Information workflow for a medical diagnostic workstation

• US 20070185390A1
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Perkins, David, Linquest, Douglas, Metz, Kristin
• Application Number:
  US11/703,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20070185390A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0437 Trolley or cart-type apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An information workflow for a medical diagnostic workstation in which patient data is captured, arranged and displayed in predetermined formats for a user in the handling of patients. The workflow permits vitals capture and storage and creation of a comprehensive patient record in which the workstation can operate in a stand-alone or network connected mode.

Claims

1. An electronic data management system, said system comprising:

at least one computing device;

at least one display;

at least one input device; and

at least one vital signs collecting device, wherein said each of said at least one computing device and said at least one display are interconnected to one another in a diagnostic workstation and said at least one vital signs collecting device is at least one of directly integrated into said workstation or is configured for connection therewith, but is not a structural part of said workstation, said at least one computing device being further programmed to receive and manage vital signs readings relating to at least one patient and in which said system includes a plurality of selectively accessible display screens for creating an electronic patient record and managing data relating to the at least one patient.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said diagnostic workstation can selectively import vital signs data from at least one other vital signs collecting device that is not a structural part of said workstation.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said at least one other vital signs collecting device is wirelessly connected to said workstation to permit importation of data.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing device is programmed to selectively receive and manage vital signs readings from a plurality of patients.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said workstation is interconnected to a network and in which data received by said workstation can selectively be uploaded to said network.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one input device includes at least one of a keyboard, a trackball, a scanning device, a virtual display and a mouse.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said selectively accessible display screens are a user'"'"'s display screen including a list of patients being handled by said workstation.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said list of patients of said user'"'"'s display screen can selectively be arranged selectively by at least one of the name of the listed patient and by location of the patient in a care facility.

9. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said user'"'"'s display screen includes the most current vital signs readings taken of each said listed patient.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, including identifiers to indicate vital sign readings that are outside a range of predetermined limits.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said selectively accessible display screens is a vitals capture display screen of a selected patient, said vitals capture display screen including a plurality of data fields for entry and display of vital signs data from at least one of said at least one vital signs collecting device, at least one separate device, and manually entered data.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said selectively accessible display screens is a patient summary display screen listing one of a tabular and a graphical summary of a selected patient'"'"'s readings.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the intervals between readings displayed on said patient summary display screen can be selectively adjusted by a user.

14. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein a user can selectively adjust which parameters being measured are to be graphically displayed by said system.

15. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein readings outside of a predetermined range are highlighted on said display.

16. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said vitals capture display screen includes qualifier data that is selected by a user to indicate various conditions relating to a vital sign reading being measured.

17. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein said qualifier data includes at least one of the method of measurement, the position of a patient during a measurement procedure, and the position of a measuring sensor on a patient.

18. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein said vital capture display screen includes a pain measurement field, said pain measurement field including at least one of an indicator to indicate the degree of pain the patient is in and actions taken and entered by a user to relieve pain.

19. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said at least one vital signs collecting device includes a blood pressure module, wherein said vitals capture display screen includes a user interface used to selectively activate said blood pressure module.

20. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said vital signs capture display screen includes indicators to indicate when at least one of an equipment and other failure or error has occurred in taking a vital signs reading.

21. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said vital signs capture display screen includes indicators when any vital signs reading is not within a predetermined range.

22. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said vital signs capture display screen includes a user interface to selectively permit both manual and automated capture of vital signs data.

23. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein said workstation is configured to automatically transmit out of range readings to at least one of a nurse'"'"'s station and at least one other networked workstation or computing device.

24. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said vital signs display screen permits a user to selectively enter vital sign readings and to selectively sign off on readings that are taken, wherein signed off readings are stored into a database created by said computing device.

25. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said vital signs capture screen is configured to permit a user to selectively highlight readings taken that look unusual but are still within an acceptable range of values.

26. A system as recited in claim 1, further including a scanning device used to identify at least one of an authorized user and patient.

27. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein a patient can be selected from said user'"'"'s display screen using said at least one input device, the selection of said patient selectively accessing a patient reveal window, said patient reveal window having additional information in addition to that being displayed.

