System and method for managing medical facility procedures and records

Abstract

The invention facilitates the efficient administration of medical offices and patient records including visual coordination of room, patient, and task status indicators. The invention also enables improved document review and transcription management.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 905,279, filed on Dec. 23, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates generally to a system and method for the efficient administration of medical offices and patient records. More particularly, the invention relates to web-based, networked software applications for managing medical offices, records, billing, calendaring and physician ordered tasks.BACKGROUND[0003]A routine visit by a patient to a doctor typically involves numerous medical office staff members and a range of procedures and documentation. Management of the myriad tasks and records involved in such visits has long been an involved and difficult process. Doctors have traditionally relied upon staff members to retrieve patient documentation and to obtain x-rays or other information from other offices or labs. Likewise, a doctor's request fo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The invention generally provides a web-based office management software application that yields improved efficiency and communications between physicians, staff members, and lab technicians. An exemplary embodiment includes a web-based office management software application, hosted on an internet accessible server. The server connects various user terminals to a central records database and to the other user terminals. Color coordination (or any other indicia) of examination room identifiers on user displays continually (or intermittently) conveys at least one of whether a room has been assigned to a patient, who the attending physician is, what tasks the physician has ordered (e.g. x-rays, casts, blood tests), and the status of those tasks. For example, a “room identifier” color (or other indicator) may change upon completion of each of multiple ordered tasks. Reversion of the room identifier color to the physician's color indicates that all (or a certain portion of) ordered tasks have been completed. The server may be accessible remotely from internet ready terminals including wireless or portable terminals such as a doctor's tablet PC or other handheld device. The portability and connectivity of physician terminals allows physicians to be in real time contact with staff and technicians with immediate access to patient records. Accordingly, physicians may request procedures, records, prescriptions, and even schedule follow-up matters without leaving the examination room and without relying on verbal communication or paper requests to staff members.

[0009]Other features of the invention include improved records keeping allowing users to upload documents and images to patient files to be viewed and supplemented by other authorized users. Integrated document management applications allow users to place documents such as, for example, faxes, transcriptions and completed task reports, in electronic user mailboxes for user review or directly in patient files. This system improves the workflow and patient safety in medical care facilities. Wait time may thus be reduced for both patients and medical staff while safety may be increased by more reliable communication and record keeping.

Problems solved by technology

Management of the myriad tasks and records involved in such visits has long been an involved and difficult process.

The delay and potential for error inherent in such conventional verbal and written communications often results in unnecessary delay for patients and care providers alike.

Additionally, paper records inevitably become incomplete or missing as portions or all of a file is moved between the front desk, examination room, labs, and offsite provider offices.

Paper systems are further deficient in that they require multiple copies for simultaneous viewing of records.

With a paper system or a closed office network, Physicians may not be able to access vital patient information when they are out of the office.

Likewise, prior systems typically provided limited file export capabilities, often requiring accessing and printing from a number of separate software applications or databases.

Paper systems are inherently prone to many types of errors.

Omitted or inaccurate medication records could be potentially life threatening.

For example, an omitted medication on a chart may lead to a harmful drug interaction.

Additionally, omitted or inaccurate billing records may lead to lost charges for services.

Most so called electronic management systems require proprietary client software installed on individual work stations making remote access from home or offsite labs difficult.

Typically, efficient office management requires a number of separate proprietary systems, creating redundancy and incompatibility issues.

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