Method and apparatus for coordinating concurrent updates to a medical information database
First Claim
1. A method for coordinating updates to a medical database in a medical information system, the method comprising the steps of:
- entering a first data value for a record in said medical database at a first workstation and a second data value for said record at a second workstation, each of the workstations including a display screen;
permitting said first workstation to access said record in said medical database during data entry into said record at said second workstation and permitting said second workstation to access said record in said medical database during data entry into said record at said first workstation;
storing said first data value in said record in said medical database after completion of data entry for said record at said first workstation and storing said second data value in said record in said medical database after completion of data entry for said record at said second workstation, said first and second data values being stored in said medical database in dependent of the order in which they are entered at said first and second workstations; and
recording a correction history for said record, said correction history containing information as to the update of said record with said first data value and information as to the update of said record with said second data value.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for coordinating updates to a medical database in a medical information system permits concurrent charting from different workstations and medical instruments. A first data value for a record is entered at a first workstation and a second data value for the record is entered at a second workstation without locking either workstation during data entry. The new data values are stored in the medical database after completion of data entry at each workstation, and a correction history is recorded. The correction history contains information as to the update of the record with the first data value and the second data value. The record is updated with the first and second data values without aborting user activities or notifying a user that an update conflict has occurred. After the new data values are stored in the medical database, all workstations containing a copy of the record are updated to reflect the current state of the record.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for coordinating updates to a medical database in a medical information system, the method comprising the steps of:
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entering a first data value for a record in said medical database at a first workstation and a second data value for said record at a second workstation, each of the workstations including a display screen; permitting said first workstation to access said record in said medical database during data entry into said record at said second workstation and permitting said second workstation to access said record in said medical database during data entry into said record at said first workstation; storing said first data value in said record in said medical database after completion of data entry for said record at said first workstation and storing said second data value in said record in said medical database after completion of data entry for said record at said second workstation, said first and second data values being stored in said medical database in dependent of the order in which they are entered at said first and second workstations; and recording a correction history for said record, said correction history containing information as to the update of said record with said first data value and information as to the update of said record with said second data value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A medical information system comprising:
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a central processor including a medical database, a first workstation for entering data into said medical database and a second workstation for entering data into said medical database, each of the workstations including a display screen; means for entering a first new data value for a record in said medical database at said first workstation and a second new data value for said record at said second workstation; means for permitting said first workstation to access said record in said medical database during data entry into said record at said second workstation and for permitting said second workstation to access said record in said medical database during data entry into said record at said first workstation; means for storing said first new data value in said record in said medical database after completion of data entry for said record at said first workstation and for storing said second new data value in said record in said medical database after completion of data entry for said record at said second workstation, said first and second new data values being stored in said medical database independent of the order in which they are entered at said first and second workstations; and means for recording a correction history for said record, said correction history containing information as to the update of said record with said first new data value and information as to the update of said record with said second new data value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification