After-hours radiology system
First Claim
1. A radiology system, comprising:
- an image server coupled to a network, the image server comprising an image database, wherein the image server receives a radiographic image of a patient from across the network and stores the radiographic image in the image database;
a central server comprising;
a database, wherein the central server receives patient paperwork and stores the patient paperwork in the database;
matching software, wherein the matching software couples the patient paperwork in the database with the radiographic image in the image database based on the medical record number of the patient; and
timing software, wherein the timing software associates one of a plurality of status icons with each patient, the associated status icon being based on receipt of the radiographic image, receipt of patient paperwork, generation of a preliminary report, and/or review of the preliminary report, and the associated icon for each patient changes as the patient status changes, wherein the timing software further determines;
a first time associated with receipt of the patient paperwork of the patient, the first time being associated with a first status icon;
a second time associated with receipt of the radiographic image of the patient, the second time being associated with a second status icon; and
a third time associated with the generation of the preliminary report of the patient, the third time being associated with a third status icon; and
a web-based user interface comprising a preliminary report template, the preliminary report template comprising a plurality of fields, the plurality of fields comprising a diagnosis field, a findings field, and a scoring system, wherein the template is saved as the preliminary report once the diagnosis field and the findings field are completed, and the scoring system enables a user to denote, either textually, graphically, or both, agreement or disagreement with the original generation of the preliminary report;
wherein the user of the radiology system views the radiographic image and the patient paperwork and enters information in the plurality of fields of the preliminary report template to produce the preliminary report for the patient.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A web-based system is disclosed for managing radiology services for one or more medical facilities. The system, comprising both hardware and software components, provides mechanisms by which radiographic images and demographic information about a patient are transmitted to a central location and efficiently combined, allowing a designated radiologist to efficiently interpret the radiographic images and produce a preliminary report. The central location includes web-based, secure access by which multiple entities may interpret and update the preliminary report. Although the system is designed with after-hours radiology services in mind, the system may be employed in radiology departments during regular weekday operation.
31 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A radiology system, comprising:
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an image server coupled to a network, the image server comprising an image database, wherein the image server receives a radiographic image of a patient from across the network and stores the radiographic image in the image database; a central server comprising; a database, wherein the central server receives patient paperwork and stores the patient paperwork in the database; matching software, wherein the matching software couples the patient paperwork in the database with the radiographic image in the image database based on the medical record number of the patient; and timing software, wherein the timing software associates one of a plurality of status icons with each patient, the associated status icon being based on receipt of the radiographic image, receipt of patient paperwork, generation of a preliminary report, and/or review of the preliminary report, and the associated icon for each patient changes as the patient status changes, wherein the timing software further determines; a first time associated with receipt of the patient paperwork of the patient, the first time being associated with a first status icon; a second time associated with receipt of the radiographic image of the patient, the second time being associated with a second status icon; and a third time associated with the generation of the preliminary report of the patient, the third time being associated with a third status icon; and a web-based user interface comprising a preliminary report template, the preliminary report template comprising a plurality of fields, the plurality of fields comprising a diagnosis field, a findings field, and a scoring system, wherein the template is saved as the preliminary report once the diagnosis field and the findings field are completed, and the scoring system enables a user to denote, either textually, graphically, or both, agreement or disagreement with the original generation of the preliminary report; wherein the user of the radiology system views the radiographic image and the patient paperwork and enters information in the plurality of fields of the preliminary report template to produce the preliminary report for the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
wherein the default patient list and interactive information display are presented as the user logs into the radiology system.
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11. The radiology system of claim 10, wherein the user-specific patient list is based on one or more values entered in one or more filters in the search engine interface, wherein one of the one or more filters is selected from a group consisting of time filter, modality filter, date filter, and patient filter.
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12. The radiology system of claim 10, the default patient list further comprising:
a hyperlink to the preliminary report of each patient whose preliminary report has been generated.
