Information processing method, information processing device, and computer program

Abstract

To provide an information processing method and the like that can support foot care of a patient and realize coordination with a medical institution.SOLUTION: An information processing method causes a computer to execute processing of: acquiring observation information including a foot image obtained by imaging feet of a user and the observation result about the condition of the feet and identification information of the user; associating the acquired observation information of the user with the identification information and storing them; and providing the stored observation information of the user to a medical institution associated with the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing method, an information processing device, and a computer program. [Background technology]

[0002] Diabetes is an intractable disease that causes various complications due to persistent metabolic disorders, the main pathology of which is chronic hyperglycemia. One of the complications of diabetes is diabetic foot disease. Diabetic foot disease occurs when arteriosclerosis progresses and blood circulation in the lower limbs deteriorates, resulting in ulcers and gangrene in the feet. The worsening of diabetic foot disease increases the risk of foot amputation. Therefore, techniques to treat diabetic foot disease have been proposed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for restoring the skin of necrotic sites in patients with diabetic foot disease to normal skin. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7216067 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The technology of Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration the prevention and early detection of diabetic foot lesions. Prevention and early detection of diabetic foot lesions are important to prevent diabetic foot lesions from becoming severe. Foot care by the patient is effective for the prevention and early detection of diabetic foot lesions. Furthermore, keeping track of the records of care by the patient at medical institutions leads to more appropriate medical treatment. Technology that supports patients' foot care and enables collaboration with medical institutions is desired.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an information processing method etc. that can support patients' foot care and realize collaboration with medical institutions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An information processing method according to one aspect of the present disclosure involves a computer executing a process to acquire observation information including a foot image of a user's foot and observation results regarding the condition of the foot, as well as identification information of the user, storing the acquired observation information of the user in association with the identification information, and providing the stored observation information of the user to a medical institution associated with the user.

[0008] A computer program according to one aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute a process of displaying a reception screen for accepting observation information including a foot image of a user's foot and observation results regarding the condition of the foot, accepting observation information from a user through the displayed reception screen, and outputting the accepted observation information and identification information of the user. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to support patients' foot care and realize collaboration with medical institutions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a support system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a support device, a patient terminal, and a medical institution terminal. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a user DB; [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of information stored in an observation DB. [Diagram 5] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure executed by the support system. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a reception screen displayed on a patient terminal. [Figure 7] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure executed by the support device of the second embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a support device, a patient terminal, and a medical institution terminal according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of an estimation model. [Figure 10] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure executed by the support device of the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The present disclosure will be specifically described with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments thereof.

[0012] (First embodiment) 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a support system 100 according to this embodiment. The support system 100 is a system that supports a patient in providing appropriate foot care. The support system 100 includes a support device 1, a patient terminal 2, a medical institution terminal 3, and a virtual space device 4. The support device 1, the patient terminal 2, the medical institution terminal 3, and the virtual space device 4 are each communicatively connected to a network N such as the Internet, and are capable of transmitting and receiving data via the network N.

[0013] The support device 1 is an information processing device capable of various information processing and information transmission and reception, such as a server computer, a personal computer, a quantum computer, etc. The support device 1 provides a support service that supports the implementation of foot care for patients. The support device 1 acquires observation information including foot images of the patient's foot and observation results on the foot condition through the patient terminal 2. The support device 1 stores the acquired observation information and provides it to a collaborating medical institution.

[0014] The patient terminal 2 is an information processing terminal having an image capturing function and a communication function, such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer. The patient terminal 2 is used by a patient, who is an example of a user. The patient in this embodiment is a diabetic patient who suffers from diabetes and is working to prevent diabetic foot lesions, but the user of the support system 100 is not limited to diabetic patients, and can be widely used by anyone who takes care of feet.

[0015] The medical institution terminal 3 is an information processing terminal having a communication function, such as a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc. The medical institution terminal 3 is installed in a medical facility such as a hospital or a testing institution, and is used by medical personnel such as doctors or nurses. The medical facility is a medical facility related to a patient, such as a medical facility to which the medical personnel in charge of the patient belongs.

