Method and apparatus for generating a clinician quality assurance scorecard
First Claim
1. A computer system for generating a quality assurance scorecard, comprising:
- at least one memory containing at least one program, and a processor which executes the at least one program, the program comprising the steps of;
receiving and storing data elements in said memory of a computer system on a particular patient prior to performing an imaging examination;
receiving and storing in said memory, a patient imaging examination order and/or protocol from a clinician;
comparing and analyzing said patient imaging examination order and/or said protocol with said data elements stored in memory;
evaluating said date elements associated with said imaging examination order, including a completeness of said data elements, in view of pre-defined appropriateness criteria;
evaluating a clinician profile of said clinician'"'"'s examination ordering history, including said examination order and/or protocol'"'"'s compliance with community standards;
determining an appropriateness of said imaging examination order and/or protocol based on a result of said comparison and analysis and evaluations;
providing a recommendation of whether to proceed with said imaging examination order and/or protocol based on said determination of appropriateness; and
generating a clinician quality assurance scorecard including a quality assurance score based on said determination of appropriate and said recommendation;
wherein said quality assurance score objectively quantifies the clinicians'"'"'s performance With respect to the particular patient being examined, prior to initiating said imaging examination.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a quality assurance system and method that generates a quality assurance (QA) scorecard for clinicians that participate in a radiological-based medical imaging study using digital imaging technologies. According to one embodiment, client computers, servers, imaging devices, databases, and/or other components may be coupled to provided a unified data collection system. According to one embodiment, systems and methods are provided that analyze various parameters that are derived from the unified data collection system to calculate a QA score for the clinician. The QA score provides a combined subjective and objective feedback system that includes performance evaluations from other users, including radiologists, technologists and patients. According to one embodiment, the feedback may be provided in real-time.
28 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A computer system for generating a quality assurance scorecard, comprising:
- at least one memory containing at least one program, and a processor which executes the at least one program, the program comprising the steps of;
receiving and storing data elements in said memory of a computer system on a particular patient prior to performing an imaging examination; receiving and storing in said memory, a patient imaging examination order and/or protocol from a clinician; comparing and analyzing said patient imaging examination order and/or said protocol with said data elements stored in memory; evaluating said date elements associated with said imaging examination order, including a completeness of said data elements, in view of pre-defined appropriateness criteria; evaluating a clinician profile of said clinician'"'"'s examination ordering history, including said examination order and/or protocol'"'"'s compliance with community standards; determining an appropriateness of said imaging examination order and/or protocol based on a result of said comparison and analysis and evaluations; providing a recommendation of whether to proceed with said imaging examination order and/or protocol based on said determination of appropriateness; and generating a clinician quality assurance scorecard including a quality assurance score based on said determination of appropriate and said recommendation; wherein said quality assurance score objectively quantifies the clinicians'"'"'s performance With respect to the particular patient being examined, prior to initiating said imaging examination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 33)
- at least one memory containing at least one program, and a processor which executes the at least one program, the program comprising the steps of;
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5. A computer implemented method of generating a quality assurance scorecard on a clinician, comprising:
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receiving and storing data elements on a particular patient, at a database of a computer system, prior to performing an imaging examination using an imaging apparatus; receiving and storing a patient imaging examination order and/or protocol from a clinician, at said database of said computer system; comparing and analyzing said patient imaging examination order and/or said protocol with said data elements stored in said database, using a processor of said computer system; evaluating said data elements associated with said imaging examination order, including a completeness of said data elements, in view of pre-defined appropriateness criteria; evaluating a clinician'"'"'s profile of said clinician'"'"'s examination ordering history, including said examination order and/or protocol'"'"'s compliance with community standards; determining an appropriateness of said imaging examination order and/or protocol based on a result of said comparison and analysis and evaluations; providing a recommendation of whether to proceed with said imaging examination order and/or protocol based on said determination of appropriateness; and
generating a clinician quality assurance scorecard including a quality assurance score based on said determination of appropriateness and said recommendation;wherein said quality assurance score objectively quantifies the clinician'"'"'s performance with respect to the particular patient being examined, prior to initiating said imaging examination. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 34)
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31. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for generating a quality assurance scorecard on a clinician, comprising:
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receiving and storing data elements on a particular patient, at a database of a computer system, prior to performing an imaging examination using an imaging apparatus; receiving and storing a patient imaging examination order and/or protocol from a clinician, at said database of said computer system; comparing and analyzing said patient imaging examination order and/or said protocol with said data elements stored in said database, using a processor of said computer system; evaluating said data elements associated with said imaging examination order, including a completeness of said data elements, in view of pre-defined appropriateness criteria; evaluating a clinician profile of said clinician'"'"'s examination ordering history, including said examination order and/or protocol'"'"'s compliance with community standards; determining an appropriateness of said imaging examination order and/or protocol based on said comparison and analysis and evaluations; providing a recommendation of whether to proceed with said imaging examination order and/or protocol based on said determination of appropriateness; and generating a clinician quality assurance scorecard including a quality assurance score based on said determination of appropriateness and said recommendation; wherein said quality assurance score objectively quantifies the clinician'"'"'s performance with respect to the particular patient being examined, prior to initiating said imaging examination. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification