Method and System for Representation of Current and Historical Medical Data

• US 20070088525A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEXX Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IDEXX Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Fotiades, Anestes, Dieffenbach, David, Brazell, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,579,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof

Abstract

A method and system for reporting medical data including both current and past medical results for medical tests performed on a patient is provided. The medical data is output in columns, and the current results and past results of the same medical test are presented in the same row. In this manner, the report is provided in a layout that has rows and columns, so that all current results are presented in one column, and all past results are presented in a separate column. In addition, graphs of the medical results can be displayed to illustrate current and past medical results in a view that allows for trend and comparative diagnosis.

Claims

1. A method of reporting medical data comprising:

receiving current result data of medical tests performed on a patient;

outputting the current result data of the medical tests in a layout having rows and columns; and

outputting previous result data of medical tests performed on the same patient in the layout in a separate column, so that previous result data and current result data of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the previous result data of the medical tests in the layout comprises outputting the previous result data in a column to the right of the current result data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the previous result data of the medical tests in the layout comprises outputting previous result data of all instances of the medical tests.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the previous result data of the medical tests in the layout comprises outputting most recent previous result data of the medical tests.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the previous result data of the medical tests in the layout comprises outputting a date and time of a test event corresponding to the medical tests from which the previous result data were recorded.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the current result data of the medical tests in the layout having columns comprises outputting a printed document.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the current result data of the medical tests in the layout having columns comprises outputting the layout on a computer display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the current result data and the previous result data of the medical tests further comprises indicating a date for each of the current result data and the previous result data in the layout.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying instances in which a current result of a medical test is abnormal and at least one previous result exists for the medical test; and

outputting a graph in the layout with the abnormal current result and the at least one previous result as data points.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein outputting the graph in the layout with the abnormal current result and the at least one previous result as data points comprises outputting the graph at a bottom in the layout.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to output a graph of medical data pertaining to a selected medical test, wherein the graph includes data points corresponding to current result data and previous result data of the selected medical test; and

outputting the graph of the medical data in the layout.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein an axis of the graph corresponds to a date of the current result or the previous result data point.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to output a graph of medical data pertaining to a selected medical test, wherein the graph includes data points corresponding to current result data and previous result data of the selected medical test; and

outputting the graph of the medical data in a separate layout.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a graphical indicator for each medical test that indicates whether the current result data of the medical test is low, normal or high, wherein the graphical indicator is a slidebar that illustrates a measurement value for the medical test, wherein the graphical indicator is output in the layout in a column between the current result data and the previous result data so that the previous result data, the current result data and the graphical indicator of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising also outputting on the graphical indicator for each medical test whether the previous results of the medical test have been low, normal or high.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting a range of reference data pertaining to each medical test in the layout in a column between the current result data and the previous result data so that the previous result data, the current result data and the range of reference data of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout, wherein the range of reference data defines values for results of the medical test pertaining to a low and a high result.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising a textual indicator that indicates whether the current result data is out of the reference range.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a graphical indicator for each medical test that indicates whether the previous result data of the medical test was low, normal or high.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising if a current or previous result data of a medical test is abnormal, outputting data pertaining to the current or previous result data in a color different from normal results.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein medical tests are performed by multiple instruments, and wherein outputting the current result data and the previous result data comprises outputting the current result data and the previous result data pertaining to related medical tests in adjacent rows.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating a type of instrument used to perform each medical test in a row above the row including the current result data and the previous result data; and

indicating within each row of result data in separate columns the following information;

a type of test performed, the current result data, the previous result data, a range of reference data that defines values for results of the medical test pertaining to a low and a high result, and a graphical indicator that indicates whether the current result data of the medical test is low, normal or high.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to output a graph of medical data pertaining to a selected medical test, wherein the graph includes data points corresponding to current result data and previous result data of the selected medical test, wherein an axis of the graph corresponds to a date of the current result or the previous result data point;

outputting the graph of the medical data in the layout;

outputting a graphical indicator for each medical test that indicates whether the current result data of the medical test is low, normal or high, wherein the graphical indicator is a slidebar that illustrates a measurement value for the medical test, wherein the graphical indicator is output in the layout in a column between the current result data and the previous result data so that the previous result data, the current result data and the graphical indicator of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout; and

outputting a range of reference data pertaining to each medical test in the layout in a column between the current result data and the previous result data so that the previous result data, the current result data and the range of reference data of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout, wherein the range of reference data defines values for results of the medical test pertaining to a low and a high result.

23. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for causing a processing unit to execute the method of claim 1.

24. A graphical interface for displaying medical data, the graphical interface comprising:

medical data pertaining to current results of medical tests in a layout having rows and columns;

medical data pertaining to previous results of the medical tests in the layout in a column by the current results, so that previous results and current results of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout; and

a graph in the layout illustrating medical data for a medical test in which the graph includes data points corresponding to current result data and previous result data.

25. The graphical interface of claim 24, wherein the graph in the layout illustrates medical data for a medical test in which a current result of the medical test is abnormal and at least one previous result exists for the medical test, wherein the graph includes data points corresponding to the abnormal current result and the at least one previous result.

26. The graphical interface of claim 24, further comprising a date and time of a test event corresponding to the medical tests from which the previous results were recorded.

27. The graphical interface of claim 24, further comprising a graphical indicator for each medical test that indicates whether the current results of the medical tests are low, normal or high, wherein the graphical indicator is a slidebar that illustrates a measurement value for the medical test, wherein the graphical indicator is output in the layout in a column between the current results and the previous results so that the previous results, the current results and the graphical indicator of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout.

28. The graphical interface of claim 24, further comprising a range of reference data pertaining to each medical test in the layout in a column between the current results and the previous results so that the previous results, the current results and the range of reference data of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout, wherein the range of reference data defines values for results of the medical test pertaining to a low and a high result.

29. A computer readable medium having program code recorded thereon for execution on a computer to provide a report of medical data, comprising:

a first program code for outputting medical data pertaining to current results of medical tests in a layout having rows and columns; and

a second program code for outputting medical data pertaining to previous results of the medical tests in the layout in a column, so that previous results and current results of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, further comprising a third program code for outputting a graph in the layout illustrating medical data for a medical test in which the graph includes data points corresponding to current result data and previous result data.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the third program code generates an x-axis date range that starts at the earliest previous result date and ends at the current result date.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, where in the graph displays a date of a first data point and a date of a last data point.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the graph further displays two additional x-axis dates between the date of the first data point and the date of the last data point, wherein the two additional x-axis dates are determined by dividing the x-axis into four equal length segments.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 29, further comprising a fourth program code for outputting a graphical indicator for each medical test that indicates whether the current results of the medical tests are low, normal or high, wherein the graphical indicator is a slidebar that illustrates a measurement value for the medical test, wherein the graphical indicator is output in the layout in a column between the current results and the previous results so that the previous results, the current results and the graphical indicator of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout.

35. A method of reporting medical data comprising:

means for receiving current result data of medical tests performed on a patient;

means for outputting the current result data of the medical tests in a layout having rows and columns; and

means for outputting previous result data of medical tests performed on the same patient in the layout in a separate column, so that previous result data and current result data of the same medical test are in the same row in the layout.