Apparatus and methods for medical testing

• US 8,594,948 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aaron M. Franks, David J. Olson, Naomi M. Williamson, Robert P. Schuldt, Ronald C. Mcglennen, Vickie Matthias-Hagen
• Original Assignee: Aaron M. Franks, David J. Olson, Naomi M. Williamson, Robert P. Schuldt, Ronald C. Mcglennen, Vickie Matthias-Hagen
• Inventors: McGlennen, Ronald C., Williamson, Naomi M., Franks, Aaron M., Olson, David J., Schuldt, Robert P., Matthias-Hagen, Vickie
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEMAN, MARY K
• Application Number:
  US12/833,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20110178814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for practicing telemedicine in the form of software systems acting over a network and kits containing laboratory supplies and equipment to organize the laboratory operations and interpret the results of molecular diagnostic testing are disclosed. At least two computers in communication over the Internet or other network are used, a remote computer located at a remote site and a central server located at a central site. The remote site may be geographically distant from the central site. A specimen is procured from a patient proximate to the remote site. Laboratory operations are conducted on the specimen at the remote site. The laboratory data resulting from the laboratory operations is interpreted by an expert reviewer who may be located at the central site, and a report is then transmitted back to the remote site.

Claims

1. A method for remotely interpreting laboratory data, comprising:

a. obtaining a specimen from a patient at a remote site;

b. obtaining patient and specimen information;

c. performing clinical laboratory operations on the patient specimen at the remote site;

d. collecting clinical laboratory data, and patient and specimen information at the remote site using a computer;

e. transmitting one or more sets of clinical laboratory data, patient and specimen information to a central site, by Internet;

f. generating, at the central site, one or more interpretive patient data sets from the combined transmitted clinical laboratory data, patient and specimen information, using a computer;

g. transmitting one or more interpretive patient data sets from the central site to one or more expert reviewers by Internet;

h. interpreting one or more interpretive patient data sets by one or more expert reviewers;

i. generating, using a computer, one or more test reports under the control of one or more expert reviewers; and

,

j. transmitting one or more test reports to the remote site by Internet.

2. The method of claim 1, further providing an interpretive interface to the one or more expert reviewers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the interpretive interface is configured to have an expert system.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the interpretive interface is configured to have a report generator.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the interpretive interface is configured to have dynamic database tools.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the interpretive interface is configured to provide interpretive comments.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the interpretive interface is configured to provide repetition control.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the interpretive interface is configured to provide data routing control.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the interpretive interface is configured to provide report modification.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the interpretive interface is configured to have a risk assessment model.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the expert system comprises an expert database.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a data interpretation subsystem.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data interpretation subsystem generates at least a report selected from the group consisting of a test report, a specimen report, a billing report, a material consumption report, a quality control report, a quality assurance report, a quality improvement report, and a business trends report.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the data interpretation subsystem comprises a risk assessment model, wherein the risk assessment model uses patient information to suggest a molecular diagnostic test.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the laboratory operations comprise one or more molecular diagnostic tests.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient information is transmitted to the central site before the laboratory operations are performed.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the central site determines the laboratory operations to be performed on the specimen and transmits the laboratory operations to be performed to the remote site by the Internet.

21. The method of claim 5, wherein the dynamic database tools are tools for inventory tracking, quality control, quality analysis, repetition control, data routing control, relational databases, report modification, interpretation of molecular diagnostic tests, interpretation of electrophoresis, and genetic analysis, or a combination thereof.

15. A method for practicing telemedicine, comprising:

a. providing a computer network comprising at least a central server and a remote computer in communication with one another, the central server located at a central site and the remote computer located at a remote site;

b. obtaining a specimen from a patient at a remote site;

c. obtaining patient and specimen information;

d. analyzing the patient specimen to produce clinical laboratory data at the remote site;

e. inputting the patient and specimen information and the clinical laboratory data into the remote computer at the remote site;

f. transmitting the patient and specimen information and the clinical laboratory data over the computer network to the central computer at the central site by Internet;

g. providing one or more expert reviewers at the central site;

h. interpreting the patient and specimen information and the clinical laboratory data by one or more expert reviewers at the central site;

i. generating a report comprising the interpretation of the patient and specimen information and the clinical laboratory data by one or more expert reviewers, using a computer; and

,

j. transmitting the report from the central site to the remote computer at the remote site by Internet.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the use of a data interpretation subsystem by one or more expert reviewers to interpret the patient and specimen information and clinical laboratory data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a data interpretation subsystem is used to moderate the interaction between one or more expert reviewers, and the patient and specimen information and clinical laboratory data.