[0016] The virtual space device 4 provides virtual space content related to diabetes to the patient. The virtual space device 4 is installed, for example, in a medical facility and can be used when the patient visits the hospital. The virtual space content is content related to virtual space including, for example, VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), MR (Mixed Reality), etc. In this embodiment, the virtual space device 4 is a VR goggle and provides a VR image to the user. The virtual space device 4 may be configured to provide the virtual space content through a content providing server (not shown).

[0017] The number of patient terminals 2, medical institution terminals 3, and virtual space devices 4 may be two or more, and may be set according to the number of patients and medical staff who use this system. The virtual space device 4 may be omitted.

[0018] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the support device 1, the patient terminal 2, and the medical institution terminal 3. The support device 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a communication unit 13. The support device 1 may be configured to perform distributed processing using a plurality of computers, may be realized by a plurality of virtual machines provided in one server, or may be realized using a cloud server. The support device 1 of this embodiment has a Web server function.

[0019] The control unit 11 is an arithmetic circuit including one or more central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), read only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), etc. The CPU or GPU included in the control unit 11 executes various computer programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 12, and controls the operation of each of the above-mentioned hardware units. Each of the functional units of the support device 1 may be realized by software, by hardware (e.g., FPGA or ASIC), or by a combination thereof.

[0020] The storage unit 12 includes a non-volatile memory such as a hard disk, a flash memory, or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 12 stores various computer programs and data referenced by the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 may be an external storage device connected to the support device 1. The storage unit 12 of this embodiment stores a program 1P for causing a computer to execute processes related to obtaining observation information, a user DB (Data Base) 121, and an observation DB 122. The program 1P causes the control unit 11 to execute each process and includes a program for realizing a Web server function.

[0021] The communication unit 13 includes a communication module that communicates with external devices via the network N. The control unit 11 receives observation information from the patient terminal 2 via the communication unit 13, transmits observation information to the medical institution terminal 3, and the like.

[0022] The configuration of the support device 1 is not limited to the above example, and may include, for example, a display unit for displaying various information, an operation unit for accepting user operations, and the like.

[0023] The patient terminal 2 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, a display unit 24, an operation unit 25, and an imaging unit 26.

[0024] The control unit 21 is an arithmetic circuit including one or more CPUs, GPUs, ROMs, RAMs, etc. The CPU or GPU included in the control unit 11 executes various computer programs stored in the ROM or storage unit 22, and controls the operation of each of the above-mentioned hardware units. Each functional unit of the patient terminal 2 may be realized by software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

[0025] The storage unit 22 includes a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory or SSD. The storage unit 22 stores various computer programs and data referenced by the control unit 21. The storage unit 22 of this embodiment stores a program 2P for causing a computer to execute processing related to the output of observation information. The program 2P may include a Web browser function. A general-purpose Web browser program stored in the storage unit 22 may be used as the program 2P. The program 2P accesses the support device 1 via the Web browser and executes processing related to the output of observation information. The program 2P is not limited to a Web application, and may be configured in the form of a native application that is installed in advance on the patient terminal 2.

[0026] The communication unit 23 includes a communication module that communicates with an external device via the network N. The control unit 21 transmits and receives various types of information to and from the support device 1 via the communication unit 23.

[0027] The display unit 24 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, etc. In accordance with instructions from the control unit 21, the display unit 24 displays various types of information, such as a screen for receiving observation information.

[0028] The operation unit 25 is an interface that accepts operations by a user. The operation unit 25 includes, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel device with a built-in display, a speaker, a microphone, etc. The operation unit 25 accepts operation input from a patient and sends a control signal to the control unit 21 according to the operation content.

[0029] The photographing unit 26 is, for example, a camera, and includes an image sensor such as a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or a charge coupled device (CCD). The photographing unit 26 photographs still images or moving images based on a control instruction from the control unit 21.

[0030] A computer program (computer program product) including the programs 1P and 2P may be provided by a non-transitory recording medium 1A or 2A on which the computer program is readably recorded. The storage units 12 and 22 store the computer program read from the recording medium 1A or 2A by a reading device (not shown). The recording medium 1A or 2A is, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory. The computer program may also be downloaded from an external server connected to a communication network and stored in the storage units 12 and 22. The programs 1P and 2P may be a single computer program or may be composed of multiple computer programs, and may be executed on a single computer or multiple computers interconnected by a communication network.

