Information processing method, program, and information processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide an information processing method, and the like, for assisting shopping of a patient in a medical treatment facility.SOLUTION: An information processing method causes a computer to execute a process of acquiring, via a user interface 20, a request to serve / deliver an article to a patient bedroom of a patient who is in treatment in a medical treatment facility, from a person who is staying in the medical treatment facility, and outputting, to a robot, an instruction to transport the article corresponding to the acquired serving / delivering request to the patient bedroom of the patient. The method includes: referring to a storage unit that stores restrictions for purchase of commodities for each patient, to determine whether the article corresponding to the serving / delivering request is restricted for service / delivery; and outputting, when the article is restricted for service / delivery, information indicating unavailability of service / delivery via the user interface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] An information processing method has been proposed in which a request for room service or the like is received from a user interface installed in a guest room of an accommodation facility, and the requested item is transported by a transport robot (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-205053 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the information processing method of Patent Document 1 cannot provide support for transportation and delivery to patients hospitalized in medical facilities.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is to provide an information processing method that supports the transportation and delivery of goods to patients in medical facilities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The information processing method involves a computer executing a process in which a request for the distribution and delivery of items to the hospital room of a patient undergoing treatment at a medical facility is acquired via a user interface from a person staying at the medical facility, and an instruction is output to a robot to transport the items corresponding to the acquired distribution and delivery request to the patient's hospital room. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In one aspect, it is possible to provide an information processing method or the like that supports the transportation and delivery of goods to patients in medical facilities. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an outline of the operation of the information processing system. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the record layout of a purchase restriction DB. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing of a program when a purchase request is made. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing of a program when registering a purchase restriction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] [Embodiment 1] In medical facilities, various restrictions such as dietary restrictions or fluid restrictions may be imposed on patients due to the necessity of treatment. If the information processing method of Patent Document 1 is introduced into a medical facility, there is a possibility that restricted items may be delivered to patients.

[0010] If patients were prohibited from requesting delivery of items to their rooms in order to prevent the purchase of such prohibited items, the delivery and delivery requests of items that are not originally restricted would also be restricted, which would lower the patient's quality of life (QOL).Furthermore, nurses and nursing assistants would have to help patients obtain daily necessities and other items necessary for hospital life, which would increase their workload.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram outlining the operation of information processing system 40. The information processing method shown in FIG. 1 is used for a shopping support service for patients hospitalized in a medical facility. The shopping support service is an example of a service that arranges and delivers items to hospital rooms. Products provided by the shopping support service are examples of items that are requested to be arranged and delivered to hospital rooms. The following explanation will be given using an example where a patient is staying in a private room and uses the shopping support service himself / herself. Note that a person other than the patient may also use the shopping support service to arrange for the arrangement and delivery of items to the patient's hospital room.

[0012] The information processing system 40 includes an information processing device 10 and a user interface 20. The user interface 20 is an information device such as a smart speaker placed in a hospital room 45 (see FIG. 2). The information processing device 10 is a server, a cloud system, or the like connected to the user interface 20 via a network.

[0013] The patient vocalizes a request for product purchase. The user interface 20 acquires the voice uttered by the user. The user interface 20 generates a purchase item query based on the acquired voice and transmits it to the information processing device 10.

[0014] The information processing device 10 determines whether or not the product included in the purchase item query can be purchased based on the purchase restriction DB 56 described below. If it is determined that the product can be purchased, a delivery instruction is sent to the robot 31. The robot 31 transports the product, for example, from an in-hospital store to the patient's room 45. If it is determined that the product cannot be purchased, the patient is notified via the user interface 20 that the purchase of the requested product is not permitted.

[0015] As a result, it is possible to provide an information processing system 40 that can both prevent the purchase of products that are subject to purchase restrictions and support the purchase of products that are not subject to purchase restrictions. The purchase restrictions are an example of the restrictions on food delivery and catering.

[0016] 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the information processing system 40. As described above, the information processing system 40 includes an information processing device 10 and a user interface 20. The information processing device 10 and the user interface 20 are connected via a network. The user interface 20 is located in a patient room 45.

[0017] The information processing device 10 includes a first control unit 11, a main memory device 12, an auxiliary memory device 13, a communication unit 14, a reading unit 19, and a bus. The first control unit 11 is an arithmetic and control device that executes a program 97 of this embodiment. The first control unit 11 uses one or more central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), multi-core CPUs, etc. The first control unit 11 is connected to each hardware unit that constitutes the information processing device 10 via the bus.

