System and User Interface for Workflow & Task Schedule Configuration

• US 20100131289A1
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: DeHaan, Jan, Brandt, Samuel I.
• Granted Patent: US 8,365,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

In an embodiment of the present inventions, a work flow process may be generated by decomposing functions of a clinical information system into discrete tasks including an individual task associated with a first pre-configured executable procedure for implementing the individual task and associating a user selectable image element with the pre-configured first executable procedure used in implementing the individual task. In a currently envisioned embodiment, integratable work flow processes according to the present invention may be provided to a vertical application system. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for use in generating a work flow process, the work flow process comprising a task performed using a plurality of corresponding executable procedures in response to user command, the method comprising the steps of:

decomposing functions of a clinical information system into discrete tasks including an individual task associated with a first executable procedure for implementing the individual task, the first executable procedure being pre-configured by being associated with an identifier of the individual task; and

associating a user selectable image element with the pre-configured first executable procedure used in implementing the individual task.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the functions of the clinical information system include at least one of (i) processing an order associated with medical treatment of a patient, (ii) processing results of a test performed for a patient, (iii) documenting clinical findings associated with a patient, (iv) scheduling a service to be performed for a patient, (v) managing resources associated with treatment of a patient, and (vi) managing personnel associated with treatment of a patient.

3. A computer program embodied within a computer-readable medium created using the method of claim 1.

4. A method for generating a user selectable image element for a work flow process, the work flow process comprising tasks and a plurality of work flow executable procedures wherein an individual work flow executable procedure corresponds to a unique one of the tasks, comprising the steps of:

configuring a work flow executable procedure to be associated with a particular work flow task by associating the work flow executable procedure with (i) a task identifier and (ii) a predetermined executable application for initiating the work flow executable procedure for implementing the particular task; and

associating a user selectable image element with the configured work flow executable procedure in response to at least one of a user command entered via a displayed user interface and a command from the predetermined executable application.

5. A method of providing work flow integration of a pre-configured work flow executable procedure into an second software application system, comprising:

for a desired work step, creating a work flow executable procedure;

embedding, within the work flow executable procedure, a predetermined set of parameters required to invoke appropriate functionality desired by the designer;

exposing parameters that must be passed into the executable procedure as public parameters;

exposing returns that must be passed back to the process in which the work step will be configured;

using a property page for the executable procedure to expose a predetermined set of public attributes that can be set at design time;

creating an image element representation for the executable procedure; and

including the resultant image element and its associated executable procedure in a library as part of a customized environment for the second software application system.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising:

securing the executable procedure, thereby making its internal configuration inaccessible to an end user of an application system.

7. A method according to claim 5, further comprising:

allowing the end user of the second software application system to utilize the customized environment by dragging an image element provided by the designer onto a work flow design;

allowing the end user of the second software application system to configure the property pages; and

allowing the end user of the second software application system to specify parameters to be set at runtime.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein:

the image element is at least one of a graphical element and a text element.

9. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of:

incorporating the work flow executable procedure into a process definition; and

defining a value of a variable of the process definition in which the work flow executable procedure is incorporated as an expression comprising one or more output parameters of the work flow executable procedure.

10. A method according to claim 5, wherein:

the functionality desired by the designer comprises functions representative of a work flow for performance by healthcare personnel.

11. A computer program embodied within a computer-readable medium created using the method of claim 5.

12. A system for integratably providing work flow functionality within a second software application that does not have a native work flow engine, comprising:

a work flow engine;

a display;

a source of work flow executable procedure capable of being integrated into the second software application and further capable of providing work flow functionality to the second software application;

a source of image elements displayable on the display, wherein an image element provides a pre-configured interface to one or more of the work flow executable procedure, the image element further comprising a programmatic call to the second application system, processing within the second application system, and a return from the second application system;

an image element interface displayable on the display, the image element interface useful for allowing user selection of a predetermined set of work flow functions and a predetermined set of image elements; and

a work flow process configuration environment, further comprising an interface, the interface comprising an atomic, encapsulated image element that exposes functionality of the second software application to an end user of the second software application, the interface being further capable of providing configuration functionality with respect to work flow configuration.

13. A method of providing integratable work flow processes to a second application system, comprising:

creating a work flow engine;

providing a general image element interface to one or more executable processes of the work flow engine; and

creating an image element interface for a predetermined set of work flow functions for the second application system, the image element interface representing a programmatic call to the second application system, processing within the second application system, and a return from the second application system.

14. A method for creating a library of user selectable image elements supporting user creation of a work flow comprising a plurality of tasks performed using a corresponding plurality of work flow executable procedures in response to a user command, comprising the steps of:

pre-configuring a predetermined work flow executable procedure to be associated with (i) an identifier for a particular task and (ii) an executable application for initiating the work flow executable procedure for implementing the particular task, wherein the work flow executable procedure is useable in implementing the particular task in a work flow; and

installing the pre-configured work flow executable procedure into a library of retrievable, pre-configured work flow executable procedure.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

allowing access to the library by a designer from a work flow user interface; and

allowing the user to retrieve a desired pre-configured work flow executable procedure from the library.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the access to the library is read-only.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

displaying the identifier for a predetermined number of pre-configured work flow executable procedure; and

allowing the user to retrieve a desired pre-configured work flow executable procedure from the library by user selection of the displayed identifier.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

the particular task is to be performed by a predetermined user role.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

the library is a file structure.