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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A computer information system (1) having a plurality of interconnected
computer terminals (1000) each defined by a user class (10015):
characterized in that
said information system comprises
means (19, 10010, 10011, 10018, 10022) for entering a user information into
a computer terminal for transmission to each other computer terminal,
means (10011, 10015, 10018, 10022) for modifying said user information each
receiving computer terminal to conform to said user class assigned the
receiving computer terminal, and
means (10011, 10013, 10014, 10015, 10022, 10030) for recording and
displaying data entered at the receiving computer terminal in accordance
with the receiving computer terminal defined user class and modified user
information.
2. A medical information system (1) having a plurality of interconnected
computer terminals (1000) each defined by station requirements file data
(10015):
characterized in that
said medical information system comprises
means (10010, 10011, 10022) for entering record and medical data into one
of the computer terminals and recording said record and medical data in
forms files and medical data dictionary data bases (100112, 100222) of the
computer terminal,
means (19, 10011, 10017, 10018, 10022) for accessing said recorded record
and medical data at predetermined intervals of time and transmitting said
accessed record and medical data to each of the interconnected computer
terminals, and
means (10011, 10013, 10014, 10018, 10022) for modifying said transmitted
record and medical data at each computer terminal in accordance with the
computer terminal station requirements file data and recording said
modified record and medical data in the computer terminal forms files and
medical data dictionary data bases (100112, 100222) for use in entering
patient data into a patient file data base (10030) of the computer
terminal consistent with said station requirements file data and said
modified record and medical data.
3. The medical information system set forth in claim 2:
characterized in that
said entering recording means comprises
visual editor means (10010) common to each of the interconnected computer
terminals for entering said record and medical data into each computer
terminal and for verifying the accuracy of said entered record and medical
data.
4. The medical information system set forth in claim 3:
characterized in that
said entering and recording means comprises
means (100110, 100220) for recording said entered and verified record and
medical data into a forms files data base (100112) and medical data
dictionary data base (100222), respectively, of the one computer terminal.
5. The medical information system set forth in claim 4:
characterized in that
said accessing and transmitting means comprises
means (10018) for formatting said accessed record and medical data into a
record and medical data message for transmission to each of the computer
terminals on demand and at said predetermined intervals of time.
6. The medical information system set forth in claim 5:
characterized in that
said modifying and recording means comprises
means (10017, 10018) located at each computer terminal for receiving said
transmitted record and medical data message and modifying said record and
medical data message in accordance with the station requirements file data
assigned the receiving computer terminal.
7. The medical information system set forth in claim 6:
characterized in that
said modifying and recording means comprises
means (10018, 100110, 100220) for recording said modified record and
medical data into the forms files data base (100112) and medical data
dictionary data base (100222), respectively, of the receiving computer
terminal.
8. The medical information system set forth in claim 7:
characterized in that
said medical information system comprises
means (10011, 10013, 10014, 10015, 10018, 10022) located at the receiving
computer terminal for entering said patient data into the receiving
computer terminal and recording said entered patient data in said patient
file data base of the receiving computer terminal consistent with said
modified record and medical data recorded in said receiving computer
terminal forms files and medical data dictionary data bases.
9. A medical information system (1) having a plurality of computer
terminals (1000) each interconnected with a network (19):
characterized in that
said medical information system comprises
visual editor means (10010) common to each computer terminal for entering
record and medical data into one computer terminal and for verifying the
accuracy of said entered record and medical data,
means (10011, 10022) for recording said entered and verified record and
medical data into a forms files data base (100112) and medical data
dictionary data base (100222), respectively, of the one computer terminal,
means (10011, 10018, 10022) common to each computer terminal for accessing
said forms files and medical data dictionary data bases and formatting
said entered and verified record and medical data into record and medical
data messages,
means (10017, 10018) activated at predetermined intervals of time and on
demand for transmitting said formatted record and medical data messages
over the network to each of the other computer terminals connected to the
network,
means (10017, 10018) located at each computer terminal for receiving said
transmitted record and medical data messages and modifying said record and
medical data in accordance with station requirements file data (10015)
assigned the receiving computer terminal,
means (10011, 10022, 10018) for recording said station requirements file
data modified record and medical data into a forms files data base
(100112) and medical data dictionary data base (100222), respectively, of
the receiving computer terminal, and
means (10011, 10013, 10018, 10019, 10022) located at the receiving computer
terminal for entering patient data into the receiving computer terminal
and recording said entered patient data in a patient file data base
(10030) of the receiving computer terminal consistent with said station
requirements file data modified record and medical data recorded in said
receiving computer terminal forms files and medical data dictionary data
bases.
