Method for Minimizing Entry of Medically Similar Orders in a Computerized Medical Records System

Abstract

An electronic medical records system with computerized provider order entry includes error checking for duplicate or medically similar orders. In the system, similar medical orders are displayed on adjacent screens and are highlighted, thereby allowing medical personnel to easily identify and evaluate the orders. The user can therefore choose to modify or delete medically similar entries easily and quickly, thereby minimizing the occurrence of duplicate or repetitive orders, and increasing efficiency of the system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61 / 753,161 filed Jan. 16, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]In recent years, rising health care costs have led to an increased emphasis on computerization of health care, and particularly the development and use of electronic medical records (EMR) and computerized provider order entry (CPOE). Electronic medical records and computerized provider order entry provide many advantages over prior art paper medical record documentation systems. Moving from paper to electronic records and orders can, for example, increase the efficiency of health care, as well as health and insurance payment systems.[0003]Electronic medical records and orders also provide an important advantage because they simplify both the storage and transfer of important medical history data, including prescribed drugs, blood type, allergies...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a medical records computer system that helps medical professionals enter new medical orders while alerting them if there are any existing orders that are similar. This way, they can avoid entering similar orders and minimize the possibility of duplicate medical orders being entered. The invention includes a display screen with an existing order portion and a new order portion, and a processor that compares new medical orders with existing orders and highlights any similar ones in real-time on the display screen. This helps medical professionals make informed decisions and reduces the likelihood of entering duplicate orders.

Problems solved by technology

The patient data could be incomplete due to memory failure, or the failure to maintain complete personal records.

While computerized medical systems and records provide important improvements in patient care and help to reduce health care costs the ease of entry of medical data in computerized systems can also lead to some problems.

Because duplicate orders can lead to unnecessary and costly duplication of medical procedures, decrease efficiency by tying up resources that could be used elsewhere, and adversely impact inventory procedure in pharmacies and other areas of medical facilities, it is important to minimize duplicate, similar, and overlapping entries.

While these warnings can be effective in some cases, pop-up windows are often easy to disable, and are frequently ignored by computer users, who suffer from “fatigue” due to over-use of pop-up windows, or who associate pop-up windows with unwanted advertising.

These systems, therefore, are often ineffective, and do not minimize duplicative order entry by medical personnel.

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