[0031] The medical institution terminal 3 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, a communication unit 33, a display unit 34, and an operation unit 35. The storage unit 32 stores a program for causing a computer to execute processing related to the display of observation information. The hardware configuration of the medical institution terminal 3 is similar to that of the patient terminal 2, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0032] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of information stored in the user DB 121. The user DB 121 is a database that stores information about patients. The user DB 121 stores records that link together information such as patient identification information, medical institution identification information, application content viewing history, and virtual space content viewing history, for example.

[0033] The patient identification information is information for identifying a patient, and includes, for example, a patient ID, a patient password, etc. The medical institution identification information is information for identifying a medical institution related (linked) to the patient, and includes, for example, a medical institution ID, a medical institution password, a device ID of the medical institution terminal 3, an IP address, etc. The number of medical institutions associated with one patient is not limited to one, and may be multiple. The patient identification information and the medical institution identification information are collected, for example, when the patient uses a service in the support system 100 for the first time, by the patient performing a registration operation using the patient terminal 2 on a registration screen provided by the support device 1.

[0034] The application content viewing history indicates the patient's viewing status for one or more application contents provided to the patient terminal 2 through a Web service by the support device 1. The application content viewing history column stores, for example, "Done" indicating that the content has been viewed, or "Not yet viewed" indicating that the content has not been viewed. The application content viewing history may also include the viewing date and time if the content has been viewed. The application content viewing history is collected by obtaining a record of access to the application content by the patient terminal 2.

[0035] The virtual space content viewing history indicates the viewing status of the patient with respect to one or more virtual space contents provided through the virtual space device 4. As with the application content viewing history, for example, "Done" or "Not yet" is stored in the virtual space content viewing history column. When virtual space content is viewed using the virtual space device 4, the support device 1 collects the virtual space content viewing history by receiving information indicating the patient who viewed the content and the viewed virtual space content from the virtual space device 4. The information in the user DB 121 may be updated at any time.

[0036] 4 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of information stored in the observation DB 122. The observation DB 122 is a database that stores observation information. The observation DB 122 stores records that link information such as patient identification information, observation date, foot image, and observation result using an ID as a key, for example.

[0037] The patient identification information is information for identifying a patient corresponding to the observation information. The user DB 121 and the observation DB 122 are associated with each other by the patient identification information. The observation date indicates the date on which the observation information was observed. The foot image is an image of the patient's foot. The foot image may be either a still image or a video. The observation result includes information indicating the result of the patient's own observation of the foot. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the observation result is represented by answers to a number of questions. The observation result column stores "yes" or "no" as the answer for each question. The observation result will be described in detail later.

[0038] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure executed by the support system 100. The processing in the following flowchart is executed by the control unit 11 according to a program 1P stored in the storage unit 12 of the support device 1, executed by the control unit 21 according to a program 2P stored in the storage unit 22 of the patient terminal 2, and executed by the control unit 31 according to a program stored in the storage unit 32 of the medical institution terminal 3. When the patient selects the program 2P using the patient terminal 2, the following processing is started within the Web service provided by the support device 1.

[0039] The control unit 21 of the patient terminal 2 acquires patient identification information (step S11) by accepting a login using account information based on the patient's operation of the operation unit 25. The control unit 21 transmits the acquired patient identification information to the support device 1 (step S12).

[0040] The control unit 11 of the support device 1 receives the patient identification information from the patient terminal 2 (step S13).

[0041] The control unit 21 of the patient terminal 2 displays a reception screen for receiving the observation information on the display unit 24 (step S14). The control unit 21 uses the displayed reception screen to receive the observation information including the foot image and the observation result based on the patient's operation of the operation unit 25 (step S15).

[0042] 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a reception screen 240 displayed on the patient terminal 2. When performing foot care, the patient observes the condition of his / her own foot and inputs the observation information obtained by the observation through the reception screen 240. The reception screen 240 is displayed in response to the selection of an icon labeled "Observation" from among menu icons provided at the bottom of the screen, for example.