10. A hospital medical information system having a medical department
master computer terminal (171) and a plurality of clinic and department
computer terminals (1000) each interconnected with a message network (19):
characterized in that
said hospital medical information system comprises
visual editor means (10010) located at the master computer terminal for
entering record and medical data into the master computer terminal and for
verifying the accuracy of said entered record and medical data,
master computer terminal means (10011, 10022) for recording said entered
and verified record and medical data into a forms files data base (100112)
and medical data dictionary data base (100222), respectively, of the
master computer terminal,
master computer terminal means (10011, 10018, 10022) for accessing said
master computer terminal forms files and medical data dictionary data
bases and formatting said entered and verified record and medical data
into record and medical data messages,
master computer terminal means (10017, 10018) activated at predetermined
intervals of time and on demand for transmitting said formatted record and
medical data messages over the message network to each clinic and
department computer terminal connected to the message network,
means (10017, 10018) located at each clinic and department computer
terminal for receiving said transmitted record and medical data messages
and modifying said record and medical data in accordance with clinic and
department data (10015) assigned the receiving clinic and department
computer terminal,
means (10011, 10018, 10022) located at each clinic and departmental
computer terminal for recording said modified record and medical data into
a forms files data base (100112) and medical data dictionary data base
(100222), respectively, of the receiving computer terminal, and
means (10011, 10013, 10018, 10019, 10022) located at the receiving clinic
and department computer terminal for entering patient data into the
receiving clinic and department computer terminal and recording said
entered patient data in a patient file data base (10030) of the receiving
clinic and department computer terminal consistent with said modified
record and medical data recorded in said receiving clinic and department
computer terminal forms files and medical data dictionary data bases.
11. A method of enabling a medical information system (1) having a
plurality of interconnected computer terminals (1000) for conditioning the
computer terminals to accept patient data:
characterized in that
said method comprises the steps of
entering (301, 302) record and medical data into one of the computer
terminals and recording (303, 304, 305, 401, 402, 403, 404) said record
and medical data in forms files and medical data dictionary data bases of
the computer terminal,
accessing (306, 307, 308, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 409) said recorded
record and medical data at predetermined intervals of time and on demand
and transmitting (407, 408) said accessed record and medical data to each
of the interconnected computer terminals, and
modifying (501, 502 503) said transmitted record and medical data at each
computer terminal in accordance with station requirement data assigned the
computer terminal and recording (401, 402, 403, 404, 504) said modified
record and medical data in the computer terminal forms files and medical
data dictionary data bases for use in entering patient data into a patient
file data base of the computer terminal consistent with said station
requirement data and said recorded modified record and medical data.
12. The medical information system enabling method for conditioning
interconnected computer terminals to accept patient data set forth in
claim 11:
characterized in that
said entering and recording step comprises the steps of
exercising (301) a visual editor common to each of the interconnected
computer terminals for entering said record and medical data into each
computer terminal and for verifying (302) the accuracy of said entered
record and medical data, and
recording (303, 304, 305, 401, 402, 403, 404) said entered and verified
record and medical data into a forms files data base and medical data
dictionary data base, respectively, of the one computer terminal.
13. The medical information system enabling method for conditioning
interconnected computer terminals to accept patient data set forth in
claim 12:
characterized in that
said accessing and transmitting step comprises the steps of
formatting (405, 406, 407, 409) said accessed record and medical data into
record and medical data messages, and
transmitting (408) said formatted record and medical data messages to each
of the computer terminals at said predetermined intervals of time.
14. The medical information system enabling method for conditioning
interconnected computer terminals to accept patient data set forth in
claim 13:
characterized in that
said modifying and recording step comprises the steps of
receiving (501) at each computer terminal said transmitted record and
medical data messages, and
modifying (502, 503) said record and medical data in said record and
medical data messages in accordance with said station requirement data
assigned the receiving computer terminal.
