System and Method of Automatically Displaying Patient Information

• US 20080281637A1
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Matz, William Randolph
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• 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
• 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 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems and methods of automatically or semi-automatically loading patient chart information onto a patient room computer system. The systems and methods involve using the patient room computer system to obtain patient identifying information, then requesting the patient chart from a primary computer system. Upon receiving the patient chart from the primary computer system, the invention relates to displaying the patient chart on the patient room computer system. Obtaining the patient information may occur in several ways. For instance, since a patient is typically associated with a specific room within the healthcare facility, the act of obtaining patient information may involve determining the room identification for the patient and using the room identification, requesting the patient chart associated with the room. In an embodiment, the room identification information is transmitted to the patient room computer system automatically upon entering the room, e.g., by using cellular telephone technology. In another embodiment, the patient room computer system has bar-code reading capabilities and thus reads a bar-code, either as part of the room providing room information as part of the patient providing patient identification information independent of room information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a wireless signal at a transceiver from a patient room computer system;

associating the transceiver to a patient room number and to patient identifying information;

associating the patient identifying information to an electronic patient chart;

requesting the electronic patient chart from a primary computer system based on the room number and on the patient identifying information;

sending the electronic patient chart from the transceiver;

when supplemental patient chart data is available, modifying the patient chart with the supplemental patient chart data; and

when supplanted patient chart data is available, modifying the patient chart with the supplanted patient chart data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein upon receipt of the signal at the transceiver, then automatically transmitting the patient room number and the patient identifying information from the transceiver.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the wireless signal at the transceiver comprises receiving a cellular telephony signal from the patient room computer system.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein requesting the electronic patient chart occurs automatically following receipt of the wireless signal and following the association of the transceiver to the patient room number and to the patient identifying information.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising requesting a new electronic patient chart from the primary computer system when a different transceiver is detected.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising requesting a new electronic patient chart from the primary computer system when a different room number is detected.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising requesting a new electronic patient chart from the primary computer system when different patient identifying information is detected.

8. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a wireless signal at a transceiver from a patient room computer system;

means for associating the transceiver to a patient room number and to patient identifying information;

means for associating the patient identifying information to an electronic patient chart;

means for requesting the electronic patient chart from a primary computer system based on the room number and on the patient identifying information;

means for sending the electronic patient chart from the transceiver;

when supplemental patient chart data is available, then means for modifying the patient chart with the supplemental patient chart data; and

when supplanted patient chart data is available, then means for modifying the patient chart with the supplanted patient chart data.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein upon receipt of the signal at the transceiver, then means for automatically transmitting the patient room number and the patient identifying information from the transceiver.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising means for receiving a cellular telephony signal from the patient room computer system.

11. The system according to claim 8, further comprising means for automatically requesting the electronic patient chart following receipt of the wireless signal and following the association of the transceiver to the patient room number and to the patient identifying information.

12. The system according to claim 8, further comprising means for requesting a new electronic patient chart from the primary computer system when a different transceiver is detected.

13. The system according to claim 8, further comprising means for requesting a new electronic patient chart from the primary computer system when a different room number is detected.

14. The system according to claim 8, further comprising means for requesting a new electronic patient chart from the primary computer system when different patient identifying information is detected.

15. A computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless signal at a transceiver from a patient room computer system;

associating the transceiver to a patient room number and to patient identifying information;

associating the patient identifying information to an electronic patient chart;

requesting the electronic patient chart from a primary computer system based on the room number and on the patient identifying information;

sending the electronic patient chart from the transceiver;

when supplemental patient chart data is available, then modifying the patient chart with the supplemental patient chart data; and

when supplanted patient chart data is available, then modifying the patient chart with the supplanted patient chart data.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein upon receipt of the signal at the transceiver, then further comprising instructions for automatically transmitting the patient room number and the patient identifying information from the transceiver.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, further comprising instructions for receiving a cellular telephony signal from the patient room computer system.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, further comprising instructions for automatically requesting the electronic patient chart following receipt of the wireless signal and following the association of the transceiver to the patient room number and to the patient identifying information.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, further comprising instructions for requesting a new electronic patient chart from the primary computer system when a different transceiver is detected.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, further comprising instructions for requesting a new electronic patient chart from the primary computer system when a different room number is detected.