An Imaging Study Completion Processing System

• US 20080123917A1
• Filed: 06/18/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Venumuddula, Sunanda, Zhu, Cynthia, Magsig, Peter J., Johanesen, Sandra A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/06 Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers , e.g. RAID, emulated record carriers or networked record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0014 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A system enables a user to signify completion of an imaging study comprising a collection of reports, worksheets and diagnostic data, based upon rules configured by a user saving user time and increasing reliability of image study processing. An automated system manages completion of a medical imaging study having one or more different reports associated with one or more different personnel and being produced during a patient imaging examination. A user interface provides multiple display images. A configuration processor enables a user, using a display image, to assign a predetermined completion status to a report. The predetermined completion status is used to indicate a report is complete as required for an associated imaging study to be designated complete. A monitoring processor monitors stored indicators indicating current status of corresponding reports associated with the imaging study. A decision processor, in response to the monitoring of the stored indicators, automatically determines whether a current status of a report matches a corresponding predetermined completion status of a report for individual reports associated with the imaging study and in response to a match for the individual reports, initiates generation of a message indicating the imaging study is complete.

Claims

1. An automated system for managing completion of a medical imaging study having one or more different reports associated with one or more different personnel, comprising:

a user interface providing a plurality of display images;

a configuration processor for enabling a user, using a display image, to assign a predetermined completion status to a report, said predetermined completion status being used to indicate a report is complete as required for an associated imaging study to be designated complete, said imaging study being produced during a patient imaging examination;

a monitoring processor for monitoring stored indicators indicating current status of corresponding reports associated with said imaging study; and

a decision processor for, in response to said monitoring of said stored indicators, automatically determining whether a current status of a report matches a corresponding predetermined completion status of a report for individual reports associated with said imaging study and in response to a match for said individual reports, initiating generating of a message indicating said imaging study is complete.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein

said monitoring processor monitors stored indicators indicating status of corresponding reports associated with an imaging study to detect a change in status and

said decision processor determines whether a current status of a report matches a corresponding predetermined completion status of a report for individual reports associated with said imaging study in response to detection of a change in status.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein

said imaging study being complete comprises being signed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein

a completion status of a report comprises being signed.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein

a completion status of a report comprises at least one of, (a) being verified, (b) don'"'"'t care and (c) being signed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein

said user interface enables a specific user associated with a particular report to enter data for storage comprising an indicator indicating current status of said particular report using a display image.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein

said specific user comprises a worker performing a specific role predetermined using said configuration processor and comprising at least one of, (a) a physician, (b) a radiologist and (c) a nurse.

8. An automated system for managing completion of a medical imaging study having one or more different reports associated with one or more different personnel, comprising:

a user interface providing a plurality of display images;

a user interface processor for enabling a user, using one or more display images to,

assign a current status to a report of an imaging study produced during a patient imaging examination and comprising a plurality of different reports associated with a corresponding plurality of different workers and

assign a predetermined completion status to a report, said predetermined completion status being used to indicate a report is complete as required for an associated imaging study to be designated complete;

a monitoring processor for monitoring a stored indicator indicating current status of an associated report; and

a decision processor for using said monitoring processor to automatically determine whether a current status of a report matches a corresponding predetermined completion status of a report for individual reports associated with said imaging study and in response to a match for said individual reports, initiating generating of a message indicating said imaging study is complete.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein

said monitoring processor monitors stored indicators indicating status of associated reports of an imaging study to detect a change in status of said reports and

said decision processor determines whether a current status of a report matches a corresponding predetermined completion status of a report for individual reports associated with said imaging study in response to detection of a change in status.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein

said one or more display images enable a user to select types of report associated with an imaging study.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein

said types of report comprise reports associated with two or more of, (a) a physician, (b) a referring physician, (c) a patient, (d) a nurse and (e) a technician.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein

said one or more display images enable a user to associate a report of a particular type with a completion status comprising at least one of, (a) being verified, (b) don'"'"'t care and (c) being signed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein

said one or more display images comprise a single display image.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein

said one or more display images enabling a user to assign a current status to a report enables a user to assign a status comprising at least one of, (a) being verified, (b) completed and (c) uncompleted.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein

said completed status and uncompleted status of a medical imaging study comprise being signed and unsigned respectively.

16. A method for managing completion of a medical imaging study having one or more different reports associated with one or more different personnel, comprising the activities of:

providing a plurality of display images enabling a user to,

assign a current status to a report of an imaging study produced during a patient imaging examination and comprising a plurality of different reports associated with a corresponding plurality of different workers and

assign a predetermined completion status to a report, said predetermined completion status being used to indicate a report is complete as required for an associated imaging study to be designated complete;

monitoring a stored indicator indicating current status of an associated report; and

a decision processor for using said monitoring processor to

automatically using said monitoring in determining whether a current status of a report matches a corresponding predetermined completion status of a report for individual reports associated with said imaging study and in response to a match for said individual reports, initiating generating of a message indicating said imaging study is complete.