User interface system for maintaining organization related information for use in supporting organization operation

• US 20030076342A1
• Filed: 06/11/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Yost, IIene Sue, Cole, Douglas J., Digiacomo, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 7,051,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 Image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

A system and user friendly display interface supports creation and modification of a flexible and comprehensive organization structure model able to support provision of clinical care, patient tracking, billing and administration. A method provides a user interface for maintaining organization related information in support of organization operation. The method involves receiving search criteria for use in identifying organization characteristic information. The search criteria is employed in searching a profile comprising information identifying an encompassing organization structure including information identifying multiple constituent organizations and associated organization type and user determinable organization role. Search result information is processed in providing organization characteristic information suitable for presentation to a user via a displayed image in response to user command. A user interface menu supports modification of information representing the encompassing organization structure by adding, removing or moving an organization in the encompassing organization structure and updating a database to incorporate the modifications.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface for maintaining organization related information in support of organization operation, comprising the steps of:

receiving search criteria for use in identifying organization characteristic information;

employing said search criteria in searching a profile comprising information identifying an encompassing organization structure including information identifying a plurality of constituent organizations and associated organization type and user determinable organization role; and

processing search result information in providing organization characteristic information suitable for presentation to a user via a displayed image in response to user command.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said search criteria information is received via prompt elements in a displayed image including at least one of, (a) a prompt element prompting a user to search an organization for hosting a patient encounter and (b) a prompt element prompting a user to search an organization capable of accommodating a patient.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said search criteria is provided by user entry via prompt elements in at least one displayed image.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said search criteria comprises at least one of, (a) a portion or whole organization legal name, (b) a portion or whole organization alias name, (c) organization type, (d) organization role, (e) organization identifier, (f) employer information, (g) contact information and (h) service provider information.

5. A method according to claim 1, including the step of

selecting said constituent organization from said plurality of constituent organizations via a displayed user interface image and wherein,

said user is provided with information concerning said selected constituent organization.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said searched profile organization type information identifies an organization type comprising at least one of, (a) a health care provider organization, (b) a health care payer organization, (c) a health care administration organization and (d) a business organization.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said searched profile organization role information identifies an organizational relationship comprising at least one of, (a) a relationship between an individual involved in health care delivery and a health care service provider, (b) a relationship between a creditor and a business organization and (c) a relationship between a health care service provider and an organization including a location for hosting a patient encounter with a healthcare enterprise involving patient and healthcare enterprise interaction.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said searched profile organization role information identifies an organizational role comprising at least one of, (a) an employer, (b) an issuer of identifiers for identifying items associated with a person, (c) a payment guarantor, (d) a creditor, (e) a service provider and (f) an organization hosting a patient encounter with a healthcare enterprise involving patient and healthcare enterprise interaction.

9. A method according to claim 1, including the step of

said searched profile includes a constituent organization legal name and an alias name.

10. A method according to claim 1, including the step of

said searched profile includes contact information supporting contacting of a constituent organization.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein

said constituent organization contact information comprises at least one of, (a) contact name, (b) contact address, (c) contact phone number and (d) contact Email address.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said searched profile identifies a hierarchical organization of constituent organizations and an associated date of validity of said profile.

13. A method for providing a user interface for maintaining organization related information in support of organization operation, comprising the steps of:

initiating generation of at least one displayed image including,

a window presenting image elements representing an encompassing organization structure including a plurality of constituent organizations;

at least one menu supporting modification of information representing said encompassing organization structure by at least one of, (a) adding an organization, (b) removing an organization and (c) moving an organization from a first position to a second position in said encompassing organization structure; and

updating a database to incorporate modifications of said information representing said encompassing organization structure made via said at least one menu in response to user command.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein

said information representing said encompassing organization structure comprises a first organization profile associated with a date said first profile is valid and including the step of

providing at least one prompt element supporting user selection of said first profile from a plurality of profiles with associated respective different dates of validity.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein

said information representing said encompassing organization structure comprises a first profile and

said at least one displayed image supports a user in establishing a second profile by incorporating data from said first profile, said second profile comprising information identifying a second encompassing organization structure derived by modifying said information from said first profile.

16. A method for providing a user interface for maintaining organization related information in support of organization operation, comprising the steps of:

in at least one displayed image,

initiating display of a first image window presenting image elements representing an encompassing organization structure including a plurality of constituent organizations;

initiating display of a second image window supporting modification of information representing said encompassing organization structure by at least one of, (a) adding an organization, (b) removing an organization and (c) moving an organization from a first position to a second position in said encompassing organization structure; and

initiating display of a third image window supporting user editing of characteristics of a constituent organization in said encompassing organization structure in response to user selection of at least one image element in a displayed image window.

17. A method according to claim 16, including the step of

updating a database to incorporate modifications of said information representing said encompassing organization structure made via said at least one displayed image in response to user command.

18. A method according to claim 16, including the step of

said first, second and third image windows are presented as overlay images in a common single window in a display image.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein

said encompassing organization structure comprises a hierarchical organization of constituent organizations with an associated date of validity of said structure.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein

said characteristics of said constituent organization include at least one of, (a) organization type identification information, (b) organization role identification information, (c) organization type identification information and (d) organization contact information.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein

said constituent organization type identifies an organization type comprising at least one of, (a) a health care provider organization, (b) a health care payer organization, (c) a health care administration organization and (d) a business organization.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein

said constituent organization role identifies an organizational relationship comprising at least one of, (a) a relationship between an individual involved in health care delivery and a health care service provider, (b) a relationship between a creditor and a business organization and (c) a relationship between a health care service provider and an organization including a location for hosting a patient encounter with a healthcare enterprise involving patient and healthcare enterprise interaction.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein

said constituent organization role identifies an organizational role comprising at least one of, (a) an employer, (b) an issuer of identifiers for identifying items associated with a person, (c) a payment guarantor, (d) a creditor, (e) a service provider and (f) an organization hosting a patient encounter with a healthcare enterprise involving patient and healthcare enterprise interaction.

24. A method according to claim 20, wherein

said characteristics of said constituent organization include a constituent organization legal name and an alias name.

25. A method according to claim 20, wherein

said constituent organization contact information comprises at least one of, (a) contact name, (b) contact address, (c) contact phone number and (d) contact Email address.

26. A method according to claim 20, wherein

said constituent organization contact information includes a template set of contact types prompting contact information to be incorporated for at least one of, (a) authorization, (b) claim submission, (c) claim inquiry, (d) billing, (e) benefits inquiry, (f) contract information and (g) guarantor information.

27. A method for providing a user interface facilitating movement of a patient in an organization, comprising the steps of:

receiving patient identification information;

in response to user command,

processing organization profile information identifying an encompassing organization structure including information identifying a plurality of constituent organizations and associated organization type and user determinable organization role, in order to determine an organization compatible with a patient having a particular medical characteristics; and

initiating generation of at least one displayed image showing said determined organization and prompting a user to select a particular available location in said determined organization for a particular patient.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein

said patient particular medical characteristics include at least one of, (a) a medical condition, (b) medical insurance information, (c) billing information and (d) patient identifier information.