Patient and device location dependent healthcare information processing system

• US 20060288095A1
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Gardner, Christopher, Gardiner, Jeffrey, Torok, David, Boggs, William, Williamson, Robert D., Snyder, Domonic
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A system automatically establishes context information (e.g., determining changes to user interface workflows, screens, menus, and access requirements for devices such as monitors, ventilators, and diagnostic equipment) used by a worker in using healthcare information applications based on patient geographic location (e.g., a room or bed or department). The system addresses the need for a user to sign onto a system with each location change and manually change context information which consumes computer, server and network resources and represent a potential security problem. A healthcare system selects information to be provided to a user in response to received location dependent context data. The system includes a proximity detector for wirelessly detecting presence of an identification tag substantially within a predetermined vicinity of the detector. The identification tag is associated with at least one of, (a) a particular processing device and (b) a particular person. A location detector determines location information indicating a location associated with an identification tag detected by the proximity detector. A workflow processor automatically alters information presented to a user including information associated with a task sequence to be performed by the user for a patient in response to the determined location information.

Claims

1. A healthcare system for determining information provided to a user in response to received location dependent context data, comprising:

a proximity detector for wirelessly detecting presence of an identification tag substantially within a predetermined vicinity of said detector, said identification tag being associated with at least one of, (a) a particular processing device and (b) a particular person;

a location detector for determining location information indicating a location associated with an identification tag detected by said proximity detector; and

a workflow processor for automatically altering information presented to a user including information associated with a task sequence to be performed by said user for a patient in response to said determined location information.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said identification tag is an RFID tag and

said proximity detector comprises an RFID processor for detecting an RFID tag.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said identification tag and proximity detector employs at least one of, (a) RFID technology, (b) Global Positioning technology, (c) IEEE 802 compatible technology and (d) infra-red technology.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said workflow processor alters information presented to said user including information associated with a task sequence to be performed by said user in response to information identifying a role performed by said user, said identified role information being derived based upon a detected identification tag of said user.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein

said role performed by said user comprises at least one of, (a) a physician role, (b) a nurse role, (c) an administrative role and (d) a clinician role.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said workflow processor alters information presented to said user including information associated with a task sequence to be performed by said user in response to information identifying a patient, said patient identification information being derived based upon a detected identification tag of said patient.

7. A system according to claim 1, including

a repository of equipment inventory information associating medical devices with their corresponding locations wherein

said workflow processor uses said equipment inventory information in automatically altering information presented to said user to include information derived from particular medical devices in a vicinity of said determined location and to exclude information from devices not in a vicinity of said determined location.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein

said particular medical devices comprise patient parameter acquisition devices.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein

said workflow processor alters information presented to said user to include information derived from particular medical devices in a vicinity of said determined location in response to information identifying a patient, said patient identification information being derived based upon a detected identification tag of said patient.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein

said vicinity of said determined location comprises a patient care unit.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said information presented to said user is presented on a particular processing device and including

a session transfer interface for automatically initiating a current session of operation of a particular executable application for processing information presented to said user by transferring an identified session of operation of said user previously initiated via a second processing device to said particular processing device as said current session of operation, in response to information identifying said user derived based upon a detected identification tag of said user.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein

said identified session of operation is an active session.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said session transfer interfaces initiates,

identifying said session of operation of said user previously initiated via said second processing device, and

re-attaching connection of said previously initiated session of operation to said first processing device as said current session of operation.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said particular processing device is a portable processing device used by a healthcare worker and

said particular person is a particular healthcare worker.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein

said particular person is a particular patient.

16. A healthcare system for selecting information to be provided to a user in response to received location dependent context data, comprising:

a proximity detector for wirelessly detecting presence of an identification tag of a particular processing device substantially within a predetermined vicinity of said detector.

a location detector for determining location information indicating a location associated with said identification tag detected by said proximity detector; and

a workflow processor for automatically selecting information presented to a user including information associated with a task sequence to be performed by said user for a patient in response to said determined location information, said information being presented to said user using said particular processing device.

17. A system according to claim 16, including

a repository of equipment inventory information associating medical devices with their corresponding locations wherein

said workflow processor uses said equipment inventory information in automatically altering information presented to said user to include information derived from particular medical devices in a vicinity of said determined location and to exclude information from devices not in a vicinity of said determined location.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein

said equipment inventory information associates medical devices with individual patients and with patient care units (rooms).

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein

said workflow processor selects information presented to said user to include information derived from particular medical devices in a vicinity of said determined location in response to information identifying a patient, said patient identification information being derived based upon a detected identification tag of said patient.

20. A system according to claim 16, including

a session transfer interface for automatically initiating a current session of operation of a particular executable application for processing information presented to said user by transferring an identified session of operation of said user previously initiated via a second processing device to said particular processing device as said current session of operation, in response to information identifying said user derived based upon a detected identification tag of said user.

21. A system according to claim 16, including

a repository of patient location information associating patients with their corresponding care units wherein

said workflow processor uses said patient location information to select information presented to said user to include information derived from particular medical devices in a vicinity of said determined location in a particular care unit, said patient location information being derived based upon a detected identification tag of said patient.

22. A healthcare system for determining information to be provided to a user in response to received location dependent context data, comprising:

a proximity detector for wirelessly detecting presence of an identification tag of a particular patient substantially within a predetermined vicinity of said detector.

a location detector for determining location information indicating a location associated with said identification tag detected by said proximity detector; and

a workflow processor for automatically selecting information presented to a user including information associated with a task sequence to be performed by said user for said particular patient in response to said determined location information.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein

said workflow processor selects information presented to said user in response to information identifying a role performed by said user, said identified role information being derived based upon a detected identification tag of said user wherein

said role performed by said user comprises at least one of, (a) a physician role, (b) a nurse role and (c) a clinician role.

24. A system according to claim 22, including

a repository of equipment inventory information associating medical devices with their corresponding locations wherein

said workflow processor uses said equipment inventory information in automatically altering information presented to said user to include information derived from particular medical devices in a vicinity of said determined location and to exclude information from devices not in a vicinity of said determined location.

25. A system according to claim 22, wherein

said workflow processor selects information presented to said user to include information derived from particular medical devices in a vicinity of said determined location in response to said detected identification tag of said particular patient.

26. A system according to claim 22, including

a session transfer interface for automatically initiating a current session of operation of a particular executable application for processing information presented to said user by transferring an identified session of operation of said user previously initiated via a second processing device to said particular processing device as said current session of operation, in response to information identifying said user derived based upon a detected identification tag of said user.

32. A system according to claim 24, wherein

said equipment inventory information associates medical devices with individual patients and with patient care units (rooms).

27. A healthcare system for selecting information to be provided to a user in response to received location dependent context data, comprising:

a proximity detector for wirelessly detecting presence of an identification tag of a particular healthcare worker substantially within a predetermined vicinity of said detector.

a location detector for determining location information indicating a location associated with said identification tag detected by said proximity detector; and

a workflow processor for automatically selecting information presented to a healthcare worker including information associated with a task sequence to be performed by said healthcare worker for a particular patient in response to said determined location information.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein

said workflow processor selects information presented to said healthcare worker in response to information identifying a role performed by said healthcare worker, said identified role information being derived based upon a detected identification tag of said healthcare worker wherein

said role performed by said healthcare worker comprises at least one of, (a) a physician role, (b) a nurse role, (c) an administrative role and (d) a clinician role.

29. A system according to claim 27, including

a repository of equipment inventory information associating medical devices with their corresponding locations wherein

said workflow processor uses said equipment inventory information in automatically altering information presented to said healthcare worker to include information derived from particular medical devices in a vicinity of said determined location and to exclude information from devices not in a vicinity of said determined location.

30. A system according to claim 27, wherein

said workflow processor selects information presented to said healthcare worker to include information derived from particular medical devices in a vicinity of said determined location in response to said detected identification tag of said particular patient.

31. A system according to claim 27, including

a session transfer interface for automatically initiating a current session of operation of a particular executable application for processing information presented to said healthcare worker by transferring an identified session of operation of said healthcare worker previously initiated via a second processing device to said particular processing device as said current session of operation, in response to detection of said identification tag of said healthcare worker.

33. A system according to claim 29, wherein

said equipment inventory information associates medical devices with individual patients and with patient care units (rooms).