MEDICAL TEST DATA ENTRY TERMINAL

• US 3,679,875 A
• Filed: 09/21/1970
• Issued: 07/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward B. Rawson, John B. Dowling
• Original Assignee: Edward B. Rawson, John B. Dowling
• Inventors: Rawson, Edward B., Dowling, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US05/073,973
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 235/61.6,61.7,61.9 178/79,17 340/365,149A,152,153
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/90 Medical record
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A terminal for the real time entry of medical test data into the computer based medical record of a patient. The terminal is operative only by an operator whose identification has been verified, and test data is visually verified before entry into the patient record.

Claims

1. A data terminAl for the entry of medical test data into a computer-based medical record of a patient comprising:

a plurality of test buttons each representing a respective medical test, the results of which are to be entered into said medical record;

a plurality of control buttons for initiating respective control steps in said terminal;

a data keyboard for the manual entry of numerical data;

logic circuitry coupled to said test buttons and data keyboard and operative upon actuation of said test buttons and keyboard to provide digital signal representations of said actuated test buttons and keyboard;

means for assembling said digital signal representations into data words for transmission to a computer;

means for decoding data words received from said computer;

means for visually displaying numerical data decoded from said computer data word;

means for visually indicating subsequent steps to be taken by a terminal operator in entering data;

means for displaying messages decoded from said computer data word and indicative of terminal operation;

means for manually causing entry of data into said medical record after visual verification thereof on said data display means;

means operative in response to an identification code for enabling terminal operation;

a plurality of indicator lamps, each associated with a respective test button and control button and each operative in response to a respective data word from said computer to indicate the receipt of corresponding data from said computer; and

wherein said logic circuitry includes;

a shift register having a serial input and serial output adapted for connection to a data transmission link;

an address decoder coupled to predetermined bit positions of said shift register and operative to provide an output indication upon receipt of a predetermined station address;

a read and write decoder coupled to predetermined bit positions of said shift register and operative to provide read and write command signalS to said logic circuitry upon receipt of data words from said computer;

a plurality of data buffers, each coupled to predetermined bit positions of said shift register and each operative in response to data in said predetermined bit positions to provide an output signal; and

a plurality of lamp drivers, each coupled to a respective data buffer, and each operative in response to a respective output signal therefrom to cause respective energization of said message displays, visual indicators and test and control button indicators.

2. A data terminal for the entry of medical test data into a computer-based medical record of a patient comprising:

a plurality of test buttons each representing a respective medical test, the results of which are to be entered into said medical record;

a plurality of control buttons for initiating respective control steps in said terminal;

a data keyboard for the manual entry of numerical data;

logic circuitry coupled to said test buttons, control buttons and data keyboard and operative upon actuation of said test buttons, control buttons and keyboard to provide digital signal representations of said actuated test buttons, control buttons and keyboard;

means for assembling said digital signal representations into data words for transmission to a computer;

means for decoding data words received from said computer;

means for visually displaying numerical data decoded from said computer data word;

means for visually indicating subsequent steps to be taken by a terminal operator in entering data;

means for displaying messages decoded from said computer data word and indicative of terminal operation;

means for manually causing entry of data into said medical record after visual verification thereof on said data display means;

means operative in response to an identification code for enabling terminal operation;

a plurality of visual indicators, each associated with a respective test button And control button and each operative in response to a respective data word from said computer to indicate the receipt of corresponding data from said computer; and

wherein said logic circuitry includes;

a shift register having a serial input and serial output adapted for connection to a data transmission link;

an address decoder coupled to predetermined bit positions of said shift register and operative to provide an output indication upon receipt of a predetermined station address;

a read and write decoder coupled to predetermined bit positions of said shift register and operative to provide read and write command signals to said logic circuitry upon receipt of data words from said computer;

a plurality of data buffers, each coupled to predetermined bit positions of said shift register and each operative in response to data in said predetermined bit positions to provide an output signal; and

a plurality of drivers, each coupled to a respective data buffer, and each operative in response to a respective output signal therefrom to cause respective energization of said message displays, visual indicators and test and control button indicators.

3. A data terminal for the entry of medical test data into a computer-based medical record of a patient comprising:

means operative in response to an identification code for enabling terminal operation;

means for transmitting a patient identification code to a computer for selection of the medical record stored in memory for an associated patient;

a plurality of test buttons each representing a respective medical test, the results of which are to be entered into said medical record;

a plurality of control buttons for initiating respective control steps in said terminal;

a data keyboard for the manual entry of numerical data;

a plurality of visual indicators each associated with a respective test button and respective control button;

a multi-digit display for visually displaying numerical data;

a plurality of visual indicators for denoting subsequent steps to be performed by a terminal operator in entering data;

a display for messages indicative of terminal operation;

logic circuitry coupled to said test buttons, control buttons and data keyboard and operative to provide digital signal representations of actuated ones of said test buttons, control buttons and keyboard;

circuit means for assembling said digital signal representations into data words for transmission to a computer, said circuit means including storage means for storing data, means for entering data representing an actuated test button, control button or data keyboard into said storage means, and means for transmitting data in said storage means to said computer;

means for decoding data words received from said computer, each of said data words from said computer having an address portion for identifying said terminal and a data portion for controlling operation of said terminal indicators, said decoding means including;

means for visually displaying data on said multi-digit display;

means for energizing selected ones of said subsequent step indicators in accordance with data entering steps to be performed;

means for displaying messages on said message display indicative of terminal operation; and

means for manually causing entry of data into said medical record after visual verification thereof on said multi-digit display.

4. A data terminal according to claim 3 wherein said numerical data display means includes:

a first multi-digit display for representing a patient identification number; and

a second multi-digit display for representing test results received by said computer.

5. A data terminal according to claim 3 including means having a first manually actuable control button operative to cause said computer to retain a patient identification number throughout a predetermined testing sequence;

and means including a second manually actuable contRol button operative to cause said computer to retain a test number throughout a predetermined testing sequence.

6. A data terminal according to claim 3 wherein said step denoting visual indicators include:

a patient identification indicator for visually indicating after said terminal is enabled that a patient identification number is to be entered;

a patient identification check indicator for visually indicating after entry of a valid patient identification number that a check digit is to be entered by said keyboard;

a test identification indicator for visually indicating after entry of a valid check digit that a test identification is to be entered by said test buttons; and

a data indicator for visually indicating after entry of a test identification that test data is to be entered by said keyboard.

7. A data terminal according to claim 3 wherein said first named means includes a card reader adapted to receive a coded identification card and to decode the identification number contained therein;

and wherein said circuit means is operative to transmit said identification number to said computer, the receipt of a valid or an invalid identification number causing respective data words to be transmitted to said terminal to produce display of appropriate messages on said message display.

8. A data terminal according to claim 3 wherein said decoding means includes:

storage means having an input and output adapted for connection to a data transmission link coupled to said computer;

an address decoder coupled to said storage means and operative to provide an output indication upon receipt from said computer of a predetermined terminal address;

a read and write decoder coupled to said storage means and operative to provide read and write command signals to said terminal circuitry upon receipt of data words from said computer;

a plurality of data buffers each coupled to said storage means and each operative in response to predetermined data to provide an output signal; and

a plurality of drivers each coupled to a respective data buffer and each operative in response to a respective output signal therefrom to cause respective energization of said message display, numerical display, subsequent step indicators and test and control button indicators.

9. A data terminal according to claim 3 wherein said multidigit display is operative in conjunction with said decoding means to indicate a patient identification code received by said computer.