Utilization indicating schedule scanner

• US 20060047553A1
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Epic Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Epic Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Larsen, Steven J., Foss, Keith A., Fuhrmann, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• 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: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method and apparatus for use with a processor, a database and an interface including a display screen, the database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one medical resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods, the method for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling the resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the method comprising the steps of identifying a utilization value for at least one schedule sub-period for the at least one resource wherein the utilization value indicates current use of time for the at least one sub-period for the at least one resource, identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the utilization value for the at least one sub-period and presenting the optimization indicator via the display.

Claims

1. A method for use with a processor, a database and an interface including a display screen, the database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one medical resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods, the method for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling the resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a utilization value for at least one schedule sub-period for the at least one resource wherein the utilization value indicates current use of time for the at least one sub-period for the at least one resource;

identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the utilization value for the at least one sub-period; and

presenting the optimization indicator via the display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the utilization value is a utilization percentage of the at least one sub-period.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein scheduler is affiliated with the entity that controls the resource, the method further including receiving a scheduling request from a client attempting to identify availability of the resource for an appointment to be scheduled.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the scheduler is a client attempting to identify availability of the resource for an appointment that the client desires to schedule and wherein the step of presenting the optimization indicator includes providing a network link between the processor and the interface and presenting the optimization indicator remotely to the client.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource is a medical service provider and wherein the step of identifying a utilization value includes identifying the percent utilization of the providers time over the at least one sub-period.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of presenting an optimization indicator includes presenting a visually distinct indicator where the distinction is a function of the value of the utilization percentage.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of presenting an optimization indicator includes presenting a color coded icon wherein the color of the icon depends at least in part on the utilization percentage.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein there are a plurality of different percentage ranges and wherein the color of each icon depends at least in part on the range that includes an associated utilization percentage.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the ranges and the colors are selectable by the scheduler.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of presenting an optimization indicator also includes indicating the utilization percentage via a percentage number.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the percentage number is placed within the color coded icon.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying an optimization indicator includes identifying the optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the period between a reference time and the time of the at least one sub-period.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the reference time is the current time.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of identifying the percentage of time utilization for at least one of the sub-periods and the at least one provider includes identify the percentage of time utilization for a subset of sub-periods for the at least one provider, the step of identifying includes identifying a separate optimization indicator for each of a plurality of sub-periods, the step of presenting including simultaneously presenting an optimization indicator for at least a subset of the plurality of the sub-periods.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of identifying the percentage of time utilization for a plurality of sub-periods for the at least one provider includes identifying the percentage of time utilization for a plurality of sub-periods for each of a plurality of providers, the step of identifying includes identifying a separate optimization indicator for each of a plurality of sub-periods for each of the plurality of providers, the step of presenting including simultaneously presenting an optimization indicator for at least a subset of the plurality of the sub-periods for at least a subset of the providers.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the providers, sub-periods and optimization indicators are presented in a table format.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the table format includes a column of time providers, a row of sub-periods and a separate optimization indicator for each of the sub-periods and each of the providers.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the interface includes an input device for selecting information on the display, the method further including monitoring the interface for selection of one of the providers and, when a provider is selected, moving the selected provider and associated optimization indicators to the top of the table.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the interface includes an input device for selecting information on the display, the method further including monitoring the interface for selection of one of the sub-periods and, when a sub-period is selected, ordering the providers in the table as a function of the optimization indicators that occur during the selected sub-period.

20. The method of claim 17 for use as an enhancement to a scheduling program, the interface including an input device for selecting information on the display, the method further including the steps of monitoring the interface for selection of one of the optimization indicators and, when an optimization indicator is selected, presenting schedule information for the provider and the sub-period associated with the selected optimization indicator.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of identifying each of the optimization indicators includes identifying a color wherein different colors indicate different levels of optimization.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein there are a plurality of different utilization percentage ranges and wherein the color of each associated optimization indicator depends at least in part on the range that includes an associated utilization percentage.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the optimization indicators are presented in separate table cells and wherein each cell is colored with the associated optimization indicator color.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the sub-periods are days of the week.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the colors associated with each of the optimization indicators are at least in part a function of the period between a reference time and the time of the sub-process.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the reference time is the current time.

