Medical care assistance device, medical care assistance system, medical care assistance method, and medical care assistance program

Abstract

To provide a medical care assistance device, medical care assistance system, medical care assistance method and medical care assistance program, which enable quick selection of a supporter, such as an experienced examiner, with expertise capable of handling an assistance request from a requester, such as an inexperienced examiner, having insufficient expertise in examinations using medical equipment.SOLUTION: There is provided a medical care assistance device for providing assistance by a supporter in medical care provided by a requester in response to a request from the requester. The medical care assistance device comprises a candidate selection unit configured to select supporters determined to be immediately available to handle the request as candidate supporters for the request.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical support device, a medical support system, a medical support method, and a medical support program that provide support from specialized supporters in response to requests from doctors and other medical professionals at the scene of medical treatment. [Background technology]

[0002] In medical settings, medical treatment is carried out using a variety of medical equipment, such as CT (Computed Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and these medical equipment are essential for providing accurate medical treatment.

[0003] Medical equipment is improving every day, enabling a wide variety of examinations, but at the same time, issues such as rising costs and larger equipment size have arisen, as with CT and MRI. Medical equipment that uses radiation, such as CT, also poses safety issues due to medical exposure during examinations.

[0004] To address these challenges, ultrasound diagnostic devices used in ultrasound examinations (ultrasound diagnosis) offer advantages such as minimal invasiveness and simplicity compared to CT and MRI, and are widely used as useful medical equipment. An ultrasound diagnostic device uses a probe placed against the body to send ultrasound waves into the body and visualize the internal structure of the body based on the reflected ultrasound waves (echoes). Because real-time visualization is possible, it can also be used for examinations such as tissue sampling and punctures, as well as treatments that identify the location of lesions. However, because the quality of the images generated by ultrasound diagnostic devices depends in part on how the probe is operated, the examiner performing the ultrasound examination must possess the appropriate level of knowledge, experience, and expertise to perform the examination. Many examinations, not just ultrasound, require expertise.

[0005] There would be no problem if there were appropriate allocation of specialized examiners (hereinafter referred to as "experienced examiners") at each medical site where medical devices are used, but in reality there is a shortage of skilled examiners, and situations have arisen where examiners without sufficient expertise (hereinafter referred to as "inexperienced examiners") have no choice but to carry out examinations. There have also been reports that, fearing medical malpractice due to diagnostic errors resulting from inexperienced use of medical devices, simple examinations are carried out without using medical devices, or patients are referred to other medical institutions.

[0006] Even when inexperienced technicians perform tests, they can still perform them appropriately if they can receive direct guidance from an experienced technician. However, as mentioned above, in situations where there is a shortage of experienced technicians, it is not easy for experienced technicians to be present at the same medical site as inexperienced technicians. One solution to this problem is telemedicine conducted between physicians, technicians, and other peers (hereinafter referred to as "physician-to-physician telemedicine"). Telemedicine is a health promotion and medical practice that utilizes information and communication devices, and physician-to-physician telemedicine is this practice conducted between physicians, physicians, technicians, technicians, and other peers. Specifically, by connecting inexperienced technicians and experienced technicians via a network and sending and receiving images and audio online, the experienced technicians can provide guidance to inexperienced technicians. Because the experienced technicians can provide guidance without traveling to the inexperienced technician's medical site, they can provide guidance to more inexperienced technicians than if they were present at the medical site.

[0007] Technologies have been proposed to realize such doctor-to-doctor telemedicine.

[0008] For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-173785 (Patent Document 1) proposes a system in which a doctor (equivalent to an inexperienced examiner) at a medical site can receive real-time support from a support doctor (equivalent to an experienced examiner) who is located in a remote location and has mastered the latest technology, and can also distribute medical content to the support doctor in real-time. The system described in Patent Document 1 automatically searches for a support doctor that meets specified conditions. Specifically, the system searches for a support doctor based on the condition that the support doctor matches the specialty of the person being supported and that the time of the support request is during working hours. If there is no support doctor in Japan that meets the conditions, the system searches for a support doctor overseas.