[0043] The reception screen 240 includes an image reception section 241 that receives foot images, an observation result reception section 242 that receives observation results, and a registration button 243 that registers observation information. The image reception section 241 receives foot images obtained by photographing the patient's own feet. The image reception section 241 may, for example, receive foot images by controlling the photographing section 26 to read images photographed by the photographing section 26, or may receive foot images by reading images stored in the memory section 22. The foot images are preferably images taken on the observation date and include an imaging range from the toes to the ankles.

[0044] The observation result receiving unit 242 receives input of the observation date and the observation results related to the foot condition. In this embodiment, questions related to the foot condition are set in advance, and the observation results are received in the form of answers to the questions. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the answers are prepared in the form of multiple choice options. The support device 1 stores the preset questions and answer options for each question in the memory unit 22, and displays the questions and options on the observation result receiving unit 242.

[0045] Questions for accepting observations include questions to determine the possibility of diabetic foot disease, such as whether the fingertips are cold or painful, whether the skin is dry or has wounds, whether the foot has been observed, whether it has been washed, whether the nails are the appropriate length, whether the skin is keratinized (e.g., whether there are corns, calluses, etc.), whether there are cracks or wounds, whether socks have been changed, whether exercise has been performed, etc.

[0046] The patient can input the observation results by specifying the observation date using the operation unit 15 and selecting an answer that applies to the foot condition on the observation date from among the answer options associated with each question. After registering the foot image and inputting answers to all items, the patient selects the registration button 243, and the control unit 21 accepts the observation information including the foot image and the observation results.

[0047] Returning to Fig. 5, the description will continue. The control unit 21 transmits the received foot image and observation information including the observation result to the support device 1 (step S16).

[0048] The control unit 11 of the support device 1 receives the observation information from the patient terminal 2 (step S17). The control unit 11 stores the received observation information in the observation DB 122 in association with the patient identification information (step S18).

[0049] The control unit 11 specifies medical institution identification information associated with the patient identified by the acquired patient identification information based on the information stored in the user DB 121 (step S19). The control unit 11 transmits the acquired observation information and patient identification information of the patient to the medical institution terminal 3 of the medical institution identified by the specified medical institution identification information, i.e., the medical institution associated with the patient (step S20). Note that the patient identification information transmitted to the medical institution terminal 3 is not limited to the same as the patient identification information acquired in step S11, but may be any information capable of identifying the patient corresponding to the observation information. For example, the control unit 11 may transmit to the medical institution terminal 3 patient information (for example, a patient number issued for each medical institution) commonly held between the support device 1 and the medical institution terminal 3.

[0050] The control unit 31 of the medical institution terminal 3 receives the observation information and the patient identification information from the support device 1 (step S21). The control unit 31 displays the received observation information and the patient identification information on the display unit 34 (step S22). The medical staff can understand the condition of the patient's foot through the display unit 34.

[0051] In the above process, when the support device 1 acquires observation information from the patient, the support device 1 may issue points to the patient.

[0052] According to the above-mentioned process, by using this system, patients can perform efficient and effective foot observations, and can favorably support foot care for patients. The observation items required for determining the possibility of diabetic foot lesions are displayed on the reception screen, so even patients without specialized knowledge can perform appropriate observations.

[0053] By providing the observation information to the medical institution, the medical institution can keep track of the patient's care records, and cooperation with the medical institution is realized. By performing the above-mentioned registration work every time the patient performs self-observation, medical staff can keep track of the condition of the patient's feet even when the patient is not visiting the hospital, which leads to the prevention and early detection of diabetic foot lesions and reduces the risk of foot amputation. If the patient writes the results of self-observation on a paper checklist, there is a risk that even if the checklist is submitted to the medical institution at a later date, the results will not be reflected in the patient data held by the medical institution. According to this embodiment, the patient's observation information is reliably provided to the medical institution, and the effectiveness of foot care for the patient can be improved.

