Diagnostic System and Method for Amputation Risk Factor Identification and Amputation Prevention

• US 20100280849A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mark Hinkes
• Original Assignee: Mark Hinkes
• Inventors: Hinkes, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/771,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20100280849A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A computer implemented diagnostic amputation prevention system and method for evaluating risk factors and generating risk assessments and recommendations for diabetic patients at risk for amputation is provided. The system includes a diagnostic computer having a neurological/vascular module configured to electronically query and receive information related to pedal pulses, monofilament testing device results, or combinations thereof. A skeletal module electronically queries and receives Osseous Deformity information, and a database stores and aggregates the received information. A results module identifies risk factors using the aggregated information and generates diagnostics and recommendations based on factors including the amount, type, and particular combination of identified risk factors. The diagnostics and recommendations include identification of amputation risk assessment categories, explanation of risk categories, identified risk factors, recommendations for treatment, and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A computer implemented diagnostic amputation prevention system for evaluating risk factors and generating risk assessments and recommendations for diabetic patients at risk for amputation, the system comprising:

a diagnostic computer having computer readable media with executable computer readable program code disposed thereon, wherein said diagnostic computer includes;

a patient intake module configured to electronically query and receive patient demographic information and test administration information;

a medical history module configured to electronically query and receive patient health information relating to at least one or more of obesity, circulation, allergies, vascular surgeries, bone infections, foot or leg surgical procedures, medications, and combinations thereof;

a visual documentation module configured to electronically query and receive images of the patient'"'"'s feet;

a referral information module configured to electronically query and receive patient referral information;

a functional/social/foot health module configured to electronically query and receive information related to at least one or more of the patient'"'"'s shoes, previous amputations, Charcot Foot, Foot Care, Appearance, Use of Hands, Balance and Falling, Vision, Social support, and combinations thereof;

a presenting foot complaints module configured to electronically query and receive information related to at least one or more of patient complaints, onset and duration of the complaints, quality and intensity of pain, location of pain, previous treatments and results, and combinations thereof;

a neurological/vascular module configured to electronically query and receive information related to at least one or more of pedal pulses, digital capillary return, varicose veins, monofilament testing device results, forefoot interspace pain, deep tendon reflexes, and combinations thereof;

a skeletal module configured to electronically query and receive Osseous Deformity information related to at least one or more of Hallux Abducto Valgus, Hallux Limitus/Rigidus, Digital Deformities including Hammer Toe, Mallet Toe, Claw Toe, Tailor'"'"'s Bunion, Overlapping Digits, Charcot Foot, and combinations thereof;

an Integument module configured to electronically query and receive information related to at least one or more of integrity of the skin of the legs and feet, location of Keratosis, condition of nails, ulcers, and combinations thereof;

a biomechanical exam module configured to electronically query and receive information related to at least one or more of gait, balance, muscle strength, joint range of motion, foot biomechanical exam, and combinations thereof;

a results module is configured to aggregate said information received by said modules to identify risk factors and generate diagnostics and recommendations based on factors including one or more of number, type, and particular combination of identified risk factors, said diagnostics and recommendations selected from the group consisting of amputation risk assessment category, explanation of risk categories, identified risk factors, recommendations for treatment, and combinations thereof.

2. A computer implemented diagnostic amputation prevention system for evaluating risk factors and generating risk assessments and recommendations for diabetic patients at risk for amputation, the system comprising:

a diagnostic computer having computer readable media with executable computer readable program code disposed thereon, wherein said diagnostic computer includes;

a neurological/vascular module configured to electronically query and receive information selected from the group of information consisting of pedal pulses, monofilament testing device results, and combinations thereof;

a skeletal module configured to electronically query and receive Osseous Deformity information;

a database configured to store and aggregate said information received by said modules; and

