MEDICAL DATA AND MEDICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM INTEGRATION AND COMMUNICATION

• US 20100094649A1
• Filed: 10/13/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IHC Health Services Incorporated (IHC Hospitals, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IHC Intellectual Asset Management LLC
• Inventors: White, Keith S.
• Application Number:
  US12/578,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094649A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/00 ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references

Abstract

A method for coding medical data is described. Medical data is obtained. A computing device determines whether the medical data in a case matches a code or a code mapping. A computing device codes the case if the medical data matches a code. Coding includes assigning a specific code to the case if the medical data matches the specific code. The computing device generates a bill for the case based on the specific code if the medical data matches the specific code.

Claims

1. A method for coding medical data, the method comprising:

obtaining medical data;

determining, by a computing device, whether the medical data in a case matches a code or a code mapping;

coding, by the computing device, the case if the medical data matches a code, wherein coding comprises assigning a specific code to the case if the medical data matches the specific code; and

generating, by the computing device, a bill for the case based on the specific code if the medical data matches the specific code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the medical data does not match a code:

obtaining coding for the medical data in a case;

determining whether the coding constitutes a new code mapping;

storing the code mapping if the coding constitutes a new code mapping;

coding the case; and

generating a bill for the case.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether human interaction is required for a case;

coding the case if human interaction is not required; and

generating a bill for the case.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

obtaining coding for the medical data in a case if human interaction is required;

determining whether the coding constitutes a new code mapping;

storing the code mapping if the coding constitutes a new code mapping;

coding the case; and

generating a bill for the case.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining coding for the medical data in a case comprises:

sending medical data; and

receiving a coding for the medical data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating suggested codes for the medical data; and

sending the suggested codes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the suggested codes are codes that have been previously used in cases containing similar medical data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cases containing similar medical data are cases where a patient is the same.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting data elements from the medical data; and

storing the extracted data elements.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the codes are International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®

) codes.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a bill for the case comprises generating a bill to send to a recipient of medical services.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a bill for the case comprises generating a bill to send to an insurance company of a recipient of medical services.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a bill for the case comprises sending coded data to a billing system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining medical data comprises obtaining medical data directly from one or more medical information systems.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein obtaining medical data comprises using a Dicom^SM worklist query on a PACS and a direct query on a RIS.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining medical data comprises obtain medical data from one or more medical information systems via an integrator.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical data comprises order information and report information.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a list of cases that are not automatically coded or billed.

19. A computing device that is configured for coding medical data on a computing device comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

obtain medical data;

determine whether the medical data in a case matches a code or a code mapping;

code the case if the medical data matches a code, wherein coding comprises assigning a specific code to the case if the medical data matches the specific code; and

generate a bill for the case based on the specific code if the medical data matches the specific code.

20. The computing device of claim 19, wherein if the medical data does not match a code, the instructions being further executable to:

obtain coding for the medical data in a case;

determine whether the coding constitutes a new code mapping;

store the code mapping if the coding constitutes a new code mapping;

code the case; and

generate a bill for the case.

21. The computing device of claim 19, the instructions being further executable to:

determine whether human interaction is required for a case;

code the case if human interaction is not required; and

generate a bill for the case.

22. The computing device of claim 21, the instructions being further executable to:

obtain coding for the medical data in a case if human interaction is required;

determine whether the coding constitutes a new code mapping;

store the code mapping if the coding constitutes a new code mapping;

code the case; and

generate a bill for the case.

23. The computing device of claim 20, wherein obtaining coding for the medical data in a case comprises:

sending medical data; and

receiving a coding for the medical data.

24. The computing device of claim 23, the instructions being further executable to:

generate suggested codes for the medical data; and

send the suggested codes.

25. The computing device of claim 24, wherein the suggested codes are codes that have been previously used in cases containing similar medical data.

26. The computing device of claim 25, wherein the cases containing similar medical data are cases where a patient is the same.

27. The computing device of claim 19, the instructions being further executable to:

extract data elements from the medical data; and

store the extracted data elements.

28. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the codes are International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®

) codes.

29. The computing device of claim 19, wherein generating a bill for the case comprises generating a bill to send to a recipient of medical services.

30. The computing device of claim 19, wherein generating a bill for the case comprises generating a bill to send to an insurance company of a recipient of medical services.

31. The computing device of claim 19, wherein generating a bill for the case comprises sending coded data to a billing system.

32. The computing device of claim 19, wherein obtaining medical data comprises obtaining medical data directly from one or more medical information systems.

33. The computing device of claim 32, wherein obtaining medical data comprises using a Dicom^SM worklist query on a PACS and a direct query on a RIS.

34. The computing device of claim 19, wherein obtaining medical data comprises obtaining medical data from one or more medical information systems via an integrator.

35. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the medical data comprises order information and report information.

36. The computing device of claim 19, the instructions being further executable to generate a list of cases that are not automatically coded or billed.

37. A tangible computer-readable storage medium for coding medical data on a computing device comprising executable instructions for:

obtaining medical data;

determining whether the medical data in a case matches a code or a code mapping;

coding the case if the medical data matches a code, wherein coding comprises assigning a specific code to the case if the medical data matches the specific code; and

generating a bill for the case based on the specific code if the medical data matches the specific code.

38. A method for integrating medical information systems, the method comprising:

obtaining medical data from one or more medical information systems;

storing or linking to the medical data in a database on a computing device;

integrating the medical data;

obtaining a syntax;

obtaining rules;

obtaining medical data from the database based on the syntax and the rules;

creating or linking tables in the database based on the syntax and the rules;

indexing the medical data in the database based on the syntax and the rules; and

outputting results by the computing device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein outputting results comprises outputting work lists for further data collection.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising assigning medical cases for peer review.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the syntax comprises a field or subset of a field of medical data.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the syntax comprises utilization codes.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the rules comprise additional fields for data collection.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising generating a data collection form based on the rules.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising collecting additional data.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the medical information systems comprise a Radiology Information System (RIS) and a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).

47. The method of claim 38, further comprising determining a status based on the integrated medical data.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the status is:

“

ordered”

if an order exists on one of the medical information systems, an image from one of the medical information systems is not associated with the order, and a report from one of the medical information systems is not associated with the order;

“

no image”

if an order exists on one of the medical information systems, an image from one of the medical information systems is not associated with the order, and a report from one of the medical information systems is associated with the order;

“

undictated”

if an order exists on one of the medical information systems, an image from one of the medical information systems is associated with the order, and a report from one of the medical information systems is not associated with the order; and

“

finalized”

if an order exists on one of the medical information systems, an image from one of the medical information systems is associated with the order, and a report from one of the medical information systems is associated with the order.

49. A method for transferring medical data, the method comprising:

receiving published medical data;

receiving group or user rights associated with the medical data;

receiving a request to download or view the medical data;

determining whether the request is authorized, wherein the request is authorized if user rights allow a requester to download or view the medical data or if the requester is a member of a group where the group rights allow the requester to download or view the medical data; and

transferring the medical data if the request is authorized and denying access if the request is not authorized.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the medical data is published from a Dicom®

source.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the medical data is published from a non-Dicom®

source.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein the medical data is published as a consultation request.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

assigning a consultant;

notifying the consultant when the assignment is made; and

notifying a sender of the consulting request when a consultation report is created or modified.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the consultant or sender is notified through an email.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the medical data is published as a teaching file.

56. The method of claim 49, wherein the medical data is published to an archive.