[0054] In the above process, the timing of providing the observation information to the medical institution terminal 3 is not limited, and the support device 1 may transmit new observation information to the medical institution terminal 3 each time it obtains new observation information, or may transmit the observation information at a preset transmission timing. The support device 1 may accept a display request transmitted from the medical institution terminal 3 at any timing, and transmit the observation information in response to the received display request. The support device 1 may provide the medical institution terminal 3 with a collection of observation information relating to a specific period or number of days. The convenience of the present system is improved by enabling medical staff to obtain any amount of observation information at any timing of their choice.

[0055] After outputting the observation information to the medical institution terminal 3, the support device 1 may acquire response information from a medical professional regarding the output observation information. The response information includes, for example, a notification that the observation information has been confirmed, a comment on the observation information, and the like. The support device 1 transmits the acquired response information to the patient terminal 2. With the above configuration, it is possible to grasp the reaction of a medical professional to self-care, thereby increasing the patient's motivation for self-care. The support device 1 may transmit past observation information to the patient terminal 2 in response to a display request transmitted from the patient terminal 2 at any timing.

[0056] The support device 1 may provide the observation information to the medical institution by linking with an electronic medical record system (not shown) accessible by the medical institution terminal 3. The electronic medical record system is a system that electronically records, stores, and manages the medical records of patients. A medical professional can access the electronic medical record system using the medical institution terminal 3 and record the details of the medical treatment of the patient performed at the medical institution in the electronic medical record. The support device 1 uploads, for example, the observation information of the patient to the electronic medical record system. The electronic medical record system stores the medical record of the patient in association with the observation information based on the patient identification information. According to the above configuration, the medical record and the observation information can be checked together, which leads to more appropriate medical treatment and improves convenience.

[0057] Second embodiment The support system 100 of the second embodiment provides various contents related to diabetes to a patient. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure executed by the support device 1 of the second embodiment.

[0058] The control unit 11 of the support device 1 provides application content related to diabetes to the patient terminal 2 (step S31). The application content may be provided so that it can be viewed by the patient at any time. For example, the patient can select an icon labeled "Content" from the menu icons provided at the bottom of the screen illustrated in FIG. 6 by operating the operation unit 25 to display a content viewing screen, and can view the application content provided by the support device 1. When multiple application contents are prepared, the system may be configured to accept a selection of the application content that the patient wishes to view, based on the operation of the operation unit 25 by the patient.

[0059] The control unit 11 acquires the browsing history of the application content of the patient (step S32). For example, the control unit 11 identifies the patient identification information of the patient who requested the application content and the type of the requested application content based on the application content request received from the patient terminal 2. The control unit 11 stores the acquired browsing history of the application content in the user DB 121 in association with the patient identification information (step S33).

[0060] The control unit 11 acquires the browsing history of the virtual space content of the patient through the virtual space device 4 (step S34). When providing the virtual space content, the virtual space device 4 accepts input of the patient identification information of the patient who is to browse the virtual space content and selection of the virtual space content that the patient wishes to browse, and transmits the accepted patient identification information and type of the virtual space content to the support device 1. The control unit 11 stores the acquired browsing history of the virtual space content in the user DB 121 in association with the patient identification information (step S35).

[0061] The control unit 11 reads out the viewing history of the application content and the virtual space content of the patient based on the information stored in the user DB 121, and transmits the read viewing history to the patient terminal 2 of the patient identified by the patient identification information (step S36). The viewing history includes, for example, the date the content was viewed and the type of the content viewed. The patient terminal 2 receives the viewing history from the support device 1, and displays the received viewing history, for example, on a history display screen. The history information may be transmitted to the medical institution terminal 3 associated with the patient and displayed on the medical institution terminal 3.

[0062] The support system 100 may be configured to provide only either the application content or the virtual space content. In this case, the support device 1 may collect and provide the viewing history of either one of the contents. Based on the viewing history, the support device 1 may perform processing such as sending a message encouraging viewing to a patient whose viewing record does not meet a predetermined standard, or issuing points to a patient whose viewing record meets a predetermined standard.

