Displaying clinical predicted length of stay of patients for workload balancing in a healthcare environment

• US 7,664,659 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lancaster, Brian J., Hagel, Jill
• Primary Examiner(s): Koppikar; Vivek D
• Application Number:
  US11/315,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 4, 600300-301
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• 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 computerized system method for displaying a predicted length of stay and actual length of stay in an inpatient healthcare facility for a patient is provided. A predicted length of stay and an actual length of inpatient stay in a healthcare facility for a patient are accessed. The predicted length of stay and the actual length of inpatient stay for the patient are displayed concurrently.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a computing device to perform a method for managing patients in an inpatient healthcare facility, the method comprising:

accessing a first predicted-stay value that indicates a duration of time that an identified patient is predicted to stay in an inpatient healthcare facility;

accessing an actual-stay value that indicates a duration of time that an identified patient has actually spent in the inpatient healthcare facility;

calculating a difference between the first predicted-stay value and the actual-stay value, wherein the difference is a value that is equal to an amount by which the first predicted-stay value and the actual-stay value differ in quantity;

concurrently displaying the first predicted-stay value of the identified patient, the actual-stay value of the identified patient, and the difference between the predicted-stay value and the actual-stay value;

determining that the difference is greater than a prescribed threshold value;

in response to determining that the difference is greater than the prescribed threshold value, determining that additional patient data of the identified patient has been received, wherein the additional patient data alters the first predicted-stay value;

calculating by the computing device a second predicted-stay value, which is based at least in part on the additional patient data; and

storing the second predicted-stay value as part of an electronic medical record of the identified patient.

2. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the predicted-stay value and actual-stay value are accessed from the patient'"'"'s electronic medical record.

3. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the difference between the predicted-stay value and the actual-stay value is below a threshold value.

4. The one or more computer storage media of claim 3, wherein upon determining that the difference between the predicted-stay value and the actual-stay value is below the threshold the difference is highlighted to provide an alert.

5. A computerized method, which is executed using a computing device having one or more of a server, a processor, and a computer storage medium, of determining a predicted-stay value that indicates a duration of time that an identified patient is predicted to stay in an inpatient healthcare facility, the method comprising:

receiving patient data of the identified patient;

accessing by the server historical data of previously treated patients that is stored in the computer storage medium;

utilizing by the computing device the patient data and historical data to determine a first predicted-stay value of the identified patient;

transforming the computer storage medium to store the first predicted-stay value together with one or more of a first time value and a first date value, both of which are usable to memorialize when the first predicated-stay value was determined;

determining that an actual length of stay of the identified patient is not within a prescribed number of days of the first predicted-stay value;

in response to determining that the actual length of stay is not within the prescribed number of days, determining that additional patient data of the identified patient has been received, wherein the additional patient data alters the first predicted-stay value;

calculating by the computing device a second predicted-stay value, which is stored together with one or more of a second time value and a second date value, both of which are usable to memorialize when the second predicted-stay value was calculated; and

displaying both the first predicted-stay value and the second predicted-stay value of the identified patient.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the patient data comprises an admission diagnosis code.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the patient and previously treated patients have the same admission diagnosis code.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the patient data is selected from the group comprising admission diagnosis codes, geographic location, patient demographic information, orderable procedures and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the patient data is accessed from the patient'"'"'s electronic medical record.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the historical data for previously treated patients is selected from the group comprising admission diagnosis codes, geographic location, patient demographic information, orderable procedures and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the historical data is accessed from electronic medical records of the previously treated patients.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

communicating the first predicted-stay value and the second predicted-stay value to the patient'"'"'s electronic medical record.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the lengths of stay are measured in total days for inpatient admission to a healthcare facility.