Patent Application
20180268104
The present disclosure relates to the field of healthcare services, and in particular, to apparatuses, methods and storage media associated with providing a tagged video record of a healthcare service.
An aspect of providing healthcare services is preparing accurate records and notes, which may be extensive in some situations or practices. For some healthcare providers, the preparation of healthcare service records and notes may entail significant effort and time, which may reduce the time that the provider may otherwise devote to serving patients directly. In some practices, providers may prepare written or typed notes, either while providing healthcare services for a patient or afterwards. In other practices, providers may provide oral or spoken notes that may be transcribed by a human transcriptionist or a computer-based voice recognition system. These healthcare records or notes typically include just a summary of the healthcare services that are provided and/or observations or conclusions that may be reached in connection with providing the healthcare services.
Embodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. To facilitate this description, like reference numerals designate like structural elements. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, and in which is shown by way of illustrated embodiments that may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Various operations may be described as multiple discrete actions or operations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should not be construed to imply that the various operations are necessarily order-dependent. In particular, these operations might not be performed in the order of presentation. Operations described may be performed in a different order than the described embodiments. Various additional operations might be performed, or described operations might be omitted in additional embodiments.
The description may use the phrases “in an embodiment”, “in an implementation”, or in “embodiments” or “implementations”, which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “comprising”, “including”, “having”, and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of the present disclosure, are synonymous.
Also, it is noted that example embodiments may be described as a process depicted with a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process may be terminated when its operations are completed, but may also have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, and the like. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to a return of the function to the calling function a main function.
As disclosed herein, the term “memory” may represent one or more hardware devices for storing data, including random access memory (RAM), magnetic RAM, core memory, read only memory (ROM), magnetic disk storage mediums, optical storage mediums, flash memory devices or other machine readable mediums for storing data. The term “computer-readable medium” may include, but is not limited to, memory, portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, and various other mediums capable of storing, containing or carrying instructions or data.
Furthermore, example embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware or microcode, the program code or code segments to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in a machine or computer readable medium. A code segment may represent a procedure, a function, a subprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, program code, a software package, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures, program statements, and the like.
As used herein, the term “network element”, may be considered synonymous to or referred to as a networked computer, networking hardware, network equipment, router, switch, hub, bridge, gateway, or other like device. The term “network element” may describe a physical computing device of a network with wired or wireless communication links. Furthermore, the term “network element” may describe equipment that provides radio baseband functions for data or voice connectivity between a network and one or more users.
In one embodiment, video camera 105 may be positioned to form digital video record 130 of or relating to healthcare service 115 that may be provided to a patient by a healthcare provider, in-person, wherein the digital video record 130 may include the healthcare provider and/or the patient. In another embodiment, video camera 105 may be positioned to form digital video record 130 of or relating to healthcare service 115, which may include a consultation or other healthcare service, that may be provided to a patient by a healthcare provider remotely, such as over a digital network. In embodiments relating to healthcare series that may be provided remotely, a video camera 105 may be positioned to form digital video record 130 of or relating to the healthcare provider that provides the healthcare service 115, and another video camera 105 may be positioned to form a digital video record 130 of or relating to the patient that receives the healthcare service 115.
The tagged video record 110 may include one or more information or data components which may include any or all of digital video record 130, which may include a digital image component 133 of or relating to healthcare service 115 and an audio component 135, which may include a continuous audio record of or relating to healthcare service 115. In some embodiments, digital image component 133 may include continuous moving imagery as may be exemplified by conventional video. In other embodiments, digital image component 133 may additionally or alternatively include successive still images. Tagged video record 110 may include one or more healthcare data records 140, which may include patient healthcare data other than that of digital video 130 and may include patient healthcare data such as, for example, pulse rate, blood pressure, healthcare imagery, healthcare provider notations, etc., and/or one or more healthcare service tags 145, which may indicate one or more selected portions, times, or segments within healthcare service 115.
For example, one or more healthcare service tags 145 may indicate particular portions of the healthcare service 115, such as start and/or end times of selected examinations, procedures, and/or consultations. In embodiments, the one or more healthcare service tags 145 may be manually keyed or otherwise entered by the healthcare provider into computer 120 during healthcare service 115, or may be identified from tagged video record 110, such as by particular spoken words or other sounds initiated by the healthcare provider or by particular images in the tagged video record 110. In some embodiments, healthcare service tags 145, such as spoken words, may be identified within tagged video record 110 manually during subsequent review of tagged video record 110 by a transcriptionist, for example, or may be identified within tagged video record 110 by a voice recognition system.
