Modular health care information management system utilizing reusable software objects

• US 6,314,556 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1999
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Information Technologies Incorporated (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Deroyal Business Systems LLC
• Inventors: Shanks, Mark W., Lukens, Wil Francis, DeBusk, Brian C., Cofer, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chavis, John Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/382,710
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1, 705/2
• US Class Current: 717/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A health care information management system that utilizes modular and reusable software objects to allow for user configuration. The disclosed information management system allows for the creation by the user of software objects representative of specific events and resources which will occur or be utilized during the provision of health care to patients. These user configured software modules then allow the user to track the provision of health care, the utilization of resources during the provision of health care, the allocation of resources to perform medical procedures and identify opportunities for enhancing efficiencies in the provision of health care services. In one embodiment of the invention described, the system allows for the user to create, manage and maintain software modules representing specific procedural pathways to be performed in a health care institution. The user creates these modules using user configurable software objects that function to represent containers, resources and data. The software objects are modular and re-usable and allow the user to select components for creation of the modules. The created modules may then be used to provide information management relating to the provision of the medical procedures represented by the procedural pathway modules.

Claims

1. A system for managing health care services, comprising:

a) computing means having;

i) input means for receiving patient health care information,

ii) storage means for storing data corresponding to the patient health care information,

iii) processing means for processing software objects corresponding to health care services management instructions and the patient health care information and producing health care services management output, and

iv) display means for visually presenting the health care services output,

b) the software objects including data software objects having;

i) means for receiving the patient health care information, and

ii) means for providing the patient health care information through a standardized interface,

c) the software objects including resource software objects for associating resources with information relating to the resources, including;

i) personnel resource software objects having;

(1) means for associating a health care personnel resource with information relating to the health care personnel resource, including at least one of a personnel resource billing rate, a personnel resource pay rate, and a personnel resource time requirement, and

(2) means for providing the information relating to the health care personnel resource through the standardized interface,

ii) equipment resource software objects having;

(1) means for associating a health care equipment resource with information relating to the health care equipment resource, including at least one of an equipment resource billing rate, an equipment resource cost, and an equipment resource time requirement, and

(2) means for providing the information relating to the health care equipment resource through the standardized interface, and

iii) supply resource software objects including;

(1) bundle supply resource software objects having;

(a) means for associating health care supply resources with information relating to health care supply resources, including at least one of a supply resource billing rate and a supply resource cost, and

(b) means for providing the information relating to health care supply resources through the standardized interface, and

(2) conditional bundle supply resource software objects having;

(a) means for associating health care supply resources with information relating to health care supply resources, including at least one of supply resource billing rates and supply resource costs, and

(b) means for selectively providing the information relating to health care supply resources through the standardized interface based at least in part on the patient health care information provided by at least one of the data software objects, and

d) the software objects including node software objects including at least a pathway node software object having;

i) means for selectively creating the data software objects,

ii) means for selectively creating the resource software objects,

iii) means for selectively linking the standardized interface of the data software objects and resource software objects into configurable procedural pathways associated with health care treatment plans,

iv) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects, and resource software objects, and

v) means for providing the data software objects, and resource software objects, with a first set of functions specifically adapted to the pathway node software object.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising container software objects having;

a) means for selectively associating groups of data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects, and

b) means for associating the groups with information relating to at least one of a health care procedure and a health care resource kit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the node software objects further comprise a case node software object having:

a) means for receiving the procedural pathways from the pathway node software object and converting the procedural pathways into at least one of an open case software object and a closed case software object,

b) means for providing open case software objects and closed case software objects to the pathway node software object,

c) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects and resource software objects, and

d) means for providing the data software objects and resource software objects with a second set of functions specifically adapted to the case node software object.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the node software objects further comprise a model node software object having:

a) means for receiving the closed case software objects from the case node software object and converting the closed case software objects into analysis model software objects,

b) means for providing analysis model software objects to the case node software object,

c) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects and resource software objects, and

d) means for providing the data software objects and resource software objects with a third set of functions specifically adapted to the model node software object.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the node software objects further comprise a report node software object having:

a) means for receiving the analysis model software objects from the model node software object and converting the analysis model software objects into configurable report software objects

b) means for providing configurable report software objects to the model node software object,

c) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects and resource software objects, and

d) means for providing the data software objects and resource software objects with a fourth set of functions specifically adapted to the model node software object.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the node software objects further comprise a library node software object having;

a) means for selectively creating the data software objects,

b) means for selectively creating the resource software objects,

c) means for selectively creating container software objects,

d) means for selectively linking the standardized interface of the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects into configurable sets associated with the health care services,

e) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects, and

f) means for providing the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects with a fifth set of functions specifically adapted to the model node software object.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for scheduling health care services resources based at least in part on the health care services management output.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for billing patients based at least in part on the health care services management output.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for ordering supplies based at least in part on the health care services management output.

10. A system for managing health care services, comprising:

a) computing means having;

i) input means for receiving health care services information and health care services management instructions,

ii) storage means for storing data corresponding to the health care services information,

iii) processing means for selectively processing commands corresponding to the health care services management instructions based on the health care services information and producing health care services management output, and

iv) display means for visually presenting the health care services output,

b) data software objects having;

i) means for receiving patient health care information, and

ii) means for providing the patient health care information through a standardized interface,

c) resource software objects for associating resources with information relating to the resources, including;

i) personnel resource software objects having;

(1) means for associating a health care personnel resource with information relating to the health care personnel resource, including at least one of a personnel resource billing rate, a personnel resource pay rate, and a personnel resource time requirement, and

(2) means for providing the information relating to the health care personnel resource through the standardized interface,

ii) equipment resource software objects having;

(1) means for associating a health care equipment resource with information relating to the health care equipment resource, including at least one of an equipment resource billing rate, an equipment resource cost, and an equipment resource time requirement, and

(2) means for providing the information relating to the health care equipment resource through the standardized interface,

iii) supply resource software objects including;

(1) bundle supply resource software objects having;

(a) means for associating health care supply resources with information relating to health care supply resources, including at least one of a supply resource billing rate and a supply resource cost, and

(b) means for providing the information relating to health care supply resources through the standardized interface, and

(2) conditional bundle supply resource software objects having;

(a) means for associating health care supply resources with information relating to health care supply resources, including at least one of supply resource billing rates and supply resource costs, and

(b) means for selectively providing the information relating to health care supply resources through the standardized interface based at least in part on the patient health care information provided by at least one of the data software objects, and

d) container software objects having;

i) means for selectively associating groups of data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects, and

ii) means for associating the groups with information relating to at least one of a health care procedure and a health care resource kit, and

e) node software objects including;

i) a pathway node software object having;

(1) means for selectively creating the data software objects,

(2) means for selectively creating the resource software objects,

(3) means for selectively creating the container software objects,

(4) means for selectively linking the standardized interface of the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects into configurable procedural pathways associated with health care treatment plans,

(5) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects, and

(6) means for providing the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects with a first set of functions specifically adapted to the pathway node software object,

ii) a case node software object having;

(1) means for receiving the procedural pathways from the pathway node software object and converting the procedural pathways into at least one of an open case software object and a closed case software object,

(2) means for providing open case software objects and closed case software objects to the pathway node software object,

(3) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects, and

(4) means for providing the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects with a second set of functions specifically adapted to the case node software object,

iii) a model node software object having;

(1) means for receiving the closed case software objects from the case node software object and converting the closed case software objects into analysis model software objects,

(2) means for providing analysis model software objects to the case node software object,

(3) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects, and

(4) means for providing the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects with a third set of functions specifically adapted to the model node software object,

iv) a report node software object having;

(1) means for receiving the analysis model software objects from the model node software object and converting the analysis model software objects into configurable report software objects,

(2) means for providing configurable report software objects to the model 95 node software object,

(3) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects, and

(4) means for providing the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects with a fourth set of functions specifically adapted to the model node software object, and

v) a library node software object having;

(1) means for selectively creating the data software objects,

(2) means for selectively creating the resource software objects,

(3) means for selectively creating the container software objects,

(4) means for selectively linking the standardized interface of the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects into configurable sets associated with the health care services,

(5) means for selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects, and

(6) means for providing the data software objects, resource software objects, and container software objects with a fifth set of functions specifically adapted to the model node software object.

