Privacy protected information medium using a data compression method

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to a data compression/decompression methodology and means for storage of information on a data storage medium such as a card where confidentiality of the data is a consideration in the design thereof. The methodology is particularly suited for storage of a patient's medical data on a portable card for inteneded decentralized data storage.

NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a continuing need to take the bundles of information that bombard today's hospital patients, business concerns and consumers and provide ways for more efficient organization thereof. The continuing evolution of computer based technologies will allow consumers and business concerns to use/employ wallet sized cards that can hold diverse individual information. Areas of individuated informational importance include: medical finance/credit worthiness of a consumer, commercial inventory data, automotive service history, military, academic, insurance and employment records etc. Moreover, for these applications, there is a long sought need for a system that allows the consumer/business concern to carry such large amounts of informational data on a simple medium such as a single card, while also maintaining the confidentiality of such information without the need for a central data file thereof while also allowing ease of transmission over digital informational data transmission highways. Moreover, such a card saves both time and aggravation to a consumer and businessman by providing portability while maintaining the privacy thereof. In particular, such cards are becoming more widely used in the medical field; an example being a driver's license card that contains organ donor status. Additionally, portable medical record cards are becoming an important objective in this era of healthcare reform. There have been a number of strategies devised to implement portable medical information cards. These strategies may be divided into two broad categories: i) a system which relies on a central database; and ii) a system which stores the information directly onto a card.

A Centralized Approach:

Such a strategy would store personal medical information in a vast centralized database. Hospitals and healthcare workers connect with a centralized service and download the desired information. Patients may carry credit-card size cards which are encoded with a unique code which positively identifies the patient. Such a code may take the shape of bar-codes,an encoded magnetic strip or make use of other types of media. The patient usually gives the card to a healthcare provider for scanning. The encoded identification information is used to download the patient's medical history through a communications link with a centralized database. Such a "credit-card" type system should not be confused with the card-based system which stores the medical information directly onto the card as the present invention does.

A centralized system has a number of drawbacks. First, such networks are expensive to create and maintain. An example of this type system is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,294 entitled "Medical Privacy System." Limitations of such a centralized computer or multiple local network computers include: i) having to work constantly to download information to peripheral locations upon request; and ii) having the patient's data kept in one location which potentially jeopardizes the patient's right to privacy along with a need for security thereof. Finally, nationwide networks of a centralized system is many years away from use. There are many other ways of creating a portable medical system which are cost-effective and allow for decentralized information storage capability. Such systems include U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,725 entitled "Medical Insurance Verification and Processing System." Limitations of this teaching include:i) it does not teach or suggest ways for compression/decompression of a patient's medical dats history that would in turn would allow for a more flexible modification of data entered onto the card where overall system may change at a later date; or ii) insure patient privacy and confidentiality. Both of these limitations are addressed herein.

Card-Based Approach:

Unlike a centralized approach where information is stored in one area and dispersed peripherally, the card-based approach seeks to place the information peripherally. All of the information is encoded directly on a card or other similar media. There is no need for a large, centralized database or for a communications network to process the information on the card. Well known approaches include:

1. SmartCards/Optical cards. These are small, portable cards which can carry a substantial amount of medical information. The mechanism of storage involves a small computer chip which is part of the card itself. The chip contains memory which is used to store the information. Some specialized equipment is necessary to read and write information onto the chip. With recent technological advances, it has become possible to mass produce these chips to make it an economical alternative. The current optimistic projections of the cost of such a system run about $30 per card. This does not include the cost of the specialized read/write equipment which is necessary at all the medical centers and doctors' offices. Still, SmartCards are said to be more cost-effective than a centralized database and they offer the advantage of being available for mass use in a few years. In contrast, the instant invention allows for the encoded information to be entered onto a card in alphanumeric form and be retrieved by an optical scanner at cost less than a dollar. However, the present invention may use a SmartCard as a storage medium of the medical data to increase the data storage capability of this device. Another approach is an optical storage card which stores medical data in optical electronic form. Although mechanically different than SmartCards, this technology is still limited by large overhead costs and production costs.

2. Microfiche. This is an older technology but one which offers greater savings and greater data storage capability than a SmartCard. Various schemes have been developed to place microfiche onto a pocket-sized card which can be distributed to the patient for later use. Examples of such a technique includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,428 entitled "Combination Medical Data, ID & Health Insurance Card," U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,027 entitled "Portable Detachable Data Record." and U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,334 entitled "Emergency Medical Card." Unfortunately, these systems have a number of drawbacks which limits their acceptance in the medical field. Limitations include: i) the need for microfiche readers and copiers which are expensive equipment; ii) all medical centers must be equipped with such devices in order to make use of this technology which is another capital investment for these centers; iii) the lack of security measures to prevent unauthorized review of the card by another individual equipped with a microfiche reader; and iv) this type of system is difficult to update and produce a new card in a timely manner for a patient. In view of these problems, the invention herein solves them by a data compression methodology that can generate an updated privacy-protected card on demand whose large storage media capability is in a decentralized form.