[0063] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide the patient with content related to diabetes, and the patient's understanding of diabetes can be enhanced. For example, by providing content showing how to observe the feet, more accurate foot observation is possible, and the effectiveness of the present system is improved. By providing the browsing history to the patient or medical institution, the browsing situation can be clearly understood, and services and guidance according to the browsing situation can be provided. By providing the virtual space content through the virtual space device 4, the effectiveness of the content viewing experience is further enhanced. By providing both the application content and the virtual space content, it is possible to browse a variety of content.

[0064] Third embodiment The support system 100 of the third embodiment estimates the possibility of diabetic foot lesions based on observation information. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the support device 1, the patient terminal 2, and the medical institution terminal 3 of the third embodiment. The storage unit 12 of the support device 1 in the third embodiment stores an estimation model 123. The estimation model 123 is a machine learning model that has learned predetermined training data. It is expected that the estimation model 123 will be used as a program module constituting part of artificial intelligence software.

[0065] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the estimation model 123. The estimation model 123 receives a patient's foot image as an input and outputs information indicating whether or not the patient has a diabetic foot lesion. The estimation model 123 is, for example, a convolutional neural network (CNN), which is a type of neural network. The estimation model 123 includes an input layer to which the foot image is input, an output layer that outputs whether or not the patient has a diabetic foot lesion, and an intermediate layer (hidden layer). The intermediate layer may include a convolution layer, a pooling layer, a fully connected layer, and the like. The intermediate layer has a plurality of nodes that extract image features, and transfers the features extracted using various parameters to the output layer. When a foot image is input to the input layer, a calculation is performed in the intermediate layer using the learned parameters, and output information indicating a classification result of whether or not the patient has a diabetic foot lesion is output from the output layer.

[0066] The estimation model 123 can be generated by preparing training data in which labels indicating the possibility of diabetic foot lesions are associated with foot images, and using the training data to train an untrained neural network. For example, a judgment result by an experienced doctor is used as the correct label.

[0067] The support device 1 inputs a plurality of foot images included in the training data to the input layer of the pre-learning neural network model, and obtains the presence or absence of a possibility output from the output layer through arithmetic processing in the intermediate layer. The support device 1 compares the presence or absence of a possibility of a diabetic foot lesion output from the output layer with the presence or absence of a possibility of a diabetic foot lesion included in the training data, and optimizes parameters such as the weights between neurons using, for example, backpropagation so that the presence or absence of a possibility of a diabetic foot lesion output from the output layer approaches a correct answer value. The estimation model 123 may be constructed by an external device and deployed to the support device 1.

[0068] The estimation model 123 may be configured to further use the observation results as input elements. A plurality of foot images acquired in time series and the observation results acquired in time series may be input to the input layer of the estimation model 123.

[0069] The output layer of the estimation model 123 is not limited to estimating the possibility of diabetic foot lesion as "yes" or "no," and may output, for example, a plurality of possibility levels classified according to the degree of possibility, or may output a numerical value indicating the possibility as a percentage. The output layer of the estimation model 123 may be configured to detect a lesion included in the foot image. In this case, the support device 1 can derive the possibility of diabetic foot lesion based on the result of the lesion detection by the estimation model 123. For example, when a lesion is detected from the foot image, it can be determined that there is a possibility of diabetic foot lesion.

[0070] The configuration of the estimation model 123 is not limited to the above example, but may be any model capable of identifying the possibility of diabetic foot lesions from foot images. The estimation model 123 may be a model constructed using other learning algorithms, such as a recurrent neural network (RNN), a transformer, a support vector machine (SVM), a decision tree, etc. The estimation model 123 is not limited to a machine learning model, and may be one that estimates the possibility of diabetic foot lesions using a rule-based method or various image analysis methods.

[0071] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure executed by the support device 1 of the third embodiment. When the control unit 11 of the support device 1 acquires a foot image from the patient terminal 2, the control unit 11 inputs the acquired foot image to the estimation model 123 (step S41). The control unit 11 acquires the possibility of diabetic foot lesion output from the estimation model 123 (step S42).

