Medical information system

• US 6,322,502 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IMD Soft Ltd. (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: IMD Soft Ltd. (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schoenberg, Roy, Sherlin, Hagai, Schoenberg, Ido, Gotlib, Phyllis
• Primary Examiner(s): Jastrzab, Jeffrey R.
• Application Number:
  US09/341,065
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/523, 128/920, 128/923-925
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• 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 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A medical information system receives patient data and information from various sources and displays such information in a variety of formats for use by members of a medical team in a hospital, clinic, or office. The system (10) includes a primary display (12), and an associated display controller (14) and system storage device (16). The controller (14) is coupled to a primary interface unit (20). Keyboard and/or pointing device (22), scanner (24), audio input and/or output device (26) and printer (28) are all coupled by way of interface (20) to the display controller (14). Access to selected subsets of patient information is provided by user selection of specific data sets identified by job function selection icons. Multiple types of patient data are selectively displayed simultaneously, and to multiple remote users.

Claims

1. A multiple image medical information system, comprising:

A. a display device responsive to display signals for generating n medical data images in an image field, where n is an integer, each of said images being in an associated one of n regions of said image field,

B. a multitasking display controller for generating said display signals, including;

i. data device for generating patient data representative of patient-related information, said patient data including m subsets of said patient data, where m is an integer greater than n,

ii. user select device responsive to user action to select k of said m subsets of said patient data, where k is an integer greater than 1 m and less than or equal to n,

iii. display signal generator responsive to said user select device for generating k of said display signals, each of said k display signals being representative of an associated one of said selected subsets of patient data and being associated with one of said regions of said image field,

whereby said k medical data images corresponding to said k selected subsets of said patient data are displayed on said display devices in the respective associated regions of said image field, and

wherein one of said regions associated with one of said subsets is a split-screen region having a first subregion and a second subregion, and

wherein said display signal generator effects display of said subset of patient data in tabular form in said first subregion, and

wherein said display signal generator is responsive to a user drag-and-drop action and a selected portion of said data in tabular form to effect a graphical display of said selected portion in said second subregion.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the m subsets of patient data is representative of a plot of at least two measured patient characteristics as a function of a reference parameter on a common scale.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein said reference parameter is time.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said one subset of patient data said measured characteristics and said reference parameters are selectively determined by a user.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the data of at least one of said m subsets of patient data corresponds to measured patient characteristics and associated reference parameter values.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said measured patient characteristics are from the set consisting at least of blood pressure and said associated reference parameters are from the set consisting at least of time.

7. A multiple image medical information system, comprising:

A. a display device responsive to display signals for generating n medical data images in an image field, where n is an integer, each of said images being in an associated one of n regions of said image field,

B. a multitasking display controller for generating said display signals, including;

i. data device for generating patient data representative of patient-related information, said patient data including m subsets of said patient data, where m is an integer greater than n,

ii. user select device responsive to user action to select k of said m subsets of said patient data, where k is an integer greater than 1 m and less than or equal to n,

iii. display signal generator responsive to said user select device for generating k of said display signals, each of said k display signals being representative of an associated one of said selected subsets of patient data and being associated with one of said regions of said image field,

whereby said k medical data images corresponding to said k selected subsets of said patient data are displayed on said display devices in the respective associated regions of said image field

wherein at least one of the m subsets of patient data is representative of a plot of at least two measured patient characteristics as a function of a reference parameter on a common scale.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said reference parameter is time.

9. A system according to claim 7 wherein for said one subset of patient data said measured characteristics and said reference parameters are selectively determined by a user.

10. A system according to claim 7 wherein the data of at least one of said m subsets of patient data corresponds to measured patient characteristics and associated reference parameter values.

11. A system according to claim 7 wherein said measured patient characteristics are from the set consisting at least of blood pressure and said associated reference parameters are from the set consisting at least of time.