[0018] The main memory device 12 is a memory device such as an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), a flash memory, etc. The main memory device 12 temporarily stores information required during processing performed by the first control unit 11 and a program 97 currently being executed by the first control unit 11.

[0019] The auxiliary storage device 13 is a storage device such as an SRAM, flash memory, hard disk, or magnetic tape. The auxiliary storage device 13 stores a purchase limit database (DB) 56, a program 97 to be executed by the first control unit 11, and various data required for executing the program 97. The purchase limit DB 56 is an example of a storage unit that stores product purchase limits for each patient. In other words, the purchase limit DB is an example of a storage unit that stores item distribution and delivery limits for each patient. The purchase limit DB 56 may be stored in an external mass storage device connected to the information processing device 10.

[0020] The communication unit 14 is an interface for communicating with the network. The reading unit 19 is a device for reading the portable recording medium 96 on which the program 97 is recorded. The first control unit 11 reads the program 97 recorded on the portable recording medium 96, the semiconductor memory 98, or another server computer connected via the network, and stores it in the auxiliary storage device 13.

[0021] The information processing device 10 is a general-purpose personal computer, a tablet, a mainframe computer, or a virtual machine running on a mainframe computer. The information processing device 10 may be configured with hardware such as multiple personal computers or mainframe computers that perform distributed processing. The information processing device 10 may also be configured with a cloud computing system. The information processing device 10 may also be configured with hardware such as multiple personal computers or mainframe computers that operate in cooperation with each other.

[0022] The user interface 20 includes a second control unit 21, a main memory device 22, an auxiliary memory device 23, a communication unit 24, a touch panel 25, a microphone 26, a speaker 27, a camera 28, and a bus. The second control unit 21 is an arithmetic and control device that executes the program 97 of this embodiment. The second control unit 21 uses one or more CPUs, GPUs, multi-core CPUs, etc. The second control unit 21 is connected to each hardware unit that constitutes the user interface 20 via the bus.

[0023] The main memory device 22 is a memory device such as an SRAM, a DRAM, a flash memory, etc. The main memory device 22 temporarily stores information required during the processing performed by the second control unit 21 and a program 97 being executed by the second control unit 21.

[0024] The auxiliary storage device 23 is a storage device such as an SRAM, a flash memory, a hard disk, a magnetic tape, etc. The auxiliary storage device 23 stores a program 97 to be executed by the second control unit 21 and various data required for executing the program 97.

[0025] The communication unit 24 is an interface for communicating with a network. The user interface 20 is an information device such as a smart speaker, a tablet, or a smartphone.

[0026] The program 97 executed by the second control unit 21 is a part of the program 97 read by the first control unit 11 from the portable recording medium 96, and is stored in the auxiliary storage device 23 via the network. The second control unit 21 may read the program 97 recorded in another server computer connected via the network and store it in the auxiliary storage device 23.

[0027] The touch panel 25, microphone 26, speaker 27, and camera 28 are either built into the user interface 20 or attached externally.

[0028] The robot 31 is a humanoid robot that can move autonomously within a medical facility, for example. Detailed explanations of the configuration of the robot 31 will be omitted. The robot 31 receives an instruction to transport merchandise from the shop to a patient room 45 from the first control unit 11 via the network.

[0029] The robot 31 goes to the store, pays for the specified item, and transports it to the patient's room 45. The cost of the item is paid from the patient's account, for example, by electronic payment. The cost of the item is recorded in association with the number of the patient's room 45, and may be paid together with the hospitalization fee.

[0030] Instructions regarding the products may be sent to the staff at the store, and the robot 31 may only be responsible for receiving the products from the staff at the store and transporting them to the patient room 45. Instead of the robot 31, for example, a concierge staff member in charge of services other than medical treatment may receive instructions regarding the products and the patient room 45 via an information device such as a smartphone, and deliver the products from the store to the patient room 45.

[0031] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the record layout of the purchase restriction DB 56. The purchase restriction DB 56 is a DB that stores product purchase restrictions for each patient. The purchase restriction DB 56 has a patient name field, a hospital room number field, and a purchase restriction field. The patient name is recorded in the patient name field. The hospital room number field is recorded in the hospital room number. The purchase restriction field records products that are restricted for purchase by the patient. The purchase restriction DB 56 has one record for each patient. The method of registering information in the purchase restriction DB 56 will be described later.

