System and method for testing autoverification rules

• US 20080186134A1
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Payne, Kathleen M., Parkhurst, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis

Abstract

A method of testing an autoverification rule comprises providing a rule check including a example test result. After the rule check is provided, the autoverification rule is automatically performed on the rule check. Performance of the autoverification rule on the rule check provides a rule check output. It is then determined whether the rule check output is an expected output. A system for testing the autoverification rules comprises a graphical user interface configured to display an autoverification rule and receive the rule check for the autoverification rule. The system further includes a processor configured to automatically perform the autoverification rule on the rule check and provide a rule check output. The processor is further configured to receive an input indicating whether the rule check output is an approved output for the autoverification rule.

Claims

1. A method of testing an autoverification rule configured to autoverify laboratory test results provided by a laboratory analyzer, the method comprising:

a) performing the autoverification rule on a rule check including an example test result, performance of the autoverification rule on the rule check providing a rule check output;

b) determining whether the rule check output is an expected output;

c) modifying the autoverification rule;

d) automatically performing the modified autoverification rule on the rule check, performance of the modified autoverification rule on the rule check providing a modified rule check output; and

e) automatically indicating whether the modified rule check output is the expected output.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of approving the rule check output if the rule check output is the expected output.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying the autoverification rule as a flowchart on a graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the flowchart comprises a plurality of nodes and a defined workflow between the plurality of nodes in the autoverification rule.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of indicating a path through the flowchart made by the rule check.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of indicating the path of the rule check through the flowchart comprises highlighting nodes and edges in the path.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of highlighting comprises presenting the nodes and edges in the path in a different color from the other nodes and edges in the flowchart.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing a rule check comprises providing a plurality of rule checks, and further comprising the step of highlighting a missing path through the flowchart if the plurality of rule checks do not account for the missing path.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a table including the rule check.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the table includes an indication of whether the rule check has been approved for the autoverification rule.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of indicating whether the modified rule check output is the expected output includes displaying the rule check output and the modified rule check output.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the rule check is one of a plurality of rule checks, and wherein the modified autoverification rule is automatically performed on the plurality of rule checks to provide a plurality of modified rule check outputs.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of saving the rule check as proof of testing on the autoverification rule.

14. A system for testing an autoverification rule configured to autoverify laboratory test results, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface configured to display an autoverification rule and receive a rule check for the autoverification rule, the rule check including an example test result;

a processor configured to automatically perform the autoverification rule on the rule check and provide a rule check output, the processor further configured to receive an input indicating whether the rule check output is an approved output for the autoverification rule; and

a data storage, wherein the rule check and rule check output are saved in the data storage;

wherein the rule check and rule check is retrieved from data storage upon modification of the autoverification rule, and wherein the graphical user interface indicates whether the rule check output has changed upon modification of the autoverification rule.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the autoverification rule is displayed as a flowchart on the graphical user interface.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the flowchart comprises a plurality of nodes and a defined workflow between the plurality of nodes in the autoverification rule.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the graphical user interface displays a node-to-node progression of the rule check through the flowchart.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the graphical user interface highlights nodes and edges between nodes in the node-to-node progression when displaying the node-to-node progression of the rule check through the flowchart.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the highlighted nodes and edges are presented in a different color than other nodes and edges in the flowchart

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the rule check output comprises validating the example test result, holding the example test result for manual review, ordering a further test, rerunning a prior test, cancelling an existing test, adding a comment, or modifying the test result.

21. A system for testing an autoverification rule configured to autoverify clinical test results, the system comprising:

a) a graphical user interface; and

b) a processor configured to provide a plurality of environments through the graphical user interface, the plurality of environments comprising;

i) an editor environment configured to edit the autoverification rule;

ii) a rule check environment configured to receive a rule check including an example test result, the rule check environment further configured to perform the autoverification rule based on the rule check and automatically indicate whether performance of the autoverification rule based on the rule check provides an expected output; and

iii) a laboratory environment configured to perform the autoverification rule on the clinical test results.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the autoverification rule is displayed as a flowchart on the graphical user interface in the editor environment and in the rule check environment.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the rule check environment is configured to receive a plurality of rule checks, and the rule check environment is further configured to indicate at least one path through the flowchart which is not associated with the plurality of rule checks.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the editor environment is configured to edit an autoverification rule from an original autoverification rule to a modified autoverification rule, wherein the rule check environment is configured to perform the modified autoverification rule on the rule check, and wherein the expected output for the modified autoverification rule is an output associated with performance of the original autoverification rule on the rule check.