12. A medical information system, comprising:

A. a display device responsive to display signals for generating an image,

B. a display controller for generating said display signals, including;

i. means for receiving n sets of data, where n is an integer greater than 1, each data set being representative of medical information of a patient,

ii. user device responsive to a user action on a display icon to selectively generate a selection signal representative of one of k subsets of said n data sets, each of said subsets being associated with one of k user job functions or departments, where k is an integer greater than one,

iii. means responsive to said selection signal for generating display signals representative of a subset associated with said generated selection signal,

whereby said image corresponds to said the subset associated with said generated selection signal.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein said user job functions are selected from the group consisting of doctor, nurse, pharmacist, administrator, insurance coordinator, quality controller, and assistants thereto.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the respective ones of said n sets of data include sets representative of information from the group comprising patient identity and admission information, patient diagnosis information, patient measurement information, patient treatment plan information, patient order information, patient treatment information.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user job functions is doctor and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of patient history, physical examination data, current drug data, problem data, orders, progress notes, and summary reports.

16. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user job functions is nurse and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of problem data, care plan, orders, and critical pathways.

17. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user job functions is pharmacist and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of drug orders, drug interactions and drug reference data.

18. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user job functions is administrator and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of hospitalization days, procedures, and medical staff data.

19. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user job functions is insurance coordinator and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of patient cost data, risk factor data and claim data.

20. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user job functions is quality controller and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of procedure time data, staff performance data, and disease/hospitalization data.

21. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user department is medical and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of patient history, physical examination data, current drug data, problem data, orders, progress notes, and summary reports.

22. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user department is pharmacy and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of drug orders, drug interactions and drug reference data.

23. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user department is administration and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of hospitalization days, procedures, and medical staff data.

24. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user department is finance and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of patient cost data, procedure cost data, and staff cost data.

25. The system according to claim 14 wherein one of said user department is insurance and said k subsets are selected from the group consisting of patient cost data, risk factor data and claim data.

26. The system according to claim 12 wherein said departments are selected from the group consisting of medical, pharmacy, administration, finance, insurance, epidemiology, human services, and statistical and academic studies departments.

27. The system according to claim 12 wherein said display controller is a programmed digital computer.

28. The system according to claim 27 wherein said computer having a window-based operating system displaying icons representative of the respective ones of said job functions and departments, and said user device is a pointing device operatively connected to said computer by way of said operating system.

29. The system according to claim 28 wherein said pointing device is selected from the group consisting of keyboard, light pen, mouse, trackball, touchpad, voice controlled pointer.

30. The system according to claim 12 wherein said controller includes access means for selectively controlling operability of said user device by users.

31. The system according to claim 30 wherein said access means includes means to control said user device to be interactive for one or more users in a first user set and to be read-only for one or more of said selected subsets for one or more users in a second user set.

32. The system according to claim 31 wherein said second user set includes user having the job function of nurse.

33. The system according to claim 31 wherein said first user set includes users having the job function of physicians.

34. A medical information calculator display system, comprising:

A. a display device responsive to display signals to generate a medical data image,

B. a display controller for generating said display signals, including;

i. storage device for storing;

a. at least two primary level computer programs for selectively effecting the determination of an associated first level intermediate value from a plurality of primary values in accordance with a predetermined relationship between said primary values, wherein at least one of said primary values is representative of a measured parameter of a patient,

b. zero, one or more intermediate level computer programs for selectively effecting the determination of an associated second level intermediate value from at least one of said first level intermediate values and a primary value representative of a measured parameter of a patient, in accordance with a predetermined relationship between said one of said first level intermediate values and said primary values,

ii. first memory means for storing said primary values other than those representative of measured patient parameters, said first memory means including data values representing said primary values other than those representative of measured patient parameters,

iii. second memory means for storing said primary values representative of measured patient values, said second memory means including data values representative of fewer than all of said primary values representative of measured patient parameters,

iv. user device responsive to user actions to generate a request signal representative of a request to display a computed value, said computed value corresponding to a value defined by a combination of said predetermined relationships;

v. processor means responsive to said request signal to invoke one or more of said primary level programs and zero, one or more of said intermediate level programs to effect the computation of said computed value, and further including;

a. means operative when all necessary primary values representative of a measured patient parameter are resident in said storage devices, for generating said display signal whereby said computed value is displayed on said display device, and

b. means for determining occasions when a primary value representative of one of said primary values representative of a measured patient parameter is not resident in said storage device, and in response to such determination, operative for generating a display signal whereby a prompt identifying said non-resident primary value is displayed in said display device.