MEDICAL SCREENING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20070179815A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Heartscreen America, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heartscreen America, Inc.
• Inventors: Vining, David, Vining, Bert
• Application Number:
  US11/624,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179815A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods for screening large client populations (e.g., students) to identify those clients susceptible to a medical condition (e.g., a cardiac condition) are provided. In general, the system allows for a large number of clients to be tested at a convenient location (e.g., a school), on-site identification of those clients at immediate risk, and over-read of each test result (both normal and abnormal test results) at a later date by a physician capable of gaining access to the records via a secure computer connection. The system further includes various servers and network connections capable of creating and maintaining a secure central database, creating and updating electronic client medical records, down-loading data (e.g., the electronic records) from the central database to portable computing units, collecting client testing data, up-loading and integrating the testing data into the secure central database, and providing secure access to authorized end-users.

Claims

1. A method of screening a population for a medical condition, comprising:

(A) establishing a testing site at a location remote from a healthcare facility, the testing operation including at least one healthcare clinician and at least one mobile computing unit;

(B) obtaining or creating an electronic medical record for a client from among the population and storing that electronic medical record on the at least one mobile computing unit;

(C) testing of the client for the condition by the healthcare clinician using a digital medical device connected to the mobile computing device;

(D) adding data from the testing to the client'"'"'s electronic medical record;

(E) uploading the client'"'"'s electronic medical record from the mobile computing device to a Data Management Server associated with the healthcare facility; and

(F) providing authorized end-users with access to the client'"'"'s electronic medical record.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (A) through (F) are repeated to test the entire population.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of healthcare clinicians, each having a testing computing device in communication with the mobile computing device, the testing device coupled to a digital medical device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each healthcare clinician has two digital medical devices so that one client from the population can be prepared for testing while another client from the population is being tested.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the testing center includes an storage device in communication with the mobile computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital medical device is an electrocardiogram device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the medical condition is one indicative of a heightened risk of sudden cardiac death.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic medical record, including testing data, is forwarded electronically to an on-call medical professional at a remote location at least for clients whose testing indicates a likelihood that the medical condition is present.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the testing location is a school.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the client population are students.

11. A method for testing a client population for a medical condition, comprising:

providing an SMS portal, the SMS portal allowing a client to establish an electronic client medical record by providing various types of information via an internet connection, the electronic medical record stored in a data management server;

down-loading the electronic medical records to a mobile computer unit, the mobile computer unit capable of being moved to an off-site testing facility;

coupling a digital medical device to the mobile computer unit, the digital medical device capable of performing a client test and incorporating test date to the electronic client record to produce a updated electronic record;

up-loading the updated electronic client records from the mobile computer unit to the data management server; and

providing an off-site medical professional with electronic access to the electronic client record via a terminal server, the terminal server being coupled to the data management server.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing the client with access to the client'"'"'s electronic medical record via the internet connection.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital medical device is a digital ECG device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the medical condition is a cardiac condition.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the client population are student athletes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the testing location is a school.

17. A system for screening a population of clients for a medical condition, comprising:

a data management server located at a healthcare facility, the data management server in communication with an SMS portal, the SMS portal assessable to a client via an internet connection, the data management server capable of creating an electronic client record containing various information provided by the client via the SMS portal;

an at least one mobile computer unit capable of moving from the healthcare facility to an off-site testing location, the mobile computer unit capable of receiving electronic records downloaded from the data management server, the mobile computer unit coupled to a digital medical device capable of performing a client test and directly incorporating a test result into the client'"'"'s electronic record, the mobile computer unit further capable of uploading the electronic medical record to the data management server; and

a terminal server capable of allowing an off-site medical professional access to the electronic medical record.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a plurality of testing computer units in communication with the mobile computer unit.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the medical condition is a cardiac condition.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the digital medical device is an ECG device.