Method and apparatus for operative event documentation and related data management

• US 20030101081A1
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integration Management, Inc. (Centauri Health Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Boundarymedical Incorporated (Centauri Health Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Mark G., Putnam, Matt D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• 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 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

In one embodiment, method and apparatus are disclosed which provide that a plurality of physicians each enter operative event data into an operative event database, wherein the operative event data documents planned or completed operative events and the physicians enter the operative event data use a wide area network through a user interface assisting the physicians in coding operative events in a consistent manner. The physicians access the operative event database to obtain information concerning upcoming or previously performed operative events, with a service provider maintaining an on-line system including one or more servers to support the entering of operative event data into the database through the Internet and the user interface. Further, the physicians subscribe to the on-line system wherein the physicians are allowed access and use the on-line system, and wherein the physicians retain control over the use and disposition of the operative event data entered by the physician. According to another embodiment, the method as described above is further characterized in that the operative event data is used to obtain payment from a payer for medical services rendered. Also, in another embodiment, the method as described above is further characterized in that more than one physician uses the system to enter coding for different medical services rendered in connection with the same operative event.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a plurality of physicians each entering operative event data into an operative event database, wherein the operative event data documents planned or completed operative events;

the physicians entering the operative event data using a wide area network through a user interface assisting the physicians in coding operative events in a consistent manner;

the physicians accessing the operative event database to obtain information concerning upcoming or previously performed operative events;

a service provider maintaining an on-line system including one or more servers to support the entering of operative event data into the database through the Internet and the user interface;

the physicians subscribing to the on-line system wherein the physicians are allowed access and use the on-line system; and

wherein the physicians retain control over the use and disposition of the operative event data entered by the physician.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein an assistant enters the operative event data for the physician.

3. A method according to claim 1 further wherein the operative event data is used to obtain payment from a payer for medical services rendered.

4. A method according to claim 1 further wherein more than one physician uses the system to enter coding for different medical services rendered in connection with the same operative event.

5. A method according to claim 4 further wherein the system assists in conforming one of the codings for an operative event with another coding for the same operative event.

6. A method according to claim 1 further wherein at least some of the operative event data is made available to third parties.

7. A method according to claim 6 further wherein the operative event data is made available so that any patient identifying information is omitted.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein the operative event data is made available in summary form.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein the operative event data is made available according to geographical areas.

10. A method according to claim 1 further including making operative event data for a subscriber physician available to potential patients.

11. A method according to claim 10 further including entering patient outcome data into the system and correlating the outcome data with coded operative events.

12. A method according to claim 11 further including making at least a summary of operative event data and associated outcomes for a subscriber physician available to potential patients.

13. A method according to claim 1 including reporting coded operative events by frequency of diagnosis, procedure, age distribution, and satisfaction index.

14. A method according to claim 1 including reporting coded operative events to a physician office, hospital or designated copy sites for use or distribution.

15. A method according to claim 14 including combining reporting coded operative events for a plurality of physicians to form a group report.

16. A method according to claim 15 including comparing an individual physician'"'"'s coded operative events summary with a group summary.

17. A method according to claim 1 further including collecting similar coded operative events for different patients and associated outcomes as part of a study and reporting the collected data to allow tracking of a study.

18. A method according to claim 1 further including inputting patient satisfaction data into the system corresponding to operative events.

19. A method according to claim 18 further including reporting patient satisfaction data.

20. A method according to claim 19 above wherein the reporting is obtained on-line by a prospective patient.

21. A method according to claim 1 further including the physician electronically signing the operative note.

22. A method according to claim 1 further including a physician paying a fee to the service provider based on the entry of an operative note into the system.

23. A method according to claim 1 further including downloading an operative note to a hospital and the hospital paying a fee to the service provider for downloading an operative note.

24. A method according to claim 1 further including generating discharge reports from the system in response at least in part to the operative event data entered by physicians.

25. A method according to claim 24 further including a hospital or clinic treating a discharged patient paying the service provider a fee for each discharge report.

26. A method according to claim 1 further including a physician paying the service provider an annual charge for access to the system.

27. A method according to claim 1 further including a non-physician entity paying an annual fee for access to the system.

38. A method according to claim 1 further including outputting printed reports, electronic reports or electronic downloads of operative event data from the system.

39. A method according to claim 1 further including allowing the code entering physician to view and access his or her data only.

28. A method, comprising:

a plurality of physicians each entering operative event data into an operative event database system, wherein the operative event data documents planned or completed operative events;

the physicians entering the operative event data using a wide area network through a user interface assisting the physicians in coding operative events in a consistent manner;

the operative event database system including a library of CPT codes cross-referenced to a region of an anatomy;

a physician using the user interface to select a region of the anatomy from an image of the anatomy displayed to the physician;

displaying to the physician a list of CPT codes that is substantially comprised of CPT codes cross-referenced to the selected region; and

a physician picking at least one of the CPT codes from the list for the purpose of documenting an operative event.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the CPT code is selected for the physician by an assistant.

30. A method according to claim 28 further including patient demographic data stored in the system for each patient for which a coded operative event has been entered in the system.

31. A method according to claim 28 further including ICD9 codes stored in the system wherein the ICD9 codes are cross-referenced to CPT codes.

32. A method according to claim 31 further including displaying a list of ICD9 codes to a physician wherein the list of ICD9 codes comprises ICD9 codes cross-referenced to the CPT codes.

33. A method according to claim 32 including the physician selecting one or more ICD9 codes so that an operative event is documented with CPT and ICD9 codes.

34. A method according to claim 33 further including requesting further event detail information from the physician based at least in part on the CPT codes selected by the physician to document the event, wherein the requested information changes at least in some cases based on the selected CPT.

35. A method according to claim 34 further including entering requested detail information.

36. A method according to claim 34 wherein the event detail is selected from the group of:

anesthesia and preparation information, technique, pathology, in-patient discharge information, outpatient discharge information, and worker'"'"'s compensation/abilities information.

37. A method according to claim 31 further including the physician modifying the list of CPT or ICD9 codes that are displayed such that the codes are customized to a particular physician'"'"'s practice.

40. A system, comprising:

an on-line system including one or more servers to support the entering of operative event data into an operative event database through a wide area network and a user interface presented on a client computer;

the operative event database containing operative event data documenting planned or completed operative events performed by a plurality of physicians;

a client computer connected to the one or more servers through a wide area network;

the user interface adapted to assist the physicians in coding operative events in a consistent manner;

an account management system operative on the one or more servers and maintaining a list of subscribing physicians authorized to use the on-line system;

an operative event data management system operative on the one or more servers allowing authorized physicians to control the use and disposition of the operative event data entered by the physician in the on-line system.

41. A system according to claim 40 wherein an assistant enters the operative event data for the physician.

42. A system according to claim 40 further wherein the operative event data is used to obtain payment from a payer for medical services rendered.

43. A system according to claim 40 further wherein the operative event data is entered by more than one physician to document different medical services rendered in connection with the same operative event.

44. A system according to claim 43 further wherein the system includes a data processing module that assists in conforming one of the codings for an operative event with another coding for the same operative event.

45. A system according to claim 40 further including a data output module outputting at least some of the operative event data to third parties.

46. A system according to claim 45 further wherein the operative event data is output without any patient identifying information.

47. A system according to claim 45 wherein the operative event data is output in summary form.

48. A system according to claim 45 wherein the operative event data is output according to geographical areas.

49. A system according to claim 40 further including a prospective patient data output module for making operative event data for a subscriber physician available to potential patients.

50. A system according to claim 49 further including an outcome data input and storage system for entering patient outcome data into the system and correlating the outcome data with coded operative events.

51. A system according to claim 50 further including a reporting module for making at least a summary of operative event data and associated outcomes for a subscriber physician available to potential patients.

52. A system according to claim 40 including a further reporting module for reporting coded operative events by frequency of diagnosis, procedure, age distribution, and satisfaction index.

53. A system according to claim 40 including a reporting module for outputting coded operative event reports to a physician office, hospital or designated copy sites for use or distribution.