Data Compression/Decompression:

Dictionary-based compression algorithms are of particular interest, and these form a large subSet of all compressive techniques. There are two main approaches to using a dictionary-based system: i) Those using an adaptive or dynamic dictionary; and ii) Those using a static dictionary. A dynamic dictionary system is one which is usually derived "on the fly" as the software samples the data which is to be compressed. Unfortunately, dynamic dictionaries are of minimum benefit for certain applications such as portable informational records since: i) such dictionaries are non-uniform, i.e. there is no "standard" dictionary at each node, and ii) they yield lower overall compression/decompression rates.

A static dictionary system is better suited for applications such as portable informational records. A single, unique dictionary at each site can insure uniform coding of information with a very high yield. The current technology does not readily allow for easy periodic updates of a static dictionary. Any modification of the original dictionary will jeopardize the system's ability to decompress information encoded using the previous version of the system's dictionary.

As an example of a portable data record, a patient's medical record is illustrative therof. The dictionary used in such a scheme generally has to be modified annually to reflect new medications available on the market, new medical centers formed across the country, etc. Unfortunately, each time the dictionary is updated with new information, the cards generated prior to the update would become invalid. Current technology offers few solutions to this problem other than maintaining copies of an older dictionary for use in decoding cards generated using that dictionary. With very large dictionary databases, this becomes prohibitive.

The invention herein uses a new method which modifies static dictionaries which are defined as Very Large List (VLL). The VLL is actually composed of a primary dictionary and a two secondary dictionaries. The primary dictionary contains target words and phrases and the secondary dictionaries contain specialized pointer information. This approach, which is referred to as the "VLL concept," permits the development of modifiable static dictionaries which are necessary for the development of particular applications such as a portable medical record. The invention herein differs from prior compression systems in that it links two types of storage media and "borrows" space from the media with the greater capacity in order to increase the information density on the lesser capacity media. The two storage media consist of the computer hard drive and the small computer printed information storage media such as a card. The methodology of the instant invention system can increase the information density of a card where space may be limited, by using hard disk space of a computer with large data storage capacity. The information card, thus can carry greater data than would otherwise be possible in such a system configuration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention uses an efficient data compression/decompression scheme using a passive data storage media such as a card-based approach for storage of medical data information. The invention operates on existing personal computer hardware in a medical center or doctors' offices, doing away with expensive investments in specialized technologies of central processing hardware. The invention is very economical to implement, at a cost of less than a dollar per card generated for a patient's use. With the advent of inexpensive desktop computing, a number of inventions have been offered to improve medical information storage and retrieval. They include the development of portable medical card technologies such as SmartCards and optical cards which are capable of storing medical information and can be carried by the patient. The benefit of such portable information systems for improving the quality of primary care as well as increasing the cost/effectiveness of health care delivery is well known. Unfortunately, a number of obstacles including: i) high end-user fees; ii) security concerns regarding patient confidentiality; and iii) technical barriers prevent immediate widespread use of these technologies. The invention provided herein provides a methodology for storage and retrieval of medical information from a passive credit-card sized instrument. The card can be immediately manufactured with minimal expense using existing well known optical scanning or magnetic tape reading technologies are used.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:

An objective of the invention is to provide a portable data storage medium that is: i) compatible with digital data transmission systems that: ii) insures personal privacy and accuracy of the medium, and iii) is very inexpensive to make and usable with existing personal computer hardware;

Another objective of the invention is an efficient data compression/decompression methodology for an informational system that allows for infinite upgrades of a primary and secondary static dictionary used in the data compression system without jeopardizing the decoding power of the dictionary in decompressing information generated by the previously used primary dictionaries of the system; and

Yet, another particular objective of the invention is: i) to provide a medical data storage card that fully ensures privacy and accuracy of a patient's medical file, ii) is compatible with future fiber optic based informational networks and iii) operates on existing and inexpensive personal computer hardware.

Still further advantages will become apparent from consideration of the ensuing detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows various strategies for achieving portable medical records where the instant invention is the most cost effective.

FIG. 2 shows the flow of information of a typical medical record wherein a patient's encrypted medical data card; the information is entered into the computer by an appropriate data entry means & a printout of the patients record is made available.

FIG. 3 shows a sample medical profile generated from an alphanumerics card as discussed in the methodology section herein.

