Animal health diagnostic system

• US 20050032034A1
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: W. Jean Dodds
• Original Assignee: Hemopet
• Inventors: Dodds, W. Jean
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/4
• 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: G16B 20/00 ICT specially adapted for functional genomics or proteomics, e.g. genotype-phenotype associations
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 20/20 Allele or variant detection, e.g. single nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] detection
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 50/00 ICT programming tools or database systems specially adapted for bioinformatics
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 50/20 Heterogeneous data integration
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A physical blood sample of animal is sent to a satellite laboratory facility. The blood sample is pre-processed into sub-samples of the sample and the sub-samples are coded. The coded blood sub-samples are physically carried to the main laboratory for analysis. The satellite facility electronically inputs a request for a laboratory analysis by a main laboratory. The request is electronically transmitted to the main laboratory, and the main laboratory coordinates the electronically received input from the satellite facility with the physical blood sub-samples. A computer report of the analysis from the laboratory is obtained for the satellite facility. A clinical pathologist with data of physical characteristics of the animal makes a diagnosis. A menu on a computer permits the generation of a supplemental report to support the diagnosis. An integrated computer report having the laboratory analysis, supplemental report, and a pathologist-enhanced report is electronically communicated to the client.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining and electronically delivering a diagnosis of the health of an animal through a combination of computerized data and human interpretation related to the animal comprising:

obtaining data relating to the physical characteristics of the animal, the data being obtained from at least one of a physical inspection and family and breed history of the animal, and the data submitted to a clinical pathologist;

securing a physical blood sample from the animal and submitting the blood samples for laboratory analysis;

the blood sample submission being to a satellite facility;

pre-processing the blood sample into sub-samples and coding the sub-samples, the coding being in the form that is electronically readable through scanning;

physically carrying the coded blood sub-samples to the main laboratory for analysis;

the satellite facility electronically inputting a request for a laboratory analysis by a main laboratory;

submitting electronically the request for blood analysis to the main laboratory, the main laboratory coordinating the electronically received input from the satellite facility with the physical blood sub-samples;

obtaining a computer generated report of the laboratory analysis from the laboratory;

reporting the analysis to the satellite facility through a network, selectively an internet network, to a clinical pathologist associated with the satellite facility, the clinical pathologist having the data relating to the physical characteristics, and thereby making a diagnosis of the animal health;

obtaining from a menu on a computer screen a supplemental report to support the diagnosis;

selectively enhancing the supplemental report by a further input from the pathologist through data entry, selectively keyboard entry, into the computer;

obtaining an integrated computer report having the laboratory analysis, supplemental report, and selectively an enhanced report; and

communicating the integrated or enhanced report to a remotely located client, such communicating being electronic.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the laboratory analytical report is reporting in a first computer program and the menu is in a second computer program, and wherein the data from the first computer program is transferred to the second computer program.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronic communication to the client is selectively by email or fax, and wherein the second computer program includes a utility to transmit the integrated report from the second program through the utility.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a tool bar includes icons defining predetermined supplemental report characteristics, and wherein selected icons may be used by the clinical pathologist to supplement the laboratory analytical report.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the icons are grouped for animal characteristics dependent on age and sex, and animal characteristics dependent on animal grouping, selected disease states, the states being selectively thyroid disease, behavior, autoimmune disease, and cancer, and selected levels of immunity from infectious disease, the titer of immunity from the disease agent(s) in the animal, and the need for vaccination of the animal against the disease.

6. A method of providing a customized and electronically deliverable diagnosis of the health of an animal through a combination of computerized data and human interpretation related to the animal comprising:

obtaining data relating to the physical characteristics and family and breed history of the animal, the data being obtained from at least one of a physical inspection of the animal, and the data submitted to a clinical pathologist;

securing a blood sample from the animal and submitting the blood sample for laboratory analysis;

the blood sample submission being to a satellite facility;

pre-processing the blood sample into sub-samples and coding the sub-samples, the coding being in the form that is electronically readable through scanning;

physically carrying the coded blood sub-samples to the main laboratory for analysis;

the satellite facility electronically inputting a request for a laboratory analysis by a main laboratory;

submitting electronically the request for blood analysis to the main laboratory, the main laboratory coordinating the electronically received input from the satellite facility with the physical blood sub-samples;

