System and method for using and maintaining a master matching index

• US 8,095,386 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Health Catalyst, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Medicity Incorporated (Health Catalyst, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lassetter, James K., Coyle, David, Crapo, Jared
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUIRGUIS, MICHAEL M
• Application Number:
  US11/416,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707/760, 707762-763, 707/761, 713 2- 21, 705/2, 705/3
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof

Abstract

A master matching index (MMI) is accessible to a plurality of entities connected over a network. Access to the MMI is provided via MMI adapters distributed among the entities. A distributed MMI adapter contains matching algorithms that specify how record queries from its associated entity should be compared against information in the MMI. Accordingly, an MMI may be searched for matches according to matching algorithms specified by disparate entities.

Claims

1. A system for accessing stored entities comprising:

a master matching index stored on a database including a collection of entities and data elements associated with each entity, at least one of the data elements having a first value associated with a first secondary system and a second value associated with a second secondary system;

a services unit operatively coupled to the master matching index and arranged to control access to the master matching index;

a first adapter stored on a first memory and executable on a first processor, the first adapter operatively coupled to the services unit and to the first secondary system, the first adapter comprising a first training module for testing a first matching algorithm with known data and adjusting the first matching algorithm based on results of a test of the first matching algorithm, the first adapter receiving a first query from the first secondary system identifying a first plurality of data elements specifying a first entity that includes the at least one of the data elements having the first value, transforming the first query into a data format that is recognized by the services unit and generating a first thread from the first query, the first thread comprising;

a first set of instructions for accessing the master matching index,

the first plurality of data elements and

the first matching algorithm associated with the first secondary system including a first set of rules for comparing the first plurality of data elements in the first thread to entities in the master matching index, the first set of rules including at least one of a probabilistic matching rule and a deterministic matching rule,

a second adapter operatively coupled to the services unit and to the second secondary system, the second adapter comprising a second training module for testing a second matching algorithm with known data and adjusting the second matching algorithm based on results of a test of the second matching algorithm, the second adapter receiving a second query from the second secondary system identifying a second plurality of data elements specifying a second entity that includes the at least one of the data elements having the second value, transforming the second query into the data format that is recognized by the services unit and generating a second thread from the second query, the second thread comprising;

a second set of instructions for accessing the master matching index,

the second plurality of data elements and

the second matching algorithm associated with the second secondary system including a second set of rules for comparing the second plurality of data elements in the second thread to entities in the master matching index, the second set of rules including at least one of the probabilistic matching rule and the deterministic matching rule, and

wherein the services unit receives the first thread from the first adapter, compares the first plurality of data elements from the first thread with entities in the master matching index using the first set of rules included in the first matching algorithm and retrieves an entity associated with data elements satisfying the first matching algorithm from the master matching index.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second adapters are remote from at least one of the services unit and the master matching index.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first adapter comprises:

a filtering module arranged to specify the first matching algorithm.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the probabilistic matching rule describes a set of cases, each with one or more mutually exclusive outcomes, and the deterministic matching rule describes one or more match cases and match types.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first adapter comprises:

a configuration module arranged to at least one of configure and render a user interface accessible to the first secondary system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first adapter comprises:

a data transformation module arranged to convert data in a format of the first secondary system to a format of the master matching index.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first adapter comprises:

a resolution module arranged to resolve multiple records returned by at least one of the services unit and the master matching index.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first adapter comprises:

a reporting module arranged to indicate a statistic relating to queries by the first secondary system in the master matching index.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first training module generates the first matching algorithm based on results of a matching accuracy with known data.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first training module compares results of the first matching algorithm with results of the second matching algorithm and adjusts the first matching algorithm based on the comparison.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first adapter is operatively coupled to the services unit at least in part over the Internet.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the master matching index comprises at least one pool for storing an entity and associated data elements.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first secondary system comprises at least one of a hospital, a medical group, an insurance provider, a health care provider, a veterinary care-related entity, a pharmacy, and a private clinic.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the master matching index comprises information relating to at least one of patients, physicians, insurance plans, pharmacies, animals, and product inventory.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second entities are the same type.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second entities are different types.

15. A method, comprising:

accessing a first user interface supported by a first adapter having a first processor, the first adaptor coupled to a master matching index stored on a database including a collection of entities and data elements associated with each entity, at least one of the data elements having a first value associated with a first secondary system and a second value associated with a second secondary system;

testing a first matching algorithm with known data;

adjusting the first matching algorithm based on results of a test of the first matching algorithm;

specifying a first query identifying a first plurality of data elements associated with a first record via the first user interface;

transforming the first query into a data format that is recognized by a services unit;

generating with the first processor, a first thread from the first query via the first adapter, the first thread comprising a first set of data elements, a first set of instructions for accessing the master matching index and the first matching algorithm associated with the first secondary system, the first matching algorithm including a first set of rules for comparing the first plurality of data elements in the first thread to entities in the master matching index, the first set of rules including at least one of a probabilistic rule and a deterministic matching rule;

comparing, using the services unit coupled to the master matching index, the first set of data elements included in the first thread against different entities in the master matching index according to the first matching algorithm specified in the first thread generated by the first adapter;

