This application relates generally to systems and methods for implementing medical workflow.
Radiation therapy has been employed to treat tumorous tissue. In radiation therapy, a high energy beam is applied from an external source towards the patient. The external source, which may be rotating (as in the case for arc therapy), produces a collimated beam of radiation that is directed into the patient to the target site. The dose and placement of the dose must be accurately controlled to ensure that the tumor receives sufficient radiation, and that damage to the surrounding healthy tissue is minimized.
Implementation of a radiation therapy involves many different tasks performed by different professionals, including doctors, nurses, technicians, treatment planner, etc. By means of non-limiting examples, such tasks may include consultation by a doctor, verification of insurance by a nurse, obtaining imaging (e.g., CT imaging, x-ray, MRI, PET, SPECT, etc.) by a technician, processing of images by another technician, contouring of organ structures by a doctor/technician, treatment planning by a doctor/technician, treatment preparation by nurse(s) and/or technician(s), treatment execution by a doctor/technician, follow-up by a doctor, and pain management by a nurse/doctor, etc.
The different tasks associated with a radiation therapy may be performed at different locations in different facilities, and may be required to be performed by certain due dates before another task may begin. Sometimes, if a person fails to perform a task, others may be unable to perform their tasks because the performance of their tasks may depend from a result of an earlier task. Also, different facilities that are involved in implementing a radiation therapy may not have access to a same information.
Applicant of the subject application determines that it would be desirable to provide a new system and method to manage persons involved in a radiation therapy so that tasks involved in the radiation therapy are performed in an orderly manner while reducing risks of delay. Applicant of the subject application also determines that it would be desirable to provide a new system and method for allowing different users from different departments to access the same information for a radiation therapy.
In accordance with some embodiments, a method for use in a medical process includes providing a plurality of task objects for selection by a user, wherein the plurality of task objects represent respective tasks, determining a first one of the plurality of task objects, determining a second one of the plurality of task objects, linking the first one of the plurality of task objects with the second one of the plurality of task objects using a processor based at least in part on a command by the user, and storing data in a non-transitory medium regarding the linking.
In accordance with other embodiments, a computer product includes a non-transitory medium for storing a set of instructions, an execution of which causes a process to be performed, the process comprising providing a plurality of task objects for selection by a user, wherein the plurality of task objects represent respective tasks, determining a first one of the plurality of task objects, determining a second one of the plurality of task objects, and linking the first one of the plurality of task objects with the second one of the plurality of task objects based at least in part on a command by the user.
In accordance with other embodiments, a system for use in a medical process includes a processor configured for providing a plurality of task objects for selection by a user, wherein the plurality of task objects represent respective tasks, determining a first one of the plurality of task objects, determining a second one of the plurality of task objects, and linking the first one of the plurality of task objects with the second one of the plurality of task objects based at least in part on a command by the user.
Other and further aspects and features will be evident from reading the following detailed description of the embodiments.
The drawings illustrate the design and utility of embodiments, in which similar elements are referred to by common reference numerals. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In order to better appreciate how the above-recited and other advantages and objects are obtained, a more particular description of the embodiments will be rendered, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. These drawings depict only typical embodiments and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope.
Various embodiments are described hereinafter with reference to the figures. It should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale and that elements of similar structures or functions are represented by like reference numerals throughout the figures. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention or as a limitation on the scope of the invention. In addition, an illustrated embodiment needs not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment and can be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated.
In the chart 12, the task categories 16 are organized into rows 18, wherein any task object 14 in any one of the rows 18 belongs to the task category 16 for that row 18. In other embodiments, the task categories 16 may be arranged in columns, or in other configurations. The user interface 10 also includes a scroll bar 19 for allowing a user to scroll up and down to access different portions of the chart 12. The user interface 10 also includes scroll buttons 26a, 26b for allowing a user to scroll left and right to access different portions of the chart 12. Also, in other embodiments, the screen 13 may be a touch screen, in which cases, the screen 13 itself may be used to scroll through the chart 12 (e.g., by placing a finger on the screen 13, and dragging the finger to the up, down, left, or right, to scroll to up, down, left, or right, respectively, of the chart 12).