54. A system according to claim 53 further wherein the reporting module includes a sub-module for combining reporting coded operative events for a plurality of physicians to form a group report.

55. A system according to claim 54 further wherein the reporting module includes a sub-module for comparing an individual physician'"'"'s coded operative events summary with a group summary.

56. A system according to claim 40 further a study module for collecting similar coded operative events for different patients and associated outcomes as part of a study and reporting the collected data to allow tracking of a study.

57. A system according to claim 40 further including a satisfaction data input module receiving patient satisfaction data into the system corresponding to operative events.

58. A system according to claim 57 further including a satisfaction data output module.

59. A system according to claim 40 further including a signing module enabling a physician to electronically sign the operative note.

60. A system according to claim 40 further including a billing module for charging a physician a fee to the service provider based on the entry of an operative note into the system.

61. A system according to claim 40 further wherein the billing module includes a sub-module for charging a fee to a hospital for downloading an operative note.

62. A system according to claim 40 further including a discharge reporting module for generating discharge reports from the system in response at least in part to the operative event data entered by physicians.

63. A system according to claim 62 further wherein the billing module includes a sub-module for billing a hospital or clinic treating a discharged patient a fee for each discharge report.

64. A system according to claim 40 further wherein the billing module includes a sub-module for charging a physician or other entity an annual charge for access to the system.

74. A system according to claim 40 further including an output sub-module for outputting printed reports, electronic reports or electronic downloads of operative event data from the system.

75. A system according to claim 40 further including a sub-module allowing the code entering physician to view and access his or her data only.

65. A system, comprising:

an operative event database system, wherein the operative event data documents planned or completed operative events for a plurality of physicians;

the operative event database system including a library of CPT codes cross-referenced to a region of an anatomy;

a user interface for the database system adapted to permit a physician user to select a region of the anatomy from an image of the anatomy displayed to the physician;

the user interface including a sub-module for displaying to the physician a list of CPT codes that is substantially comprised of CPT codes cross-referenced to the selected region; and

e user interface including a sub-module adapted to allow a physician to pick at least one of the CPT codes from the list for the purpose of documenting an operative event.

66. A system according to claim 65 further including a sub-module for storing patient demographic data in the system for each patient for which a coded operative event has been entered in the system.

67. A system according to claim 65 further including a sub-module for storing ICD9 codes stored in the system wherein the ICD9 codes are cross-referenced to CPT codes.

68. A system according to claim 67 further including a sub-module for displaying a list of ICD9 codes to a physician wherein the list of ICD9 codes comprises ICD9 codes cross-referenced to the CPT codes.

69. A system according to claim 68 including a sub-module allowing the physician to select one or more ICD9 codes so that an operative event is documented with CPT and ICD9 codes.

70. A system according to claim 69 further including a sub-module for requesting further event detail information from the physician based on the CPT codes selected by the physician to document the event, wherein the requested information changes at least in some cases based on the selected CPT codes.

71. A system according to claim 70 further including a sub-module for entering requested detail information.

72. A system according to claim 70 wherein the event detail is selected from the group of:

anesthesia and preparation information, technique, pathology, in-patient discharge information, outpatient discharge information, and worker'"'"'s compensation/abilities information.

73. A system according to claim 68 further including a customization sub-module allowing a physician to modify the list of CPT or ICD9 codes that are displayed such that the codes are customized to a particular physician'"'"'s practice.

76. A method according to a preceding claim further including cross-referencing surgical event information with CPT codes.

77. A method according to claim 76 further wherein the surgical event information includes surgical technique information.

78. A method according to claim 77 wherein the surgical technique information includes tournequet, drape methods or equipment.

79. A method according to claim 76 further wherein the surgical event information includes pathology information.

80. A method according to claim 76 further wherein the surgical event information includes surgical technique information.

81. A method according to claim 76 further wherein the surgical event information includes discharge data information.

82. A method according to claim 76 wherein the surgical event information includes unexpected events data.

83. A method according to claim 76 further wherein the surgical event information includes abilities data.

84. A method according to claim 76 further wherein the surgical event information includes surgical technique information.