Enterprise medical imaging and information management system with enhanced communications capabilities

• US 7,593,918 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Gentles, Thomas A., Mahesh, Prakash, Morita, Mark M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, BINH VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/039,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• 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 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide improved clinical workflow using a medical imaging and information management system and method with enhanced communication capabilities. Certain embodiments of the system include an information manager including clinical content, such as images and/or information, and a communication manager receiving an event notification from the information manager. The system may further include an interface capable of accessing the information manager. Additionally, the system may include a contact device capable of communicating via the communication manager. A modality may transmit examination data to the information manager and may receive instructions for the information manager. In an embodiment, the communications manager includes a contact information list with one or more contact devices associated with a user. The communications manager may be capable of detecting a presence of a user on a network.

Claims

1. A medical imaging and information management system with enhanced communication capabilities, said system comprising:

an information manager including clinical content, said clinical content including at least examination data transmitted to the information manager from a modality, wherein said modality is capable of receiving instructions from said information manager;

a communication manager receiving an event notification regarding the clinical content from said information manager via a network,

wherein said communications manager is adapted to detect a presence of a user on the network for communication, wherein said communication manager is adapted to initiate interactive electronic communication with a plurality of user contact devices via the network to facilitate electronic collaboration regarding the clinical content between said plurality of user contact devices based on said event notification, wherein users at said plurality of user contact devices electronically interact via the collaboration with respect to the clinical content, and wherein the medical imaging and information management system provides collaborators using the plurality of user contact devices with storage and management of said clinical content in conjunction with integrated workflow and image reading capabilities; and

at least one workstation interfacing with at least one of the information manager and the communication manager.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said clinical content comprises at least one of images and information.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interface capable of accessing said information manager.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications manager further comprises a contact information list including one or more contact devices associated with a user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said information manager comprises a picture archiving and communications system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said event notification comprises at least one of an indication of examination results, an alert, a message, a report, and an image.