Medical information searching and indexing method and system

• US 8,000,980 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beraja IP LLC
• Original Assignee: IBEZA, LLC
• Inventors: Beraja, Victor, Beraja, Esther, Beraja, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RANGREJ, SHEETAL
• Application Number:
  US11/928,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines

Abstract

A method for assisting a medical professional with making a medical related decision based on patient information includes providing access to a plurality of databases containing medical related information and at least one rule governing medical care. The method may also include searching for patient information on at least one of the plurality of databases providing search results of the patient information regardless of the location of the patient information.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a medical professional with making a medical related decision related to making a diagnosis based on patient information, the method comprising:

providing access to a plurality of databases, each of the plurality of databases containing medical related information and rules governing medical care, the plurality of databases being stored on a memory of a computer and accessible using a user interface, wherein the at least one rule provides requirements necessary for the medical professional to make the diagnosis, and wherein the diagnosis by the medical professional is not finalized until the requirements of the rules are complied with;

searching for patient information on at least one of the plurality of databases, wherein the patient information is stored on separate database in multiple locations that provide medical services;

providing search results from the computer of the patient information regardless of the location of the patient information so that the patient information can be used by the medical professional to make the diagnosis and applying the rules to the patient information;

receiving the diagnosis inputted by the medical professional using the user interface;

applying of the rules governing medical care to the patient information and to the diagnosis inputted by the medical professional;

determining compliance or non-compliance of the diagnosis inputted by the medical professional with the rules governing medical care;

wherein non-compliance with the requirements of the rules are included in a report with non-compliant errors presented to the medical professional using the computer prior to the diagnosis that is inputted by the medical professional is finalized so that the medical professional is prevented from making the diagnosis if the report includes an indication of non-compliance with the rules; and

wherein compliance with the requirements of the rules governing medical care allows the diagnosis inputted by the medical professional to be finalized.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising auditing compliance of the patient information based on a comparison of the patient information with the at least one rule.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein auditing compliance of the patient information is automated.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of databases comprise a patient information database, a diagnosis database, a medical treatment database, and a standards database.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the patient information is stored on the patient information database and includes at least one selected from the group comprising past medical history, past medications being taken by the patient, current medications being taken by the patient, past medical tests ordered for the patient, past and current treatment regiments for the patient and past and current diagnosis of the patient.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the medical related decision further comprises prescribing a medication.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the rules governing medical care provide requirements of the patient information that must be included in the search results prior to the medical professional prescribing a medication;

and wherein the medical professional is prevented from prescribing the medication if the patient information included in the search results is not in compliance with the rules.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the rules governing medical care provide requirements of the patient information that must be included in the search results prior to the medical professional making a medical recommendation;

and wherein the medical professional is prevented from making the medical recommendation if the patient information included in the search results is not in compliance with the rules.

9. A method for assisting a medical professional with making a medical related decision related to ordering a medical test based on patient information, the method comprising:

providing access to a plurality of databases, each of the plurality of databases containing medical related information and rules governing medical care, the plurality of databases being stored on a memory of a computer and accessible using a user interface, wherein the at least one rule provides requirements necessary for the medical professional to order the medical test, and wherein the medical professional cannot finalize ordering the medical test until the requirements of the at least one rule are complied with;

searching for patient information on at least one of the plurality of databases, wherein the patient information is stored on separate databases in multiple locations that provide medical services;

receiving the order for the medical test inputted by the medical professional using the user interface;

applying at least one of the rules to the patient information and to the medical test inputted by the medical professional;

determining compliance or non-compliance of the medical test with the rules governing medical care;

auditing compliance of the patient information based on a comparison of the patient information with at least one of the rules, and wherein auditing compliance of the patient information is automated;

wherein non-compliance with the requirements of the rules are included in a report with non-compliant errors presented to the medical professional using the computer prior to the medical test being ordered so that the medical professional is prevented from ordering the medical test if the report includes an indication of non-compliance with the rules;

wherein compliance with the requirements of the rules governing medical care allows the medical test ordered by the medical professional to be finalized; and

wherein non-compliance of the patient information with the rules as determined when the patient information is audited are included in the report with non-compliant errors.

10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising providing search results from the computer of the patient information regardless of the location of the patient information.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the plurality of databases comprise a patient information database, a diagnosis database, a medical treatment database, and a standards database.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the patient information is stored on the patient information database and includes at least one selected from the group comprising past medical history, past medications being taken by the patient, current medications being taken by the patient, past medical tests ordered for the patient, past and current treatment regiments for the patient and past and current diagnosis of the patient.

13. A method according to claim 9 wherein the medical related decision further comprises prescribing a medication.

14. A method according to claim 9 wherein the at least one rule governs patient information necessary to be located before a medication may be prescribed.

15. A method according to claim 9 wherein the rules governing medical care provide requirements of the patient information that must be included in the search results prior to the medical professional providing a medical recommendation;

and wherein the medical professional is prevented from making the medical recommendation if the patient informant included in the search results is not in compliance with the rules.

