Electronic health record system and method for an underserved population

• US 8,117,048 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Independent Health Association Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cubrc, Inc., Independent Health Association Incorporated
• Inventors: Rzadkiewicz, Mary Johnice, Stoeckl, Janet M., Rifkin, Roberta, Brown, Ryan William, Del Vecchio, Justin Michael, James, Alex, Schmidt, Lauren, Nusinov, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Cobanoglu, Dilek B
• Application Number:
  US12/290,475
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 705/3, 1/1, 600/300, 710/73
• US Class Current: 705/3
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A system for managing electronic health records, including: an interface element in at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for receiving data regarding at least one environmental condition, at least one symptom related to physical or mental health, and background for the patient; a memory element for the computer for storing the data; and a processor in the computer for: generating, using the data, information regarding at least one concern with respect to the physical or mental health of the patient; and generating, using the data, at least one action item for addressing the at least one concern. The interface element is for transmitting at least a portion of the information regarding the at least one concern for the physical or mental health of the patient and the at least one action item for display and receiving data regarding compliance with the at least one action item.

Claims

1. A method for managing electronic health records, comprising:

receiving, using an interface element in at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer, first data regarding at least one environmental condition related to a patient, second data regarding at least one symptom of the patient related to physical or mental health of the patient, and background data for the patient;

storing the first, second, and background data in a memory element for the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer;

generating, using a processor in the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer and the first, second, and background data, information regarding at least one concern applicable to the physical or mental health of the patient;

generating, using the processor and the first, second, and background data, at least one action item for addressing the at least one concern;

storing, in the memory element, the at least one action item;

transmitting, using the interface element, at least a portion of the information regarding the at least one concern for the physical or mental health of the patient for display and the at least one action item for display;

receiving, using the interface element, third data regarding compliance with the at least one action item, the third data including information as to whether the at least one action item has been complied with; and

,

when the at least one action item has not been complied with, transmitting, using the interface element, the at least one action item for display;

or,

when the at least one action item has been complied with, modifying the stored at least one action item to indicate that the at least one action has been complied with; and

,

transmitting for display, using the interface element, a message that the at least one action item has been complied with, wherein the at least one environmental condition is selected from the group consisting of conditions in the vicinity of the patient'"'"'s residence, utilities for and infrastructure of the patient'"'"'s residence, household items associated with the patient'"'"'s residence, personal items belonging to the patient, transportation options available to the patient, and the patient'"'"'s perceived level of safety in their residence.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one action item includes an action item directed to an environmental condition from the at least one environmental condition, the method further comprising:

generating, using the processor, a graphical presentation including at least one inquiry, in the form of a pictorial display, regarding compliance of the patient with the action item directed to an environmental condition; and

,

transmitting, using the interface element, the graphical presentation for display on a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein receiving the third data includes receiving data regarding compliance of the patient with the action item directed to an environmental condition via a GUI on which the graphical presentation is displayed.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating, using the processor, a graphical presentation including a plurality of inquiries, in the form of respective pictorial displays, regarding a plurality of respective environmental conditions; and

,

transmitting, using the interface element, the graphical presentation for display on a GUI, wherein receiving the first data includes receiving at least a portion of the first data via a GUI on which the graphical presentation is displayed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one action item addresses an environmental condition from the at least one environmental condition.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating, using the processor, an inquiry as to whether the patient wishes further information regarding the at least one health concern;

transmitting, using the interface element, the inquiry for display;

receiving, using the interface element, an affirmative response to the inquiry, including a request for further information regarding a health concern from the at least one health concern;

generating, using the processor, information regarding the health concern, the information regarding the health concern more detailed than the information regarding the at least one concern for the physical or mental health of the patient; and

,

transmitting, using the interface element, the information regarding the health concern.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one action items includes a plurality of action items, the method further comprising when a first action item from the plurality of action items has not been complied with and when a second action item from the plurality of action items has been complied with:

transmitting, using the interface element, the first action item for display;

modifying the stored second action item to indicate that the second action has been complied with; and

,

transmitting for display, using the interface element, a message that the second action item has been complied with.

