Outcomes profile management system for evaluating treatment effectiveness

• US 6,177,940 B1
• Filed: 09/20/1995
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cedaron Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cedaron Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Chapman, Bruce Richard, Bond, Malcolm L.
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US08/530,939
• Time in Patent Office: 1,952 Days
• Field of Search: 395/352, 395/353, 395/354, 395/326, 395/961, 395/962, 395/968, 395/766, 395/768, 395/202, 395/203, 395/601, 395/769, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 345/326, 345/961, 345/962, 345/968, 707/505, 707/507, 707/508, 707/1, 705/2, 705/3, 705/10
• US Class Current: 434/262
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock 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 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

System for data input and storage and for correlation of such data against group data contained in a linked database. The data is input via a series of hierarchical menus, which menus may include sub-menus and fields that enable a user to directly input data for storage into the database. Data regarding an individual may be entered into the database directly by the individual using the hierarchical menu system.

Claims

1. A computer based method for evaluating treatment effectiveness comprising:

storing group data in a database, the group data comprising demographic information about a plurality patients;

presenting to a patient a first questionnaire, said first questionnaire having at least one of a plurality of questions regarding quality of life;

receiving from the patient a first set of responses to the first questionnaire, said first set of responses providing a first indication of quality of life of said patient;

performing statistical analysis on the first set of patient responses and the group data in the database, to produce a first profile characterizing the effectiveness of treatment received by the patient, said effectiveness of treatment based upon said first indication of quality of life of said patient;

presenting a second questionnaire to the patient at a later time than said first questionnaire, said second questionnaire having at least one of said plurality of questions regarding quality of life;

receiving from the patient a second set of responses to the second questionnaire, said second set of responses providing a second indication of quality of life of said patient; and

performing statistical analysis on the second set of patient responses and the group data, in the database, to produce a second profile characterizing the effectiveness of treatment received by the patient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the statistical analysis further comprises computing a statistical average.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the statistical analysis further comprises computing a statistical deviation.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the questionnaire is presented to the patient on a display screen coupled to a computer using a hierarchical arrangement of menus.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first questionnaire and the first profile are displayed to the patient on a display screen.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of printing the first profile.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing computation on the first profile and the second profile to produce a difference profile, said difference profile characterizing an effectiveness of treatment based upon a difference between said first and said second indications of quality of life of said patient.

8. A computer based method for evaluating treatment impact on sociological factors comprising:

storing group data in a database, the group data comprising information about a plurality of patients;

present to a patient a first questionnaire, said first questionnaire having at least one of a plurality of questions regarding quality of life;

receiving from the patient a first set of responses to the fist questionnaire, said first set of responses providing a first indication of quality of life of said patient based upon said sociological factors;

performing statistical analysis on the first set of patient responses and the group data in the database, to produce a first profile character the impact of treatment on the social behavior patterns of the patient, based upon said first indication of quality of life of said patient based upon said sociological factors;

presenting a second questionnaire to the patient at a later time than said first questionnaire, said second questionnaire having at least one of said plurality of questions regarding quality of life;

receiving from the patient a second set of responses to the second questionnaire, said second set of responses providing a second indication of quality of life of said patient based upon said sociological factors; and

performing statistical analysis on the second set of patient responses and the group data, in the database, to produce a second profile characterizing impact of treatment on the social activities of the patient.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the statistical analysis further comprises computing a statistical average.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the statistical analysis further comprises computing a statistical deviation.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the questionnaire is presented to the patient on a display screen coupled to a computer using a hierarchical arrangement of menus.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the first questionnaire and the first profile are displayed to the patient on a display screen.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of printing the profile.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising performing computation on the first profile and the second profile to produce a difference profile, said difference profile characterizing an effectiveness of treatment based upon a difference between said first and said second indications of quality of life of said patient.

15. A computer based method for determining an outcomes profile, said outcomes profile comprising demographic, quality of life and treatment effectiveness information for a medical institution, said method comprising:

storing group data in a database, the group data containing information about a plurality of patients;

presenting to a patient a first questionnaire, said first questionnaire having at least one of a plurality of questions about quality of life and demographic information about the patient;

receiving from the patient a first set of responses to the first questionnaire, said first set of responses providing a first indication of quality of life of said patient;

performing statistical analysis on the first set of patient responses and the group data in the database, to produce said outcomes profile, wherein said outcomes profile provides an indication of effectiveness of treatment, said indication of effectiveness of treatment based upon said first indication of quality of life of said patient;

presenting a second questionnaire to the patient at a later time than said first questionnaire, said second questionnaire having at least one of said plurality of questions regarding quality of life and demographic information;

receiving from the patient a second set of responses to the second questionnaire, said second set of responses providing a second indication of quality of life of said patient; and

performing statistical analysis on the second set of patient responses and the group data, in the database, to produce a second outcomes profile, wherein said second outcomes profile provides an indication of effectiveness of treatment, said indication of effectiveness of treatment based upon said second indication of quality of life of said patient.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the statistical analysis further comprises computing a statistical average.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the statistical analysis further comprises computing a statistical deviation.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second questionnaires are presented to the patient on a display screen coupled to a computer using a hierarchical arrangement of menus.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the first questionnaire and the outcomes profile are displayed to the patient on a display screen.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the second questionnaire and the second outcomes profile are displayed to the patient on a display screen.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of printing the outcomes profile.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising performing computation on the outcomes profile and the second outcomes profile to produce a difference profile, said difference profile characterizing an effectiveness of treatment based upon a difference between said first and said second indications of quality of life of said patient.