15. The medical information system enabling method for conditioning
interconnected computer terminals to accept patient data set forth in
claim 14:
characterized in that
said modifying and recording step further comprises the steps of recording
(401, 402, 403, 404, 504) said station requirement modified record and
medical data into a forms files data base and medical data dictionary data
base, respectively, of he receiving computer terminal, and
entering (601) said patient data into the receiving computer terminal and
recording (402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 602, 603, 604, 605) said entered
patient data in said patient file data base of the receiving computer
terminal consistent with said station requirement modified record and
medical data recorded in said receiving computer terminal forms files and
medical data dictionary data bases.
16. A method of enabling a hospital medical information system (1) having a
medical department master computer terminal (171) and a plurality of
clinic and departmental computer terminals (1000) each interconnected with
a message network (19) for conditioning the clinic and departmental
computer terminals to accept patient data:
characterized in that
said method comprises the steps of
entering (301) record and medical data into the master computer terminal
and verifying (302) the accuracy of said entered record and medical data,
recording (304, 305, 401, 402, 403, 404) said entered and verified record
and medical data in a forms files data base and medical data dictionary
data base, respectively, of the master computer terminal,
accessing (306, 307, 308, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 409) said master
computer terminal forms files and medical data dictionary data bases and
formatting (407) said entered and verified record and medical data into
record and medical data messages,
transmitting (408) said formatted record and medical data messages over the
message network to each clinic and department computer terminal connected
to the message network,
receiving (501) said transmitted record and medical data messages at each
clinic and department computer terminal and modifying (502, 503) said
record and medical data in accordance with clinical and departmental data
assigned the receiving clinic and department computer terminal,
recording (401, 402, 403, 404, 504) said modified record and medical data
into a forms files data base and medical data dictionary data base,
respectively, of the receiving clinic and department computer terminal,
and
entering (601) patient data into each receiving clinic and department
computer terminal and recording (402, 404, 405, 406, 602, 603, 604, 605)
said entered patient data in a patient file data base of the receiving
clinic and department computer terminal consistent with said modified
record and medical data recorded in said receiving clinic and department
computer terminal forms files and medical data dictionary data bases. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an information system. In particular, it relates
to a medical information system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Today's hospitals generally have a large number of clinics and departments
that serve both the patients and the needs of the hospital. A patient
entering a hospital may be admitted by the registration department or
through an emergency care unit and assigned a room in a hospital
in-patient clinic. Later, the admitted patient may undergo a series of
tests that involve the hospital laboratories and specimens may be taken to
determine the state of the patient's health. The patient may, depending on
the results of the tests, undergo surgery and spend time in a recovery
room or intensive care unit under the constant care of physicians and
nursing staff.
The patient, after leaving the recovery room or intensive care unit, may be
returned to the originally assigned room or to a room in another
in-patient clinic of the hospital. Personal physicians of the patient,
along with staff physicians and nurses of the hospital, may prescribe
various tests and drugs required for care of the patient. Record entries
for the patient are maintained at the in-patient clinic nurses station.
Various medicines and drugs are obtained from the hospital pharmacy and
charge information provided to the hospital financial department. The
financial department accumulates patient charges and prepares a bill that
is available at the financial department upon discharge of the patient
from the hospital.
In addition to the hospital in-patient clinic, there may be out-patient
clinics where a patient may be admitted for the purpose of receiving
hospital services performed by physicians and nurses. As with the
in-patient clinics, the out-patient clinics may prescribe tests and obtain
medicines and drugs from the hospital pharmacy. Record entries are
prepared and used by the physicians and nurses to provide care for the
patient and by the financial department in preparing a bill for services.
In addition, there may be a hospital records department where records of
current patients are maintained and records of past patients are archived.
Hospitals also have medical departments wherein patient records may be
maintained by various physicians and wherein new medical record forms may
be developed. In addition, new drugs and medical procedures may be
recommended by the medical department for use by the hospital physician
and nursing staff.
Information systems have been developed for hospitals for use by the
hospital financial department in preparing patient bills. Such a type of
information system is usually provided on a large mainframe computer which
is also used for general financial matters such as payroll, accounts
receivable and accounts payable. In addition, a hospital may also have a
medical claim verification and processing system for determining a
patient's background, medical and insurance information for use in
determining the amount of payment for particular insurance claims. Some
hospitals may also have a computer-controlled medical care system for use
in the treatment and care of patients. Such systems have a control unit
adapted for instructing through algorithms teams of hospital staff
physicians and nurses and advising the team members to perform diagnostic
and therapeutic procedures according to a predetermined plan. There may
also be a computer-controlled medical system for use in caring for the
needs of specific patients and for receiving, storing and reporting
medical test information for an entire patient population.