27. The method of claim 1 for use as an enhancement to a scheduling program, the method further including the step of, when the portion of the schedule associated with the at least one sub-period is modified, altering the utilization value associated with the sub-period to reflect the modification and storing a new utilization value for the at least one resource and the at least one sub-period.

29. The method of claim 1 for use as an enhancement to scheduling software wherein the step of identifying a utilization value includes identifying a utilization percentage for each of a plurality of sub-periods, the step of identifying an optimization indicator including identifying an optimization indicator for each of the utilization percentages and the step of presenting the optimization indicator including presenting an optimization indicator each time information for a corresponding sub-period is displayed.

30. The method of claim 1 for use as an enhancement to scheduling software wherein the step of presenting the optimization indicator includes presenting the optimization indicator each time information corresponding to the at least one of the sub-periods is displayed.

31. The method of claim 1 for use as an enhancement to scheduling software, the method further including the step of receiving via the interface at least one characteristic of an appointment to be scheduled wherein the step of identifying an optimization indicator includes identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the appointment characteristic.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of receiving at least one characteristic of an appointment includes determining the duration an appointment to be scheduled, the step of identifying an optimization indicator including identifying a possible utilization value that reflects the current utilization value and the duration of the appointment.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of identifying a possible utilization value includes identifying a possible utilization percentage that reflects the current utilization value and the duration of the appointment.

34. The method of claim 1 further including the step of, prior to identifying, receiving a selection from the scheduler selecting the at least one resource from a list of resources and the at least one of the sub-periods.

28. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of identifying a utilization value includes identifying a utilization percentage that is the percent of the sub-period currently scheduled wherein the resource'"'"'s time is scheduled in block-periods where each block-period includes a block percentage of the duration of the sub-period, the step of altering the utilization percentage including, when a block-period is scheduled, adding the block-percentage to the utilization percentage to identify a new utilization percentage.

35. A method for use with a processor, a database and an interface including a display screen, the database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for a plurality of medical resources that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods, the method for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling use of the resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an input device by which the scheduler can select a sub-set of the sub-periods;

receiving a selection of a subset of the sub-periods;

identifying a utilization value for each of the subset sub-periods for at least a sub-set of the resources;

identifying an optimization indicator for each of the utilization values at least in part as a function of the utilization values of the sub-periods; and

presenting at least a subset of the optimization indicators via the display.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the each utilization value is a utilization percentage indicating the utilization of an associated sub-period that is currently scheduled.

37. The method of claim 36 for use as an enhancement to scheduling software, the method further including the step of receiving via the interface at least one characteristic of an appointment to be scheduled wherein the step of identifying an optimization indicator includes identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the appointment characteristic.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the step of presenting optimization indicators includes presenting a table including a separate optimization indicator for each combination of a resource and a sub-period presented via the display.

39. A method for use with a processor, a database and an interface including a display screen, the database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one medical resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods, the method for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling use of the resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying the duration of an intervening period between a reference time and at least one of the sub-periods;

identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the intervening period; and

presenting the optimization indicator via the display.

40. A method for use with a processor, a database and an interface including a display screen, the database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one medical resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods, the method for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling use of the resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a utilization value for at least one schedule sub-period for the at least one provider wherein the utilization value is at least a function of a current percentage of time utilization for the at least one sub-period for the at least one resource;

identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the utilization value for the at least one sub-period;

presenting the optimization indication via the display;

receiving a command to modify the resource'"'"'s schedule during the at least one sub-period;

altering the current utilization value as a function of the received command; and

storing the altered utilization value as a new current utilization value for the sub-period for subsequent use.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the each utilization value is a utilization percentage indicating the utilization of an associated sub-period that is currently scheduled.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of identifying an optimization indicator includes receiving an indication of the duration of an appointment to be scheduled and identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the duration.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein the at least one resource'"'"'s time is scheduled in block-periods where each block-period includes a block percentage of the duration of the sub-period, the step of altering the utilization percentage including, when a block-period is scheduled, adding the block-percentage to the utilization percentage to identify a new utilization percentage.

