Web-based medical diagnostic and training system

• US 20030158467A1
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Expert Clinical Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Expert Clinical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Liebert, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,991,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies

Abstract

An interactive computer system for use in educating and training medical personnel in point of entry triage utilizing multiple visual and audio displays as well as providing access to various other sources of information. The system includes visual, audio and textual interactive display screens that are responsive to input from the user and guides the user through a scenario based upon different conditions presented by the medical patient. The system may be stored on magnetic media or be web-based.

Claims

1. A web-based training system for assisting a medical worker in timely diagnosis of a patient'"'"'s symptoms, said system comprising:

input means for entering data about a preselected patient;

processing means for analyzing said data;

a plurality of display screens, said display screens including hyperlinks, said hyperlinks facilitating analysis of said data; and

safeguards, said safeguards incorporated into said processing means, said safeguards assisting said medical worker to correctly diagnose said patient'"'"'s symptoms.

2. The training system of claim 1 wherein said hyperlinks are linked to display screens, databases, and chat rooms.

3. The training system according to claim 1 wherein display screens are arranged according to severity of said patient'"'"'s symptoms.

4. The training system according to claim 1 wherein the input means comprises a mouse.

5. The training system according to claim 1 wherein the input means comprises a touch screen.

6. The training system according to claim 1 wherein the input means comprises a keyboard.

7. The training system according to claim 1 wherein said safeguards hyperlink to at least one display screen of said plurality of display screens.

8. The training system according to claim 1 wherein said display screens are color-coded.

9. The training system according to claim 1 wherein said safeguards incorporated into said processing means further assist said medical worker from misdiagnosing said patient'"'"'s symptoms.

10. A method for providing a user with training in medical triage, utilizing an interactive web based computer system having a video display, a user interface device, a website including a plurality of stored textual, audio and video display screens relating to decision making steps in medical triage, wherein a user selects from a plurality of available options relating to the various steps in triaging a hypothetical patient at a point of entry, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a web-based triage data base having a plurality of predetermined available options relating to said predetermined hypothetical presented patient on a first display screen;

(b) detecting which of the plurality of said predetermined available options was selected by the user with the user interface device;

(c) displaying a second display screen of said plurality of display screens corresponding to the predetermined available action selected by the user; and

(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) until either all scenarios relating to the hypothetical patient are exhausted or an erroneous available action is selected by the user.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of predetermined available options provided in step (a) further include a plurality of erroneous triage actions for testing the user'"'"'s knowledge of a triaging situation, and the method further comprising the steps of:

providing a warning message on the first display screen upon the selection of an erroneous triage decision by the user; and

providing a return option to enable the user to return to said previously displayed available options.