System and user interface for workflow and task schedule configuration

• US 8,365,068 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Brandt, Samuel I., DeHaan, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US12/629,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 715200-205, 715/207, 715/210, 715/234, 715/243, 715/255, 715/256, 715/273, 715/274, 715/277, 715/713, 715/746, 715/747, 715/760, 715/762, 718/100, 718/101, 718/102, 718/106, 705/1.1, 705/7.27
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• 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

In an embodiment of the present inventions, a work flow process may be generated by decomposing functions of a clinical information system into discrete tasks including an individual task associated with a first pre-configured executable procedure for implementing the individual task and associating a user selectable image element with the pre-configured first executable procedure used in implementing the individual task. In a currently envisioned embodiment, integratable work flow processes according to the present invention may be provided to a vertical application system. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of providing a pre-configured work flow executable procedure associated with a workflow step for operation with a software executable application associated with a workflow process including a plurality of workflow steps, comprising of:

in response to user command,

associating with an executable procedure of a work step, a predetermined set of parameters required to invoke functions of said executable procedure;

exposing input parameters to be provided to said executable procedure by a workflow process as public parameters;

exposing output parameters of said executable procedure to be returned to said workflow process incorporating said work step;

providing a property of said executable procedure used to expose a predetermined set of user selectable public parameter attributes for use by a workflow process;

creating an image element representing said executable procedure;

including the created image element and its associated executable procedure in at least one library usable for customizing said workflow process;

enabling a user to select parameters and add said executable procedure to said workflow process; and

making an internal configuration of said executable procedure inaccessible to an end user of an application system.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing said user configurable workflow work steps comprising decomposed functions of a clinical information system.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said workflow process is implemented using said software executable application and further comprising the steps of:

enabling a user of said software executable application to add said executable procedure to said software executable application by dragging said created image element into a representation of said workflow process; and

enabling said user of said software executable application to select said user selectable public parameter attributes.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said image element is at least one of a graphical element and a text element.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

incorporating said executable procedure into a process definition; and

deriving a value of a variable of the process definition using an expression processing one or more of said output parameters.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said functions of said executable procedure comprise functions of said workflow process for performance by healthcare personnel.

7. A computer program embodied within a non-transitory computer-readable medium created using the steps of the method of claim 1.

8. A system including at least one computer for providing a pre-configured work flow executable procedure associated with a workflow step for operation with a software executable application associated with a workflow process including a plurality of workflow steps, comprising:

a workflow engine for in response to user command,

associating with an executable procedure of a work step, a predetermined set of parameters required to invoke functions of said executable procedure;

exposing input parameters to be provided to said executable procedure by a workflow process as public parameters;

exposing output parameters of said executable procedure to be returned to said workflow process incorporating said work step;

providing a property of said executable procedure used to expose a predetermined set of user selectable public parameter attributes for use by a workflow process;

providing user configurable workflow work steps represented by image elements;

creating an image element representing said executable procedure;

including the created image element and its associated executable procedure in at least one library usable for customizing said workflow process;

enabling a user to select parameters and add said executable procedure to said workflow process; and

making an internal configuration of said executable procedure inaccessible to an end user of an application system.