Method and system for creating a network of medical image reading professionals

• US 8,214,229 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Premerus LLC
• Original Assignee: Premerus LLC
• Inventors: Thorne, Curtis J., Allen, Gregg Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Najarian, Lena
• Application Number:
  US12/365,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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

Abstract

A method and system is provided for creating a network of medical image reading professionals who are highly skilled and proficient at reading and interpreting medical images. By creating such a network of medical image reading professionals, misdiagnoses can be dramatically reduced, thereby improving patient outcomes, reducing patient suffering and anxiety, reducing costs, and reducing the overall burden on the healthcare system.

Claims

1. A method for creating a network of medical image reading professionals, said method comprising;

providing a list of expertise areas for a medical image reading professional candidate to select, via a computing device, at least one expertise area to focus in participating in a network of medical image reading professionals;

selecting the candidate by selecting a medical image reading professional candidate who meets at least one criteria prior to the medical image reading professional being allowed to select from the list, the at least one criteria including performing at least a predetermined number of medical image readings per year;

distributing, via an electronic medium, sets of medical images of the selected at least one expertise area to the medical image reading professional candidate;

testing, on the computing device, proficiency of the medical image reading professional candidate in reading and diagnosing information presented in the distributed sets of medical images;

determining whether the medical image reading professional candidate qualifies to participate in the network of medical image reading professionals for the selected at least one expertise area based on the proficiency of the medical image reading professional candidate in reading and diagnosing information presented in the distributed sets of medical images; and

if the medical image reading professional candidate qualifies to participate in the network of medical image reading professionals, including the medical image reading professional candidate in the network of medical image reading professionals to enable the medical image reading professional candidate to participate in reading medical images of the at least one expertise area in which the medical image reading professional candidate has qualified to participate;

otherwise, not including the medical image reading professional candidate in the network of medical image reading professionals.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting a medical image reading professional candidate who performs at least a predetermined number of medical image readings per year includes selecting a medical image reading professional candidate who performs at least 5,000 medical image readings per year.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing a list of areas of expertise includes providing a list on a graphical user interface having at least one area of expertise being selectable.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein distributing the sets of medical images includes posting the sets of medical images on a website available for the medical image reading professional candidate to access for a limited duration of time.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein testing proficiency of the medical image reading professional candidate includes:

providing selectable multiple choice answers from which the medical image reading professional candidate selects to diagnose medical conditions of patients from whom the distributed sets of medical images were taken; and

receiving selection submissions from the medical image reading professional candidate of diagnoses of the medical conditions of the patients.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining whether the medical image reading professional candidate qualifies to participate in the network includes:

grading the selection submissions from the medical image reading professional candidate; and

determining whether the grade of the medical image reading professional candidate is at or above a threshold grade.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing a user profile for the medical image reading professional candidate if he or she qualifies to participate in the network, at least a portion of the user profile enabling the medical image reading professional candidate to access images of areas of expertise of patients for which the medical image reading professional candidate has selected and is qualified.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein distributing the sets of medical images includes distributing radiological images.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the list includes providing a list that includes sub-sections of anatomical regions organized by categories of disease process or condition common in each respective sub-section of anatomical region.

10. A system for creating a network of medical image reading professionals, said system comprising:

a storage unit including a data repository, the data repository storing sets of medical images of at least one area of expertise, each of the sets of medical images being taken from patients having known medical conditions;

an input/output (I/O) unit configured to provide communications over a communications network;

a processing unit in communication with said storage unit and I/O unit, and configured to communicate with the data repository to access the stored images, said processing unit further configured to;

operate a network site on which a medical image reading professional candidate applies to participate in a network of medical image reading professionals;

provide access to the medical image reading professional candidate who meets at least one criteria, the at least one criteria includes performing at least a predetermined number of medical image readings per year;

in response to the medical image reading professional candidate applying to participate in the medical image reading professionals network via the communications network, communicate via communications network a list of areas of expertise for the medical image reading professional candidate to select at least one area of expertise to focus in participating in the medical image reading professionals network;

communicate sets of medical images of the selected at least one area of expertise to the medical image reading professional candidate;

test proficiency of the medical image reading professional candidate in diagnosing information presented in the distributed sets of medical images;

determine whether the medical image reading professional candidate qualifies to participate in the medical image reading professionals network for the selected at least one area of expertise based on the proficiency of the medical image reading professional candidate in diagnosing information presented in the distributed sets of medical images; and

if the medical image reading professional candidate qualifies to participate in the medical image reading professionals network, include the medical image reading professional candidate in the medical image reading professionals network to enable the medical image reading professional candidate to participate in reading medical images of anatomical regions in which the medical image reading professional candidate has qualified to participate;

otherwise, not include the medical image reading professional candidate in the network of medical image reading professionals.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined number of medical image readings per year is 5,000.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said processing unit, in testing proficiency of the medical image reading professional candidate, is configured to:

provide selectable multiple choice answers from which the medical image reading professional candidate selects to diagnose medical conditions of patients from whom the distributed sets of medical images were taken; and

receive selection submissions from the medical image reading professional candidate of diagnoses of the medical conditions of the patients.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein said processing unit is configured to receive the selection submissions for a limited duration of time.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein said processing unit, in determining whether the medical image reading professional candidate qualifies to participate in the medical image reading professionals network, is configured to:

grade the selection submissions from the medical image reading professional candidate; and

determine whether the grade of the medical image reading professional candidate is at or above a threshold grade.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein said processing unit, in including the medical image reading professional candidate in the medical image reading professionals network, is configured to establish a user profile for the medical image reading professional candidate, at least a portion of the user profile enabling the medical image reading professional candidate to access images of area of expertise of patients for which the medical image reading professional candidate has selected and is qualified.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the sets of medical images are radiological images.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein the list includes sub-sections of anatomical regions organized by categories of disease process or condition common in each respective anatomical region.