Electronic healthcare information and delivery management system with an integrated medical search architecture and capability

• US 20040260577A1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Recare Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Recare Incorporated
• Inventors: Lipscher, Randolph, Dahlin, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/723,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20040260577A1
• 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 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to computer-implemented method for integrating information into a medical workflow process. The method includes receiving data associated with a patient, initiating a computer search of information based on the received data associated with the patient, receiving search results from the computer search of information, and integrating the search results into the medical workflow process.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for integrating information into a medical workflow process, the method comprising:

receiving data associated with a patient;

initiating a computer search of information based on the received data associated with the patient;

receiving search results from the computer search of information; and

integrating the search results into the medical workflow process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein integrating the search results comprises presenting at least a portion of the search results and the data associated with the patient in a combined view.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the combined view is displayed on a portable computational device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical workflow process includes interface pages associated with at least one of history of present illness, medical history, review of systems, medication, physical examination, and test results.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the computer searching is performed in accordance with search rules.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the search rules are associated with the step within the workflow.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the search rules are associated with the type of data.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating the computer search is performed asynchronously with the medical workflow process.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pre-fetching information associated with the search results.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a second search after additional data is gathered through the workflow process.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sorting the search results as additional data is gathered through the workflow process.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering the search results as additional data is gathered through the workflow process.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

computing at least one probable diagnosis from the data associated with the patient.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one probable diagnosis is an input to the computer search.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

integrating the search results into a composite query result.

16. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

mapping explicitly entered diagnosis terminology to corresponding MESH terminology for use in initiating the search.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of integrating comprises adding links to information on a page associated with the workflow process.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of integrating comprises integrating text into a page associated with the workflow process.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of integrating comprises providing a message box in the workflow process.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of integrating comprises providing a list of references on a page accessible during the workflow process.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of initiating a search comprises querying remote databases.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the remote database is associated with a government disease control entity.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data comprises gathering data from multiple input sources.

24. The method of claims 1, wherein the information comprises medical algorithms and step therapies.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the search is initiated in accordance with user preferences.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the search is initiated in accordance with domain-specific medical knowledge.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a clinical trial database.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results comprise a treatment algorithm.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the treatment algorithm is associated with the patient'"'"'s payer.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is input by different entities.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein one or more of the entities inputting the information pay to input information.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the entities pay based on whether the search results include the entity'"'"'s data.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the entities pay based on whether the search result is selected.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the entities pay based on whether a product associated with the entity is ordered for the patient.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is stored in more than one data store.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein search input parameters associated with the computer search are operationally different for differing data stores.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the patient comprises data entered during the medical workflow process.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the patient is received from more than one user.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein a first user inputs the data associated with the patient and a second user observes the search results.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data associated with the patient comprises storing information in a patient'"'"'s electronic medical record.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data associated with the patient occurs during one medical encounter and wherein, the method further comprises displaying the search results during a subsequent medical encounter.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results comprise information about a medication associated with a patient condition and wherein the data associated with the patient comprises at least two of a patient'"'"'s diagnosis, a patient'"'"'s allergies, a patient'"'"'s formulary, and a prescriber'"'"'s prescribing history.

40. The method of claim 40, wherein the first user is the patient and the second user is a medical professional.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the first user is a medical professional and the second user is a patient.

45. A system for processing information associated with patient medical data, the system comprising:

at least one user interface for receiving patient medical data;

a database storing data records associated with the patient medical data;

a server having access to the database;

a set of search rules accessible by the server, the server configured to initiate a search resulting in a search result based on the data records stored in the database and the set of search rules; and

a network interface accessible by the server, the server initiating the search and receiving the search result through the network interface.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the at least one user interface is a wireless handheld data entry device.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the search result is integrated into a medical workflow accessed through the at least one user interface.

48. The system of claim 45, the system further comprising:

a user preference for use in initiating the search.

49. The system of claim 45, the system further comprising:

an algorithm for determining at least one diagnosis.

50. The system of claim 45, the system further comprising:

a compilation of information referenced by the search.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the compilation of information comprises treatments.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the compilation of information comprises tests.

53. The system of claim 50, wherein the compilation of information comprises a clinical trial database.

54. The system of claim 50, wherein the compilation of information is associated with a government disease control entity.

55. The system of claim 45, wherein the search is initiated in accordance with domain-specific medical knowledge.

56. The system of claim 45, wherein the search result comprises a treatment algorithm.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the treatment algorithm is associated with a patient'"'"'s payer.

58. A system for receiving information associated with patient medical data, the system comprising:

at least one user interface for receiving patient medical data;

a database for storing records associated with the patient medical data;

a server coupled to the database; and

at least one healthcare data storage computer, the server configured to initiate a search of the at least one healthcare data storage computer based on the patient medical data to provide a search result.