As shown in the illustrated embodiments, the user interface 10 also includes a calendar 20 with different dates 22 arrange in different respective columns, and different task objects 14 may be placed in different date columns 24. In the illustrated example, the task objects 14c-14e are all located in the date column “Oct. 22, 2010”, indicating that these tasks are to be completed by that date. In other embodiments, the dates 22 may be arranged in rows, or in other configurations. The buttons 26a, 26b are configured for allowing a user to scroll to the left or right, respectively, of the calendar 20. In other embodiments, the screen 13 may be a touch screen, in which cases, the screen 13 itself may be used to scroll through the calendar 20 (e.g., by placing a finger on the screen 13, and drag the finger to the left or right to scroll to the left or right, respectively, of the calendar 20).
The user interface 10 may also include a zoom button for allowing a user to zoom in or to zoom out of the calendar 20 so that the user may see more or less task objects 14 on the screen 13. In other embodiments, the screen 13 may be a touch screen, in which cases, the screen 13 itself may be used to zoom in or out of the calendar 20 (e.g., by placing two fingers on the screen 13, and spreading them apart while touching the screen 13 to zoom in, or bringing them together while touching the screen 13 to zoom out).
In the illustrated embodiments, each link 15 in the chart 12 connects a task object 14 to the rest of the workflow. For example the link 15a indicates that task of the task object 14b is to be performed after the task of the task object 14a is completed. The links 15b-15d indicate that the tasks of the task objects 14c-14e may be performed in parallel after the task of the task object 14b is completed. Also, link 15e indicates that the task of the task object 14f is to be completed after both the tasks of the task objects 14d, 14e are completed. As shown in the illustrated embodiments, any link 15 on one side (e.g., the left side) of the task object 14 indicates that there is another task that needs to be performed before the task of the task object 14 may be completed, and any link 15 on another side (e.g., the right side) of the task object 14 indicates that there is another task to be completed after the task of the task object 14 is completed. A task object 14 may have a link 15 on its left side, on its right side, on both the left and right sides, or may have no link 15.
Various techniques may be employed to create the chart 12. In some embodiments, the user interface 10 allows different charts 12 to be created for different respective patients. A user who wishes to create a chart 12 for a particular patient, may open a new chart 12 and save it under a specific name for the patient. Once the new chart 12 is opened, the user interface 10 may provide a number of the task objects 14 for a user to choose from. For example, the interface 10 may provide a pull-down menu or a folder that includes all available task objects 14 so that the user can choose one-by-one (e.g., by clicking the object in the pull-down menu or folder), and place the task objects 14 into different dates in the chart 12 area (e.g., by dragging the selected object to the calendar area) to create a workflow. After a task object 14 is placed into the chart 12, the user interface 10 may allow the user to move the task object 14 (e.g., to a different date column 24), or to delete the task object 14.
In other embodiments, the user interface 10 may provide the different task categories 16 into which the task objects 14 are organized for allowing the user to choose from while creating the chart 12. For example, the user interface 10 may provide a tab or a pull-down menu for the “Consult” category 16c. In such cases, when the user select the “Consult category 16c”, the user interface 10 automatically provides all of the available task objects 14 that belong to the selected “Consult category 16c.” The user interface 10 may also provide other tabs for the other task categories 16.
After a task object 14 is placed into the chart 12, the user creating the chart 12 may add a link 15 to connect the object 14 to the rest of the workflow. In some embodiments, the user interface 10 provides a linking tool that allows the user to create the link 15 between two objects 14. In some embodiments, the linking tool may be a line-drawing tool. In other embodiments, the linking tool may allow the user to click on two objects 14 to connect.
