Method and system for utilizing wireless voice technology within a radiology workflow

• US 20050202843A1
• Filed: 03/15/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Morita, Mark M., Fors, Steven Lawrence, Rai, Khal A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,289,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4423 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• 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: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for consolidating the workflow of various devices into a wireless, voice-enabled workflow. The method includes establishing a connection between a wireless, voice-enabled device and a data system using an interface and accessing the data system using voice commands via the connection between the wireless communication device and the data system. Voice commands may be used to facilitate data acquisition, data retrieval, order entry, dictation, audio playback, voice over IP conferencing, paging, and/or data analysis, for example. In an embodiment, a plurality of connections may be established between the wireless, voice-enabled device and a plurality of data systems. Bluetooth or WiFi wireless technology, for example, may be used to facilitate hands-free hygienic, centralized operation of a plurality of data systems using the wireless, voice-enabled device and the interface.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system for facilitating clinical workflow, said system comprising:

a remote system in a healthcare facility, said remote system used for at least one of executing an operation, storing data, and retrieving data;

a wireless communication device for voice control of said remote system in said healthcare facility, said wireless communication device allowing centralized control of said remote system to facilitate at least one of executing an operation, storing data, and retrieving data; and

an interface for relaying communication between said remote system and said wireless communication device, said interface displaying data from said remote system.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of remote systems, said plurality of remote systems capable of communicating with said wireless communication device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said interface displays data from said wireless communication device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device produces an audio response from said remote system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device is a Bluetooth wireless communication device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device is a wireless headset.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said interface is integrated with said wireless communication device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device communicates directly with said remote system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device and said interface control said remote system to perform at least one of data acquisition, data retrieval, order entry, dictation, audio playback, voice over IP conferencing, paging, and data analysis.

10. A method for facilitating workflow in a clinical environment, said method comprising:

establishing a communication link between a wireless communication device and a remote system at a first location; and

utilizing voice commands to at least one of transmit data to, retrieve data from, and trigger functions at said remote system via said communication link.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said establishing step further comprises using an interface to establish said communication link between said wireless communication device and said remote system at said first location.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a response from said remote system.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising establishing a second communication link between said wireless communication device and a second remote system at a second location.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising establishing a plurality of communication links between said wireless communication device and a plurality of remote systems at said first location.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing authentication for said communication link.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising using voice commands to perform at least one of data acquisition, data retrieval, order entry, dictation, audio playback, voice over IP conferencing, paging, and data analysis.

17. A method for consolidating workflow of a plurality of devices into a wireless, voice-enabled workflow, said method comprising:

establishing a connection between a wireless, voice-enabled device and a data system using an interface; and

accessing said data system using voice commands via said connection between said wireless communication device and said data system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said accessing step further comprises using voice commands to facilitate at least one of data acquisition, data retrieval, order entry, dictation, audio playback, voice over IP conferencing, paging, and data analysis.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising establishing a plurality of connections between said wireless, voice-enabled device and a plurality of data systems.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising using Bluetooth or WiFi wireless technology to facilitate hands-free hygienic, centralized operation of a plurality of data systems using said wireless, voice-enabled device and said interface.