7. A system for managing electronic health records, comprising:

a processor in at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for generating a graphical presentation including at least one inquiry, in the form of a pictorial display, regarding at least one environmental conditions related to a patient;

an interface element in the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for;

transmitting the graphical presentation for display on a GUI; and

,

receiving first data regarding at least one respective environmental condition, from the plurality of respective environmental conditions, related to the patient, second data regarding at least one symptom of the patient related to physical or mental health of the patient, and background data for the patient; and

a memory element for the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for storing the first, second, and background data, wherein the processor is for;

generating, using the first, second, and background data, information regarding at least one concern with respect to the physical or mental health of the patient; and

,

generating, using the first, second, and background data, at least one action item for addressing the at least one concern, wherein the interface element is for transmitting at least a portion of the information regarding at least one concern for the physical or mental health of the patient and the at least one action item for display and receiving third data regarding compliance with the at least one action item, wherein the at least one environmental condition is selected from the group consisting of the type of residence in which the patient lives, conditions in the vicinity of the patient'"'"'s residence, utilities for and infrastructure of the patient'"'"'s residence, household items associated with the patient'"'"'s residence, personal items belonging to the patient, transportation options available to the patient, and the patient'"'"'s perceived level of safety in their residence.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the at least one action item includes an action item directed to an environmental condition from the at least one environmental condition;

the processor is for generating a graphical presentation including at least one inquiry, in the form of a pictorial display, regarding compliance of the patient with the action item directed to an environmental condition; and

,

the interface element is for transmitting the graphical presentation for display on a graphical user interface (GUI) and receiving data regarding compliance of the patient with the action item directed to an environmental condition via a GUI on which the graphical presentation is displayed.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein

the interface element is for receiving at least a portion of the first data via the GUI on which the graphical presentation is displayed.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the at least one action item addresses an environmental condition from the at least one environmental condition.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the processor is for generating an inquiry as to whether the patient wishes further information regarding the at least one health concern;

the interface element is for transmitting the inquiry for display and receiving an affirmative response to the inquiry, including a request for further information regarding a health concern from the at least one health concern;

the processor is for generating information regarding the health concern, the information regarding the health concern more detailed than the information regarding at least one concern for the physical or mental health of the patient; and

,

the interface element is for transmitting the information regarding the health concern.

12. A method for managing electronic health records, comprising:

receiving, using an interface element in at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer, first data regarding at least two environmental conditions related to a patient, second data regarding at least one symptom of the patient related to physical or mental health of the patient, and background data for the patient;

storing the first, second, and background data in a memory element for the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer;

generating, using a processor in the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer and the first, second, and background data, information regarding at least one concern applicable to the physical or mental health of the patient;

generating, using the processor and the first, second, and background data, at least one action item for addressing the at least one concern;

storing, in the memory element, the at least one action item;

transmitting, using the interface element, at least a portion of the information regarding the at least one concern for the physical or mental health of the patient for display and the at least one action item for display;

receiving, using the interface element, third data regarding compliance with the at least one action item, the third data including information as to whether the at least one action item has been complied with; and

,

when the at least one action item has not been complied with, transmitting, using the interface element, the at least one action item for display;

or,

when the at least one action item has been complied with, modifying the stored at least one action item to indicate that the at least one action has been complied with; and

,

transmitting for display, using the interface element, a message that the at least one action item has been complied with, wherein the at least two environmental conditions are selected from the group consisting of the type of residence in which the patient lives, conditions in the vicinity of the patient'"'"'s residence, utilities for and infrastructure of the patient'"'"'s residence, household items associated with the patient'"'"'s residence, personal items belonging to the patient, transportation options available to the patient, and the patient'"'"'s perceived level of safety in their residence.