System and method for real-time medical department workflow optimization

• US 20060109961A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Gentles, Thomas A., Mahesh, Prakash, Morita, Mark M.
• Application Number:
  US10/997,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20060109961A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.250
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for real-time workflow management in a healthcare environment. The system includes a database, an optimizer engine, and an interface. The database includes resource information for a healthcare environment. The optimizer engine is capable of communicating with the database to extract resource information. The interface is capable of communicating with the optimizer engine and a user. The interface is capable of allocating a resource to manage a workflow based on output from the optimizer engine. In an embodiment, the optimizer engine is capable of making a recommendation based on the resource information. In an embodiment, the interface presents the recommendation to the user, and may present the recommendation based on a rule, for example. In an embodiment, the interface may include a map of resources. The user may direct workflow based in part on the interface and/or the recommendation.

Claims

1. A real-time medical workflow management system, said system including:

a database including resource information for a healthcare environment;

an optimizer engine capable of communication with said database to extract said resource information; and

an interface capable of communication with said optimizer engine, wherein said interface is capable of allocating a resource to manage a workflow based on output from said optimizer engine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said optimizer engine is capable of making a recommendation based on said resource information.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said interface presents said recommendation to a user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said interface displays said resource information based in part on a rule.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said interface includes a map of resources.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said database includes an interface to at least one medical information system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said database is capable of at least one of accessing, controlling, and modifying a medical information system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said user directs said workflow based in part on said interface.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein said user directs said workflow based in part on said recommendation.

10. A real-time medical department workflow management interface system, said system including:

a display device, said display device including a map of resources; and

an input device, said input device capable of communicating with said display device, said input device allowing a user to allocate a resource in substantially real-time.

11. The system of claim 10, further including an optimizer engine, said optimizer engine capable of communicating with at least one of said display device and said input device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said optimizer engine generates a workflow allocation recommendation.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said workflow allocation recommendation is communicated to said user.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said display device prompts said user to respond to said workflow allocation recommendation.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said user allocates said resource based in part on said map of resources.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said user allocates said resource based in part on said workflow allocation recommendation.

17. A method for real-time workflow management in a healthcare environment, said method including:

reading resource information from a database;

generating a resource map based in part on said resource information;

displaying said resource map to a user; and

directing workflow based in part on said resource map.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining a workflow allocation recommendation based in part on said resource information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising presenting said workflow allocation recommendation to a user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said directing workflow further comprises directing workflow based in part on said workflow allocation recommendation.

21. A computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions for a computer, the set of instructions comprising:

an optimizer routine for resource allocation using resource information in a healthcare environment; and

an interface routine for allocating one or more resources based on output from said optimizer engine, said interface routine capable of accepting input from a user to assist in said allocation of one or more resources.