28. A system as recited in claim 27, wherein said patients reveal window includes demographic and other patient related information not provided on said patients list.

29. A system as recited in claim 27, wherein said patients reveal window further includes a plurality of navigation buttons accessible through said at least one input device to permit selective movement between various display screens of said system.

30. A system as recited in claim 29, wherein said navigation buttons include a capture vitals button, the selective actuation of which by said at least one input device toggles a capture vitals display screen for a revealed patient.

31. A system as recited in claim 29, wherein said navigation buttons include a set reminders button, the selective actuation of which by said at least one input device permits a reminder to be set for a revealed patient.

32. A system as recited in claim 29, wherein said navigation buttons include a patient summary button, the selective actuation of which by said at least one input device toggles a patient summary display screen for a revealed patient.

33. A system as recited in claim 29, wherein said navigation buttons include a set alert button, the selective actuation of which by said at least one input device permits the setting of at least one alert.

34. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein actuation of said set reminder button causes a reminder set window to be displayed for said patient, said reminder set window including at least one field in which information can be entered using said at least one input device.

35. A system as recited in claim 34, wherein a plurality of reminders can be set using a plurality of set reminder windows, and in which each said reminder can be separately saved and deleted.

36. A system as recited in claim 35, wherein each said reminder is defined by a default expiration time, said reminder set window including means for selectively setting the expiration time of at least one reminder to a different time than that of the default.

37. A system as recited in claim 34, wherein all set reminders are displayed in a reminders list.

38. A system as recited in claim 37, wherein said reminders list is selectively accessible by said at least one input device, wherein selection of a reminder by said at least one input device causes the simultaneous display of a reminders reveal window, said reminders reveal window including additional patient related information in addition to that included in the set reminder window.

39. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein said reminders reveal window further includes a plurality of navigation buttons accessible through said at least one input device for selectively accessing other display screens of said system.

40. A system as recited in claim 39, wherein said navigation buttons include a patients summary button, the selective actuation of which causes the toggling of a patients summary display screen for the identified patient.

41. A system as recited in claim 39, wherein said navigation buttons include an edit reminders button, the selective actuation of which using said at least one input device causes the toggling of a set reminders window for the reminder.

42. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said workstation is configured to receive vital signs readings automatically from said at least one device for entry on said capture vitals display screen or by manual entry thereupon.

43. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the data fields in said vital signs capture display screen includes the previous measurement adjacent thereto.

44. A system as recited in claim 43, wherein said previous measurement includes a time and date stamp.

45. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein said data fields in said capture vitals display screen include fields for entering body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, pulse oximetry, respiration, weight, height, and glucose, at least one of said data fields including at least one qualifier that is selectively entered.

46. A system as recited in claim 45, wherein the data captured and displayed on said capture vitals display screen can selectively be saved or canceled by said user.

47. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein data saved by said user from said vitals capture display screen is added to a database of said workstation, including a patients summary display screen.

48. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein data imported from said at least one of said at least one vital signs collecting device is selectively saved by a user for storage in a database of said workstation for selective display thereof.

49. A system as recited in claim 46, wherein the contents of a vital capture display screen cannot be saved unless certain mandatory fields have first been entered by a user.

50. A system as recited in claim 33, wherein actuation of said set alert button permits alerts to be set for at least one of locations of patients and for individual patients.

51. A system as recited in claim 50, wherein alerts can be set for individual physiological parameters by setting a predetermined range of permissible parameter values.

52. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein said patient summary display screen includes at least one of a tabular and a graphical display of vital sign readings of an identified patient over a predetermined time interval.

53. A system as recited in claim 52, wherein the predetermined time interval can be selectively adjusted.

54. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein said patients summary display screen further includes a problem list.

55. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein said patients summary display screen further includes a listing of allergies for the identified patient.

56. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein said patients summary display screen further includes a list of patient notes associated with said identified patient.

57. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein the vital sign readings displayed in said patient summary display screen include those readings displayed and saved in the capture vitals display screen.