The tagged video record 110 may be stored on computer 120 and/or another computer that may be local to or remote from video camera 105. As an example embodiment, the tagged video record 110 may be transmitted over a digital network 150, which may include a local private digital network and/or a public digital network such as the Internet, for storage at and subsequent retrieval from a tagged video storage system 155, which may include an application server 160 and/or a database 165. Tagged video record 110 may be subsequently accessed from tagged video storage system 155 in connection with a review of the record, such as by a healthcare provider, and one or more selected segments of the tagged video record 110 may be readily searched and/or accessed by selecting, referencing, or searching the corresponding healthcare service tags 145. As a result, tagged video record 110 may provide in combination a complete video record of healthcare service 115 and convenient ready access one or more tagged segments of healthcare service 115. Whenever tagged video record 110 is stored on computer 120 and/or another computer that may be local to video camera 105, computer 120 and/or another computer that may be local to video camera 105 may operate analogous to tagged video storage system 155.
In embodiments, patient tagged video record system 220 may generate a patient tagged video record 250, and provider tagged video record system 230 may generate a provider tagged video record 260. Patient tagged video record system 220 and provider tagged video record system 230 may be in communication with each other over digital network 240. Patient tagged video record system 220 may provide patient tagged video record 250 or portions of it to provider tagged video record system 230 and to a tagged video storage system 270, which may be analogous and operate similar to tagged video storage system 155 (
At operation 305, a patient tagged video record of a healthcare service may be generated by a patient tagged video record system. In embodiments, the patient tagged video record may include a digital video component, which may include a patient audio component, and may include one or more healthcare data records that may be provided by the patient.
At operation 310, the patient tagged video record may be transmitted by the patient tagged video record system to a tagged video storage system. In embodiments, the patient tagged video record may be transmitted to a tagged video storage system over a digital network that may include the Internet.
At operation 315, a provider tagged video record of a healthcare service may be generated by a provider tagged video record system. In embodiments, the provider tagged video record may include a digital video component, which may include a provider audio component, and may include one or more healthcare data records that may be provided or obtained by the provider.
At operation 320, one or more healthcare service tags that may indicate one or more selected portions, times, or segments within healthcare service, may be received from the healthcare provider. The healthcare service tags may be keyed by the healthcare provider into the provider tagged video record system and/or may be identified or correspond to particular words spoken by the healthcare provider. For example, the phrase “begin examination” may indicate the start of an examination portion of a healthcare service. In some embodiments, spoken healthcare service tags, as well as other comments, notes, observations, etc. spoken by the healthcare provider, may be identified and transcribed by a voice recognition system to the provider tagged video record, or may be later transcribed and indicated in the tagged video record by a human transcriptionist/operator.
At operation 325, the provider tagged video record may be transmitted by the provider tagged video record system to the tagged video storage system. In embodiments, the provider tagged video record may be transmitted to the tagged video storage system over a digital network that may include the Internet.
At operation 330, the patient tagged video record may be time-correlated or synchronized with the provider tagged video record by the tagged video storage system. As a result, healthcare service tags that may be applied to or in the provider tagged video record may be correlated with corresponding portions of the patient tagged video record.
In some embodiments, a video camera such as a video camera 105, which may operate in combination with a computer 120, may be local to and/or present with the patient and may be referred to as a patient video camera 105. In such embodiments, the patient video camera 105 may be used in substitution for patient tagged video record system 100 in process 300. In such embodiments, references in the description of process 300 to patient tagged video record may refer to a video record that may be generated by patient video camera 105.
At operation 405, a tagged video record of a healthcare service may be generated by a tagged video record system. In embodiments, the tagged video record may include a digital video component, which may include an audio component, and may include one or more healthcare data records that may be provided or obtained by the provider.
At operation 410, one or more healthcare service tags that may indicate one or more selected portions, times, or segments within healthcare service, may be received from and/or entered by the healthcare provider.
At operation 415, the tagged video record may be transmitted by the tagged video record system to the tagged video storage system. In embodiments, the provider tagged video record may be transmitted to the tagged video storage system over a digital network that may include the Internet.
At operation 505, a tagged video record of a healthcare service may be accessed from a tagged video storage system. In embodiments, the tagged video record may include a digital video component, which may include an audio component, and may include one or more healthcare service tags that may indicate one or more selected portions, times, or segments within healthcare service. In embodiments, the tagged video record may include one or more healthcare data records that may be provided or obtained by the provider. In embodiments, the tagged video record may be accessed from the tagged video storage system over a digital network that may include the Internet.
At operation 510, one or more healthcare service tags may be searched and/or accessed within the tagged video record.
At operation 515, one or more selected portions, times, or segments and/or one or more healthcare data records that may be in the tagged video record in association with the one or more healthcare service tags that may accessed and/or retrieved.
Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and described herein for purposes of description, a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent embodiments or implementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for the embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein, limited only by the claims.