obtaining a computer generated report of the laboratory analysis from the laboratory;

reporting the analysis through a network, selectively an internet network, to the clinical pathologist, the clinical pathologist having the data relating to the physical characteristics and family and breed history, and thereby making a diagnosis of the animal health;

obtaining from a menu on a computer screen a supplemental report to support the diagnosis;

selectively enhancing the supplemental report by a further input from the pathologist through entry, selectively keyboard entry, into the computer;

obtaining an integrated computer report having the laboratory analysis, supplemental report, and selectively an enhanced report; and

communicating the integrated or enhanced report to a remotely located client, such communicating being electronic.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the laboratory analytical report is reporting in a first computer program and the menu is in a second computer program, and wherein the data from the first computer program is transferred to the second computer program.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the electronic communication to the client is selectively by e-mail or fax, and wherein the second computer program includes a utility to transmit the integrated report form the second program through the utility.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein a tool bar includes icons defining predetermined supplemental report characteristics, and wherein selected icons may be used by the clinical pathologist to supplement the laboratory report.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the icons are grouped for animal characteristics dependant on age and sex, and animal characteristics dependant on animal grouping, for selected disease states, examples of the states being selectively thyroid disease, behavior, autoimmune disease, and cancer, and for selected levels of immunity from infectious disease, that being the titer of immunity from the disease agent(s) in the animal, and therefore the need for vaccination of the animal against the disease.

11. A system for obtaining and electronically delivering a diagnosis of the health of an animal through a combination of computerized data and human interpretation related to the animal comprising:

data relating to the physical characteristics of the animal, the data being obtained from at least one of a physical inspection of the animal, and the data submitted to a clinical pathologist;

the blood sample submission being to a satellite facility;

pre-processing the blood sample into sub-samples and coding the sub-samples, the coding being in the form that is electronically readable through scanning;

physically carrying the coded blood sub-samples to the main laboratory for analysis;

the satellite facility electronically inputting a request for a laboratory analysis by a main laboratory;

submitting electronically the request for blood analysis to the main laboratory, the main laboratory coordinating the electronically received input from the satellite facility with the physical blood sub-samples;

obtaining a computer generated report of the laboratory analysis from the laboratory;

a laboratory analysis report of a blood sample from the animal, the analysis being obtained through a network, selectively an internet network, sent to a clinical pathologist, the clinical pathologist having the data relating to the physical characteristics, and thereby permitting a diagnosis of the animal health;

a menu on a computer screen supplemental reports to support the diagnosis;

an input, selectively a keyboard or voice recognition software program, to selectively enhance the supplemental report by further input from the pathologist into a computer; and

an integrated computer report having the laboratory analysis, supplemental report, and selectively an enhanced report.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 including an electronically communicated integrated or enhanced report to a remotely located client.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the laboratory analytical report is in a first computer program and the menu is in a second computer program, and wherein the data from the first computer program is transferred to the second computer program.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the electronic communication to the client is selectively by email or fax, and wherein the second computer program includes a utility to transmit the integrated report form the second program through the utility.

15. A system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the tool bar includes icons defining predetermined supplemental report characteristics, and wherein selected icons may be used by the clinical pathologist to supplement the laboratory analytical report.

16. A method of obtaining and electronically delivering a diagnosis of the health of an animal through a combination of computerized data and human interpretation related to the animal comprising:

obtaining data relating to the physical characteristics and family and breed history of the animal, the data being obtained from at least one of a physical inspection of the animal or other analysis of the animal, and the data is submitted to a clinical pathologist;

securing a blood sample or other bodily fluid from the animal and submitting the blood or other body fluid sample for laboratory analysis;

the blood sample submission being to a satellite facility;

pre-processing the blood sample into sub-samples and coding the sub-samples, the coding being in the form that is electronically readable through scanning;

physically carrying the coded blood sub-samples to the main laboratory for analysis;

the satellite facility electronically inputting a request for a laboratory analysis by a main laboratory;

submitting electronically the request for blood analysis to the main laboratory, the main laboratory coordinating the electronically received input from the satellite facility with the physical blood sub-samples;

obtaining a computer generated report of the laboratory analysis from the laboratory;

relating the report to a selected supplemental database for supplemental analysis, the supplemental analysis being related to the data relating to the physical characteristics, and thereby making a diagnosis of the animal health;

generating a supplemental report to support the diagnosis;

selectively enhancing the supplemental report by a further input from a pathologist through data entry, selectively keyboard entry, into the computer;

obtaining an integrated computer report having the laboratory analysis, supplemental report, and selectively an enhanced report; and

communicating the integrated or enhanced report to a remotely located client, such communicating being electronic.

