SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED CLINICAL WORKFLOW

• US 20090119124A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kambaloor, Guruprasad Nagaraja
• Application Number:
  US11/934,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119124A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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

A method for clinical workflow is presented. The method includes selecting a predefined template, where the predefined template includes one or more parameters associated with a patient. Further, the method includes determining a list of matching devices, where the matching devices are configured to provide the one or more parameters associated with the patient. The method also includes aiding the collection of available matching devices, where the available matching devices include matching devices from the list of matching devices that are not associated with any patient. Systems and computer-readable medium that afford functionality of the type defined by this method is also contemplated in conjunction with the present technique.

Claims

1. A method for clinical workflow, the method comprising:

selecting a predefined template, wherein the predefined template comprises one or more parameters associated with a patient;

determining a list of matching devices, wherein the matching devices are configured to provide the one or more parameters associated with the patient; and

aiding the collection of available matching devices, wherein the available matching devices comprise matching devices from the list of matching devices that are not associated with any patient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining location information associated with one or more devices existing within a caregiving facility; and

storing the location information associated with the one or more devices in a first storage.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining location information comprises obtaining location information via a radio frequency identification device associated with each of the one or more devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the list of matching devices comprises:

obtaining the one or more parameters associated with the patient corresponding to the selected predefined template;

determining a list of devices existing within a caregiving facility and parameters provided by the devices;

determining a list of matching devices, wherein the matching devices are configured to monitor the one or more parameters associated with the patient; and

associating the matching devices with at least one of the one or more parameters associated with the patient.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein aiding the collection of the available matching devices comprises:

obtaining the list of matching devices;

determining a list of available matching devices from the list of matching devices, wherein the available matching devices comprise matching devices from the list of matching devices that are not associated with any patient;

computing a distance between the patient and each of the available matching devices, a distance between a clinician and each of the available matching devices, or both; and

determining a plurality of paths between the patient and the clinician and the available matching devices, wherein the plurality of paths is configured to aid in collecting the available matching devices.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying the plurality of paths on a display.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

selecting an optimal path from the plurality of displayed paths; and

locking the available matching devices associated with the selected path.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising attaching the collected matching devices to the patient.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising automatically initiating monitoring of the one or more parameters associated with the patient via the attached devices.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising automatically associating one or more devices with the patient.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein associating one or more devices with the patient comprises:

obtaining the list of devices existing within the caregiving facility and the location information corresponding to each of the devices existing within the caregiving facility;

obtaining a list of patients and location information corresponding to each patient; and

determining an association between each of the devices and each of the patient by comparing location information corresponding to each device with location information corresponding to each patient.

12. A method for clinical workflow, the method comprising:

selecting a predefined template, wherein the predefined template comprises one or more parameters associated with a patient;

determining a list of matching devices, wherein the matching devices are configured to provide the one or more parameters associated with the patient;

aiding the collection of available matching devices, wherein the available matching devices comprise matching devices from the list of matching devices that are not associated with any patient;

attaching the devices to the patient; and

initiating monitoring of the one or more parameters via the attached devices.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising associating one or more devices with the patient.

14. A computer readable medium comprising one or more tangible media, wherein the one or more tangible media comprise:

code adapted to select a predefined template, wherein the predefined template comprises one or more parameters associated with a patient;

code adapted to determine a list of matching devices, wherein the matching devices are configured to provide the one or more parameters associated with the patient; and

code adapted to aid the collection of available matching devices, wherein the available matching devices comprise matching devices from the list of matching devices that are not associated with any patient.

15. A location sensing system comprising:

a location sensing platform comprising a location sensor processing module, wherein the location sensor processing module is configured to obtain location information associated with one or more devices, a patient, a clinician, or combinations thereof;

wherein each of the one or more devices, the patient, the clinician, or combinations thereof are operatively coupled to a corresponding location tracking device; and

a location proximity detector configured to compute a distance between the patient and the one or more devices, the clinician and the one or more devices, or both.

16. A system for clinical workflow, comprising:

an acquisition subsystem configured to acquire patient data;

a location sensing platform comprising a location sensor processing module, wherein the location sensor processing module is configured to obtain location information associated with one or more devices, a patient, a clinician, or combinations thereof;

wherein each of the one or more devices, the patient, the clinician, or combinations thereof are operatively coupled to a corresponding location tracking device;

a location proximity detector configured to compute a distance between the patient and the one or more devices, the clinician and the one or more devices, or both;

a processing subsystem in operative association with the acquisition subsystem and configured to;

select a predefined template, wherein the predefined template comprises one or more parameters associated with a patient;

determine a list of matching devices, wherein the matching devices are configured to provide the one or more parameters associated with the patient; and

aid the collection of available matching devices, wherein the available matching devices comprise matching devices from the list of matching devices that are not associated with any patient.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the system is further configured to:

obtain location information associated with one or more devices existing within a caregiving facility; and

store the location information associated with the one or more devices in a first storage.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the system is configured to obtain location information via a radio frequency identification device associated with each of the one or more devices, the one or more patients, the one or more clinicians, or combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the system is configured to:

obtain the one or more parameters associated with the patient corresponding to the selected predefined template;

determine a list of devices existing within a caregiving facility and parameters provided by the devices;

determine a list of matching devices, wherein the matching devices are configured to monitor the one or more parameters associated with the patient; and

associate the matching devices with at least one of the one or more parameters associated with the patient.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the system is configured to:

obtain the list of matching devices;

determine a list of available matching devices from the list of matching devices, wherein the available matching devices comprise matching devices from the list of matching devices that are not associated with any patient;

compute a distance between each patient and each of the available matching devices, a distance between each clinician and each of the available matching devices, or both; and

determine a plurality of paths between each patient and each clinician and the available matching devices, wherein the plurality of paths is configured to aid in collecting the available matching devices.

21. The system of claim 20, further configured to display the plurality of paths on a display.

22. The system of claim 21, further configured to:

select an optimal path from the plurality of displayed paths; and

lock the available matching devices associated with the selected path.

23. The system of claim 22, further configured to attach the gathered matching devices to the patient.

24. The system of claim 23, further configured to automatically initiate monitoring of the one or more parameters associated with the patient via the attached devices.

25. The system of claim 19, further configured to automatically associate one or more devices with the patient.