58. A system as recited in claim 54, wherein said problems list permits selective listing of a patient'"'"'s complaints and conditions, said problems list being selectively editable by a user within said patients summary display screen.

59. A system as recited in claim 55, wherein said listing of allergies is editable within said patients summary display screen.

60. A system as recited in claim 59, including an allergies reveal window that is selectively accessible using said at least one input device, said allergies reveal window including means for editing a listed allergy.

61. A system as recited in claim 60, wherein said allergies reveal window includes a plurality of buttons, the actuation of which permit editing and/or removal of said listed allergy.

62. A system as recited in claim 59, wherein active and inactive allergies can be listed in said listing of allergies, each of said active and inactive allergies listing being accessible from said patients summary screen.

63. A system as recited in claim 52, wherein each of said vital signs readings displayed in said patients summary display screen can be accessed by said at least one input device, wherein said accessing causes the simultaneous display of a patients summary reveal window, said patients summary reveal window including additional information concerning said patient.

64. A system as recited in claim 63, wherein out of range readings are highlighted in said reveal window.

65. A system as recited in claim 63, wherein said patients summary reveal window includes at least one button selectively accessible by said at least one input device to permit removal of said vital signs record.

66. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said patient display screen includes a reminders window listing at least one reminder relating to at least one listed patient.

67. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said patients display screen further includes a messages window listing messages sent to users of said workstation.

68. A system as recited in claim 67, wherein said workstation is connectable to a network such that incoming and outgoing network-based messages can be stored in said messages window.

69. A system as recited in claim 37, wherein said reminders can be prioritized.

70. A system as recited in claim 67, wherein messages in said messages box can be prioritized.

71. A system as recited in claim 70, wherein a user cannot log off from said workstation until all high priority messages have been answered.

72. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein a user can print data that is not entered, allowing the user the option to manually enter this data at a later time.

73. A system as recited in claim 51, wherein alerts are prioritized based on potential severity.

74. A system as recited in claim 73, wherein the severity of an alert is sent with said alert to a nurse'"'"'s station to permit alerts to be prioritized remotely.

75. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein an image of the patient is provided on said patient summary display screen.

76. A system as recited in claim 75, wherein said image is retrieved from a database in said computing device.

77. A system as recited in claim 75, wherein said workstation includes an imaging device for capturing said image.

78. A system as recited in claim 26, wherein said scanning device is used to scan a patient'"'"'s identification wristband prior to capture of vitals data.

79. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein data is transmitted over the network using an encryption protocol.

80. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein said network is a hospital network.

81. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein data is transmitted for storage to a networked information system using an HL7 protocol.

82. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing device includes at least one of a laptop computer, a tablet PC and a portable data terminal (PDT).

83. A system as recited in claim 45, wherein said qualifier data fields in said capture vitals display screen are customizable, depending on the location of the workstation.

84. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein said computing device stores and tracks the occurrence of equipment failures.

85. A system as recited in claim 50, wherein at least some alerts are highlighted on said display.

86. A system as recited in claim 50, wherein set alerts can expire after a predetermined time interval.

87. A system as recited in claim 86, wherein said time interval is selectable.

88. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing device can store trend data relating to readings relating to at least one patient.

89. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein a list of patients can be downloaded from said workstation to a remote connected device.

90. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein said capture vitals display screen includes a save button permitting sign off of vitals captured by said workstation.

91. A system as recited in claim 5, including at least one of a PDT and a Tablet PC introduced between said at least one remote vital signs collecting device and said network.

92. An electronic patient data management system, said system comprising:

a computing device;

at least one display; and

at least one vital signs collecting device, each of said computing device, said at least one display and said at least vital signs collecting device being interconnected to one another in a diagnostic workstation, wherein data relating to at least one patient is captured and managed using a plurality of selectively accessible electronic display screens.

93. A system as recited in claim 92, including at least one input device interconnected to said workstation.

94. A system as recited in claim 93, wherein said at least one input device includes at least one of a mouse, a trackball, a keyboard, a scanner device, and a virtual display.

