Equitably Assigning Medical Images for Examination

• US 20100191540A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacs Harmony, LLC
• Original Assignee: Pacs Harmony, LLC
• Inventors: Esposito, Michael B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,727,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for equitably assigning medical images for examination. Data describing a medical image study that is pending examination is obtained from a medical data server. The medical image study is assigned for examination by at least one of a plurality of users based on preferences associated with each of the users and a relative complexity value determined for the medical image study. Data describing the assignments is sent to a client. The client is configured to display at least one worklist. Each worklist is associated with a user and describes the one or more medical image studies that have been assigned to the user for examination.

Claims

1. A method in a server, comprising the steps of:

obtaining data describing at least one medical image study from at least one medical data server, the at least one medical image study pending examination;

assigning each medical image study for examination by at least one of a plurality of users based on user preferences of each of the users and a relative complexity value determined for each medical image study; and

sending data describing the assignments to a client, the client configured to display at least one worklist, each worklist being associated with a user and describing the one or more medical image studies that have been assigned to the user for examination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a relative complexity value for each medical image study comprising a quantity of relative value units determined according to the Medicare relative value scale.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of obtaining data describing the at least one medical image studies comprising health level 7 (HL7) observation results/unsolicited (ORU) messages and order messages (ORM) from at least one medical data server comprising at least one radiology information system (RIS) server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of obtaining data describing the at least one medical image studies comprising at least one digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) file from at least one medical data server comprising at least one PACS server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one medical image study comprises images generated through at least one of the following modalities:

computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, mammography, nuclear medicine, radiography, positron emission tomography, and ultrasound.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning each medical image study for examination by at least one of a plurality of users based on at least one preference comprising an availability associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning each medical image study for examination by at least one of a plurality of users based on at least one preference comprising a subspecialty preference associated with the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning each medical image study for examination by at least one of a plurality of users based on at least one preference comprising a modality preference associated with the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning each medical image study for examination by at least one of a plurality of users based on medical image studies that have been previously examined by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning each medical image study for examination by at least one of a plurality of users based on a location associated with the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending data to at least one medical data server regarding a status associated with a medical image study.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the worklist is configured to launch a picture archival and communications system (PACS) viewer for a medical image study in a client when the medical image study is selected by a user through the worklist.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the client is further configured to display a list of medical image studies that are in progress and not yet ready for examination.

14. A system, comprising:

a server;

a medical image study assignment application executable in the server, the medical image study assignment application comprising;

logic that obtains data describing at least one medical image study from at least one medical data server, the at least one medical image study pending examination;

logic that assigns each medical image study for examination by at least one of a plurality of users based on user preferences of each of the users and a relative complexity value determined for each medical image study; and

logic that sends data describing the assignments to a client, the client configured to display at least one worklist, each worklist being associated with a user and describing the one or more medical image studies that have been assigned to the user for examination.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the relative complexity value comprises a quantity of relative value units determined according to the Medicare relative value scale.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the worklist is configured to launch a PACS viewer for a medical image study in a client when the medical image study is selected by a user through the worklist.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the medical image study assignment application further comprises logic that sends data to at least one medical data server regarding a status associated with a medical image study.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the client is further configured to display a list of medical image studies that are in progress and not yet ready for examination.

19. A system, comprising:

means for obtaining data describing at least one medical image study from at least one medical data server, the at least one medical image study pending examination;

means for assigning each medical image study for examination by at least one of a plurality of users based on user preferences of each of the users and a relative complexity value determined for each medical image study; and

means for sending data describing the assignments to a client, the client configured to display at least one worklist, each worklist being associated with a user and describing the one or more medical image studies that have been assigned to the user for examination.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for sending data to at least one medical data server regarding a status associated with a medical image study.