[0072] The control unit 11 transmits the obtained possibility of diabetic foot lesion to the patient terminal 2 of the patient identified by the patient identification information associated with the foot image (step S43). The patient terminal 2 receives the possibility of diabetic foot lesion from the support device 1 and displays the received possibility of diabetic foot lesion on the display unit 24. The possibility of diabetic foot lesion may be output through a screen displayed based on the program 2P, or may be output using an email function, a push notification function, or the like. The possibility of diabetic foot lesion may be transmitted to the medical institution terminal 3 associated with the patient and displayed on the medical institution terminal 3.

[0073] In the above process, only when there is a possibility of diabetic foot lesion or the degree of the possibility is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the support device 1 may output the estimation result of the possibility of diabetic foot lesion to the patient terminal 2 or the medical institution terminal 3. According to the above configuration, the output of the estimation result has an alert function, so that the possibility of diabetic foot lesion can be notified more reliably and earlier.

[0074] If the support device 1 estimates that there is a possibility of diabetic foot disease, it may output, in addition to the estimation result, a message encouraging the user to watch content that is effective in preventing the progression of diabetic foot disease, a message introducing products that are effective in preventing the progression of diabetic foot disease, a message encouraging early medical treatment, etc.

[0075] According to this embodiment, the possibility of diabetic foot lesions can be estimated based on observation information, which improves the effectiveness of self-care for patients and increases the utility value of the system. Since the possibility of diabetic foot lesions can be estimated based on foot images using the estimation model 123, the utility of the observation information is improved and the possibility of diabetic foot lesions can be estimated without performing complicated tests.

[0076] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered as limiting. The technical features described in each embodiment can be combined with each other, and the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications within the scope of the claims and the scope equivalent to the claims. The sequences shown in each embodiment are not limited, and the order of each process may be changed and multiple processes may be executed in parallel, as long as there is no contradiction. The subject of each process is not limited, and the process of each device may be executed by another device, as long as there is no contradiction.

[0077] The matters described in each embodiment can be combined with each other. In addition, the independent claims and dependent claims described in the claims can be combined with each other in any and all combinations regardless of the citation format. Furthermore, the claims use a format in which a claim cites two or more other claims (multiple claim format), but this is not limited to this. A multiple claim (multi-multi claim) that cites at least one multiple claim may also be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 100 Support system, 1 Support device, 11 Control unit, 12 Memory unit, 13 Communication unit, 1P program, 1A Recording medium, 123 Estimation model, 2 Patient terminal, 21 Control unit, 22 Memory unit, 23 Communication unit, 24 Display unit, 25 Operation unit, 26 Shooting unit, 2P program, 2A Recording medium, 3 Medical institution terminal, 31 Control unit, 32 Memory unit, 33 Communication unit, 34 Display unit, 35 Operation unit, 4 Virtual space device

Claims

1. Obtaining a foot image of a user and observation information including observation results regarding a foot condition, and identification information of the user; storing the obtained observation information and identification information of the user in association with each other; Providing the stored observation information of the user to a medical institution associated with the user An information processing method in which processing is performed by a computer.

2. estimating a possibility of diabetic foot disease in the user based on the foot image of the user; The estimated possibility of diabetic foot disease is provided to the user or the medical institution. The information processing method according to claim 1 .

3. providing the user with content relating to diabetes that is viewable; Obtaining a browsing history of the diabetes-related content of the user 3. The information processing method according to claim 1.

4. acquiring a browsing history of the user of virtual space content related to diabetes provided through a virtual space device; The acquired browsing history of the virtual space content and the browsing history of the diabetes-related content are associated with each other and provided to the user or the medical institution. The information processing method according to claim 3.

5. The observation results include responses to a number of observation items regarding the condition of the foot.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1.

6. Obtaining a foot image of a user and observation information including observation results regarding a foot condition, and identification information of the user; storing the obtained observation information and identification information of the user in association with each other; Providing the stored observation information of the user to a medical institution Equipped with a control unit that executes processing Information processing device.

7. displaying a reception screen for receiving observation information including an image of the user's foot and an observation result regarding the condition of the foot; Accepting observation information from a user through the displayed acceptance screen; Outputting the received observation information and the user's identification information A computer program for causing a computer to execute a process.

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