System and method of automatically displaying patient information

• US 20040262377A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Matz, William Randolph
• Granted Patent: US 7,357,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• 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 40/20 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

Abstract

Systems and methods of automatically or semi-automatically loading patient chart information onto a patient room computer system. The systems and methods involve using the patient room computer system to obtain patient identifying information, then requesting the patient chart from a primary computer system. Upon receiving the patient chart from the primary computer system, the invention relates to displaying the patient chart on the patient room computer system. Obtaining the patient information may occur in several ways. For instance, since a patient is typically associated with a specific room within the healthcare facility, the act of obtaining patient information may involve determining the room identification for the patient and using the room identification, requesting the patient chart associated with the room. In an embodiment, the room identification information is transmitted to the patient room computer system automatically upon entering the room, e.g., by using cellular telephone technology. In another embodiment, the patient room computer system has bar-code reading capabilities and thus reads a bar-code, either as part of the room providing room information as part of the patient providing patient identification information independent of room information.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

using a patient room computer system, obtaining patient identifying information;

requesting an electronic patient chart from a primary computer system;

receiving the patient chart from the primary computer system;

displaying the patient chart on the patient room computer system

if supplemental patient chart data is available, modifying the patient chart with the supplemental patient chart data; and

if supplanted patient chart data is available, modifying the patient chart with the supplanted patient chart data.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the acts of requesting and receiving the patient chart use an intranet.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the acts of requesting and receiving the patient chart use the Internet.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the acts of requesting and receiving the patient chart use a wireless connection.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the act of obtaining patient information comprises:

determining the room identification for the patient; and

using the room identification, requesting the patient chart associated with the room.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the room identification information is transmitted to the patient room computer system automatically upon entering the room.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the act of obtaining the patient information comprises:

reading a bar code to determine a bar-code value;

requesting the patient information associated with the bar-code value.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein the bar-code provides room information.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 wherein the bar-code provides patient identification information independent of room information.

10. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the acts of requesting a patient chart occurs automatically following receipt of patient identifying information;

and wherein the act of displaying the patient chart occurs automatically following receipt of the patient chart.

11. A storage medium on which is encoded instructions for loading an electronic patient chart on a patient room computer system comprising instructions for performing the steps of:

using the patient room computer system, obtaining patient identifying information;

requesting the patient chart from a primary computer system;

receiving the patient chart from the primary computer system;

displaying the patient chart on the patient room computer system;

if supplemental patient chart data is available, modifying the patient chart with the supplemental patient chart data; and

if supplanted patient chart data is available, modifying the patient chart with the supplanted patient chart data.

12. A storage medium on which is encoded instructions for loading an electronic patient chart on a patient room computer system comprising instructions for performing the steps of:

using the patient room computer system, obtaining patient identifying information;

requesting the patient chart from a primary computer system, wherein requesting a patient chart occurs automatically following receipt of patient identifying information;

receiving the patient chart from the primary computer system; and

displaying the patient chart on the patient room computer system, wherein the act of displaying the patient chart occurs automatically following receipt of the patient chart.

13. A computerized patient chart system comprising:

a first computer system for storing an electronic version of patient chart information; and

a second computer system, the second computer system receiving the electronic version of the patient chart information from the first computer system during a patient visit,

wherein the second computer system obtains patient-identifying information and requests the patient chart information using the obtained patient-identifying information and wherein the patient chart comprises at least one of a patient history category, a present-day checklist category, and a present diagnosis category, the patient history category comprising at least one of a historical visit, a drug allergy, and a prescribed medication, the present-day checklist comprising at least one of a recent patient note and a patient care checklist, and the present diagnosis category comprising at least one of a medical diagnosis and a doctor note.

14. A computerized patient chart system as defined in claim 13 wherein the second computer system further comprises a user interface module for receiving the patient-identifying information.

15. A computerized patient chart system as defined in claim 13 wherein second computer system further comprises a location identification module, wherein the location identification module receives room identification information, the room identification information being associated with a particular patient to identify the patient chart information requested.

16. A computerized patient chart system as defined in claim 15 further comprising:

a transmitter located in the room and wherein the location identification module receives room identification information from the transmitter.

17. A computerized patient chart system as defined in claim 15 wherein the location identification module further comprises a bar code reader and wherein the room identification information is received by reading the bar code associated with the room.

18. A computerized patient chart system as defined in claim 13 wherein second computer system further comprises a patient identification module, wherein the patient identification module receives patient-dependent identification information.

19. A computerized patient chart system as defined in claim 15 wherein the patient identification module further comprises a bar code reader and wherein the patient identification information is received by reading the bar code associated with the patient.

20. A method of loading an electronic patient chart on a patient room computer system comprising:

using the patient room computer system to obtain patient identifying information, the patient room computer system having a processor, a memory device, at least one input connection, at least one output connection, at least one communications connection, and a patient chart module stored in the memory device;

requesting the patient chart from a primary computer system, a request communicated from the patient room computer system to the primary computer system via the communications connection;

receiving the patient chart from the primary computer system; and

presenting the patient chart on the patient room computer system, wherein the patient chart module presents the patient chart according to at least one of a patient history category, a present-day checklist category, and a present diagnosis category, the patient history category comprising at least one of a historical visit, a drug allergy, and a prescribed medication, the present-day checklist comprising at least one of a recent patient note and a patient care checklist, and the present diagnosis category comprising at least one of a medical diagnosis and a doctor note.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

if the patient room computer system receives a request to modify the patient chart data, restricting modifications to the patient history category.