Cloud-based healthcare information exchange

• US 8,468,033 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carexgen Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Carexgen Incorporated
• Inventors: Gunn, Shane W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilligan, Luke
• Application Number:
  US12/840,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20110119088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 370/351
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present disclosure describes systems and methods of a healthcare exchange system to exchange medical information, stored in different formats, between different entities. This exchange system provides a channel for the flow of information and patient records across different health care entities that may store data in different formats. The exchange system'"'"'s ability to receive requests and retrieve corresponding data from various entities, along with the transformation of data from the storing format into a format specified by the requesting entity, allow a flexible and extendable healthcare information exchange system.

Claims

1. A method for exchanging healthcare information via a healthcare exchange system, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, by a healthcare exchange system in communication with a plurality of health care entities via one or more networks a first request, from a first application executing on a client computing device of a first healthcare entity, for medical information of a patient of a plurality patients;

(b) identifying, by the healthcare exchange system, that a second healthcare entity has a medical record of a plurality of medical records of the patient, the medical record stored by the second healthcare entity in a second format identified by a second profile of the second healthcare entity, the second profile identifying the second format used by a second application executing on a device of the second healthcare entity;

(c) transmitting, by the healthcare exchange system via the one or more networks, a second request to the second application of the second healthcare entity to authorize release of the medical record to an entity identifier corresponding to the first healthcare entity;

(d) receiving, by the healthcare exchange system via the one or more networks, the medical record of the patient in the second format used by the second application responsive to release of the medical record by the second healthcare entity to the entity identifier corresponding to the first healthcare entity;

(e) automatically transforming, by the healthcare exchange system, the medical record to a first format identified by a first application profile of the first application of the first healthcare entity and using one or more rules of a message profile for the medical record, the first profile identifying the first format used by the first application, the message profile identifying the one or more rules comprising instructions on transforming data of the medical record into the first format of the first application; and

(f) transmitting, by the healthcare exchange system via the one or more networks, the medical record in the first format to the client computing device of the first healthcare entity responsive to the first request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprising receiving, by the healthcare exchange system, the first request comprising a query for information on the patient accessible via the healthcare exchange system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprising receiving, by the healthcare exchange system, the first request comprising a query for a specific type of medical record of the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises querying, by the healthcare exchange system, patient information stored by the healthcare exchange system, the healthcare exchange system storing portions of patient records transmitted between entities via the healthcare exchange system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprises storing, by the healthcare exchange system, a healthcare exchange record for the patient that identifies a healthcare entity and an application from which one or more medical records of the patient is stored externally from the healthcare exchange system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises transmitting, by the healthcare exchange system via the one or more networks, the second request to the second healthcare entity via an interface compatible with a second application of the second healthcare entity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises receiving, by the healthcare exchange system via the one or more networks, the medical record of the patient in the second format from a second application of the second healthcare entity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises receiving, by the healthcare exchange system via the one or more networks, the medical record of the patient via a message type identified by the second profile of the second healthcare entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises identifying the first profile of the first healthcare entity stored in the healthcare exchange system, the first profile identifying the first healthcare entity and format version of a sending application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) further comprises transmitting by the healthcare exchange system via the one or more networks, the medical record via a message type identified by the first profile of the first healthcare entity.

11. A system for exchanging healthcare information via a healthcare exchange system, the system comprising:

a healthcare exchange system operating on one or more servers and in communication with a plurality of health care entities via one or more networks, the healthcare exchange system receiving a first request, from a first application executing on a client computing device of a first healthcare entity, for medical information of a patient of a plurality patients;

a database of the healthcare exchange system identifying that a second healthcare entity has a medical record of a plurality of medical records of the patient, the medical record stored by the second healthcare entity in a second format identified by a second profile of the second healthcare entity, the second profile identifying the second format used by a second application executing on a device of the second healthcare entity;

wherein the healthcare exchange system via the one or more networks, transmits a second request to the second application of the second healthcare entity to authorize release of the medical record to an entity identifier corresponding to the first healthcare entity and receives the medical record of the patient in the second format used by the second application responsive to release of the medical record by the second healthcare entity to the entity identifier corresponding to the first healthcare entity;

an engine of the healthcare exchange system transforming the medical record to a first format identified by a first application profile of the first application of the first healthcare entity and using one or more rules of a message profile for the medical record, the first profile identifying the first format used by the first application, the message profile identifying the one or more rules comprising instructions on transforming data of the medical record into the first format of the first application; and

wherein the healthcare exchange system transmits via the one or more networks, the medical record in the first format to the client computing device of the first healthcare entity responsive to the first request.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the healthcare exchange system receives the first request comprising a query for information on the patient accessible via the healthcare exchange system.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the healthcare exchange system receives the first request comprising a query for a specific type of medical record of the patient.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the healthcare exchange system queries patient information stored by the healthcare exchange system, the healthcare exchange system storing portions of patient records transmitted between entities via the healthcare exchange system.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the database stores a healthcare exchange record for the patient that identifies a healthcare entity and an application from which one or more medical records of the patient is stored externally from the healthcare exchange system.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the healthcare exchange system transmits via the one or more networks, the second request to the second healthcare entity via an interface compatible with a second application of the second healthcare entity.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the healthcare exchange system receives via the one or more networks, the medical record of the patient in the second format from a second application of the second healthcare entity.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the healthcare exchange system receives via the one or more networks, the medical record of the patient via a message type identified by the second profile of the second healthcare entity.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the healthcare exchange system identifies the first profile of the first healthcare entity stored in the healthcare exchange system, the first profile identifying the first healthcare entity and format version of a sending application.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the healthcare exchange system transmits via the one or more networks, the medical record via a message type identified by the first profile of the first healthcare entity.