Optimization of Patient Care Team Based on Correlation of Patient Characteristics and Care Provider Characteristics

• US 20170278209A1
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merative US LP
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Olsen, Russell G., Pascali, Marina V.
• Granted Patent: US 10,311,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 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 70/00 ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines

Abstract

Mechanisms are provided for matching patients with care providers. Patient information for a current patient, from at least one patient information source, is analyzed and a medical need of the current patient is determined. Patient information for a plurality of other patients associated with a plurality of care providers is analyzed and, for each care provider in the plurality of care providers, a measure of strength for a type of medical care corresponding to the at least one medical need is determined, based on results of the analysis of patient information for the plurality of other patients associated with the care provider. At least one care provider is selected for inclusion in a care team for the current patient based on the determined strengths of each care provider in the plurality of care providers. A care team data structure comprising information about the at least one care provider is output.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed in a data processing system, causes the data processing system to:

analyze current patient information for a current patient from at least one patient information source;

determine at least one medical need of the current patient;

analyze patient information for a plurality of other patients associated with a plurality of care providers;

determine, for each care provider in the plurality of care providers, a measure of strength for a type of medical care corresponding to the at least one medical need, based on results of the analysis of patient information for the plurality of other patients associated with the care provider;

select at least one care provider from the plurality of care providers for inclusion in a care team for the current patient based on the determined strengths of each care provider in the plurality of care providers; and

output a care team data structure comprising information about the at least one care provider.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to determine at least one medical need of the current patient at least by automatically determining a portion of a personalized patient care plan, associated with the current patient, with which the current patient is non-compliant.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to select at least one care provider from the plurality of care providers for inclusion in a care team for the current patient at least by selecting a care provider that is associated with one or more other patients that are successful at satisfying the at least one medical need.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to determine, for a care provider in the plurality of care providers, the measure of strength for the type of medical care at least by calculating the measure of strength as a function of a number of patients that satisfy conditions of the type of care.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to determine, for a care provider in the plurality of care providers, the measure of strength for the type of care at least by calculating the measure of strength as a function of a degree of compliance, of each of a plurality of other patients associated with the care provider, with conditions of the type of care.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to select at least one care provider from the plurality of care providers for inclusion in a care team for the current patient at least by:

generating a ranked listing of care providers based on relative strengths of the care providers with regard to the medical need of the current patient; and

selecting the care provider from the ranked listing of care providers.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to select at least one care provider from the plurality of care providers at least by filtering the ranked listing of care providers based on at least one of demographics or preferences associated with the current patient and selecting the care provider from the filtered ranked listing of care providers.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to determine, for each care provider in the plurality of care providers, the measure of strength for the type of medical care corresponding to the at least one medical need comprises determining for each care provider, and for each of a plurality of types of medical care, strength values indicating a relative strength of the care provider in providing the type of medical care.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the data processing system to output an alert notification to a communication device associated with the selected care provider indicating the current patient being added as a patient associated with the selected care provider and a reason for the addition of the current patient as a patient associated with the selected care provider.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

analyze current patient information for a current patient from at least one patient information source;

determine at least one medical need of the current patient;

analyze patient information for a plurality of other patients associated with a plurality of care providers;

determine, for each care provider in the plurality of care providers, a measure of strength for a type of medical care corresponding to the at least one medical need, based on results of the analysis of patient information for the plurality of other patients associated with the care provider;

select at least one care provider from the plurality of care providers for inclusion in a care team for the current patient based on the determined strengths of each care provider in the plurality of care providers; and

output a care team data structure comprising information about the at least one care provider.