44. A method for use with a processor, a database and an interface including a display screen, the database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one medical resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods, the method for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling use of the resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a rule set for determining how optimal sub-periods are for scheduling appointments;

for each of a plurality of sub-periods, identifying an optimization indicator as a function of the rule set; and

presenting at least a subset of optimization indicators via the display.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a rule set includes providing a rule set that takes into consideration at least a subset of the current sub-period utilization percentage of a sub-period, the current sub-period utilization percentages of sub-periods temporally proximate other sub-periods, intervening periods between a current time and when sub-periods occur, distribution of current appointments during a sub-period, multiple physician schedules, duration of an appointment to be scheduled, requirements for scheduling other temporally proximate appointments for a first specific client and requirements for scheduling other temporally proximate appointments for a second specific client where the second client is different than the first client.

46. A method for use with a processor, a database and an interface including a display screen, the database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one medical resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods, the method for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling use of the resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the method comprising the steps of:

determining how optimal sub-periods are for scheduling appointments; and

indicating via the display relative degrees of optimization for at least a subset of the sub-periods

47. A method for use with a processor, a database and an interface including a display screen, the database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one medical resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods, the method for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling the resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a current utilization value for at least one schedule sub-period for the at least one resource wherein the utilization value indicates current use of time for the at least one sub-period for the at least one resource;

receiving an indication of the duration of an appointment to be scheduled;

identifying a possible utilization value as a function of the current utilization value and the duration of the appointment;

identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the possible utilization value for the at least one sub-period; and

presenting the optimization indicator via the display.

48. An apparatus for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling at least one resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the apparatus comprising:

an interface;

a display screen;

a database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods; and

a processor programmed to perform the steps of;

identifying a utilization value for at least one schedule sub-period for the at least one resource wherein the utilization value indicates current use of time for the at least one sub-period for the at least one resource;

identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the utilization value for the at least one sub-period; and

presenting the optimization indicator via the display.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the utilization value is a utilization percentage of the at least one sub-period.

50. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the scheduler is a client attempting to identify availability of the resource for an appointment that the client desires to schedule, the apparatus further including a network that links the interface and display to the processor, the processor programmed to perform the step of presenting the optimization indicator by linking to the interface via the network and presenting the optimization indicator remotely to the client.

51. An apparatus for scheduling use of at least one resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the apparatus comprising:

an interface;

a display screen;

a database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods; and

a processor programmed to perform the steps of;

identifying a utilization value for at least one schedule sub-period for the at least one provider wherein the utilization value is at least a function of a current percentage of time utilization for the at least one sub-period for the at least one resource;

identifying an optimization indicator at least in part as a function of the utilization value for the at least one sub-period;

presenting the optimization indication via the display;

receiving a command via the interface to modify the resource schedule during the at least one sub-period;

altering the current utilization value as a function of the received command; and

storing the altered utilization value as a new current utilization value for the sub-period for subsequent use.

52. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein the each utilization value is a utilization percentage indicating the utilization of an associated sub-period that is currently scheduled.

53. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein the at least one resource'"'"'s time is scheduled in block-periods where each block-period includes a block percentage of the duration of the sub-period, the processor altering the utilization percentage by, when a block-period is scheduled, adding the block-percentage to the utilization percentage to identify a new utilization percentage.

54. An apparatus for aiding a scheduler responsible for scheduling use of the resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the apparatus comprising:

a display screen;

a database including schedule information associated with utilization of time for at least one resource that may be scheduled for use over a period including several sub-periods; and

a processor programmed to perform the steps of;

determining how optimal sub-periods are for scheduling appointments; and

indicating via the display relative degrees of optimization for at least a subset of the sub-periods.