Although the chart 12 has been described as being created by a user, in other embodiments, the chart 12 may be created by multiple users. For example, in some embodiments, a first user may input a few task objects 14 to create a part of a workflow, and another user may input additional task object(s) 14 for other part(s) of the workflow. In one implementation, the created chart 12 may be stored in a database, and one or more users may access the created chart 12 from the database (e.g., to collaboratively build the chart 12, to edit the chart 12, and/or to simply view the chart 12). In some embodiments, access control may be implemented so that only one user is allowed to make changes to the chart 12 at a time. For example, when one user is accessing the chart 12 from the database, if another user wishes to access the same chart 12, the database may be configured to allow the first user to make changes to the chart 12, and disallow the later user from making changes to the chart (e.g., at least until the first user has logged out from the database). Also, in some embodiments, different users may be assigned with different privileges for accessing the chart 12 from the database. For example, in some embodiments, a user may have a privilege to make changes to the chart 12, while another user may have a privilege to only view, and not to make any change to, the chart 12. In one implementation, when a user logs onto the database, the database will ask the user for a password. Once the user is verified based on the password, the database will allow the user to access the chart 12 (e.g., to make changes, to view, or both, etc.) based on the assigned privilege associated with the particular user. Also, in some embodiments, a plurality of tasks (2 or more) may be included together/serially, so they may be stored as a chain of tasks by default.
In the above embodiments, the workflow chart 12 is created by a user who manually selects the task objects 14, and links them together using links 15. In other embodiments, the linking of the task objects 14 may be performed automatically by the user interface 10. In such cases, after the user selects certain task objects 14, the user interface 10 then automatically links the selected task objects 14 based on certain pre-determined rule(s). For example, if the user selects “treatment plan” object 14 and “insurance verification” object 14, then the user interface 10 may automatically place the “insurance verification” object 14 before the “treatment plan” object 14 in terms of the timing of event, and may then automatically link them together to create the workflow chart 12 by inserting a link 15 between the two objects 14. Users may have the option to modify the created workflow chart 12, such as to add object(s) 14 to the workflow, remove object(s) 14 from the workflow, change the ordering of the objects 14, add link(s) 15, remove link(s), etc.
In further embodiments, the workflow chart 12 may be created automatically. In such cases, the user interface 10 may provide a plurality of workflow templates for users to select. For example, there may be a template for radiation treatment. In such cases, when the user selects the “radiation treatment” workflow template, the user interface 10 will automatically create a workflow 12. In one example, the workflow 12 that is automatically created for the radiation treatment template may include task objects 14 for insurance verification, obtaining imaging, contouring PTV, contouring structure, treatment plan determination, treatment plan verification, patient setup, radiation treatment procedure, and dose evaluation. After the workflow chart 12 is automatically created, users may have the option to modify the workflow chart 12, such as to add object(s) 14 to the workflow, remove object(s) 14 from the workflow, change the ordering of the objects 14, add link(s) 15, remove link(s), etc.
As discussed, each available task object 14 represents a task to be performed. In the illustrated embodiments, a task object 14 may be associated with a workspace. As used in this specification, a workspace refers to any tool that is configured to allow a user to complete a portion or an entirety of a task. In some embodiments, such tool may include a user interface displayed on a screen and implemented using a software and/or hardware (e.g., a processor). In some embodiments, one or more of the workspaces may be provided by the user interface 10. It should be noted that not all of the task objects 14 are associated with respective workspaces, and that a task object 14 may not have any workspace associated thereto. The following is an example of a list of the available task objects 14 for allowing a user to choose from when creating the chart 12 in accordance with some embodiments, wherein the left column include names of the task objects 14, and the right column indicates respective functionalities provided by a workspace for performing the corresponding tasks for the respective task objects 14.
Returning to
In some embodiments, each task object 14 may have metadata associated therewith. In such cases, when a user selects a certain task object 14 to be included in the workflow, the user may also enter information for the corresponding metadata. Also, in some embodiments, the user interface 10 may provide a window to display the metadata that are associated with the task object 14. As used in this specification, a “window” may be any area in a screen, such as an area defined by a frame, for presenting information. Also, in some embodiments, a window may be provided as a part of a workspace.