responsive to a first entity in the master matching index satisfying the first matching algorithm associated with the first secondary system, presenting the first entity from the master matching index satisfying the first matching algorithm using the first user interface, the first entity including the at least one of the data elements having the first value;

accessing a second user interface supported by a second adapter coupled to the master matching index;

testing a second matching algorithm with known data;

adjusting the second matching algorithm based on results of a test of the second matching algorithm;

specifying a second query identifying a plurality of data elements associated with a second record via the second user interface;

transforming the second query into the data format that is recognized by the services unit;

generating a second thread from the query via the second adapter, the second thread comprising a second set of data elements, a second set of instructions for accessing the master matching index and the second matching algorithm associated with the second secondary system, the second matching algorithm including a second set of rules for comparing data elements in the second thread to entities in the master matching index, the second set of rules including at least one of the probabilistic matching rule and the deterministic matching rule; and

responsive to a second entity in the master matching index satisfying the second matching algorithm associated with the second secondary system, presenting the second entity from the master matching index satisfying the second matching algorithm using the second user interface, the second entity including the at least one of the data elements having the second value.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising configuring the first user interface.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising resolving multiple records returned in response to the first query.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating a report indicating at least one statistic relating to a record returned in response to the first query.

19. A method executable on a processor for matching information in a master matching index stored on a database, comprising:

testing a first matching algorithm with known data;

adjusting the first matching algorithm based on results of a test of the first matching algorithm;

receiving a first thread comprising a first plurality of data elements, a first set of instructions for accessing the master matching index and the first matching algorithm associated with a first secondary system, the first matching algorithm including a first set of rules for comparing data elements in the first thread to entities in the master matching index from the first secondary system via a first adapter, the first set of rules including at least one of a probabilistic matching rule and a deterministic matching rule, the master matching index stored on the database including the entities and data elements associated with each entity, at least one of the data elements having a first value associated with the first secondary system and a second value associated with a second secondary system;

comparing with the processor, using a services unit, the first plurality of data elements included in the first thread to data elements associated with a first record indexed in the master matching index according to the first matching algorithm associated with the first secondary system included in the received first thread specified in the first adapter, the first record including the at least one of the data elements having the second value;

testing a second matching algorithm with known data;

adjusting the second matching algorithm based on results of a test of the second matching algorithm;

receiving a second thread comprising a second plurality of data elements, a second set of instructions for accessing the master matching index and the second matching algorithm associated with the second secondary system, the second matching algorithm including a second set of rules for comparing data elements in the second thread to entities in the master matching index from the second secondary system via a second adapter, the second set of rules including at least one of the probabilistic matching rule and the deterministic matching rule; and

comparing with the processor, using a services unit, the second plurality of data elements included in the second thread to data elements associated with a second record indexed in the master matching index according to the second matching algorithm associated with the second secondary system included in the received second thread specified in the second adapter, the second record including the at least one of the data elements having the second value.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising returning the first record if a single match is found in response to comparing the first plurality of data elements included in the first thread to data elements associated with the first record.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising returning at least one potential match if the first record is not found in response to comparing the first plurality of data elements included in the first thread to data elements associated with the first record.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising merging records if at least two matches are found in response to comparing the first plurality of data elements included in the first thread to data elements associated with the first record.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising recording duplicate matches if more than one match is found in response to comparing the first plurality of data elements included in the first thread to data elements associated with the first record.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the rules for comparing the first set of data elements in the first thread to entities in the master matching index comprise at least one of:

deterministically matching the data elements in the first thread using one or more match cases and one or more match types; and

probabilistically matching the data elements in the first thread using a set of cases, each case with one or more mutually exclusive outcomes.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising allowing a user to modify data stored in the master matching index.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising returning the first record including the at least one of the data elements having the first value in response to comparing the first plurality of data elements included in the first thread to data elements associated with the first record.

27. A method for passing information over a network having at least first and second health care related entities, comprising:

storing patient information in a master patient index (MPI) on a database including patients and data elements associated with each patient, at least one of the data elements having a first value associated with the first health care related entity and a second value associated with the second health care related entity;

testing, by a first adapter, a first MPI matching algorithm with known data;

adjusting, by the first adapter, the first MPI matching algorithm based on results of a test of the first MPI matching algorithm;

receiving, at the first adapter operatively coupled to the MPI, a first query from the first health care related entity for a first patient in the MPI, the first patient including the at least one of the data elements having the first value;

selecting, by the first adapter, the first MPI matching algorithm for the first query that is specific to the first health care related entity, the first MPI matching algorithm including a first set of rules including at least one of a probabilistic matching rule and a deterministic matching rule;

testing, by a second adapter, a second MPI matching algorithm with known data;

adjusting, by the second adapter, the second MPI matching algorithm based on results of a test of the second MPI matching algorithm;

receiving, at the second adapter operatively coupled to the MPI, a second query from the second health care related entity for a second patient in the MPI, the second patient including the at least one of the data elements having the second value;

selecting, by the second adapter, the second MPI matching algorithm for the second query that is specific to the second health care related entity, the second MPI matching algorithm including a second set of rules including at least one of the probabilistic matching rule and the deterministic matching rule; and

wherein performance of the first MPI matching algorithm and performance of the second MPI matching algorithm are independent of one another.