Method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure

• US 7,668,737 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2003
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Health Language, Inc. (Wolters Kluwer Nv)
• Original Assignee: Health Language, Inc. (Wolters Kluwer Nv)
• Inventors: Streepy, Larry V. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilligan; C. Luke
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cobanoglu; Dilek B
• Application Number:
  US10/660,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 600/300, 706/50, 707/4, 704/9
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure by selecting a concept object stored in the multi-level data structure, displaying a first image representing the selected concept object, displaying one or more second images generally above the first image, and displaying a first connector connecting each second image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more child concept objects, one or more third images are displayed generally below the first image, and a second connector is displayed connecting each third image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, one or more fourth images are displayed generally on one or both sides of the first image, and a third connector is displayed connecting each fourth image to the first image.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a computer-implemented method for displaying and creating relationships between different medical sources on a display device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a selection of a medical concept with a computer for display on the display device;

in response to the receiving the selection of the medical concept, the computer;

displaying a first image in a first window with the display device comprising an alphanumeric string representing the selected medical concept;

displaying one or more second images with the display device and along one or more respective geometrical rays originating from a central region of the first image, each second image comprising an alphanumeric string representing a parent concept of the selected medical concept and displaying a first symbol on the display device along each respective geometrical ray originating from the central region of the first image;

displaying a billing code comprising an alphanumeric string in a second window adjacent to the first window with the display device, the billing code originating from a first medical source associated with the selected medical concept;

displaying a medical code adjacent to the billing code in the second window with the display device, the medical code comprising an alphanumeric string originating from a second medical source that is different from the first medical source and is associated with the selected medical concept;

receiving input comprising alphanumeric text through a third window on the display device; and

modifying, removing or creating relationships between said medical concepts.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first medical source comprises at least one of International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems (ICD) and Physicians'"'"' Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) billing codes.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second medical source comprises at least one of systemized nomenclature medical reference terminology (SNOMED RI), MeSH, UMLS CUI, and pharmacy terminology.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selected medical concept is a first medical concept, the computer implemented method further comprising:

receiving input comprising a second medical concept other than the selected first medical concept;

creating an association between the received input comprising the second medical concept and the selected first medical concept; and

storing the association between the received input comprising the second medical concept and the selected first medical concept in memory.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the received medical concept is a child concept relative to the selected medical concept.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a medical term;

creating an association between the received medical term and the selected medical concept;

storing the association between the medical term and the selected medical concept in memory.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the received medical term comprises one of a synonym, consumer term, grammatical variant, abbreviation, misspelling, truncation, phrase, and a code modifier.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising storing the received medical term in a glossary comprising terms.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input defining a new taxonomy, the taxonomy comprising a hierarchy of medical information; and

storing the input in memory.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an inquiry;

searching a source comprising the medical concept for the inquiry; and

displaying one or more medical concepts related to the inquiry with the display device.

11. In a computer system, a computer-implemented method for displaying relationships between medical databases on a display device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a selection of a medical concept with a computer for display on the display device;

in response to the selection, the computer;

displaying a first image in a first window with the display device comprising an alphanumeric string representing the selected medical concept;

displaying one or more second images with the display device and along one or more respective geometrical rays originating from a central region of the first image, each second image comprising an alphanumeric string representing a parent concept of the selected medical concept and displaying a first symbol on the display device along each respective geometrical ray originating from the central region of the first image;

displaying a health care management term comprising an alphanumeric string in a second window adjacent to the first window with the display device, the health care management term being associated with the selected medical concept;

displaying a medical procedure comprising an alphanumeric string in a third window adjacent to the first and second windows with the display device, the medical procedure being associated with the first medical concept; and

receiving input comprising alphanumeric text through a third window on the display device; and

modifying, removing or creating relationships between said medical concepts.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the health care management term further comprises one of an international statistical classification of disease (ICD) and related health problems term and a Physician'"'"'s Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) term.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the health care management term further comprises one of a MESH and UMLS CUI term.

14. In a computer system, a computer-implemented method for displaying relationships between medical databases on a display device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a selection of a medical concept with a computer for display on the display device;

in response to the selection, the computer;

displaying a first image in a first window with the display device comprising an alphanumeric string representing the selected medical concept;

displaying one or more second images with the display device and along one or more respective geometrical rays originating from a central region of the first image, each second image comprising an alphanumeric string representing a parent concept of the selected medical concept and displaying a first symbol on the display device along each respective geometrical ray originating from the central region of the first image;

displaying a first medical code comprising an alphanumeric string in a second window adjacent to the first window with the display device, the first medical code being associated with the medical concept;

displaying a second medical code comprising an alphanumeric string in the second window adjacent to the first medical code with the display device, the second medical code being associated with the medical concept; and

receiving input comprising alphanumeric text through a third window on the display device; and

modifying, removing or creating relationships between said medical concepts.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein displaying the first code further comprises displaying one of an international statistical classification of disease (ICD) and related health problem code and a Physician'"'"'s Current Procedural Term (CPT) code.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein displaying the second code further comprises displaying one of a MESH and UMS CUI Code.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising displaying a medical procedure comprising an alphanumeric string in a third window adjacent to the first and second windows with the display device, the medical procedure being associated with the medical concept.