Method for scheduling viewing of a live medical procedure

• US 20050278195A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harry L. Getz
• Original Assignee: Harry L. Getz
• Inventors: Getz, Harry L.
• Application Number:
  US10/856,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20050278195A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

A method for scheduling and viewing a live medical procedure is disclosed. The method may be practiced utilizing a system that includes: an image acquisition component, such as one or more video cameras, located at a site of the live medical procedure; a viewing component, such as a computer monitor, remotely located from the site of the medical procedure; and a database that is configured to store data regarding the scheduling and performance of the live medical procedure. The method involves providing data to the database regarding medical procedures to be performed. A viewer selects a desired medical procedure from the database, and registers to view the procedure at the specified time, then subsequently establishes a link between the viewing component and the image acquisition component. The image acquisition component transmits data, such as image data, over a computer network so the viewer can view the live medical procedure with the viewing component, as the procedure is being performed.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling viewing of a live medical procedure comprising the steps of:

identifying a live medical procedure for viewing based on characteristics of the procedure, the characteristics comprising a scheduled time in which the procedure is to begin, and a procedure type;

accessing a database comprising a record associated with the live medical procedure, the record comprising a plurality of data fields corresponding to the characteristics, each of the plurality of data fields having a value corresponding to one of the characteristics of the procedure;

searching the database to identify the record; and

registering to view the live medical procedure at the scheduled time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of viewing the live medical procedure.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of viewing the live medical procedure is performed at a remote location.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of viewing the live medical procedure is performed at a location in proximity to a location at which the live medical procedure is performed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of establishing a link between an image acquisition component provided at a location of the live medical procedure and a remotely located viewing component.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the link is established by submitting registration information to a computer configured to control transmission of an image of the live medical procedure to the remote viewing component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the live medical procedure is identified based on characteristics selected from the group consisting of a scheduled time in which the procedure is to begin, a procedure type, a patient'"'"'s gender, a patient'"'"'s age, a body region on which the procedure is to be performed, a doctor performing the procedure, a doctor'"'"'s school, instrumentation used for the live medical procedure, video transmission speed, and a geographic location at which the procedure is to be performed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is remotely accessed over the Internet.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of viewing the live medical procedure in a graphical user interface display partitioned into a plurality of viewing components, a first one of the components configured to display a video image of the live medical procedure, and each additional component configured to permit viewing of supplemental information associated with the live medical procedure.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the display is partitioned into four viewing components.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of identifying another viewer registered to view the medical procedure.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification of the other viewer includes determining that the other viewer is viewing the medical procedure.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification of the other viewer includes determining that the other viewer is registered to view the medical procedure.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification of the other viewer includes determining that the other viewer is a member of a system configured to permit the scheduling and viewing of the medical procedure.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of notifying another person of the live medical procedure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the other person is selected from a group of people identified in a list selected by a viewer.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the notifying step comprises sending an electronic message to the other person which appears in one of a plurality of windows of a viewing component.

18. A method of scheduling viewing of a live medical procedure comprising the steps of:

providing a database with data corresponding to characteristics of a live medical procedure, the characteristics comprising a time in which the live medical procedure is to begin, and a procedure type;

receiving a request from a requestor to schedule viewing of the live medical procedure at the time in which the procedure is scheduled to begin;

acquiring an image of the live medical procedure at the time in which the procedure is being performed; and

transmitting data corresponding to the image of the live medical procedure to a viewing component, in accordance with the request.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the live medical procedure is a surgical procedure performed at a medical facility.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the database includes data corresponding to characteristics selected from the group consisting of a scheduled time in which the procedure is to begin, a procedure type, a patient'"'"'s gender, a patient'"'"'s age, a body region on which the procedure is to be performed, a doctor performing the procedure, a doctor'"'"'s school, instrumentation used for the live medical procedure, video transmission speed, and a geographic location at which the procedure is to be performed.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the request is received over a link of a computer network.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of registering a viewer to view the live medical procedure in response to the request received from the requestor.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of registering the viewer comprises associating the viewer with an authorization code.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the image of the live medical procedure is acquired using a digital video camera.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the acquiring step comprises recording the image of the live medical procedure on a fixed tangible medium.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the acquiring step comprises transmitting the image of the live medical procedure without recording the image on a fixed tangible medium.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of transmitting supplementary information related to the medical procedure to the remote viewing component.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of sending an electronic notification of a change in scheduling of the live medical procedure.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the request comprises an identity of a remote viewing component.

30. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of submitting a payment request to the requestor to schedule the viewing of the live medical procedure.

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of providing an authorization code that permits a viewer to view a plurality of live medical procedures at different scheduled times.

32. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of receiving a request to identify another viewer registered to view the medical procedure.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the request includes a request to determine that the other viewer is viewing the medical procedure.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the request includes a request to determine that the other viewer is registered to view the medical procedure.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the request includes a request to determine that the other viewer is a member of a system configured to permit scheduling and viewing of the medical procedure.

36. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of receiving a notice regarding the live medical procedure from a viewer of the live medical procedure, and transmitting the notice to another person.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the other person is selected from a group of people identified in a list selected by a viewer.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the transmitting of the notice comprises sending an electronic message to the other viewer which appears in one of a plurality of windows of the viewing component.

39. A system for scheduling viewing of a live medical procedure, comprising:

an image acquisition component configured to acquire an image of a live medical procedure being performed;

a viewing component coupled to the image acquisition component via a link, the viewing component configured to display the image of the live medical procedure received from the image acquisition component; and

a database configured to store data regarding scheduling and performance of the live medical procedure, the database being searchable to permit a requestor to search for the live medical procedure and to register a viewer to view the live medical procedure with the viewing component.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the image acquisition component comprises a recording component configured to record the image of the live medical procedure on a fixed tangible medium.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the image acquisition component comprises a transmission component configured to transmit the image of the live medical procedure without recording the image on a fixed tangible medium.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the image acquisition component comprises at least one video signal.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein the image acquisition component comprises at least one patient monitor.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein the viewing component is located at a remote location.

45. The system of claim 39, wherein the viewing component is located in proximity to the location of the live medical procedure.

46. The system of claim 39, wherein the database comprises fields corresponding to characteristics of the live medical procedure selected from the group consisting of a scheduled time in which the procedure is to begin, a procedure type, a patient'"'"'s gender, a patient'"'"'s age, a body region on which the procedure is to be performed, a doctor performing the procedure, a doctor'"'"'s school, instrumentation used for the live medical procedure, video transmission speed, and a geographic location at which the procedure is to be performed.

47. The system of claim 39, further comprising a data management component in communication with the database.

48. The system of claim 39, further comprising a reservation component configured to permit a requestor to register for viewing the live medical procedure.

49. The system of claim 39, further comprising a list of names of people effective in facilitating electronic communication between people of the list.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the list includes a plurality of groups of people associated by personal profile information.