Teleradiology image processing system

• US 8,515,778 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• 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): PAULS, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US13/449,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20120323593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2
• 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 process radiology read requests and digital radiology image data is disclosed. 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 medical diagnostic image processing system, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory; and

a plurality of processing modules configured for operation with the at least one processor and the at least one memory, the processing modules including;

an image processing module configured to process a set of digital medical diagnostic images captured from at least one medical diagnostic imaging operation, the medical diagnostic imaging operation being performed at a determined imaging location;

an order processing module configured to process at least one medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order, the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order corresponding to the set of digital medical diagnostic images;

a data processing module configured to process data from the set of digital medical diagnostic images and process data from the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order, wherein the data processing module is configured to extract data, from the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order, for use in determining one or more qualifications for an evaluation of the set of digital medical diagnostic images; and

a workflow processing module configured to determine an assignment, of the set of digital medical diagnostic images and the corresponding medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order, to a selected medical professional at a diagnostic imaging evaluation destination, the workflow processing module configured to factor one or more qualifications of one or more medical professionals located at respective diagnostic imaging evaluation destinations, with the selected medical professional matching the one or more qualifications determined for the evaluation of the set of digital medical diagnostic images.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitting module configured to transmit the set of digital medical diagnostic images and the corresponding medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order to the diagnostic imaging evaluation destination.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the workflow processing module is configured to implement one or more assignment rules providing for selection of a particular medical professional at the diagnostic imaging evaluation destination for the evaluation of the set of digital medical diagnostic images, wherein the one or more assignment rules are directed to assignment criterion based on one or more of:

one or more billing factors, one or more compensation factors, one or more imaging location preferences, one or more medical facility restrictions, or forecasting of medical professional availability.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a billing module configured to facilitate billing of the evaluation of the set of digital medical diagnostic images according to the corresponding medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order, wherein the billing module is configured to perform billing activities customized to content provided within the set of digital medical diagnostic images.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a compensation module configured to track and facilitate compensation for the evaluation of the set of digital medical diagnostic images performed by the selected medical professional.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a patient information module configured to correlate patient information associated with the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order and the set of digital medical diagnostic images.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the patient information module is configured to process the patient information provided from one or more HL7-compliant communications.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the workflow processing module is configured to factor at least one of cost, compensation, or an evaluation quota when selecting the selected medical professional, and wherein the workflow processing module is configured to factor one or more imaging location preferences when determining the assignment of the set of digital medical diagnostic images and the corresponding medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order to the selected medical professional.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the image processing module is configured to transform an image format of at least one image in the set of digital medical diagnostic images.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an access control module configured to control access to data and processing operations within the medical diagnostic image processing system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order includes a radiology read request, and wherein the set of digital medical diagnostic images captured from the medical diagnostic imaging operation includes digital radiology images captured from at least one imaging modality at the determined imaging location;

and

wherein the workflow processing module is configured to provide an assignment of the radiology read request and the digital radiology images to the selected medical professional that is a qualified member of a pool of remote radiologists, the workflow processing module being configured to factor extracted data from the data processing module and licensing and credentialing qualifications of the qualified member when assigning the radiology read request and the digital radiology images to the qualified member.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a worklist module configured to generate a worklist providing a listing of a plurality of evaluations of digital medical diagnostic images facilitated by the medical diagnostic image processing system, the listing including an indication of a status of the plurality of evaluations of digital medical diagnostic images and an indication of a status of a corresponding plurality of medical diagnostic imaging evaluation orders.

