Methods for patient care using acuity templates

• US 20060167721A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Dvorak, Vera Cermin, Bernard, Betty
• Application Number:
  US11/322,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167721A1
• 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 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• 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 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Methods for determining a post-acute level of care for a patient are provided. A template is provided, the template including categories indicating issues relating to a condition, such as a neurological event, a wound injury, or an orthopedic injury. Each category includes several levels, each level representing a severity of the category. A numerical rating is assigned to a level selected for each category, and a total score is calculated. Using the template and the score, a care facility is recommended for the patient.

Claims

1. A method for determining a care facility for a patient, comprising:

providing a template including a co-morbidities category, an incontinence category, a cognition category, a psychosocial category, and an activity daily living (ADL) category;

determining a level for each category, the level indicating the severity of the category;

determining a rating for each level;

calculating a score for the template using the rating; and

determining a care facility appropriate for the condition of the patient from the score.

2. The method of claim 1, where providing a template comprises providing a neurological template, a wound care template, or a orthopedic template.

3. The method of claim 1, the categories further comprising a baseline condition category, a weight bearing category, a weight category, and an orthopedic issue category.

4. The method of claim 3, where providing a template comprises providing an orthopedic template.

5. The method of claim 1, the categories further comprising a diabetes category, a nutritional status category, and a wound stage category.

6. The method of claim 3, where providing a template comprises providing a wound care template.

7. The method of claim 1, the categories further comprising an expected outcome category.

8. The method of claim 7, where providing a template comprises providing a wound neurological template.

9. The method of claim 1, the care facility being selected from the group consisting of a home, outpatient services, inpatient tertiary medical rehabilitation centers, inpatient community level medical rehabilitation centers, transitional care units, and skilled nursing facilities.

10. A computer program, comprising computer or machine-readable program elements translatable for implementing the method of claim 1.

11. A method for determining a care facility for a patient, comprising:

providing a template including a plurality of categories which indicate issues related to a neurological event of the patient;

determining a level for each category, the level indicating the severity of the category;

determining a rating for each level;

calculating a score for the template using the rating; and

determining a care facility appropriate for the patient from the score.

12. The method of claim 11, the categories being selected from a group consisting of co morbidities of the patient, physical deficits of the patient, cognition of the patient, incontinence status of the patient, presence of a caregiver, and an expected outcome.

13. A computer program, comprising computer or machine-readable program elements translatable for implementing the method of claim 11.

14. A method for determining a care facility for a patient, comprising:

providing a template including a plurality of categories which indicate issues related to a condition of a wound of the patient;

determining a level for each category, the level indicating the severity of the category;

determining a rating for each level;

calculating a score for the template using the rating; and

determining a care facility appropriate for the patient from the score.

15. The method of claim 14, the categories being selected from the group consisting of diabetes status of the patient, co morbidities of the patient, physical deficits of the patient, nutritional status of the patient, cognition of the patient, incontinence status of the patient, wound stage, and presence of a caregiver.

16. A computer program, comprising computer or machine-readable program elements translatable for implementing the method of claim 14.

19. A computer program, comprising computer or machine-readable program elements translatable for implementing the method of claim 15.

17. A method for determining a care facility for a patient, comprising:

providing a template including a plurality of categories which indicate issues related to an orthopedic condition of the patient;

determining a level for each category, the level indicating the severity of the category;

determining a rating for each level;

calculating a score for the template using the rating; and

determining a care facility appropriate for the patient from the score.

18. The method of claim 17, the categories being selected from the group consisting of diabetes status of the patient, co morbidities of the patient, physical deficits of the patient, cognition of the patient, weight in terms of body mass index of the patient, baseline conditions, weight bearing status of the patient, orthopedic issue of the patient, and a presence of a caregiver.