A problem arises in that each of these information systems are a
stand-alone system developed for use by a specific clinic or department of
a hospital. It appears that none of these systems have been developed for
use by all of the clinics and departments of a hospital. Accordingly, a
need exists for a medical information system interconnecting all of the
clinics and departments of a hospital. A need also exists for a hospital
information system interconnecting all of the clinics and departments of a
hospital wherein record and medical data may be entered into the system
and made available to all of the clinics and departments of a hospital in
accordance with specific clinic and department station requirements
required to protect record, medical and patient data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advantage is achieved by
an information system having interconnected user groups of computer
terminals each provided with a user protool for use in conditioning each
computer terminal in recording data at the computer terminal in accordance
with the user class and user protocol.
In accordance with the invention, a medical information system having
interconnected computer terminals has apparatus for entering record and
medical data into one of the computer terminals and recording the entered
record and medical data in forms files and medical data dictionary data
bases of the computer terminal. The computer terminal apparatus is
arranged to access the recorded record and medical data at predetermined
intervals of time and transmit the record and medical data to each of the
interconnected computer terminals. Each computer terminal modifies the
received record and medical data in accordance with station requirement
data assigned the computer terminal. The modified record and medical data
is recorded in the computer terminal forms files and medical data
dictionary data bases for use in entering patient data into a patient data
base of the computer terminal consistent with the recorded modified record
and medical data.
Also in accordance with the invention, a medical information system having
interconnected computer terminals is arranged for transmitting updated
record and medical data to each of the computer terminals for use in
recording patient data. Visual editor apparatus common to each of the
computer terminals is arranged for entering the record and medical data
into the computer terminal and for verifying the accuracy of the entered
record and medical data.
Also in accordance with the invention, a medical information system having
interconnected computer terminals arranged for entering record and medical
data into each computer terminal has apparatus for formatting the entered
record and medical data into a record and medical data message for
transmission to each computer terminal at predetermined intervals of time.
Also in accordance with the invention, a medical information system has
interconnected computer terminals with each having station requirement
data assigned thereto and each arranged to receive record and medical data
messages from another of the computer terminals. The computer terminals
are arranged to modify the received record and medical data in accordance
with the station requirement data and record the modified record and
medical data in a forms files data base and medical data dictionary data
base of the receiving computer terminal. Patient data entered into each
computer terminal is recorded into a patient file data base of the
receiving computer terminal consistent with the station requirement
modified record and medical data recorded in the receiving computer
terminal forms files and medical data dictionary data bases.
In further accordance with the invention, a method of enabling a hospital
medical information system having a medical department master computer
terminal and clinic and department computer terminals each interconnected
with a message network is arranged for conditioning the clinic and
department computer terminals to accept patient data. The method comprises
the steps of entering record and medical data into the medical department
master computer terminal and verifying the accuracy of the entered record
and medical data. The verified record and medical data is recorded in a
forms files data base and medical data dictionary data base, respectively,
of the medical department master computer terminal. The method also
comprises the steps of accessing the medical department master computer
terminal forms files and medical data dictionary data bases and formatting
the entered and verified record and medical data into record and medical
data messages. The method further comprises the steps of transmitting the
formatted record and medical data messages over the message network to
each clinic and departmental computer terminal connected to the message
network and receiving the transmitted record and medical data messages at
each clinic and departmental computer terminal. The received record and
medical data is modified in accordance with clinical and departmental data
assigned each receiving clinic and departmental computer terminal and
recorded in a forms files data base and medical data dictionary data base,
respectively, of the receiving clinic and departmental computer terminal.