17. A method of obtaining and electronically delivering an assessment of the thyroid function of an animal through a combination of computerized data and human interpretation related to the animal comprising:

obtaining data relating to the physical characteristics and family and breed history of the animal, the data being obtained from at least one of a physical inspection of the animal or other analysis of the animal, and the data is submitted to a clinical pathologist;

securing a blood sample from the animal and submitting the blood or other body fluid sample for laboratory analysis of the total T4, total T3, free T4, free T3, T3 autoantibody, T4 autoantibody and thyroglobulin autoantibody, and selectively endogenous TSH;

the blood sample submission being to a satellite facility;

pre-processing the blood sample into sub-samples and coding the sub-samples, the coding being in the form that is electronically readable through scanning;

physically carrying the coded blood sub-samples to the main laboratory for analysis;

the satellite facility electronically inputting a request for a laboratory analysis by a main laboratory;

submitting electronically the request for blood analysis to the main laboratory, the main laboratory coordinating the electronically received input from the satellite facility with the physical blood sub-samples;

obtaining a computer generated report of the laboratory analysis from the laboratory;

reporting the analysis through a network, selectively an internet network, to the clinical pathologist, the clinical pathologist having the data relating to the physical characteristics and family and breed history, and thereby making a first assessment off the thyroid function of the animal;

obtaining from a menu on a computer screen a supplemental report to support the assessment;

selectively enhancing the supplemental report by a further input from the pathologist through data entry, selectively keyboard entry, into the computer;

obtaining an integrated computer report having the laboratory analysis, supplemental report, and selectively an enhanced report; and

communicating the integrated or enhanced report to a remotely located client, such communicating being electronic.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein a tool bar includes icons defining predetermined supplemental report characteristics, and wherein selected icons may be used by the clinical pathologist to supplement the laboratory report.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the icons are grouped for animal characteristics dependant on age and sex, and animal characteristics dependant on animal grouping.

20. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the assessment is dependant on animal grouping, and the assessment is dependant on animal age and sex.

21. A method of obtaining and electronically delivering an assessment of the thyroid function of an animal through a combination of computerized data and human interpretation related to the animal comprising:

obtaining data relating to the physical characteristics of the animal, the data being obtained from at least one of a physical inspection of the animal or other analysis of the animal, and the data is submitted to a clinical pathologist;

securing a blood sample or other bodily fluid from the animal and submitting the blood or other body fluid sample for laboratory analysis of the total T4, total T3, free T4, free T3, T3 autoantibody, T4 autoantibody and thyroglobulin autoantibody, and selectively endogenous TSH;

the blood sample submission being to a satellite facility;

pre-processing the blood sample into sub-samples and coding the sub-samples, the coding being in the form that is electronically readable through scanning;

physically carrying the coded blood sub-samples to the main laboratory for analysis;

the satellite facility electronically inputting a request for a laboratory analysis by a main laboratory;

submitting electronically the request for blood analysis to the main laboratory, the main laboratory coordinating the electronically received input from the satellite facility with the physical blood sub-samples;

obtaining a computer generated report of the laboratory analysis from the laboratory;

relating the report to a selected supplemental database for supplemental analysis, the supplemental analysis being related to the data relating to the physical characteristics, and thereby making a first assessment off the thyroid function of the animal;

selectively enhancing the supplemental report by a further input from a pathologist through data entry, selectively keyboard entry, into the computer;

obtaining an integrated computer report having the laboratory analysis, supplemental report, and selectively an enhanced report; and

communicating the integrated or enhanced report to a remotely located client, such communicating being electronic.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the menu is contained in a toolbar supplementing an application, selectively a word processing, program.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein a tool bar includes icons defining predetermined supplemental report characteristics, and wherein selected icons may be used by the clinical pathologist to supplement the laboratory report.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the icons are grouped for animal characteristics dependant on age and sex, and animal characteristics dependant on animal grouping, and wherein the assessment is selectively dependant on an animal grouping, animal age and sex.