Electronic clinical reference and education system and method of use

• US 20040107118A1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RELX Intellectual Properties SA (RELX PLC)
• Original Assignee: Amirsys, Inc. (RELX PLC)
• Inventors: Harnsberger, Hugh, Osborn, Anne
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• 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 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A clinical reference and education system and method of use, wherein medical condition diagnosis information is gathered, stored, and distributed. More specifically, information regarding clinical/pathological differential analyses, key facts, clinical presentations, pathology features, imaging findings, anatomy information, medical references with abstracts, expert imaging center information, continuing medical education information, and related data is made available in electronic and printed forms via a general infrastructure of the present system.

Claims

1. A method of creating a medical reference book on a desired topic, comprising the steps of:

a) entering medical data in an electronic authoring tool, the electronic authoring tool including;

i) a master outline authoring tool, whereby the author is able to create a linkage between a diagnosis, an anatomical region, and a pathology;

ii) a case authoring tool, whereby the author is able to enter and edit images and text relating to a particular case; and

iii) a diagnostic authoring tool, whereby the author is able to create a comprehensive description of the diagnosis;

b) transferring the medical data into a content database;

c) selecting the desired topic about which the electronic clinical reference material is to be created;

d) navigating the content database for medical data pertaining to the desired topic; and

e) generating the electronic clinical reference material on a desired topic.

2. ) The method of claim 1, further including the step of reviewing the medical data prior to its transfer into the content database.

3. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the medical reference book is a printed book.

4. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the medical reference book is an electronic book.

5. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic authoring tool includes one or more graphical user interfaces through which medical data is entered into the content database.

6. ) An electronic clinical reference and education system, comprising:

a) a content database containing medical data;

b) an electronic authoring tool through which medical data is transferred into the content database; and

c) a diagnostic reference system through which a user is able to search the content database for one or more diagnoses.

7. ) The system of claim 6 further comprising an expert imaging center protocol advisor for providing imaging protocols.

8. ) The system of claim 6 further comprising a continuing medical education system, that is capable of tracking a user'"'"'s time in reviewing the medical data, and optionally asking one or more questions pertaining to the reviewed medical data, tracking the user'"'"'s test performance, and granting the user continuing medical education credits once the questions are successfully answered.

9. ) The system of claim 6, wherein the electronic authoring tool further comprises:

a) a master outline authoring tool, whereby the author is able to create a linkage between a diagnosis, an anatomical region, and a pathology;

b) a case authoring tool, whereby the author is able to enter and edit images and text relating to a particular case; and

c) a diagnostic authoring tool, whereby the author is able to create a comprehensive description of the diagnosis.

10. ) The system of claim 6, wherein the content database is searchable online.

11. ) An electronic clinical reference and education system, comprising:

a) a content management process, designed and configured to integrate authors, tools, content submission, quality assurance, content approval and content staging;

b) a system management process, designed and configured to provide system usage tracking and analysis, branding and licensing management, and systems administration;

c) a product deployment process, designed and configured to provide a suite of institutional reference and education materials including a diagnostic reference system, an expert imaging center system, and a continuing medical education system; and

d) a content database that contains and organizes information relating to, and originating from, the content management process, system management process, and product deployment process.

12. ) The electronic clinical reference and education system of claim 11, wherein the electronic medical reference and education system is related to a professional area of practice requiring recognition of a visual item to assist a professional in making an informed decision based on the visual item presented.

13. ) The electronic clinical reference and education system of claim 12, wherein the professional area of practice is medicine.

14. ) The electronic clinical reference and education system of claim 12, wherein the professional area of practice is engineering.

15. ) The electronic clinical reference and education system of claim 13, wherein the professional area of practice is automobile maintenance and repair.