In the illustrated embodiments, the window 400 also includes a filter tool section 450 that provides different filtering functions. The filter tool section 450 includes an “inactive” button 450 for allowing a user to view only tasks that are inactive (e.g., tasks that have not been started, and cannot be started because a predecessor activity has not been completed), “active” button 452 for allowing a user to view only tasks that are active (e.g., tasks for which a user can act on), “in progress” button 454 for allowing a user to view only tasks that are in progress (e.g., tasks that have been started, but not yet completed), “cancelled” button 456 for allowing a user to view only tasks that are cancelled, and “completed” button 458 for allowing a user to view only tasks that are completed. In some embodiments, if a task has been completed, the user interface may also allow a user to access documents (e.g., from one or more database) that are associated with the completed task. The filter tool section 450 also includes an activity type field 460 for allowing a user to view different types of activity. In the example, “tasks” is shown in the field 460. That means the information would be filtered based on tasks. In other examples, the user may choose “appointments” so that the filtering will be based on appointments. In further examples, the user may choose both “tasks and appointments”, in which case, the filtering will be based on both tasks and appointments. The filter tool section 450 also includes date fields 462 for allowing a user to view tasks that are due within a prescribed period.
The filter tool section 450 also includes a “Sort by” field 464 that allows a user to sort the tasks based on their respective due dates, a “Z-A” sort button 466 for allowing a user to sort the tasks in reverse alphabetical order, and a “A-Z” sort button 468 for allowing a user to sort the tasks in alphabetical order. In some cases, instead of “due dates”, the “Sort by” field 464 may be selectively changed to other parameters, such as patient name, activity name, and activity type, which allows sorting to be performed based on patient name, activity name, and activity type, respectively.
In the illustrated embodiments, the filter tool section 450 also includes a “Group by” field 469 which allows a user to view tasks based on the category (or categories) into which they are grouped. In the illustrated example, “activity category” is selected in the “Group by” field 469, thereby allowing the user to view the tasks based on different activity categories 470a-470c. As shown in the illustrated example, one task is shown under the activity category 470c “Treatment Tasks” when the “Treatment tasks” bar is selected. When the “Exam” bar for the activity category 470a is selected, the user interface 10 may display thirteen (as indicated by the number next to the category name) tasks that are currently grouped under the “Exam” category. Similarly, when the “Registration” bar for the activity category 470b is selected, the user interface 10 may display two (as indicated by the number next to the category name) tasks that are currently grouped under the “Registration” category.
In the illustrated embodiments, the task window 400 also includes an owner selection control 478 for allowing a user to select which owner's tasks he/she wishes to see. In the illustrated example, the owner with identification “d2” has been selected in the owner selection control 478. Thus, all of the tasks being displayed in the task window 400 belong to the owner “d2”.
In the illustrated embodiments, the task window 400 also includes an “Escalated Activities” button 480 for allowing users to manage activity/activities that are overdue. Sometimes, when an activity is overdue, the user interface 10 may be configured (e.g., by a user) to alert another user to “escalate” the task so that the workflow 12 is not interrupted (especially if the user is not available to do the work, such as due to vacation and/or sickness). In the illustrated embodiments, when a certain task associated with a task object 14 is overdue, the user interface 10 may display an escalated button 480 to inform a user (who may be an owner to which the task was assigned to, and/or a person who supervises such owner) that the task has not yet been performed. When the user clicks the escalated button 480, the user interface 10 may inform the user when the task was due, and/or may allow the user to either re-assign the task to another owner, or to do the work himself/herself. Such feature is advantageous because it prevents the patient workflow 12 from being interrupted due to an owner's failure to perform an assigned task (e.g., may be due to the owner is sick or on vacation). This feature allows better management of tasks going on in one or more departments.
In other embodiments, “None” may be selected in the “Group by” field 469 (
In any of the embodiments described herein, a task object 14 may have a checklist associated therewith. In some embodiments, the checklist may be displayed in a window frame as a part of the user interface 10 in a screen. For example, a “consult” task object 14 representing a consultation task may have a checklist, which includes a number of items, such as (1) check pain, (2) check fever, (3) observe side effect, etc. In such cases, the person who has been assigned the consultation task will need to complete the checklist (e.g., by checking a box), before the task object 14 may be considered to be completed by the user interface 10, thereby allowing the next task object(s) downstream the workflow to be performed. In another example, a checklist that is associated with a task object 14 may relate to a patient safety that is needed during a radiation procedure. For example, such checklist may include items, such as (1) check patient support, (2) check gantry clearance with respect to patient, (3) check radiation source, (4) check patient positioning (e.g., to make sure that target is at isocenter), (5) verify patient is indeed the patient being treated, etc. Also, in some embodiments, a task object 14 may be considered completed if all items in the checklist associated with the task object 14 are completed. The system providing and/or managing the user interface 10 may be configured to monitor task objects 14 that are overdue or about to be overdue. This feature will be described in further detail below.
