System and method for collaborative programming of data entry workflows between system developers, end users, and third party developers

• US 9,304,761 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2013
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mass Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nuesoft Technologies Incorporated (Global Payments Incorporated)
• Inventors: Alibakhsh, Massoud, Famorzadeh, Shahram
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Ben C
• Application Number:
  US13/915,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20140372965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/443 Optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/4441 Reducing the execution time required by the program code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

The present invention is a system for collaborative programming of data entry workflows between end users, Electronic Health Record (EHR) system developers, and third party developers. The system comprises application servers, database servers, an EHR, networked devices, and peripheral devices, all stored in a distributed computing environment. The database servers comprise databases, which host workflows programmed by end users, EHR developers, and third party developers. The system also has a secure network connection for data exchange between application and database servers, and networked devices. The EHR gathers patient health information, processes it and stores it in one of the databases. The system itself, stored in one of the application servers, uses a plurality of templates (form, system and external system) stored in one of the databases to interact with the peripheral devices connected to networked devices that expand the capabilities of the networked devices or the EHR itself.

Claims

1. A method for collaborative programming of data entry workflows, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing an application server having a processor and a memory and database server through a secure network connection, wherein said database server comprises a database;

downloading an electronic health record system stored in a memory from said application server to a networked device through said secure network connection;

creating a plurality of templates, said plurality of templates includes at least one of a form template, a system template, and an external system template, and storing said plurality of templates in said database, wherein said plurality of templates are created by at least one of an end user, a system developer, and a third party developer;

creating a plurality of workflows by arranging said plurality of templates in any order by an end user, an electronic health record system developer, and a third party developer, said plurality of workflows includes at least one of said plurality of templates configured to gather patient health information;

injecting at least one of said plurality of templates and said plurality of workflows into said electronic health record system to gather, process, and store patient health information; and

integrating at least one of a plurality of peripheral devices with said plurality of workflows, wherein integration of said plurality of peripheral devices increases functionality of said networked device and electronic health record system by allowing said end user to control said peripheral devices from said networked device running the electronic health record system, and wherein said external system templates are created by said third party developer;

wherein said plurality of templates can be added in said workflows and arranged in any order by at least one of said end user, said electronic health record system developer, and said third party developer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said form templates further perform the step of:

capturing said patient health information via at least one data input field, and wherein said form templates are created by at least one of said end user, said electronic health record system developer, and said third party developer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said system templates further perform the step of:

increasing functionality of said electronic health record system by using controls and said plurality of data input fields, wherein said controls and said plurality of data input fields utilize existing functionalities of said networked device, and wherein said system templates are created by said electronic health record system developer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein an application program interface performs the step of:

specifying at least one of a plurality of routines, a plurality of data structures, a plurality of object classes, and a plurality of variables for integration with said plurality of workflows.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of peripheral devices connected to said networked device, wherein said plurality of peripheral devices communicates data to said networked device or said electronic health record system.

6. A system for collaborative programming data entry workflows, the system comprising:

an application server having a processor and a memory and a database server in a distributed computing environment;

a networked device, wherein said networked device hosts data entry workflows,

a secure network connection said secure network connection exchanges data between said application server, said database server, and said networked device;

an electronic health record system stored in a memory configured to gather, process, and store patient health information in database contained in said database server, and wherein said electronic health record system is stored in said application server;

a plurality of templates, said plurality of templates includes at least one of a form template, a system template, and an external system template, and wherein said plurality of templates are stored in said database, wherein said data entry workflows includes at least one of said plurality of templates configured to gather patient health information; and

a plurality of peripheral devices connected to said networked device, wherein said plurality of peripheral devices communicates data to said networked device or said electronic health record system, wherein said external system templates integrate said plurality of peripheral devices'"'"' functionalities into said workflows with an application program interface;

wherein said data entry workflows are created, modified, or deleted by an end user, an electronic health record system developer, and a third party developer by creating, modifying, or deleting said plurality of templates;

wherein said plurality of templates can be added in said workflows and arranged in any order by at least one of said end user, said electronic health record system developer, and said third party developer.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said patient health information comprises all data collected during a patient encounter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said form templates comprise a series of form template data input fields, and wherein said form templates are created by at least one of said end user, said electronic health record system developer, or said third party developer.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said system templates comprise controls and system template data input fields for advanced functionality of said electronic health record system, and wherein said system templates are created by said electronic health record system developer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said external system templates are created by said third party developers.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said application program interface comprises specifications for at least one of a plurality of routines, a plurality of data structures, a plurality of object classes, and a plurality of variables for said electronic health record system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of peripheral devices is not created or maintained by said electronic health record system developer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said plurality of templates are injected into said electronic health record system where said workflows are based on said patient health information gathered in said templates.