Methods, systems, and apparatus for providing a notification of a message in a health care environment

• US 20070094045A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Healthstream Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mckesson Technologies Incorporated (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cobbs, Archie, Gartman, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• 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

The present invention relates to methods, systems, and apparatus for providing a notification of a message in a health care environment. One embodiment of the invention includes a method for providing a message notification associated with care of a patient in a health care environment, comprising: receiving a message from a source; receiving location information associated with a patient. The method also includes outputting in a geospatial arrangement via a graphical user interface the location information associated with the patient, and a notification of a message from the source. In addition, the method includes updating the graphical user interface when a change occurs in either the location information associated with the patient or status of the message from the source.

Claims

1. A method for providing a message notification associated with care of a patient in a health care environment, comprising:

receiving a message from a source;

receiving location information associated with a patient;

outputting in a geospatial arrangement via a graphical user interface the location information associated with the patient, and a notification of the message from the source; and

updating the graphical user interface when a change occurs in either the location information associated with the patient or status of the message from the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a message from a source comprises at least one of the following:

receiving a message from a user, receiving a voice mail message, receiving an automated message from a device or machine, receiving a message via an interactive voice response system, receiving an email message, or receiving a text message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises at least one of the following:

a voice mail, a text-to-speech message, an email message, or a pre-recorded message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving location information associated with the patient comprises at least one of the following:

detecting a radio frequency identification device adjacent to the patient;

or receiving a signal from a radio frequency identification device adjacent to a patient chart associated with the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the geospatial arrangement comprises at least one of the following:

a map representing at least a portion of the health care environment, or a geospatial-type view of at least a portion of the health care environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a notification of a message from a source comprises at least one of the following:

text, an icon, a graphical element, a color, a timer, a sound, or animation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the health care environment comprises at least one of the following:

a room, a building, a hospital, an assisted care facility, or a medical care facility.

8. A method for providing a message in a health care environment, comprising:

receiving information associated with a patient in a health care environment, comprising;

a message from a source;

outputting via a graphical user interface a geospatial arrangement of information associated with the patient and a status of the message from the source;

transmitting the message to a user; and

updating the status of the message from the source displayed by the graphical user interface when the user receives the message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein information associated with the patient comprises at least one of the following:

a signal received from a radio frequency identification device adjacent to the patient;

detection of a radio frequency identification device adjacent to the patient;

or a signal received from a radio frequency identification device adjacent to a patient chart associated with the patient.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the message comprises at least one of the following:

a voice mail, a text-to-speech message, or a pre-recorded message.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting the message to the user comprises at least one of the following:

facilitating receipt of a voice mail message;

facilitating receipt of a message via an interactive voice response system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the geospatial arrangement comprises at least one of the following:

a map representing at least a portion of the health care environment, or a geospatial-type view of at least a portion of the health care environment.

13. A system for providing a message notification associated with care of a patient in a health care environment, comprising:

an output device capable of displaying a geospatial arrangement for a graphical user interface a location associated with a patient and a status of a message from a source; and

a message notification engine capable of

receiving a message from a source;

receiving information associated with the patient in a health care environment, comprising;

a location associated with the patient;

outputting in a geospatial arrangement via a graphical user interface for an output device the location associated with the patient and a status of the message from the source;

providing access to a user to receive the message from the source; and

when a change in the status of the message from the source occurs, updating the graphical user interface.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the message comprises at least one of the following:

a voice mail, a text-to-speech message, an email message, or a pre-recorded message.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a map of the health care environment.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein receiving a message from a source comprises at least one of the following:

receiving a message from a user;

receiving a voice mail message;

receiving an automated message from a device or machine;

or receiving a message via an interactive voice response system.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein receiving information associated with the patient in a health care environment comprises at least one of the following:

receiving a signal received from a radio frequency identification device adjacent to the patient;

detecting a radio frequency identification device adjacent to the patient;

receiving a signal from a radio frequency identification device adjacent to a patient chart associated with the patient;

or receiving input from a user via a client device.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein providing access to a user to receive the message from the source comprises at least one of the following:

facilitating receipt of a voice mail message;

or facilitating receipt of a message via an interactive voice response system.

19. A user interface for providing a message notification associated with care of a patient in a health care environment, comprising:

a geospatial view of a health care environment;

at least one indicator associated with a location of a patient in the health care environment; and

at least one indicator of a message from a source.

20. The user interface of claim 19, wherein the geospatial view of a health care environment comprises a graphical representation of a plurality of rooms in the health care environment.

21. The user interface of claim 19, wherein the geospatial view of the health care environment can be updated when a change occurs to the status of the message from the source.