In some embodiments, the user interface 10 may also provide a window 500 for allowing a user to see what activities are due for himself/herself, or for another person (
In any of the embodiments described herein, the user interface 10 allows each owner of the task object 14 to make notes for the corresponding task object 14. For example, for a “treatment plan” task object 14, the owner working on the task (e.g., performing radiation treatment planning) for such task object 14 may use the user interface 10 to open up a window or text field, so that the owner can type in the notes and save them in a database. In some cases, different owners for different respective task objects 14 may create and store notes in the database. In some embodiments, the user interface 10 also provides a consolidated note feature that allows a user to view all notes based on certain criteria, such as all notes for a certain patient, all notes created by a certain owner, all notes in a selected one of a plurality of categories (such as task category, treatment history category, alert category), etc.
In some embodiments, the user interface 10 may be configured to display a patient summary along with the workflow 12 diagram.
In some embodiments, the user interface 10 may be configured to provide a configuration window that allows users to configure what data they wish to view in the patient summary.
As discussed, embodiments of the user interface 10 allow different workspaces to be linked. In some cases, a user may be able to access multiple workspaces simultaneously.
In any of the embodiments described herein, the user interface 10 may also provide a workspace for allowing users to input written directives for delivering radiotherapy.
In some embodiments, one or more of the fields 910-950 are configurable and scalable to achieve whatever is needed to create a prescription. Different departments may have different machines with different energies and capabilities, and/or may be controlled using different parameters. Users may configure the fields in the window 900 so that they are specific for a certain machine. Different departments may also use different unique terminologies. Thus, in some embodiments, users may configure any of the fields 910-950 so that they display the terminologies that are used in a certain department.
In any of the embodiments describe herein, the user interface 10 may be implemented using software, hardware (e.g., processor, such as that associated with a computer), or combination of both. For example, in some embodiments, a computer product may be provided that includes instructions stored in a non-transitory medium, wherein an execution of the instructions by a processor causes a process to be performed. The process may involve providing any of the features of the user interface 10 described herein, or any of the features described herein.
Also, in way of the embodiments described herein, the user interface 10 may be implemented using one or more devices.
In the illustrated embodiments, the medium 1012 of the database 1002 may include a set of instructions, an execution of which by the processor 1010 causes data to be transmitted from the database 1002 to the device 1004. The device 1004 processes the data from the database 1002, and displays graphics on the screen 1020 in response to the processed data. The graphics may be any of the graphics described herein in association with the user interface 10. During use, the user may use the input device 1022 of the device 1004 to enter data. The data may be stored in the medium 1026 and/or be transmitted to the database 1002 via the network 1014.
In one implementation, the device 1004 includes a software that is configured to receive a request by the user to access the database 1002. For example, the software may be configured to be processed by the processor 1024 to provide the user interface 10 for display on the screen 1020. The user interface 10 may provide a field for asking the user to input a user identification, and a password. Upon receiving the user identification and the password, the device 1004 then transmits the information through the network 1014 to the database 1002. The database 1002 includes different users' identifications and corresponding passwords stored in the medium 1012. After receiving the user identification and password from the device 1004, the database 1002 then looks up a table in the medium 1012 to see if the data matches those stored in the medium 1012. If so, then the database 1002 allows the user of the device 1004 to access the database 1002.