95. A system as recited in claim 93, wherein data from at least one other vital signs collecting device and relating to at least one patient that is not structurally part of said workstation can be selectively imported to said workstation.

96. A system as recited in claim 95, wherein portions of data from said at least one other vital signs collecting device can be selectively imported to said workstation.

97. A system as recited in claim 92, wherein said selective accessible display screens include a patients display screen including a list of patients being handled by said workstation.

98. A system as recited in claim 97, wherein said patients display screen includes the most current vital signs readings of each listed patient.

99. A system as recited in claim 98, wherein values of vital sign readings that exceed a range of predetermined values are highlighted.

100. A system as recited in claim 97, including an imbedded reveal window accessible by highlighting a patient on said list using said at least one input device.

101. A system as recited in claim 100, wherein said imbedded reveal window includes additional information relating to the selected patient.

102. A system as recited in claim 100, wherein said reveal window further includes a plurality of navigation buttons to enable a user to navigate between said selectively accessible display screens.

103. A system as recited in claim 102, wherein one of said navigation buttons is a create vitals button, the actuation of which toggles a capture vitals capture display screen.

104. A system as recited in claim 102, wherein one of said navigation buttons is a create reminders button, the actuation of which toggles a create reminders display screen.

105. A system as recited in claim 102, wherein one of said navigation buttons is a create alerts buttons, the actuation of which toggles a create alerts display screen.

106. A system as recited in claim 93, wherein said display screens are selectively accessed using imbedded reveal windows in each said display screen format, said reveal windows each being accessible using said at least one input device and in which said reveal windows further include navigation controls to access various display screens.

107. A system as recited in claim 106, wherein said display screens include a user'"'"'s display screen, said user'"'"'s display screen further including an imbedded patient reveal window.

108. A system as recited in claim 97, wherein said list of patients of said user'"'"'s display screen can selectively be arranged selectively by at least one of the name of the listed patient and by location of the patient in a care facility.

109. A system as recited in claim 107, wherein said patients reveal window includes demographic and other patient related information not provided on said patients list.

110. A system as recited in claim 107, wherein said patients reveal window further includes a plurality of navigation buttons accessible through said at least one input device to permit selective movement between various display screens of said system.

111. A system as recited in claim 110, wherein said navigation buttons include a capture vitals button, the selective actuation of which by said at least one input device toggles a capture vitals display screen for a revealed patient.

112. A system as recited in claim 110, wherein said navigation buttons include a set reminders button, the selective actuation of which by said at least one input device permits a reminder to be set for a revealed patient.

113. A system as recited in claim 110, wherein said navigation buttons include a patient summary button, the selective actuation of which by said at least one input device toggles a patient summary display screen for a revealed patient.

114. A system as recited in claim 110, wherein said navigation buttons include a set alert button, the selective actuation of which by said at least one input device permits the setting of at least one alert.

115. A system as recited in claim 112, wherein actuation of said set reminder button causes a reminder set window to be displayed for said patient, said reminder set window including at least one field in which information can be entered using said at least one input device.

116. A system as recited in claim 115, wherein a plurality of reminders can be set using a plurality of set reminder windows, and in which each said reminder can be separately saved and deleted.

117. A system as recited in claim 116, wherein each said reminder is defined by a default expiration time, said reminder set window including means for selectively setting the expiration time of at least one reminder to a different time than that of the default.

118. A system as recited in claim 116, wherein all set reminders are displayed in a reminders list.

119. A system as recited in claim 118, wherein said reminders list is selectively accessible by said at least one input device, wherein selection of a reminder by said at least one input device causes the simultaneous display of a reminders reveal window, said reminders reveal window including additional patient related information in addition to that included in the set reminder window.

120. A system as recited in claim 119, wherein said reminders reveal window further includes a plurality of navigation buttons accessible through said at least one input device for selectively accessing other display screens of said system.

121. A system as recited in claim 120, wherein said navigation buttons include a patients summary button, the selective actuation of which causes the toggling of a patients summary display screen for the identified patient.