The method also comprises the steps of entering patient data into each
receiving clinic and departmental computer terminal and recording the
entered patient data in a patient file data base of the receiving clinic
and departmental computer terminal consistent with the modified record and
medical data recorded in the receiving clinic and department computer
terminal forms files and medical data dictionary data bases.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The foregoing as well as other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will be more apparent from a description of the drawing in
which;
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a medical information system embodying the
principles of the invention;
FIG. 2 is an operational chart diagram showing a functional apparatus
relationship of the clinical and departmental computer terminals used in
the medical information system set forth in FIG. 1; and
FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 illustrates a flow chart of the operation of the
medical information system and computer terminals set forth in FIGS. 1 and
2, respectively.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawing and more specifically to FIG. 1 of the drawing,
hospital information system 1 set forth therein is intended for use in
interconnecting various clinics and departments of a hospital in order to
share common information modified to clinical and departmental station
requirements defined by each computer terminal. For example, hospital
financial department 11 may have several minicomputers 114, 115 or a large
mainframe computer serving several work areas that may have registration
computer terminals 111, billing computer terminals 112 or hospital
financial record computer terminals 113. Financial department computer
terminals 111, 112, 113 are interconnected through financial department
computers 114, 115 with financial node 110 of interconnection message
network 19. Message network 19 may be any one of several different types
of networks commonly referred to as local area types of packet networks
that transmit data messages between nodes and need not be described in
detail for an understanding of the invention.
Each laboratory 12 of the hospital may have a laboratory computer terminal
121 connected by a laboratory node 120 to message network 19 such that
laboratory 12 may exchange information with other laboratories, clinics
and departments of the hospital. The hospital may also have a pharmacy 13
with a pharmacy computer terminal 131 interconnected by pharmacy node 130
with message network 19. There may also be a specimen clinic 14 having
specimen computer terminals 141 for use by the specimen clinic staff and
which are interconnected by specimen node 140 with message network 19.
In addition, the hospital out-patient clinic 18 may have a number of
computer terminals 181, 182, 183. Computer terminals, such as out-patient
clinic computer terminals 181, 182 and 183, may each be a personal
computer, such as the AT&T 6300 or 3B1 Computers, provided for use by the
physicians and nurses of the out-patient clinic. Each computer terminal
181, 182, 183 of outpatient clinic 18 is interconnected by out-patient
node 180 to message network 19.
A record and archive department 15 of the hospital may have a number of
computer terminals, such as computer terminal 151, connected to message
network 19 via record node 150. The medical department of the hospital may
be provided with personal computer terminals 171, 172 each connected by a
medical department node 170 with message network 19. Although any computer
terminal may be used to control hospital information system 1, usually one
of the medical department's computer terminals, such as computer terminal
171, may be designated as a master computer terminal and used to enter
record form and medical data into hospital information system 1.
Medical information system 1 may also be interconnected with various data
networks by interface node 160 and interface unit 16 so that remote data
base systems may be accessed to obtain current and historical medical
information.
One of the main clinics of a hospital are the in-patient clinics 10 wherein
medical care is provided by the patient's physician and by the physician
and nursing staff of the hospital. Each of the in-patient clinic rooms or
beds may be provided with a bedside computer terminal 101, 102, 103, 104
for use by the physicians and nurses attending the patient. A computer
terminal such as computer terminal 101, may be a monitor terminal
connected with other monitor terminals to a central computer 1000 or may
be a personal computer type of computer terminal provided with the
functional and operational capabilities of computer 1000. In the present
embodiment of the invention, each computer terminal of medical information
system 1, such as the computer terminal 101, is assumed to have the
apparatus and functional operational capabilities of computer 1000.
Each computer terminal of medical information system 1 has a patient file
data base 10030 for recording patient data in accordance with record and
medical data recorded, respectively, in forms files data base 100112 and
medical data dictionary data base 100222. A computer terminal also has a
user executive 10013 in combination with security file 10014 and station
requirements file data 10015. Security file 10014 is unique to each
computer terminal and is intended for use in limiting access to medical
information system 1 and to the patient data records in patient file data
base 10030. In addition, security file 10014 restricts unauthorized user
access to record and medical data recorded in forms files data base 100112
and medical data dictionary data base 100222. Security file 10014 also
prevents access to applications software resident in the computer terminal
and prevents unauthorized user access to message network 19.
A user defined class of computer terminals interconnected with message
network 19, such as in-patient clinic 10 computer terminals 101, 102, 103,
104, 105, each have a clinical and departmental station requirements file
data 10015 that define the operating characteristics of an in-patient
clinic computer terminal. Station requirements file data 10015, which have
clinic and department requirements data recorded therein, identifies the
type of patient data that physicians and nurses may enter into or read out
of the group of in-patient | | |