FIG. 4 illustrates the word compression technique of the instant invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates the word decompression technique of the instant invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an overview of the MedLynxTM software utility to implement the records as shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention herein maintains the confidentiality of data records in general. In particular, a medical patient's records is used a an important example of the invention. The system described herein deals with medical applications and is referred to as the MedLynxTM system which includes the software implementation thereof. This system is for healthcare professionals to facilitate services to a patient while maintaining a patient's privacy interest. Unlike regular medical records, the MedLynxTM system uses a unique data compression scheme to code important medical information into a small space so that the patient can transport his or her medical record conveniently without need for a central data storage system.

A patient seeking medical attention can present the MedLynxTM card to a healthcare provider. Since the information is encoded on the card itself, any physician with access to the MedLynxTM software can decompress the information to generate a summary of that patient's important medical information. If the patient does not have a MedLynxTM card, a new card can be generated for the patient at end of the visit. The medical information on the card can always be updated and a new card generated after each visit. The MedLynxTM system can be a life-saving tool in situations where past medical history is critical, but not immediately available. A summary report from the card can be generated in a matter of minutes and can provide a physician with reference information regarding past medical history, past surgical history, list of medications, list of allergies, list of vaccinations, list of screening procedures, including the names of the physicians, the names of the medical centers and the dates associated with each entry. Furthermore, the card can provide a doctor with information about organ donor status, a living will, emergency telephone contact numbers and access to brief comments and reminders written by other physicians. Finally, each card can encode demographic information which has other applications.

This particular example illustrates a sample implementation of the compression/decompression technique of the invention herein that provides a card based system that integrates a patient's health care delivery with a convenient means to access to their medical records that allows a patient to always carry a copy of their medical history in their wallet or purse. Various aspects of the MedLynxTM software/system include:

Convenience to the Patient:

In deciding on storage medium for the MedLynxTM software/system, user convenience is the most important factor by use of a small and inexpensive hand carried record. Second, the card based information must be easy to replace and easy to update. The patient should be able to make duplicates of this information so as to distribute them in various locations for easy emergency access. As an example, an enlarged size card is shown in FIG.3 in alphanumeric form. The card is inexpensive to generate at pennies per card. The MedLynxTM software/system, however, is in no way limited to a single medium. The same information which appears on the cards can be recorded as bar codes for scanning purposes or the information can be converted onto magnetic strips much the same way information is encoded on a credit card or ATM machine. The card of this system can be readily adapted to alternate storage media such as SmartCards.

Convenience for Health Care Professionals:

The MedLynxTM system is a desirable communications access system for healthcare workers. Since the information travels with the patient, one physician can directly communicate with the next physician the patient will consult. Important reminders and important notes can be passed along and redundancy in repeating the same laboratory or diagnostic procedures can be minimized. The MedLynxTM database can assist in maintaining accurate and up-to-date vaccination information and tracking routine age-related screening procedures to insure that they have been performed.

Since the MedLynxTM protocol depends on a large database of information, it is crucial that these databases are easy to update. The database can be updated with an "update disk" with no need to recompile the MedLynxTM cards issued prior to the update. In other words, the MedLynxTM card remains valid and will yield the same information even if the MedLynxTM methodology is modified at a later date. Update information on the card can be distributed by many modalities including compact discs (CD-ROM), fiber optics, local area networks, and modems.

Economy:

This invention makes use of the existing technological infrastructure. Most medical centers and doctors' offices already have access to a personal computer (PC) which can be used, as needed, to compress and decompress medical information using this system. There is no need to invest in a SmartCard interface, optical card read/write equipment, microfiche equipment or networking capability. Start-up and maintenance costs of such a system are minimal. Since the cards can be printed on paper (as alphanumerics or one or two-dimensional bar-codes) or on reusable magnetic stripes like a bank card, cost to the patient is minimal.

Minimal system requirements to support this system can include a PC based 80286 processor with 1 Mb RAM and a printer associated therewith. If hardware add-ons such as scanners, bar code readers, or magnetic readers may be necessary, they can readily be made compatible with an existing system that uses the invention's data compression/decompression technology. An inexpensive computer environment would matter little, however, if the output required on an expensive medium. The output from the most basic system is a small card at costs of a few pennies. The card is low-maintenance and can be inexpensively reproduced. The data compression methodology of the instant invention compresses medical information to a ratio of 10:1. This unique feature makes it possible to compress large volumes of information into smaller strings of alphanumerics or bar-codes or magnetic signals which can be stored on a small card.

Security and Confidentiality:

Medical data storage of any kind can always have a dangerous potential of misuse. Medical information can be used by unauthorized individuals for illegal purposes such as dropping insurance coverage, termination of employment or even for social or political purposes. For these reasons, the MedLynxTM system allows for restricted use by physicians and their agents.

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