In some embodiments, in response to instructions processed by the processor 1024, and/or in response to data received from the database 1002, the device 1004 may display the user interface 10 in the display 1020 for allowing a user to create the workflow 12, edit the workflow 12, and/or to view the workflow 12. If data regarding the workflow 12 (e.g., data regarding the task object(s), link(s) 15, any of the data described herein with reference to
Also, in some embodiments, in response to instructions processed by the processor 1024, and/or in response to data received from the database 1002 through the network 1014, the device 1004 may display different workspaces in the screen 1020 for allowing a user to perform tasks that are represented by different task objects 14 in the workflow 12. For example, the device 1004 may present a workspace for allowing a user to view and/or process images of a patient. In one implementation, the software for presenting the images may be stored in the medium 1026 and/or the medium 1012, and data regarding the images may be retrieved from the medium 1012 of the database 1002, and be transmitted to the device 1004 via the network 1014.
In another example, the device 1004 may present a workspace in the screen 1020 for allowing a user to create contour of structures for radiation treatment planning. In one implementation, the software for presenting the workspace for structure contouring may be stored in the medium 1026 and/or the medium 1012, and the data regarding the contouring may be stored in the medium 1026 and/or be transmitted to the database 1002 for storage in the medium 1012.
In still another example, the device 1004 may present a workspace in the screen 1020 for allowing a user to create a radiation treatment plan. In one implementation, the software for presenting the workspace for treatment planning may be stored in the medium 1026 and/or the medium 1012, and the data regarding the created treatment plan may be stored in the medium 1026 and/or be transmitted to the database 1002 for storage in the medium 1012.
It should be noted that the device 1004 and the database 1002 are not limited to the examples of functions described above, and that the device 1004 and the database 1002 may be configured to provide other functions in other embodiments. For example, in other embodiments, in response to instructions processed by the processor 1024, and/or data received from the database 1002 via the network 1014, the device 1004 may present a workspace in the screen 1020 for allowing any of the functions described in the above table (Table 1). In some embodiments, the different workspaces that may be presented by the device 1004 may be provided by different software. In such cases, different software may be stored in the medium 1012 of the database 1002 and/or the medium 1026 of the device 1004. The database 1002 is configured to associate different task objects 14 with respective workspace(s) provided by the corresponding software. In some cases, a software may provide a plurality of workspaces to perform a plurality of tasks for different task objects 14.
Any of the data associated with a workspace, such as data input by a user of the device 1004 while using the workspace, and data for access by a user of the workspace, may be stored in the medium 1026 of the device 1004 and/or the medium 1012 of the database 1002. Although the medium 1012 of the database 1002 is illustrated as a block, in other embodiments, the medium 1012 of the database 1002 may be implemented using a plurality of storage devices, which may be at a same location, or at different locations (e.g., throughout the world). Also, although only one end user device 1004 is shown, it should be understood that in other embodiments, there may be a plurality of end user devices 1004. The plurality of end user devices 1004 may be configured to perform the same functions, or different functions (e.g., one device 1004 may be configured to provide a first workspace to perform a first task, and another device 1004 may be configured to provide a second workspace different from the first workspace to perform a second task that is different from the first task).
Also, in any of the embodiments described herein, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may be configured to provide an interface to a user (e.g., by displaying the interface at the screen of the device 1004), which allows the user to selectively view different data associated with the workflow 12. For example, there may be different controls at the interface, which when selected by the user (e.g., by using the control of the device 1004), will cause a request to be sent to the database 1002 through the network 1014. The database 1002, in response to the received request, will look up data in the medium to retrieve the relevant data, and transmit the retrieved data to the device 1004 through the network 1014 for display on the screen of the device 1004. In some embodiments, the retrieved data may be presented in any of the interface windows of
In some embodiments, after the workflow 12 is created, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 is configured to keep track of the progress of the workflow 12. For example, in some embodiments, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 is configured to monitor whether a task for a task object 14 has been completed. If the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 determines that a task for a task object 14 is overdue (or is about to be overdue), the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may inform the owner (the person assigned) of the task and/or the supervisor of the owner of the task. In one implementation, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may automatically transmit or display a reminder to the owner or the supervisor, wherein the reminder may be in the form of an email or instant message, for examples. Alternatively, the reminder may be in the form of an escalated task button 480, as described herein. In other embodiments, instead of, or in addition to, providing the reminder, the database 1002 may automatically instruct the device 1004 (e.g., by transmitting instructions to the device 1004 through the network 1014) to, or the device 1004 may automatically, present a workspace on the screen 1020 of the device 1004 for allowing the user to perform the task. Depending on the task that is overdue or that is about to be overdue, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may be configured to select the appropriate workspace for presentation on the screen 1020 of the device 1004.
