System and methods for distributed analysis of patient records

• US 20060149591A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanf, Thomas, Finn, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

A system and associated methods provide healthcare entities with analyzing capabilities for records of a patient population. The analyzing process seeks to find matches between a piece of clinical knowledge introduced to a healthcare entity and data contained in the patient population records. According to one method, a service generates executable code based on the piece of clinical knowledge. Through a communication with the service, the healthcare entity makes a determination as to what extent the clinical knowledge has relevance to a patient population of the healthcare entity. Based on this determination, the healthcare entity receives at least a portion of the executable code. Then, the records of the patient population may be analyzed by the executable code to register matches of the clinical knowledge with data contained within the records. System activity may then be initiated based on the matches registered. Examples of system activity include compiling a contact list of patients and/or healthcare providers associated with specific records where matches occurred, generating a report about the matches registered, and flagging specific records where matches occurred so that care providers may discuss issues surrounding the clinical knowledge with associated patients in a future encounter with the healthcare entity, among others.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system of queuing tasks based on the receipt of executable code embodying a piece of clinical knowledge, the tasks affecting a portion of a patient population of a healthcare entity, comprising:

receiving the executable code by the healthcare entity;

in accordance with rules of the healthcare entity, accessing a set of records of the patient population of the healthcare entity;

analyzing the set of records of the patient population by the executable code to register matches of the piece of clinical knowledge with data contained in the set of records; and

generating a task list for the registered matches, the matches pertaining to a select group of the set of records.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the clinical knowledge is established by an organization recognized as an authority by the healthcare entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of records are electronic medical records pertaining to individual patients within the patient population, the electronic medical records containing structured charts.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the executable code includes an executable macro.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge relates to at least one of a drug-drug, drug-allergy, and food-allergy interaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge relates to a standard of care guideline.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the task list is an executable task list.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the healthcare entity is at least one of a healthcare institution and an individual healthcare provider.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying that the distributed executable code originates from a trusted source.

10. A method in a computer system for presenting a healthcare entity with an option to automatically analyze a set of records of the healthcare entity'"'"'s patient population, the analysis regarding a piece of clinical knowledge, comprising:

receiving a publication associated with the piece of clinical knowledge;

generating executable code based on the publication, the executable code configured to perform an analysis within the set of records; and

distributing a link to the executable code to the healthcare entity;

whereby selection of the link enables distributing of the executable code to the healthcare entity and analyzing of the set of records to register matches of the piece of clinical knowledge with data contained in the set of records.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the set of records upon selection of the link to distribute the executable code; and

initiating system activity based on the results of the analysis.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the system activity includes queuing tasks impacting a portion of the patient population associated with particular records of the set of records where matched data is contained.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein queuing tasks includes generating a task list, the tasks containing a list of contact information for at least one of patients of a portion of the patient population and healthcare providers associated with the select group of the set of records.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein system activity includes generating a report regarding the piece of clinical knowledge.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the report includes a list of a portion of the patient population associated with particular records of the set of records where matched data is contained.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge relates to an updated standard of care guideline issued by an authoritative organization, the report including information about the authoritative organization'"'"'s standard of care guideline when the results of the analysis reveal that at least one patient within the patient population associated with particular records of the set of records where matched data is contained has received care in accordance with a standard of care guideline currently recognized by the healthcare entity.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein system activity includes editing information regarding at least one standard of care guideline within a file of the healthcare entity.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising verifying that the distributed executable code originates from a trusted source.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the healthcare entity is at least one of a healthcare institution and an individual healthcare provider.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the link is a uniform resource identifier.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge is established by an organization recognized as an authority by the healthcare entity.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein the set of records are electronic medical records pertaining to individual patients within the patient population, the electronic medical records containing structured charts.

23. The method of claim 10, wherein the executable code includes an executable macro.

24. The method of claim 10, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge relates to at least one of a drug-drug, drug-allergy, and food-allergy interaction.

25. The method of claim 10, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge relates to a standard of care guideline.

26. A method in a computer system for automatically implementing an analysis of a set of records of the patient population of the healthcare entity, the analysis regarding a piece of clinical knowledge, comprising:

receiving by the healthcare entity executable code incorporating the piece of clinical knowledge, the executable code configured to perform an analysis within the set of records;

accessing the set of records; and

analyzing the set of records by running the executable code, wherein analyzing includes registering matches of the piece of clinical knowledge with data contained in the set of records.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising verifying that the distributed executable code originates from a trusted source.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the executable code is generated by a trusted source from a publication of the piece of clinical knowledge, the publication originating with an organization recognized as an authority by the healthcare entity.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving a publication associated with the piece of clinical knowledge prior to generating executable code based on the piece of clinical knowledge.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the set of records are electronic medical records pertaining to individual patients within the patient population, the electronic medical records containing structured charts.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the executable code includes an executable macro.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge relates to at least one of a drug-drug, drug-allergy, and food-allergy interaction.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge relates to a standard of care guideline.

34. A method for analyzing a set of records of a of a healthcare entity'"'"'s patient population with respect to a piece of clinical knowledge embodied in executable code, comprising:

determining by the healthcare entity the extent to which the clinical knowledge has relevance to the patient population;

distributing at least a portion of the executable code to the healthcare entity based on the determination of the clinical knowledge relevance;

accessing the set of records; and

analyzing the set of records by the executable code to register matches of the piece of clinical knowledge with data contained in the set of records; and

initiating system activity based on the particular matches generated.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein determining by the healthcare entity to what extent the clinical knowledge has relevance to the patient population includes the healthcare entity:

reviewing the context of the piece of clinical knowledge; and

based on the review, selectively requesting a distribution of at least a portion of the executable code to the healthcare entity.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising accepting a link to initiate distributing of the at least a portion of the executable code to the healthcare entity.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the clinical knowledge is established by an organization recognized as an authority by the healthcare entity.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the set of records are electronic medical records pertaining to individual patients within the patient population, the electronic medical records containing structured charts.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the executable code includes an executable macro.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge relates to at least one of a drug-drug, drug-allergy, and food-allergy interaction.

41. The method of claim 34, wherein the piece of clinical knowledge relates to a standard of care guideline.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein the initiated system activity is the generation of an executable task list.

43. The method of claim 34, wherein the healthcare entity is at least one of a healthcare institution and an individual healthcare provider.

44. The method of claim 34, further comprising verifying that the distributed executable code originates from a trusted source.

45. The method of claim 34, wherein the initiated system activity is automated contacting of patients and healthcare providers.