SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WORKFLOW PROCESSING

• US 20100174994A1
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James G. Marx
• Original Assignee: James G. Marx
• Inventors: Marx, James G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,937,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• 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 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing a workflow are disclosed. Certain embodiments allow prescreened data to be inserted into a workflow. A user'"'"'s interpretation of prescreened data can be compared with previously obtained characteristics, enabling the user'"'"'s interpretive output to be monitored and improved. The disclosed systems and methods have applications including, but not limited to, training, performance analysis, process improvement, and data analysis and data mining in workflows.

Claims

1. A system for processing medical image files comprising:

an unscreened files data structure configured to access unscreened medical image files created by at least one imaging modality;

a distribution module comprising a selection processor, a workflow queue generation processor, and a transmission processor;

at least one workstation comprising a receiving processor, a user display, and a user input;

a system monitoring module configured to monitor and evaluate a user'"'"'s interpretive output information of the unscreened files;

a diagnostic output module;

a distribution override processor in communication with the system monitoring module and the selection processor, wherein the distribution override processor is configured to adjust the number of unscreened medical image files presented to the user based on the monitoring and evaluation of the system monitoring module; and

a feedback module configured to send and receive real-time electronic communication regarding a user'"'"'s interpretation of the unscreened files.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the real-time electronic communication comprises at least one of an Internet request, an email message, an instant message and an SMS text message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the real-time electronic communication is sent to and received from at least one of an entity, a case review committee, a peer review committee, a government agency and a physician requesting the user'"'"'s interpretive output information.

4. A system for processing medical image files comprising:

an unscreened files data structure configured to access unscreened medical image files created by at least one imaging modality;

a prescreened files module configured to access prescreened medical image files and an associated diagnosis for each of the prescreened medical image files;

a distribution module comprising a selection processor, a workflow queue generation processor, and a transmission processor;

a prescreened data coordinator configured to coordinate the insertion of the prescreened medical image files into the distribution module;

at least one workstation comprising a receiving processor, a user display, and a user input;

a comparison module;

a system monitoring module configured to monitor and evaluate a user'"'"'s interpretive output information of the unscreened and prescreened files; and

a distribution override processor in communication with the system monitoring module and the selection processor, wherein the distribution override processor is configured to adjust a ratio of unscreened medical image files to prescreened medical image files presented to the user based on the monitoring and evaluation of the system monitoring module; and

a feedback module.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the prescreened data coordinator adjusts the amount of prescreened medical image files to be presented to users based on the monitoring and evaluation of the user'"'"'s interpretive output information and transmits the adjustment to the distribution module.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the prescreened data coordinator alters data in the prescreened medical image files in order to include distribution instructions for the files by the distribution module.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the distribution instructions comprise an indication of at least one of workstations and users to receive the prescreened files by the distribution module.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the distribution instructions comprise an indication of at least one of times, dates, frequency, and order at which workstations receive the prescreened files by the distribution module.

9. A system for processing medical image files comprising:

an unscreened files module configured to access unscreened medical image files created by at least one imaging modality;

a prescreened files module configured to access prescreened medical image files and an associated diagnosis for each of the prescreened medical image files, wherein the associated diagnosis is embedded in the prescreened file;

a distribution module comprising a selection processor, a workflow queue generation processor and a transmission processor;

at least one workstation comprising a receiving processor, a user display, and a user input configured to receive a user diagnosis associated with the medical image file displayed on the user display;

a system monitoring module configured to monitor and evaluate a user'"'"'s interpretive output information of the unscreened and prescreened files;

a comparison module configured to receive the user diagnosis from the at least one workstation and generate comparison data if the user diagnosis is associated with a prescreened medical image file by comparing the user diagnosis with the associated diagnosis;

a distribution override processor in communication with the system monitoring module and the selection processor, wherein the distribution override processor is configured to adjust a ratio of unscreened medical image files to prescreened medical image files presented to the user;

a feedback module configured to receive the comparison data from the comparison module and transmit the comparison data to the workstation user display; and

a prescreened data coordinator configured to store information about the comparison data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the prescreened data coordinator further notifies the user of correct or incorrect diagnosis immediately or at a later time.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the prescreened data coordinator stores information about the comparison data in a user profile table.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the distribution module uses information in the user profile table to determine whether to display a given prescreened file to the user.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the information in the user profile table is used for user performance review.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the embedded diagnosis of the prescreened file is displayed to the user if the comparison data indicates a difference between the user diagnosis and the embedded diagnosis.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the embedded diagnosis is displayed to the user through a pop-up box.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the adjustment of the ratio is related to at least one of a user'"'"'s file load and average processing time.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the adjustment of the ratio is related to the comparison data.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the adjustment of the ratio is related to at least one of the number and rate of incoming unscreened medical image files.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein the adjustment of the ratio is related to the presence of an event creating large volumes of unscreened medical image files.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein the adjustment of the ratio is related to time period of a workday.