Various techniques may be employed for configuring the database 1002 to monitor progress of a task. In some embodiments, a task for a task object 14 is considered completed when data for certain field of a workspace for performing such task has been entered. In such cases, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may be configured to determine if data for certain field of a workspace has been entered. If the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 determines that no data for such field has been entered by the due date, then the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 will determine that the task is overdue. In other embodiments, if the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 determines that no data for such field has been entered within a prescribed number of day(s) (e.g., one day) before the due date, then the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may determine that the task is about to be overdue, and may send or display a reminder to the owner of the task and/or the supervisor of the owner.
In other embodiments, a task for a task object 14 may be considered completed when a supervisor has signed off on a task object 14. In such cases, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may be configured to determine if data for certain field (representing a sign off by the supervisor) of a workspace has been entered. If the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 determines that no data for such field has been entered by the due date, then the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 will determine that the task is overdue. In other embodiments, if the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 determines that no data for such field has been entered within a prescribed number of day(s) (e.g., one day) before the due date, then the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may determine that the task is about to be overdue, and may provide a reminder to the owner of the task and/or the supervisor of the owner.
In any of the embodiments described herein, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may be configured to automatically (without user interaction) advance some actions of the process based on the data states. For example, assume that a workflow 12 includes the following tasks in the following order: (1) Write prescription—(2) approve prescription—(3) create plan. The owner who wrote the prescription to perform the first task may also approved it at the same time to perform the second task. When the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 detects that the “approve prescription” task after the “write prescription” task is already completed, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 may automatically complete the “approve prescription” task (e.g., by assigning a task state of “complete”), and proceed to the “create plan” task. In the above example, since the person performing the “write prescription” task also approves the prescription at the same time, the “approve prescription” does not involve any user interaction. In other embodiments, if the person performing the “write prescription” task does not approve the prescription at the same time, then the “approve prescription” task may need to be performed separately (either by the same person at a different time, or by another person such as a supervisor). In such cases, the database 1002 and/or the device 1004 does not automatically advance to the “create plan” task, but will wait for a separate user input to complete the “approve prescription” task before advancing to the “create plan” task.
Furthermore, in any of the embodiments described herein, a user may set up one or more rules for the workflow 12 that allows at least a part of the workflow 12 to be automated. In some embodiments, such rules may be created or entered by the user using the input device of the device 1004. In one implementation, when a task object 14 is selected, the device 1004 may provide a user interface for allowing the user to input rule(s) that is associated with the task object 14. Such rule may be “to automatically advance to a next task object when one or more items (e.g., task(s), checklist(s), etc.) associated with the task object 14 is completed.” For example, a user may set up a rule “when a lab result has value greater than X, stop treatment”. In such cases, when the lab result arrives (by electronic feed) at the database 1002, the database 1002 may evaluate the value of the lab result (e.g., by comparing the actual value with the value of the rule). When the database 1002 determines that the rule is satisfied based on the evaluation, then the database 1002 may take certain action(s) based on the rule. For example, the database 1002 may automatically inform a person to stop treatment (such as by sending a message to the device 1004 through the network), automatically flag a treatment plan (such as by retrieving the treatment plan from the medium 1012 of the database 1002, adding a flag to the treatment plan, and storing the treatment plan at the medium 1012), automatically change a treatment plan (such as by retrieving the treatment plan from the medium 1012 of the database 1002, changing one or more parameters in the treatment plan, and storing the treatment plan in the medium 1012), etc. In other embodiments, the database 1002 may also automatically create one or more tasks, change a task state, etc. In other embodiments, instead of creating or inputting the rules using the device 1004, the rules may be created or entered by a user of the database 1002 (e.g., using an input device that is coupled to the database 1002).
