System and method for rules-based context management in a medical environment

• US 8,099,296 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mahesh, Prakash, Morita, Mark M., Gentles, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAULS, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US10/956,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20060074633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,664 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/4, 345/744
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for improved diagnostic reading and workflow in a healthcare environment using rules-based context management. In an embodiment, the system includes a plurality of information sources, wherein each of the plurality of information sources includes information. The system also includes a rules engine including at least one rule governing at least one of availability and presentation of information. In addition, the system includes a context manager for obtaining information from the plurality of information sources based on a query and filtering the information based on the at least one rule. In an embodiment, the information sources include an information system and/or an imaging system, for example.

Claims

1. A rules-based context management system, the system comprising:

a computer processor; and

a memory storing a set of instructions for execution by the processor to provide;

a plurality of information sources, wherein each of the plurality of information sources includes information;

a rules engine to include at least one rule governing availability and presentation of information;

a context manager to obtain information from the plurality of information sources based on a query and to filter the information based on the at least one rule, wherein the context manager and the rules engine are to customize presentation of the information to a user from the plurality of information sources within a single patient context based on the at least one rule from the rules engine;

a plurality of perspectives, each perspective saving a relation with at least one of the plurality of information sources, each perspective saving workflow steps, component positioning information, and interaction for a user, each perspective saving visual component positioning information and interaction based on the workflow steps; and

a medical perspectives manager for associating at least one information source with a perspective, wherein the medical perspectives manager allows the user to access the at least one associated information source using the perspective,

at least one of the plurality of information sources, the rules engine, the context manager, and the medical perspectives manager implemented using the processor and the set of instructions stored on the memory.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an authentication module for authenticating access to at least one of the context manager and at least one of the plurality of information sources.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of information sources includes at least one of an information system and an imaging system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules engine includes a plurality of sets of rules for a plurality of groups.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules engine adapts the at least one rule based on at least one of a prior observation and user input.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the context manager includes a plurality of rules-based contexts for a plurality of groups.

7. A computer-implemented method for rules-based context management in a healthcare environment, the method comprising:

sharing a context between information systems using a context manager to connect a plurality of disparate information systems;

retrieving information, using a processor, from at least one of the information systems based on a request;

selecting a perspective for organizing retrieved information, the perspective saving workflow steps, component positioning information, and interaction for a user, each perspective saving visual component positioning information and interaction based on the workflow steps; and

filtering the information, using a processor, based on at least one rule provided by a rules engine to customize presentation of the information to the user from the plurality of information systems within a single patient context based on the at least one rule from the rules engine.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising defining a set of rules for filtering information from the information systems.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising adapting the set of rules based on at least one of a prior observation and user input.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising selecting a context for retrieving the information.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising authenticating access to the information.

12. A computer-implemented method for providing rules-based context management in a healthcare environment, the method comprising:

creating, using a processor, at least one context for retrieving information from at least one information source;

defining set of at least one rule for processing information, the set of at least one rule provided by a rules engine to customize presentation of information to a user from the at least one information source within a single patient context based on the at least one rule from the rules engine;

allowing retrieval of information in the at least one context using a processor and the at least one rule for customized presentation of the information to the user; and

selecting a perspective for organizing retrieved information, each perspective saving workflow steps, component positioning information, and interaction for a user, each perspective saving visual component positioning information and interaction based on the workflow steps.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting a context from a plurality of contexts for retrieving information.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting a set of rules from a plurality of rules for processing information.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising adapting at least one rule based on at least one of prior observation and user input.

16. A tangible computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions for a computer, the set of instructions comprising:

a context management routine for defining a context coordinating a plurality of information sources;

a rules engine routine for defining rules for processing information, the rules provided by the rules engine routine to customize presentation of information to a user from the at least one information source within a single patient context based on the at least one rule from the rules engine;

an information retrieval routine for forming an information query in the context and filtering the information based on the rules for customized presentation of the information to the user; and

a perspectives routine for organizing the information for a user, each perspective saving workflow steps, component positioning information, and interaction for a user, each perspective saving visual component positioning information and interaction based on the workflow steps.