data storage module and to view both the environmental information and reporting information;

a second level permitting a user to store both the environmental information and reporting information in said data storage module and to view the reporting information alone; and

a third level permitting a user to merely view both the environmental information and reporting information stored in said data storage module.

8. An endoscopic examination system according to claim 7, wherein only when the first password is associated with the first level, said second password discrimination module requests entry of the second password at said reporting information input module, and discriminates the second password.

9. An endoscopic examination system according to claim 8, wherein only when the first password is associated with the first level, said information transmission module requests entry of the second password at said reporting information input module, and enables transmission of the environmental information and reporting information over said network.

10. An endoscopic examination method comprising:

a reporting information input step of entering environmental information and reporting information concerning an endoscopic examination at a reporting information input module;

a data storage step of storing the environmental information and reporting information, which are entered at said reporting information input module, in a data storage module;

a first password discrimination step of discriminating a first password that enables entry of the environmental information and reporting information at said reporting information input module; and

a second password discrimination step of discriminating a second password entered at said reporting information input module at said data storage step of storing the reporting information.

11. An endoscopic examination system according to claim 10, wherein said first password is associated with any of a plurality of access levels that defines access authorities permitting a user to access said data storage module.

12. An endoscopic examination method according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of access levels defining access authorities includes at least:

a first level permitting a user to store both the environmental information and reporting information in said data storage module and to view both the environmental information and reporting information;

a second level permitting a user to store both the environmental information and reporting information in said data storage module and to view the reporting information alone; and

a third level permitting a user to merely view both the environmental information and reporting information stored in said data storage module.

13. An endoscopic examination method according to claim 12, wherein at said second password discrimination step, only when the first password is associated with the first level, entry of the second password at said reporting information input module is requested and the second password is discriminated.

14. An endoscopic examination method according to claim 10, further comprising an information transmission step of transmitting the environmental information and reporting information over a network outside said system, wherein:

at said information transmission step, transmission of the environmental information and reporting information over said network is controlled based on the second password discriminated at said second password discrimination step.

15. An endoscopic examination method according to claim 14, wherein the first password is associated with a plurality of access levels that defines access authorities permitting a user to access said data storage module.

16. An endoscopic examination method according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of access levels defining access authorities includes at least:

a first level permitting a user to store both the environmental information and reporting information in said data storage module and to view both the environmental information and reporting information;

a second level permitting a user to store both the environmental information and reporting information in said data storage module and to view the reporting information alone;

a third level permitting a user to merely view both the environmental information and reporting information stored in said data storage module.

17. An endoscopic examination method according to claim 16, wherein at said second password discrimination step, only when the first password is associated with the first level, entry of the second password at said reporting information input module is requested and the second password is discriminated.

18. An endoscopic examination method according to claim 17, wherein at said information transmission step, only when the first password is associated with the first level, entry of the second password at said reporting information input module is requested, and transmission of the environmental information and reporting information over said network is enabled.