In accordance with some embodiments, the system 1000 may be used in a medical process that includes (1) providing a plurality of task objects for selection by a user, wherein the plurality of task objects represent respective tasks, (2) determining a first one of the plurality of task objects that has been selected, (3) determining a second one of the plurality of task objects that has been selected, and (4) linking the first one of the plurality of task objects with the second one of the plurality of task objects based at least in part on a command by the user. In some embodiments, the plurality of task objects may be stored in the medium 1012 of the database 1002 and/or the medium 1026 of the device 1004. The action (1) of providing a plurality of task objects may be performed by the database 1002, which transmits the data representing the task objects to the device 1004 for display on the screen 1020 of the device. In other embodiments, the action (1) of providing the plurality of task objects may be performed by the device 1004, which displays the task objects on the screen 1020.
Also, in some embodiments, the acts (2) (3) of determining first one and second one of the plurality of task objects that have been selected may be performed by the database 1002 by receiving data from the device 1004 indicating selection of the first and second ones of the plurality of task objects. In other embodiments, the acts (2)(2) of determining first and second ones of the plurality of task objects may be performed by the device 1004, which receives an input from a user representing a selection of the first and second ones of the plurality of task objects.
In addition, in some embodiments, the act (4) of linking the first one of the plurality of task objects with the second one of the plurality of task objects may be performed by the database 1002, which stores data representing the linking of the task objects in the medium 1012. The storing of such data may be performed in response to a transmission of such data by the device 1004. In other embodiments, the act (4) of linking the task objects may be performed by the device 1004, which receives an input from the user representing a linking of the first and second task objects.
In some embodiments, when the database 1002 receives data regarding task objects that the user wishes to include as parts of the workflow 12, the database 1002 also receives information associated with the task objects that may be input by the user using the device 1004, wherein such information may be any of the information described with reference to
Computer System Architecture
The computer system 1200 may be coupled via the bus 1202 to a display 1212, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or a flat panel, for displaying information to a user. An input device 1214, including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to the bus 1202 for communicating information and command selections to processor 1204. Another type of user input device is cursor control 1216, such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and command selections to processor 1204 and for controlling cursor movement on display 1212. This input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the device to specify positions in a plane.
The computer system 1200 may be used for performing various functions (e.g., calculation) in accordance with the embodiments described herein. According to one embodiment, such use is provided by computer system 1200 in response to processor 1204 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in the main memory 1206. Such instructions may be read into the main memory 1206 from another computer-readable medium, such as storage device 1210. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in the main memory 1206 causes the processor 1204 to perform the process steps described herein. One or more processors in a multi-processing arrangement may also be employed to execute the sequences of instructions contained in the main memory 1206. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.
The term “computer-readable medium” as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to the processor 1204 for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media (an example of non-transitory media) includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as the storage device 1210. Volatile media (another example of non-transitory media) includes dynamic memory, such as the main memory 1206. Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise the bus 1202. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications.
Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read.
Various forms of computer-readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to the processor 1204 for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to the computer system 1200 can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infrared transmitter to convert the data to an infrared signal. An infrared detector coupled to the bus 1202 can receive the data carried in the infrared signal and place the data on the bus 1202. The bus 1202 carries the data to the main memory 1206, from which the processor 1204 retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by the main memory 1206 may optionally be stored on the storage device 1210 either before or after execution by the processor 1204.
The computer system 1200 also includes a communication interface 1218 coupled to the bus 1202. The communication interface 1218 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 1220 that is connected to a local network 1222. For example, the communication interface 1218 may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, the communication interface 1218 may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, the communication interface 1218 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry data streams representing various types of information.
The network link 1220 typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other devices. For example, the network link 1220 may provide a connection through local network 1222 to a host computer 1224 or to equipment 1226 such as a radiation beam source or a switch operatively coupled to a radiation beam source. The data streams transported over the network link 1220 can comprise electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals. The signals through the various networks and the signals on the network link 1220 and through the communication interface 1218, which carry data to and from the computer system 1200, are exemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information. The computer system 1200 can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), the network link 1220, and the communication interface 1218.
Although particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present inventions, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present inventions. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. The present inventions are intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present inventions as defined by the claims.