Method and apparatus for coordinating medical procedures
First Claim
1. A system for coordinating the actions of at least two persons upon a common patient comprising:
- at least two input-output stations, located in proximity to each other, one for use by a first one of said persons and one for use by a second of said persons, each of said stations having (a) input means permitting the person complementary to that station to enter medical data and (b) output means for communicating information to the person complementary to that station, andcontrol means responsive to the medical data from each said input means for giving coordinated different instructions to said first and second persons based on said data via said output means that are respectively complementary to the first and second persons,whereby the instructions given by the plural output means for treatment of the patient by said persons are in a coordinated and desired sequence that depends on the data on the patient that is fed into the system.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for medical decision making. In particular, this invention coordinates the actions of two or more medical teams who are working toward a common goal. The apparatus used to achieve this objective consists of a control unit especially adapted for instructing, through algorithms, two or more teams of personnel to make observations and measurements, to answer questions, and to perform procedures independently and frequently simultaneously in a coordinated manner to achieve a common goal. The control unit interfaces with each medical team through an information display screen and data entry panel (I/O station). Based on information provided by medical personnel via the data entry panel in response to questions displayed on the display screen and/or information directly transmitted to the computer system from apparatus which measures variables relevant to the medical condition of the patient, the medical teams are advised simultaneously or alternatively to perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures according to a predetermined plan. A log may be printed of the questions asked, the answers given, the treatment given and the monetary charges.
241 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A system for coordinating the actions of at least two persons upon a common patient comprising:
-
at least two input-output stations, located in proximity to each other, one for use by a first one of said persons and one for use by a second of said persons, each of said stations having (a) input means permitting the person complementary to that station to enter medical data and (b) output means for communicating information to the person complementary to that station, and control means responsive to the medical data from each said input means for giving coordinated different instructions to said first and second persons based on said data via said output means that are respectively complementary to the first and second persons, whereby the instructions given by the plural output means for treatment of the patient by said persons are in a coordinated and desired sequence that depends on the data on the patient that is fed into the system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method of utilizing at least two input-output stations and a control unit for coordinating the actions, upon a common patient, of a medical team comprising
providing at least one person of said medical team one of said input-output stations and providing at least one other person of said medical team another one of said input-output stations, storing a multiplicity of frames of output information in said control unit with each said frame having output information for at least one of said stations, a person of said team at each of the plural stations supplying input information to the station responsive to output information at the station, advancing the output information at the stations to a new frame in response to receipt of input information, said medical team answering questions about the patient propounded by the output information by entering input information responsive to the question into the station whose output propounded the question, and the personnel of said medical team coordinating their treatment of the patient in a sequence directed by the output information, whereby the selection and sequence of at least some of the frames depends at least in part upon the said answers to questions and also upon the prior treatment of the patient as called for by the output information.
Specification