16. A system for assisting a medical professional in making a medical related decision directed to at least one of making a diagnosis, ordering a medical test, and recommending a medical procedure based on patient information, the system comprising:

at least one user interface;

a plurality of databases stored on a memory and each accessible using said at least one user interface, at least one of the plurality of databases containing patient information and rules governing patient information wherein the rules provide requirements necessary for the medical professional to make the medical related decision directed to at least one of making the diagnosis, ordering the medical test, and recommending the medical procedure, and wherein the medical related decision directed to at least one of making the diagnosis, ordering the medical test, and recommending the medical procedure is not finalized until the requirements of the rules are complied with; and

an auditing system in communication with the plurality of databases;

wherein the plurality of databases are searched for patient information that is stored on separate databases in multiple locations that provide medical service;

wherein search results are provided of the patient information regardless of the location of the patient information so that the patient information can be used by the medical professional to make the medical related decision by applying at least one of the rules to the patient information;

wherein at least one of the rules is applied to the patient information and to the medical related decision directed to at least one of making the diagnosis, ordering the medical test, and recommending the medical procedure, wherein the patient information is searched on at least one of the plurality of databases, wherein the patient information is stored on separate databases in multiple locations providing medical services, and wherein the auditing system audits the patient information for compliance with the rules;

wherein compliance or non-compliance of the medical related decision with the requirements of the rules is determined and wherein an indication is provided to the medical professional of compliance or non-compliance of the patient information with the rules prior to the medical related decision being finalized;

wherein non-compliance of the patient information with the rules results in display of a report with non-compliant errors being viewable by the medical professional so that the medical professional cannot finalize the medical related decision directed to at least one of making the diagnosis, ordering the medical test, and recommending the medical procedure and so that the medical professional is prevented from making the medical related decision if a report is provided that includes an indication of non-compliance with the rules; and

wherein compliance of the patient information with the rules allows the medical related decision made by the medical professional to be finalized

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein the auditing system is automated to assess compliance of the patient information based on a comparison of the patient information with the at least one rule.

18. A system according to claim 16 wherein the plurality of databases comprises a patient information database, a diagnosis database, a medical treatment database, and a standards database.

19. A system according to claim 18 wherein the patient information is stored on the patient information database and includes at least one selected from the group comprising past medical history, past medications being taken by the patient, current medications being taken by the patient, past medical tests ordered for the patient, past and current treatment regiments for the patient and past and current diagnosis of the patient.

20. A system according to claim 16 wherein the medical related decision further comprises prescribing a medication.

21. A system according to claim 16 wherein the rules govern patient information necessary to be located before a medication may be prescribed.

22. A system according to claim 16 wherein the rules govern patient information necessary to be located before a medical recommendation may be provided.

23. A method for assisting a medical professional with making a medical related decision related to recommending a medical procedure, the method comprising:

providing access to a plurality of databases, each of the plurality of databases containing medical related information and rules governing medical care, the plurality of databases being stored on a memory of a computer and accessible using a user interface, wherein the at least one rule provides requirements necessary for the medical professional to recommend the medical procedure, and wherein the medical professional cannot finalize recommending the medical procedure until the requirements of the at least one rule are complied with;

searching for patient information on at least one of the plurality of databases, wherein the patient information is stored on separate databases in multiple locations that provide medical services;

receiving the medical related decision related to recommending the medical procedure inputted by the medical professional using the user interface;

applying at least one of the rules to the patient information and to the medical related decision related to recommending a medical procedure inputted by the medical professional;

determining compliance or non-compliance of the medical related decision related to recommending a medical procedure with the rules governing medical care;

auditing compliance of the patient information based on a comparison of the patient information with the at least one of the rules, wherein auditing compliance of the patient information is automated;

wherein non-compliance with the requirements of the rules are included in a report with non-compliant errors presented to the medical professional using the computer prior to the medical related decision related to recommending a medical procedure is made so that the medical professional is prevened from making the medical related decision related to recommending a medical procedure if the report includes an indication of non-compliance with the rules;

wherein compliance with the requirements of the rules allows the medical related decision related to recommending a medical procedure made by the medical professional to be finalized; and

wherein non-compliance of the patient information with the rules as determined when the patient information is audited are included in the report with non-compliant errors.

24. A method according to claim 23 further comprising providing search results from the computer of the patient information regardless of the location of the patient information.

25. A method according to claim 23 wherein the plurality of databases comprise a patient information database, a diagnosis database, a medical treatment database, and a standards database.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the patient information is stored on the patient information database and includes at least one selected from the group comprising past medical history, past medications being taken by the patient, current medications being taken by the patient, past medical tests ordered for the patient, past and current treatment regiments for the patient and past and current diagnosis of the patient.

27. A method according to claim 23 wherein the medical related decision further comprises prescribing a medication.

28. A method according to claim 23 wherein the at least one rule governs patient information necessary to be located before a medication may be prescribed.

29. A method according to claim 23 wherein the at least one rule governs patient information necessary to be located before a medical recommendation may be provided.