Method and system to optimize and automate clinical workflow

• US 20070136089A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schneider, Henning, Haider, Sultan
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• 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 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

In a method for optimizing and automating patient clinical workflow where medical personnel oversee a patient from intake to an end of the clinical workflow, at least one patient monitoring unit is provided which monitors clinical activities related to the patient during at least a portion of the clinical workflow. A centralized communication platform is provided which is controlled by, and which provides information output to, at least one of the medical personnel. The communication platform receives different types of information including at least patient monitoring unit information, rules information, structured information, and IT information. With the communication platform, the different information types are processed and management outputs are provided to the at least one medical personnel for decision making and overall management of the clinical workflow.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing and automating patient clinical workflow where medical personnel oversee a patient from intake to an end of the clinical workflow, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one patient monitoring unit which monitors clinical activities related to the patient during at least a portion of the clinical workflow;

providing a centralized communication platform which is controlled by, and which provides information output to, at least one of said medical personnel, said communication platform receiving different types of information including at least patient monitoring unit information, rules information, structured information, and IT information; and

with said communication platform, processing the different information types and providing management information outputs to said at least one medical personnel for decision making and overall management of the clinical workflow.

2. A method of claim 1 wherein the management information outputs comprise at least automated scheduling.

3. A method of claim 1 wherein said management information outputs comprise at least one automated checklist.

4. A method of claim 1 wherein said management information outputs comprise at least one IT base suggestion.

5. A method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of patient monitoring units are provided, at least one of the patient monitoring units monitoring clinical events in which the patient participates and at least one other monitoring unit provides patient information concerning the patient.

6. A method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring unit comprises at least one of the unit types RFID unit, a camera system, or a bluetooth unit.

7. A method of claim 1 wherein said rules information comprises at least one of the types of rules information process descriptions, guidelines, filters, benchmarks, medical knowledge, or personal doctors rules.

8. A method of claim 1 wherein said structured information comprises at least one of the types of structured information modalities, doctors, checklists, scheduling, suggestions, medical reporting, or balanced score card.

9. A method of claim 1 wherein said IT information comprises at least one of the types of IT information hospital information systems, radiology information systems, cardiac information systems, picture archiving systems, or specialized hospital information systems.

10. A method of claim 1 wherein said clinical workflow comprises patient intake with symptoms, diagnostic questions, examinations, results/reports, therapy, care, and rehabilitation.

11. A method for optimizing and automating patient clinical workflow where medical personnel oversee a patient from intake to an end of the clinical workflow, comprising the steps of:

providing patient monitoring units which monitor clinical activities related to the patient during the clinical workflow including clinical events in which the patient participates and providing patient information;

providing a centralized communication platform which is controlled by, and which provides information output to, at least one of said medical personnel, said communication platform receiving different types of information including patient monitoring unit information, rules information, structured information, and IT information; and

with said communication platform, processing the different information types and providing management information outputs to said at least one medical personnel for decision making and overall management of the clinical workflow.

12. A system for optimizing and automating patient clinical workflow where medical personnel oversee a patient from intake to an end of the clinical workflow, comprising:

at least one patient monitoring unit which monitors clinical activities related to the patient during at least a portion of the clinical workflow;

a centralized communication platform which is controlled by, and which provides information output to, at least one of said medical personnel, said communication platform receiving different types of information including at least patient monitoring unit information, rules information, structured information, and IT information; and

said communication platform processing the different information types and providing management information outputs to said at least one medical personnel for decision making and overall management of the clinical workflow.

13. A system of claim 12 wherein said management information outputs comprise at least automatic scheduling.

14. A system of claim 12 wherein said management information outputs comprise at least one automated checklist.

15. A system of claim 12 wherein said management information outputs comprise at least one IT base suggestion.

16. A system of claim 12 wherein a plurality of patient monitoring units are provided, at least one of the patient monitoring units monitoring clinical events in which the patient participates and at least one other monitoring unit provides patient information concerning the patient.

17. A system of claim 12 wherein said monitoring unit comprises at least one of the unit types RFID unit, a camera system, or a bluetooth unit.

18. A system of claim 12 wherein said rules information comprises at least one of the types of rules information process descriptions, guidelines, filters, benchmarks, medical knowledge, or personal doctors rules.

19. A system of claim 12 wherein said structured information comprises at least one of the types of structured information modalities, doctors, checklists, scheduling, suggestions, medical reporting, or balanced score card.

20. A system of claim 12 wherein said IT information comprises at least one of the types of IT information hospital information systems, radiology information systems, cardiac information systems, picture archiving systems, or specialized hospital information systems.

21. A system of claim 12 wherein said clinical workflow comprises patient intake with symptoms, diagnostic questions, examinations, results/reports, therapy, care, and rehabilitation.

22. A computer program product for optimizing and automating patient clinical workflow where medical personnel oversee a patient from intake to an end of the clinical workflow, at least one patient monitoring unit being provided which monitors clinical activities related to the patient during at least a portion of the clinical workflow, and a centralized communication platform which is controlled by, and which provides information output to, at least one of said medical personnel, said computer program product in said communication platform performing the steps of:

receiving different types of information including at least patient monitoring unit information, rules information, structured information, and IT information; and

processing the different information types and providing management information outputs to said at least one medical personnel for decision making and overall management of the clinical workflow.