a results module configured to identify risk factors using the aggregated information and generate diagnostics and recommendations based on factors including amount, type, and particular combination of identified risk factors, said diagnostics and recommendations selected from the group consisting of amputation risk assessment categories, explanation of risk categories, identified risk factors, recommendations for treatment, and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the group of information further comprises information regarding at least one of digital capillary return, varicose veins, forefoot interspace pain, deep tendon reflexes, and combinations thereof.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a patient intake module configured to electronically query and receive at least one of patient demographic information and test administration information.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising a medical history module configured to electronically query and receive patient health information selected from the group consisting of information related to obesity, circulation, allergies, vascular surgeries, bone infections, foot or leg surgical procedures, medications, and combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising a visual documentation module configured to electronically query and receive images of the patient'"'"'s feet.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising a referral information module configured to electronically query and receive patient referral information.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising a functional/social/foot health module configured to electronically query and receive information selected from the group consisting of the patient'"'"'s shoes, previous amputations, Charcot Foot, Foot Care, Appearance, Use of Hands, Balance and Falling, Vision, Social support, and combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising a presenting foot complaints module configured to electronically query and receive information selected from the group consisting of patient complaints, onset and duration of the complaints, quality and intensity of pain, location of pain, previous treatments and results, and combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the skeletal module is configured to electronically query and receive Osseous Deformity information selected from the group consisting of Hallux Abducto Valgus, Hallux Limitus/Rigidus, Digital Deformities including Hammer Toe, Mallet Toe, Claw Toe, Tailor'"'"'s Bunion, Overlapping Digits, Charcot Foot, and combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 2, further comprising an Integument module configured to electronically query and receive information selected from the group consisting of integrity of the skin of the legs and feet, location of Keratosis, condition of nails, ulcers, and combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 2, further comprising a biomechanical exam module configured to electronically query and receive information selected from the group consisting of gait, balance, muscle strength, joint range of motion, foot biomechanical exam, and combinations thereof.

13. The system of claim 2, disposed within a client-server environment, wherein said diagnostic computer comprises a server configured to generate a plurality of user interfaces displayable on a client computer, said server being responsive to information entered via the user interfaces on the client computer.

14. The system of claim 13, comprising a research module communicably coupled to the database, the research module configured for enabling users to access the aggregated information for a plurality of patients.

15. A computer implemented method for evaluating risk factors and generating risk assessments and recommendations for diabetic patients at risk for amputation, the method comprising:

(a) querying and receiving, with a neurological/vascular computer module, information relating to at least one of pedal pulses, monofilament testing device results, and combinations thereof;

(b) querying and receiving, with a skeletal computer module, Osseous Deformity information; and

(c) aggregating, in a database, the information received during said querying and receiving (a) and (b);

(d) identifying, with a results computer module, risk factors for amputation using the aggregated information; and

(e) generating, with the results computer module, diagnostics and recommendations based on factors including amount, type, and particular combination of identified risk factors, the diagnostics and recommendations including at least one or more of amputation risk assessment categories, explanation of risk categories, identified risk factors, recommendations for treatment, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said querying and receiving (a), further comprises querying and receiving, with the neurological/vascular computer module, information regarding digital capillary return, varicose veins, forefoot interspace pain, deep tendon reflexes, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising querying and receiving, with a patient intake computer module, patient demographic information and test administration information.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising querying and receiving, with a medical history computer module, patient health information selected from the group consisting of information related to obesity, circulation, allergies, vascular surgeries, bone infections, foot or leg surgical procedures, medications, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising querying and receiving, with a visual documentation computer module, images of the patient'"'"'s feet.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising querying and receiving, with a referral information computer module, patient referral information.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising querying and receiving, with a functional/social/foot health computer module, information selected from the group consisting of the patient'"'"'s shoes, previous amputations, Charcot Foot, Foot Care, Appearance, Use of Hands, Balance and Falling, Vision, Social support, and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising querying and receiving, with a presenting foot complaints computer module, information selected from the group consisting of patient complaints, onset and duration of the complaints, quality and intensity of pain, location of pain, previous treatments and results, and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said querying and receiving (b) further comprises querying and receiving, with the skeletal computer module, Osseous Deformity information selected from the group consisting of Hallux Abducto Valgus, Hallux Limitus/Rigidus, Digital Deformities including Hammer Toe, Mallet Toe, Claw Toe, Tailor'"'"'s Bunion, Overlapping Digits, Charcot Foot, and combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising querying and receiving, with an Integument computer module, information selected from the group consisting of integrity of the skin of the legs and feet, location of Keratosis, condition of nails, ulcers, and combinations thereof.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising querying and receiving, with a biomechanical exam computer module, information selected from the group consisting of gait, balance, muscle strength, joint range of motion, foot biomechanical exam, and combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 15, being implemented within a client-server environment, wherein a server computer is configured to generate a plurality of user interfaces displayable on a client computer to query a user, the server being responsive to information entered via the user interfaces on the client computer to receive the information.

27. An article of manufacture for evaluating risk factors and generating risk assessments and recommendations for diabetic patients at risk for amputation, said article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, for performing the steps of claim 15.