Utilization indicating schedule scanner
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
54 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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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.
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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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:
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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
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. An apparatus for scheduling use of at least one resource to optimally schedule new requests for the resource'"'"'s time, the apparatus comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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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:
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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.
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Specification