122. A system as recited in claim 120, wherein said navigation buttons include an edit reminders button, the selective actuation of which using said at least one input device causes the toggling of a set reminders window for the reminder.

123. A system as recited in claim 97, wherein said user'"'"'s display screen includes a reminders window listing at least one reminder relating to at least one listed patient.

124. A system as recited in claim 97, wherein said user'"'"'s display screen further includes a messages window listing messages sent to users of said workstation.

125. A system as recited in claim 124, wherein said workstation is connectable to a network such that incoming and outgoing network-based messages can be stored in said messages window.

126. A system as recited in claim 123, wherein said reminders can be prioritized.

127. A system as recited in claim 124, wherein messages in said messages window can be prioritized.

128. A system as recited in claim 127, wherein a user cannot log off from said workstation until all high priority messages have been answered.

129. A system as recited in claim 92, wherein one of said selectively accessible display screens is a vitals capture display screen of a selected patient, said vitals capture display screen including a plurality of data fields for entry and display of vital signs data from at least one of said at least one vital signs collecting device, at least one separate device, and manually entered data.

130. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein said vitals capture display screen includes qualifier data that is selected by a user to indicate various conditions relating to a vital sign reading being measured.

131. A system as recited in claim 130, wherein said qualifier data includes at least one of the method of measurement, the position of a patient during a measurement procedure, and the position of a measuring sensor on a patient.

132. A system as recited in claim 130, wherein said vital capture display screen includes a pain measurement field, said pain measurement field including an indicator to indicate the degree of pain the patient is in and actions taken and entered by said user to relieve pain.

133. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein said at least one vital signs collecting device includes a blood pressure module, wherein said vitals capture display screen includes a user interface used to selectively activate said blood pressure module.

134. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein said vital signs capture display screen includes indicators to indicate when at least one of an equipment and other failure or error has occurred in taking a vital signs reading.

135. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein said vital signs capture display screen highlights or otherwise indicates any vital signs reading that is not within a predetermined range.

136. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein said vital signs capture display screen includes a user interface to selectively permit both manual and automated capture of vital signs data.

137. A system as recited in claim 136, wherein said workstation is configured to automatically transmit out of range readings to at least one of a nurse'"'"'s station, a networked workstation and a networked PC.

138. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein said vital signs display screen permits a user to selectively enter vital sign readings and to selectively sign off on readings that are taken, wherein signed off readings are stored into a database created by said computing device.

139. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein said vital signs capture screen is configured to permit a user to selectively highlight readings taken that look unusual but are still within an acceptable range of values.

140. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein said workstation is configured to receive vital signs readings automatically from said at least one device for entry on said capture vitals display screen or by manual entry thereupon.

141. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein each of the data fields in said vital signs capture display screen includes the previous measurement adjacent thereto.

142. A system as recited in claim 141, wherein said previous measurement includes a time and date stamp.

143. A system as recited in claim 130, wherein said data fields in said capture vitals display screen include fields for entering body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, pulse oximetry, respiration, weight, height, and glucose, at least one of said data fields including at least one qualifier that is selectively entered.

144. A system as recited in claim 130, wherein the data captured and displayed on said capture vitals display screen can selectively be saved or canceled by said user.

145. A system as recited in claim 144, wherein data saved by said user from said vitals capture display screen is added to a database of said workstation, including a patients summary display screen.

146. A system as recited in claim 144, wherein the contents of a vital capture display screen cannot be saved unless certain mandatory fields have first been entered by a user.

147. A system as recited in claim 146, wherein said mandatory fields includes at least one predetermined qualifier.

148. A system as recited in claim 144, wherein readings that are out of a predetermined range are highlighted on said vitals capture display screen.

149. A system as recited in claim 92, wherein one of said selectively accessible display screens is a patient summary display screen listing one of a tabular and a graphical summary of a selected patient'"'"'s readings.

150. A system as recited in claim 149, wherein the intervals between readings displayed on said patient summary display screen can be selectively adjusted by a user.

151. A system as recited in claim 149, wherein a user can selectively adjust which parameters being measured are to be graphically displayed by said system.

