Teleradiology image processing system

• US 8,195,481 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virtual Radiologic Corporation (Mednax Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Virtual Radiologic Corporation (Mednax Incorporated)
• Inventors: Backhaus, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pauls, John
• Application Number:
  US12/870,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20110015941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4, 705/37, 707/10, 600/300, 600/437, 364/413.01
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• 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 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

A teleradiology image processing system configured to receive, process, and transmit radiology read requests and digital radiology image data is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a radiology processing system includes a series of processing components configured to receive digital radiology data from a medical provider, extract relevant information and radiology scan images from the digital radiology data, and initiate and control a workflow with a qualified remote radiologist who ultimately performs a read of the radiology scan images. Further embodiments also facilitate data processing within the image processing system in response to medical facility rules and preferences; translation or conversion of digital images to other formats; compilation of patient and medical facility data obtained from the digital radiology data into medical records or data stores; assignment of radiology studies within a teleradiology workflow in response to licensing and credentialing rules; and billing functions in response to completed reads by the remote radiologist.

Claims

1. A teleradiology image processing system connected via a network to one or more medical facilities and a plurality of remote radiologists, comprising:

an image processing component configured to digitally store, transmit, and process a plurality of digital radiology images received within a data transmission provided by a transmitting medical facility, each of the plurality of digital radiology images produced from a radiological procedure conducted at the transmitting medical facility, and the one or more medical facilities including the transmitting medical facility;

an order processing component configured to process and transmit a radiology read order received from the transmitting medical facility, the radiology read order corresponding to the plurality of digital radiology images produced from the radiological imaging procedure;

a data component configured to process data from the plurality of digital radiology images received with the image processing component and the radiology read order received with the order processing component, the plurality of digital radiology images and the radiology read order comprising a radiology study prepared for examination by a remote radiologist, wherein the data component is further configured to implement rules related to the examination of the radiology study; and

a workflow component configured to assign the radiology read order and the plurality of digital radiology images to a qualified radiologist selected from a plurality of remote radiologists for performance of a remote radiological read, the workflow component further configured to factor licensing and credentialing qualifications when assigning the radiology read order and the plurality of digital radiology images to the qualified radiologist.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the workflow component is further configured to implement assignment rules providing for selection of the qualified radiologist from the plurality of remote radiologists.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules relating to examination of the radiology study include one or more of billing rules, radiologist compensation rules, facility preferences, facility restrictions, and forecasting rules.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a billing component configured to facilitate billing of radiology services with the transmitting medical facility.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the billing component is further configured to provide billing activities customized to content provided within the plurality of digital radiology images.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a forecasting component configured to estimate future usage of the teleradiology image processing system based in part on data derived from the data transmission and the radiology read order, thereby estimating levels of adequate radiologist staffing for future radiology reads.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a compensation component configured to track and facilitate compensation for remote radiological reads performed by the qualified radiologist.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a patient information component configured to extract, correlate, and transmit patient information associated with the data transmission.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the workflow component is further configured to factor costs, radiologist compensation, and radiologist study quotas when selecting the qualified radiologist from the plurality of remote radiologists.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein components of the radiology processing system are further configured to factor medical facility preferences when assigning the orders and the plurality of digital radiology images to the qualified radiologist.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the image processing component is further configured to transform one or more of the plurality of digital radiology images prior to display by the qualified radiologist.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the image processing component is further configured to convert the plurality of digital radiology images to another digital image format.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising an access control component configured to control access via the network to data within the radiology processing system.

14. A radiology image processing system, comprising:

an order processing component configured to digitally transmit and process radiology read orders received from remote medical facilities, each radiology read order corresponding to a set of digital radiology images for a radiology study conducted by one of the remote medical facilities;

an image processing component configured to digitally transmit and process the set of digital radiology images received from the one of the remote medical facilities;

a data component configured to process data from the digital radiology images received at the image processing component and the orders received at the order processing component, the data component further configured to define rules for examination of radiology studies by a pool of remote radiologists; and

a workflow component configured to assign the processed orders and the processed digital radiology images to a qualified member of the pool of remote radiologists for review, the workflow component further configured to factor processed data and rules from the data component and licensing and credentialing qualifications when assigning the orders and the corresponding digital radiology images to the qualified member.

15. A method for processing radiology images in a teleradiology workflow through use of a teleradiology image processing system, comprising:

receiving a radiology data transmission from a medical facility, the radiology data transmission including data for a plurality of digital radiology images produced from imaging conducted at the medical facility;

receiving a radiology read order from the medical facility, the radiology read order corresponding to the plurality of digital radiology images produced from the imaging;

processing data from the plurality of digital radiology images and the radiology read order to facilitate display and assignment of the plurality of digital radiology images and the radiology read order;

implementing rules for examination of the radiology read order and the plurality of digital radiology images by one of a plurality of radiologists;

assigning the radiology read order and the plurality of digital radiology images to a qualified radiologist from the plurality of radiologists for performance of a remote radiological read, by factoring licensing and credentialing qualifications and preferences of the medical facility to select the qualified radiologist; and

electronically transmitting the digital radiology images and the radiology read order to the qualified radiologist.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising factoring costs, radiologist compensation, and radiologist study quotas when selecting the qualified radiologist from the plurality of radiologists.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising transforming one or more of the plurality of digital radiology images prior to electronically transmitting the digital radiology images to the qualified radiologist.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising converting one or more of the plurality of digital radiology images to another digital image format prior to electronically transmitting the digital radiology images to the qualified radiologist.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein implementing rules for examination of the radiology read order and the plurality of digital radiology images includes factoring billing rules, radiologist compensation rules, facility preferences, facility restrictions, and forecasting rules.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising performing billing activities of radiology services with the medical facility, wherein the billing activities are customized to content provided within the plurality of digital radiology images.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising estimating levels of adequate radiologist staffing for future radiology reads, the future radiology reads being estimated based in part on data derived from the radiology data transmission and the radiology read order.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising tracking and facilitating compensation for remote radiological reads performed by the qualified radiologist.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising extracting, correlating, and transmitting patient information associated with the data transmission.