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13. The radiology system of claim 1, wherein the status icon of the patient is selected from a group consisting of:
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patient paperwork received, but no radiographic image received, less than twenty minutes; patient paperwork received, but no radiographic image received, more than twenty minutes; radiographic image received, but no patient paperwork received, less than twenty minutes; radiographic image received, but no patient paperwork received, more than twenty minutes; patient paperwork received, radiographic image received, but no preliminary report generated, less than twenty minutes; patient paperwork received, radiographic image received, but no preliminary report generated, more than twenty minutes; preliminary report generated, but not reviewed; preliminary report generated, reviewed by clinician only; preliminary report generated, reviewed by department radiologist only; and preliminary report generated, reviewed by clinician and department radiologist.
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14. The radiology system of claim 1, the preliminary report template further comprising:
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the diagnosis field, wherein the user enters a diagnosis of the patient after reviewing the radiographic image and the patient paperwork; and the finding field, wherein the user enters findings of the patient after reviewing the radiographic image and the patient paperwork; wherein the diagnosis field and the findings field are completed in the preliminary report template and saved, producing the preliminary report of the patient.
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15. The radiology system of claim 14, the preliminary report of the patient further comprising:
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a clinician scoring field and a department radiologist scoring field, wherein the clinician scoring field and department radiologist scoring field are completed using a predefined scoring system; an clinician comment field associated with the clinician scoring field; and a department radiologist comment field associated with the department radiologist scoring field.
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16. A method, comprising:
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retrieving a radiographic image for a patient, the radiographic image including a medical record number of the patient, wherein the radiographic image is stored on an image server of a computer processor-based system; retrieving patient paperwork for the patient, the patient paperwork being transmitted along with the medial record number of the patient, wherein the patient paperwork is stored on a central server of the computer processor-based system; providing a web-based interface accessible to a user, the web-based interface comprising a patient name, medical record number, and status of the patient, the status of the patient being indicated by one or more of the following status icons; a first status icon indicating when the patient paperwork has been retrieved; a second status icon indicating when the radiographic image has been retrieved; and a third status icon indicating when the preliminary report has been generated; wherein the status and associated status icon of the patient is changed when the radiographic image is retrieved, the patient paperwork is retrieved, or the preliminary report is generated; generating a preliminary report based on the radiographic image and the patient paperwork, the preliminary report comprising a first timestamp field indicating a first time of completion of the preliminary report; reviewing the preliminary report by a reviewing entity, the preliminary report further comprising a second timestamp field indicating a second time of review of the preliminary report; and providing a template of the preliminary report to the web-based interface, the template including a diagnosis field, a findings field, and a scoring system, wherein the template is saved as the preliminary report of the patient once the diagnosis field and the findings field are completed, and the scoring system enables the reviewing entity to denote either textually, graphically, or both agreement or disagreement with the original generation of the preliminary report; wherein the preliminary report is generated when the status of the patient indicates that both the radiographic image and the patient paperwork have been received by the second processor-based system. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
wherein the first time, second time, and third time are presented on the web-based user interface.
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23. An article comprising a tangible computer-readable medium for storing instructions for enabling a processor-based system to:
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retrieve a radiographic image for a patient, the radiographic image including a medical record number of the patient, wherein the radiographic image is stored on an image server of a computer processor-based system; retrieve patient paperwork for the patient, the patient paperwork being transmitted along with the medial record number of the patient, wherein the patient paperwork is stored on a central server of the computer processor-based system; provide a web-based interface accessible to a user, the web-based interface comprising a patient name, medical record number, and status of the patient, the status of the patient being indicated by one or more of the following status icons; a first status icon indicating when the patient paperwork has been retrieved; a second status icon indicating when the radiographic image has been retrieved; and a third status icon indicating when the preliminary report has been generated; wherein the status and associated status icon of the patient is changed when either the radiographic image or the patient paperwork are received; and generate a preliminary report based on the radiographic image and the patient paperwork, the preliminary report comprising a first timestamp field indicating a first time of completion of the preliminary report; review the preliminary report by a reviewing entity, the preliminary report further comprising a second timestamp field indicating a second time of review of the preliminary report; and provide a template of the preliminary report to the web-based interface, the template including a diagnosis field, a findings field, and a scoring system, wherein the template is saved as the preliminary report of the patient once the diagnosis field and the findings field are completed, and the scoring system enables the reviewing entity to denote either textually, graphically, or both agreement or disagreement with the original generation of the preliminary report; wherein the preliminary report is generated when the status of the patient indicates that both the radiographic image and the patient paperwork have been received by the second processor-based system. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification