Medical Information Handling Method

• US 20130013342A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Department of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: US Department of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Morris, Tommy J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,682,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• 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 50/80 for detecting, monitoring or modelling epidemics or pandemics, e.g. flu
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A system and method used to create a longitudinal medical record for an injured person that in at least one embodiment begins a location remote from a medical facility. The system includes in at least one embodiment a plurality of mobile computing devices. In at least one embodiment, the mobile computing devices provide an interface for receiving information from a first responder or a medic.

Claims

1. A method for collecting medical information and facilitating record keeping of the medical information for a work force, the method comprising:

preparing multiple personal identification cards to include medical and demographic information about one individual in the workforce,

assigning the individual whose information is contained on the personal identification card their respective personal identification card,

preparing multiple mobile computing devices for use by medical staff members of the workforce to have software for receiving additional health information about workforce members,

instructing the medical staff members on how to use the mobile computing devices and how to exchange data between the personal identification cards and the mobile computing devices,

when treating an injured workforce member using at least one mobile computing device to create a longitudinal medical record by,

connecting the injured workforce member'"'"'s personal identification card to the mobile computing device,

creating a field medical record regarding the injury to be included in the longitudinal medical record,

continuing to monitor the patient until at least one of the patient finishes being treated, begins transport to a medical facility, and arrives at the medical facility has occurred,

transferring the field medical record to the personal identification card,

when the injure workforce member is sent to the medical facility,

loading the field medical record from the personal identification card to a database at the medical facility to transfer the longitudinal medical record to the medical facility.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

tracking use of supplies during treatment of injured individuals automatically with the mobile computing device,

when a particular item contained within the supplies reaches a low quantity threshold

having the mobile computing device transmit a request for additional number of the item that has reached the low quantity threshold,

altering treatment recommendations provided by the mobile computing device to reflect the low supply of the item.

3. A method for receiving information from a user regarding an injury received by a patient comprising:

receiving in a mobile computing device from the user through a graphical interface identification of the type of injury and classification of the injury,

receiving from the user a location of the injury based on the user tapping at least one body part illustrated on a graphical representation of a body displayed on the mobile computing device where the mobile computing device receives a signal from a display of an area tapped by the user,

receiving in the mobile computing device additional information from the user regarding the injury selected from a list that is based on the injury classification,

populating an electronic medical record stored on the mobile computing device with the information received from the user regarding the injury where the mobile computing device populates the electronic medical record,

creating and providing an injury summary for the patient'"'"'s injury to the user based on the received information contained in the electronic medical record, where the mobile computing device creates and provides the injury summary,

adding the injury summary to the electronic medical record stored on the mobile computing device,

estimating a level of consciousness of the patient for the user based on the received information contained in the electronic medical record, where the mobile computing device estimates the level of consciousness of the patient and provides the estimated level of consciousness to the user,

receiving in the mobile computing device confirmation of the estimated level of consciousness from the user after the level of consciousness is estimated,

preparing and recommending a course of treatment to the user based on the information received from the user including at least one of the information used to create the injury summary, confirmed estimated level of consciousness, medications given to the patient, and vital sign information, where the mobile computing device prepares and recommends the course of treatment, and

adding the estimated level of consciousness and the course of treatment to the electronic medical record stored on the mobile computing device.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a request to update the electronic medical record from the user by the mobile computing device,

displaying another interface on the mobile computing device for receiving information regarding the injury in response to the request,

receiving additional information regarding the injury from the user via the displayed another interface, and

adding the received additional information regarding the injury to the electronic medical record for the patient.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving identification of the patient from a removable computer readable medium, and

copying at least a portion of the electronic medical record to the removable computer readable medium containing the identification of the patient.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising providing reference information upon request from the user.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising receiving epidemiology information regarding exposure to environmental conditions, radiation, chemical, or biological and whether other individuals have similar diagnosis or symptoms.

8. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

comparing diagnosis and symptom information for the patient against stored diagnosis and symptom information of other patients to determine whether there are any trends in injuries, and

providing the trend analysis to the user.

9. The method according to claim 3, further comprising locating a medical facility equipped to address the injury based on the information received by the mobile computing device where locating is performed by a GPS means in cooperation with a database of medical facilities from which a selection is made.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing directions to the medical facility with the mobile computing device in cooperation with the GPS means.

11. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a request by the mobile computing device to update the information previously provided by the user,

displaying another interface on a display for the mobile computing device for receiving information regarding the medical condition in response to the request, and

receiving additional information into the mobile computing device regarding the medical condition via the another interface and adding the received information to the electronic medical record for the patient.

12. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

tracking at least one supply level by decreasing an inventory count by one when the course of treatment calls to use the supply being tracked; and

altering the recommended course of treatment when the supply level goes below a predetermined threshold.

13. A computer program product for creation of an electronic medical record from a place remote from a medical facility, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon;

first program instructions executable by a mobile computing device to cause the mobile computing device to receive in the mobile computing device from the user through a graphical interface identification of the type of injury and classification of the injury,

second program instructions executable by a mobile computing device to cause the mobile computing device to receive from the user a location of the injury based on the user tapping at least one body part illustrated on a graphical representation of a body displayed on the mobile computing device where the mobile computing device receives a signal from a display of an area tapped by the user,

third program instructions executable by a mobile computing device to cause the mobile computing device to receive in the mobile computing device additional information from the user regarding the injury selected from a list that is based on the injury classification,

populating an electronic medical record stored on the mobile computing device with the information received from the user regarding the injury where the mobile computing device populates the electronic medical record,

creating and providing an injury summary for the patient'"'"'s injury to the user based on the received information contained in the electronic medical record, where the mobile computing device creates and provides the injury summary,

adding the injury summary to the electronic medical record stored on the mobile computing device,

estimating a level of consciousness of the patient for the user based on the received information contained in the electronic medical record, where the mobile computing device estimates the level of consciousness of the patient and provides the estimated level of consciousness to the user,

receiving in the mobile computing device confirmation of the estimated level of consciousness from the user after the level of consciousness is estimated,

preparing and recommending a course of treatment to the user based on the information received from the user including at least one of the information used to create the injury summary, confirmed estimated level of consciousness, medications given to the patient, and vital sign information, where the mobile computing device prepares and recommends the course of treatment, and

adding the estimated level of consciousness and the course of treatment to the electronic medical record stored on the mobile computing device.