11. An information management system for managing information relating to providing health care services, comprising:

a) a general purpose computer system having;

i) storage means for storing data corresponding to the information,

ii) processing means for processing management instructions,

iii) display means for visually presenting the information, and

iv) input means for receiving the management instructions and the information; and

b) information management software installed on the general purpose computer system and having software objects, each of the software objects providing a health care information management function and corresponding to an aspect of providing health care services, wherein the software objects are combined in procedural pathways corresponding to sets of health care procedures.

12. The information management system of claim 11, wherein the software objects further comprise node software objects for creating, altering characteristics of, and the management of the software objects.

13. The information management system of claim 12, wherein the characteristics of the software objects further comprise predefined options for modifying or manipulating a selected one of the software objects.

14. The information management system of claim 12, wherein the management of the software objects further comprises analyzing health care information associated with a selected one of the software objects.

15. The information management system of claim 11, wherein the software objects further comprise container software objects for containing the software objects, and corresponding to at least one of health care procedures, health care information, and health care resource groups.

16. The information management system of claim 15, wherein the container software objects further comprise care event container software objects for containing the software objects, and corresponding to health care procedures.

17. The information management system of claim 15, wherein the container software objects further comprise bundle container software objects for containing the software objects, and corresponding to health care resource groups.

18. The information management system of claim 11, wherein the software objects further comprise resource software objects corresponding to resources to be used in the provision of health care services.

19. The information management system of claim 18, wherein the resource software objects further comprise equipment resource software objects corresponding to equipment to be used in the provision of health care services.

20. The information management system of claim 18, wherein the resource software objects further comprise personnel resource software objects corresponding to personnel to be used in the provision of health care services.

21. The information management system of claim 18, wherein the resource software objects further comprise supply resource software objects corresponding to supplies to be used in the provision of health care services.

22. The information management system of claim 11, wherein the software objects further comprise data software objects corresponding to health care information associated with the provision of health care services.

23. The information management system of claim 11, wherein the software objects further comprise:

a) node software objects for creating, altering characteristics of, and managing the software objects,

b) container software objects for containing the software objects, and corresponding to at least one of health care procedures, health care information, and health care resource groups,

c) resource software objects corresponding to resources to be used in the provision of health care services, and

d) data software objects corresponding to health care information.

24. The information management system of claim 23, wherein the node software objects, container software objects, resource software objects, and data software objects are combined in cases corresponding to sets of health care procedures designated for a patient.

25. The information management system of claim 24, wherein the cases are selectively designated as open, corresponding to sets of health care procedures that are planned for a patient.

26. The information management system of claim 24, wherein the cases are selectively designated as closed, corresponding to sets of health care procedures that are completed for a patient.

27. The information management system of claim 23, wherein the node software objects, container software objects, resource software objects, and data software objects are combined in a library of predefined care event containers corresponding to predefined health care procedures.

28. The information management system of claim 23, wherein the node software objects, container software objects, resource software objects, and data software objects are combined in a library of predefined bundle containers corresponding to predefined health care resource groups.

29. The information management system of claim 23, wherein the node software objects, container software objects, resource software objects, and data software objects are combined in a library of procedural pathways having predefined care event containers corresponding to predefined health care procedures and predefined bundle containers corresponding to predefined health care resource groups, corresponding to predefined sets of health care procedures.

30. The information management system of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the predefined bundle containers are selectively included based at least in part on the health care information in the data software objects.

31. The information management system of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the resource software objects are selectively included within a procedural pathway node software object based at least in part upon user entered information in the data software objects.

32. An information management system for managing information relating to providing health care services, comprising:

a) a general purpose computer system having;

i) storage means for storing data corresponding to the information,

ii) processing means for processing management instructions,

iii) display means for visually presenting the information, and

iv) input means for receiving the management instructions and the information; and

b) information management software installed on the general purpose computer system and having software objects, each of the software objects providing a health care information management function and corresponding to an aspect of providing health care services, the software objects including;

i) node software objects for creating, altering characteristics of, and managing the software objects,

ii) container software objects for containing the software objects, and corresponding to at least one of health care procedures, health care information, and health care resource groups,

iii) resource software objects corresponding to resources to be used in the provision of health care services, and

iv) data software objects corresponding to health care information;

c) the node software objects, container software objects, resource software objects, and data software objects combined in procedural pathways corresponding to sets of health care procedures.

33. The information management system of claim 32, wherein at least a portion of the resource software objects are selectively combined within the procedural pathways based at least in part upon user entered information in the data software objects.

34. An information management system for managing information relating to providing health care services, comprising:

a) a general purpose computer system having;

i) storage means for storing data corresponding to the information,

ii) processing means for processing management instructions,

iii) display means for visually presenting the information, and

iv) input means for receiving the management instructions and the information; and

b) information management software installed on the general purpose computer system and having software objects, each of the software objects providing a health care information management function and corresponding to an aspect of providing health care services, the software objects including;

i) node software objects for creating, altering characteristics of, and managing the software objects,

ii) container software objects for containing the software objects, and corresponding to at least one of health care procedures, health care information, and health care resource groups,

iii) resource software objects corresponding to resources to be used in the provision of health care services, and

iv) data software objects corresponding to health care information; and

c) the node software objects, container software objects, resource software objects, and data software objects provided in a hierarchical form, corresponding to a sequential order of health care procedures to be performed, health care resources to be provided, and health care information to be gathered and recorded.

35. The information management system of claim 34, wherein at least a portion of the resource software objects are selectively provided based at least in part on the health care information recorded within the data software objects.

36. A method for managing health care services, comprising:

a) entering patient health care information into a computing means with an input means,

b) storing data corresponding to the patient health care information in a storage means,

c) processing software objects corresponding to health care services management instructions and the patient health care information on a processing means, and thereby producing health care services management output with the processing means, the processing further including;

i) selectively creating data software objects, equipment resource software objects, personnel resource software objects, bundle supply resource software objects, and conditional bundle supply resource software objects with a pathway node software object,

ii) receiving the patient health care information with the data software object,

iii) providing the patient health care information through a standardized interface,

iv) associating a health care equipment resource with information relating to the health care equipment resource with the equipment resource software object, the information relating to the health care equipment resource including at least one or an equipment resource billing rate, and equipment resource cost, and an equipment resource time requirement,

v) providing the information relating to the health care equipment resource through the standardized interface,

vi) associating a health care personnel resource with information relating to the health care personnel resource with the personnel resource software object, the information relating to the health care personnel resource including at least one of a personnel resource billing rate, a personnel resource pay rate, and a personnel resource time requirement,

vii)providing the information relating to the health care personnel resource through the standardized interface,

viii) associating health care supply resources with information relating to health care supply resources with the bundle supply resource software object, the information relating to health care supply resources including at least one of a supply resource billing rate and a supply resource cost,

ix) providing the information relating to the health care supply resources through the standardized interface,

x) associating health care supply resources with information relating to health care supply resources with the conditional bundle supply resource software object, the information relating to health care supply resources including at least one of supply resource billing rates and supply resource costs,

xi) selectively providing the information relating to health care supply resources through the standardized interface based at least in part on the patient health care information provided by at least one of the data software objects,

xii)selectively linking the standardized interface of the data software objects, equipment resource software objects, personnel resource software objects, bundle supply resource software objects, and conditional bundle supply resource software objects with the pathway node software object,

xiii) selectively adapting the information provided through the standardized interface of the data software objects, equipment resource software objects, personnel resource software objects, bundle supply resource software objects, and conditional bundle supply resource software objects with the pathway node software object, and

xiv) providing the data software objects, equipment resource software objects, personnel resource software objects, bundle supply resource software objects, and conditional bundle supply resource software objects with a first set of function specifically adapted to the pathway node software object, and

d) visually presenting the health care services output on a display means.