13. A method for processing medical diagnostic images in an image processing computer system comprising operations performed by the image processing computer system including:

accessing medical diagnostic imaging data originating from a medical imaging procedure, the medical diagnostic imaging data including a plurality of digital images produced from the medical imaging procedure being performed at a medical imaging location;

accessing medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data, the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data including a medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order for an evaluation of the plurality of digital images;

processing the medical diagnostic imaging data and the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data to facilitate display and assignment of the plurality of digital images and the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order;

applying one or more rules to determine a subset of qualified medical professionals from a plurality of medical professionals, the qualified medical professionals being qualified for evaluation of the plurality of digital images according to requirements determined from the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order; and

determining an assignment of the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order and the plurality of digital images to a selected medical professional in the subset of qualified medical professionals for the evaluation of the plurality of digital images, the assignment determined using one or more assignment preferences provided to the image processing computer system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising operations performed by the image processing computer system including:

receiving a data transmission from the medical imaging location including the medical diagnostic imaging data, the data transmission including data for the plurality of digital images produced from the medical imaging procedure being performed at the medical imaging location; and

receiving a data transmission from the medical imaging location including the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data, the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data providing a read order, and the read order corresponding to the plurality of digital images produced from the medical imaging procedure.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more rules to determine a subset of qualified medical professionals include rules enforcing one or more licensing and credentialing qualifications for evaluation of digital images originating from a particular medical imaging location, and wherein the one or more assignment preferences include one or more preferences of the particular medical imaging location being provided to the image processing computer system.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising operations performed by the image processing computer system including:

electronically transmitting the plurality of digital images and the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order to a computing system associated with the selected medical professional for the evaluation of the plurality of digital images, wherein the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order includes a radiology read request, and wherein the plurality of digital images includes digital radiology images captured from an imaging modality at a medical facility.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising operations performed by the image processing computer system including:

transforming one or more of the plurality of digital images prior to electronically transmitting the plurality of digital images to the computing system associated with the selected medical professional.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising operations performed by the image processing computer system including:

generating a worklist providing a listing of a plurality of medical diagnostic imaging evaluations, the listing including an indication of a status of the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order and an indication of a status of the evaluation of the plurality of digital images.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein applying the one or more rules to determine the qualified medical professionals being qualified for evaluation of the plurality of digital images, includes factoring one or more of:

one or more billing rules, one or more compensation rules, one or more imaging location restrictions, or one or more forecasting rules; and

wherein the one or more assignment preferences provided to the image processing computer system include one or more evaluation preferences associated with the medical imaging location.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising operations performed by the image processing computer system including correlating patient information with the medical diagnostic imaging data and the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the patient information is provided from one or more HL7-compliant communications.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform actions in a computing system that:

accesses medical diagnostic imaging data originating from a medical imaging procedure, the medical diagnostic imaging data including a plurality of digital images produced from the medical imaging procedure being performed at a medical imaging location;

accesses medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data, the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data including a medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order for an evaluation of the plurality of digital images;

processes the medical diagnostic imaging data and the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data to facilitate display and assignment of the plurality of digital images and the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order;

applies one or more rules to determine a subset of qualified medical professionals from a plurality of medical professionals, the qualified medical professionals being qualified for evaluation of the plurality of digital images according to requirements determined from the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order; and

determines an assignment of the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order and the plurality of digital images to a selected medical professional in the subset of qualified medical professionals for the evaluation of the plurality of digital images, the assignment determined using one or more assignment preferences provided to the computing system.

23. The computer-readable data storage medium of claim 22, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform actions in a computing system that:

electronically transmit the plurality of digital images and the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order to the selected medical professional, wherein the selected medical professional is a qualified radiologist, wherein the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order includes a radiology read requests, and wherein the plurality of digital images includes digital radiology images captured from an imaging modality at a medical facility; and

assign the radiology read request and the digital radiology images to the qualified radiologist in response to factoring the processed medical diagnostic imaging data, the processed medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order data, and the applied one or more rules, wherein the one or more rules to determine a subset of qualified medical professionals include rules enforcing one or more licensing and credentialing qualifications for evaluation of the plurality of digital images originating from a particular medical imaging location, and wherein the one or more assignment preferences include one or more preferences of the particular medical imaging location provided to the computing system.

24. The computer-readable data storage medium of claim 22, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform actions in a computing system that:

generate a worklist providing a listing of a plurality of medical diagnostic imaging evaluations, the listing including an indication of a status of the medical diagnostic imaging evaluation order and an indication of a status of the evaluation of the plurality of digital images.