[0032] 4 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the program 97 when a purchase request is made. The second control unit 21 acquires the voice uttered by the patient via the microphone 26 (step S571). The second control unit 21 analyzes the voice and determines what product the patient wishes to purchase (step S572).

[0033] The second control unit 21 may determine the product in cooperation with a voice recognition server and a language analysis server (not shown). The second control unit 21 may generate a query using an image captured by the camera 28 in addition to the voice. For example, the patient can specify the product they want by holding an empty box of daily necessities up to the camera 28 and saying, "One of the same thing."

[0034] The second control unit 21 determines whether the product the patient wants is clear (step S573). If it is determined that the product is not clear (NO in step S573), the second control unit 21 outputs an additional question from the speaker 27 (step S577). The second control unit 21 returns to step S571.

[0035] A specific example will be given. For example, if the patient simply instructs, "I would like to purchase water," the second control unit 21 determines in step S573 that the amount to be purchased is unclear. In step S577, the second control unit 21 outputs a follow-up question, "How much do you need?" By repeating the above process, the second control unit 21 can clarify the product that the patient wants.

[0036] If it is determined that the information is clear (YES in step S573), the second control unit 21 sends a purchase request to the information processing device 10 (step S574). The purchase request is an example of a request for the arrangement and delivery of goods. The purchase request includes information about the product and information about the patient for whom the purchase is made. The information about the patient is, for example, the patient's name and the number of the hospital room 45 in which the patient is admitted. The information about the patient may also include information about the payment method for the product price. Thereafter, the second control unit 21 ends the processing.

[0037] The first control unit 11 receives the purchase request (step S671). The first control unit 11 determines whether the purchase is permitted (step S672). If the purchase request includes multiple products, the first control unit 11 executes the processes from step S672 onward for each product.

[0038] Specifically, the first control unit 11 searches the purchase restriction DB 56 using the patient name or hospital room number as a key and extracts a record. The first control unit 11 determines whether the product included in the purchase request corresponds to the item listed in the purchase restriction field of the extracted record. If not, the first control unit 11 determines that the purchase is permitted.

[0039] If it is determined that the product can be purchased (YES in step S672), the first control unit 11 sends an instruction to the robot 31 to transport the product from the store to the hospital room 45. If it is determined that the product cannot be purchased (NO in step S672), the first control unit 11 sends a response message to the user interface 20 indicating that the requested product cannot be purchased (step S675).

[0040] The response sentence is a standard sentence determined for each item whose purchase is restricted, such as "Water cannot be purchased because drinking water is restricted." The response sentence may be generated each time a message is sent using a language model.

[0041] The second control unit 21 receives the response sentence through interrupt processing (step S575). The second control unit 21 outputs the response sentence by voice via the speaker 27 (step S576). The patient can recognize that the product cannot be purchased.

[0042] If it is determined that the item is not available for purchase (NO in step S672), the first control unit 11 may notify the medical staff that the patient attempted to purchase an item that is not available for purchase. The first control unit 11 may record in the auxiliary storage device 13 that the patient attempted to purchase an item that is not available for purchase, and may notify the medical staff if the same behavior is repeated multiple times. The medical staff may, for example, explain to the patient why the purchase restriction is necessary and encourage the patient to actively participate in treatment.

[0043] 5 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing by program 97 when registering a purchase limit. Program 97 in FIG.

[0044] The second control unit 21 acquires voice via the microphone 26 (step S581). The second control unit 21 analyzes the voice and determines whether or not a keyword that instructs registration in the purchase restriction DB 56, such as "purchase restriction," is included (step S582). The second control unit 21 may determine whether or not a keyword is included in cooperation with a voice recognition server and a language analysis server (not shown).

[0045] If it is determined that the keyword is not included (NO in step S582), the second control unit 21 returns to step S581. If it is determined that the keyword is included (YES in step S582), the second control unit 21 determines the speaker who uttered the keyword by audio analysis or image analysis (step S583).

[0046] The second control unit 21 determines whether the speaker is qualified to register in the purchase restriction DB 56 (step S584). A person qualified may be, for example, the patient's doctor. If it is determined that the speaker is not qualified (NO in step S584), the second control unit 21 returns to step S581.

[0047] In addition, in the case of a user interface 20 that is placed in a place where persons who are not qualified to register in the purchase restriction DB 56 cannot enter, the second control unit 21 may omit the processes of steps S583 and S584. The same applies to a user interface 20 that is placed in a place where monitoring is performed to prevent persons who are not qualified to register in the purchase restriction DB 56 from uttering instructions to the user interface 20.