152. A system as recited in claim 149, wherein said patient summary display screen includes vital sign readings of an identified patient over a predetermined time interval.

153. A system as recited in claim 152, wherein the predetermined time interval can be selectively adjusted.

154. A system as recited in claim 149, wherein said patients summary display screen further includes a problem list.

155. A system as recited in claim 149, wherein said patients summary display screen further includes a listing of allergies for the identified patient.

156. A system as recited in claim 149, wherein said patients summary display screen further includes a list of patient notes associated with said identified patient.

157. A system as recited in claim 149, wherein the vital sign readings displayed in said patient summary display screen include those readings displayed and saved in the capture vitals display screen.

158. A system as recited in claim 154, wherein said problems list permits selective listing of a patient'"'"'s complaints and conditions, said problems list being selectively editable by a user within said patients summary display screen.

159. A system as recited in claim 155, wherein said listing of allergies is editable within said patients summary display screen.

160. A system as recited in claim 159, including an allergies reveal window that is selectively accessible using said at least one input device, said allergies reveal window including means for editing a listed allergy.

161. A system as recited in claim 160, wherein said allergies reveal window includes a plurality of buttons, the actuation of which permit editing and/or removal of said listed allergy.

162. A system as recited in claim 155, wherein active and inactive allergies can be listed in said listing of allergies, each of said active and inactive allergies listing being accessible from said patients summary screen.

163. A system as recited in claim 149, wherein each of said vital signs readings displayed in said patients summary display screen can be accessed by said at least one input device, wherein said accessing causes the simultaneous display of a patients summary reveal window, said patients summary reveal window including additional information concerning said patient.

164. A system as recited in claim 163, wherein out of range readings are highlighted in said reveal window.

165. A system as recited in claim 163, wherein said patients summary reveal window includes at least one button selectively accessible by said at least one input device to permit removal of said vital signs record.

166. A system as recited in claim 114, wherein actuation of said set alert button permits alerts to be set for at least one of locations of patients and for individual patients.

167. A system as recited in claim 166, wherein alerts can be individually set for specific physiological parameters by creating a predetermined range of permissible parameter values.

168. A system as recited in claim 138, in which said workstation is connectable to a printer, wherein a user can print data that is not able to be stored by said workstation, allowing the user the option to manually enter this data at a later time.

169. A system as recited in claim 167, wherein alerts are prioritized based on potential severity.

170. A system as recited in claim 169, wherein the severity of an alert is sent with said alert to at least one networked location to permit an alert to be prioritized remotely.

171. A system as recited in claim 169, wherein said at least one networked location is a nurse'"'"'s station.

172. A system as recited in claim 92, further including a scanning device used to identify one of an authorized user and patient.

173. A system as recited in claim 149, wherein an image of the patient is provided on said patient summary display screen.

174. A system as recited in claim 172, wherein said scanning device is used to scan a patient'"'"'s identification wristband prior to capture of vitals data.

175. A system as recited in claim 92, wherein said workstation is interconnected to a network and in which data received by said workstation can selectively be uploaded to said network.

176. A system as recited in claim 175, wherein said network is a hospital network.

177. A system as recited in claim 175, wherein data is transmitted over the network using an encryption protocol.

178. A system as recited in claim 175, wherein data is transmitted for storage to a networked information system using an HL7 protocol.

179. A system as recited in claim 92, wherein said computing device includes at least one of a laptop computer, a tablet PC and a portable data terminal (PDT).

180. A system as recited in claim 129, wherein said qualifier data fields in said capture vitals display screen are customizable, depending on the location of the workstation.

181. A system as recited in claim 134, wherein said computing device stores and tracks the occurrence of equipment failures.

182. A system as recited in claim 169, wherein at least some alerts are highlighted.

183. A system as recited in claim 114, wherein set alerts can expire after a predetermined time interval.

184. A system as recited in claim 183, wherein said time interval is selectable.

185. A system as recited in claim 92, wherein said computing device stores trend data relating to readings relating to at least one patient.

186. A system as recited in claim 95, wherein a list of patients can be downloaded to a remote connected device.