[0048] If it is determined that the patient is qualified (YES in step S584), the second control unit 21 generates a query based on the voice acquired in step S581 (step S585). For example, a query to start a purchase restriction includes the patient's name, the number of the hospital room 45, a keyword such as "register purchase restriction," and the name of the item to be restricted. Similarly, a query to end a purchase restriction includes the patient's name, the number of the hospital room 45, a keyword such as "remove purchase restriction," and the name of the item to be released from the restriction. Note that the query may be generated using a large language model (LLM) such as GPT-4 or Gemini.

[0049] The second control unit 21 transmits a query to the information processing device 10 (step S586). The second control unit 21 determines whether all medical personnel have left the hospital room 45 (step S587). If it is determined that all medical personnel have not left (NO in step S587), the second control unit 21 returns to step S581. If it is determined that all medical personnel have left (YES in step S587), the second control unit 21 ends the process.

[0050] The first control unit 11 receives the query (step S681). The first control unit 11 records the query in the purchase restriction DB 56 (step S682). Specifically, the first control unit 11 searches the purchase restriction DB 56 using a patient name or a hospital room number as a key and extracts records. If the query contains a keyword such as "register purchase restriction," the first control unit 11 adds the item included in the query to the purchase restriction field. If the query contains a keyword such as "remove purchase restriction," the first control unit 11 deletes the item included in the query from the purchase restriction field.

[0051] Note that input to the purchase limit DB 56 may be performed using an input device such as a keyboard in an examination room, etc. Input to the purchase limit DB 56 may also be performed automatically in conjunction with, for example, an electronic medical record system.

[0052] For ambulatory patients, the physician may impose purchase restrictions on all items and encourage the patient to engage in moderate exercise such as walking to a store on their own without using the information processing system 40 .

[0053] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide an information processing system 40 that supports shopping for patients in medical facilities. For example, even patients who cannot walk can purchase the items they want when they want without the help of a nurse or other caregiver, thereby improving their quality of life during hospitalization.

[0054] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide an information processing system 40 that prevents a patient from purchasing an item that is prohibited for purchase for medical reasons, for example.

[0055] Program 97 is an example of a program product. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on a single computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.

[0056] The technical features (constituent elements) described in each embodiment can be combined with each other, and by combining them, new technical features can be formed. The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above meaning, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0057] Independent and dependent claims may be combined with each other in any combination, regardless of the reference format. Furthermore, while the claims may be written in a format in which a claim references two or more other claims (multiple claim format), this is not a limitation. Multiple claims that reference at least one other claim (multiple multiple claim format) may also be written. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 10. Information processing equipment 11 First Control Section 12 Main storage 13 Auxiliary storage device 14 Communications Department 19 Reading unit 20 User Interface 21 Second Control Section 22 Main storage 23 Auxiliary storage device 24 Communications Department 25 Touch Panel 26. Mike 27 Speaker 28 Camera 31 Robot 40 Information Processing Systems 45 Hospital Room 56 Purchase restriction DB (storage section) 96 Portable recording media 97 Programs 98 Semiconductor Memory

Claims

1. receiving, via a user interface, a request from a person staying at a medical facility to arrange and deliver items to a patient's room undergoing treatment at the medical facility; An instruction to transport the item corresponding to the acquired catering / delivery request to the patient's hospital room is output to the robot. An information processing method in which processing is performed by a computer.

2. determining whether the item corresponding to the request for delivery or distribution is subject to delivery or distribution restrictions by referring to a storage unit that stores restrictions on delivery or distribution of items for each patient; If it is determined that the food delivery or distribution is restricted, information indicating that food delivery or distribution is not possible is output via the user interface. The information processing method according to claim 1 .

3. receiving, via a user interface, a request from a person staying at a medical facility to arrange and deliver items to a patient's room undergoing treatment at the medical facility; An instruction to transport the item corresponding to the acquired catering / delivery request to the patient's hospital room is output to the robot. A program that causes a computer to perform a process.

4. An information processing device including a control unit, The control unit receiving, via a user interface, a request from a person staying at a medical facility to arrange and deliver items to a patient's room undergoing treatment at the medical facility; An instruction to transport the item corresponding to the acquired catering / delivery request to the patient's hospital room is output to the robot. Information processing device.

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