[0009] JP 2023-529094 A (Patent Document 2) proposes an apparatus that connects a local medical imaging device operator (equivalent to an inexperienced examiner) with a remote medical imaging expert (equivalent to an experienced examiner) during an imaging examination performed using a medical imaging device. In the apparatus described in Patent Document 2, the local medical imaging device operator selects a remote medical imaging expert to connect with from available remote medical imaging experts that match the characteristics of the imaging examination. The characteristics of the available remote medical imaging experts include at least one of an experience level with the imaging modality of the imaging examination, an experience level with the anatomy of the patient to be imaged during the imaging examination, an experience level with working with the local medical imaging device operator, and an experience level with the type of problem that occurs in the imaging examination. The available remote medical imaging experts are ranked based on a score between the characteristics of the available remote medical imaging experts and the characteristics of the imaging examination. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-173785 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2023-529094 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] In medical settings, there are many cases where emergency medical treatment is required, such as treating patients transported by ambulance. Even in such cases, medical devices are used to make accurate diagnoses. However, when only inexperienced technicians are available at the medical site, physician-to-physician telemedicine is effective. However, because testing requires urgency, experienced technicians must provide training to inexperienced technicians as quickly as possible. In physician-to-physician telemedicine testing, experienced technicians typically have their own specialized fields and skills, so an experienced technician suited to the inexperienced technician's medical practice must be selected from multiple experienced technicians. Therefore, in tests requiring urgency such as those described above, an experienced technician who can respond to the inexperienced technician's request must be selected as quickly as possible. Even in medical settings where urgency is not a strong requirement, being able to quickly select an available experienced technician has benefits such as enabling smooth medical treatment.

[0012] However, the system described in Patent Document 1 and the device described in Patent Document 2 have issues with selecting the above-mentioned expert examiner. In the system described in Patent Document 1, one of the conditions for searching for a support physician is that the time of the support request must be during working hours, which prevents a support physician who is outside working hours and who is expected to be unable to respond as an expert examiner from being selected as an option. However, even during working hours, a support physician may be unable to respond as an expert examiner due to reasons such as being busy. The system described in Patent Document 1 cannot remove such a support physician from the options. Therefore, it may take a long time to select an available support physician. In the device described in Patent Document 2, the characteristics of the remote medical imaging expert matched to the local medical imaging device operator do not include information about the remote medical imaging expert's working status, such as working hours, so it may take even longer to select an available support physician than the system described in Patent Document 1.

[0013] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medical assistance device, a medical assistance system, a medical assistance method, and a medical assistance program that can quickly select an assistant, such as an experienced examiner, who has the expertise to respond to a request for assistance from a client, such as an inexperienced examiner who does not have sufficient expertise in testing using medical equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The present invention relates to a medical support device that provides support from a supporter to a medical treatment by a client in response to a request from the client, and the above-mentioned object of the present invention is achieved by providing a candidate selection unit that selects a supporter who is determined to be able to respond to the request immediately as a candidate for support for the request.

[0015] The above-mentioned object of the present invention is more effectively achieved by the candidate selection unit making the judgment based on whether or not the supporter has been authenticated, or by further providing a supporter information storage unit that stores supporter information, which is information about the supporter, and by the candidate selection unit selecting a candidate supporter for the request based on the judgment and the supporter information stored in the supporter information storage unit.

[0016] The present invention also relates to a medical support system comprising a medical support device that provides support from a supporter for medical treatment by a client in response to a request from the client, a client terminal device used by the client, and a supporter terminal device used by the supporter, and the above-mentioned object of the present invention is achieved by the medical support device comprising a candidate selection unit that selects a supporter who is determined to be able to respond to the request immediately as a candidate for the supporter for the request, the supporter terminal device transmitting judgment information which is information on which the candidate selection unit makes a judgment, the client terminal device transmitting request information which is information related to the request, the candidate selection unit making the judgment based on the judgment information transmitted from the supporter terminal device, and making the selection in accordance with the request information transmitted from the client terminal device.

[0017] The object of the present invention is to provide a medical support system that can provide a medical support device that can provide a medical assistance system to a medical professional by transmitting, as the determination information, information required for authenticating the supporter, and the candidate selection unit making the determination based on whether or not the supporter has been authenticated based on the determination information transmitted from the supporter terminal device, or by providing, as the medical support device, a medical assistance device that further includes a supporter information storage unit that stores supporter information, which is information related to the supporter, and the client terminal device transmitting request information including conditions for the supporter information, the candidate selection unit making the determination by using the supporter information stored in the supporter information storage unit and the conditions included in the request information transmitted from the client terminal device. Alternatively, the medical support device may transmit candidate information, which is information relating to candidates for supporters selected by the candidate selection unit, and the client terminal device may select a supporter based on the candidate information transmitted from the medical support device and transmit this as selection information, and the medical support device may transmit support information, which is information relating to support, to a supporter terminal device used by a supporter corresponding to the selection information transmitted from the client terminal device, or the medical support device may manage information relating to medical treatment shared between the supporter terminal device used by the supporter who provides support in accordance with the support information and the client terminal device.

[0018] The present invention also relates to a medical support method executed by a computer, in which a supporter provides support for a medical treatment by a client in response to a request from the client, and the above-mentioned object of the present invention is achieved by having a candidate selection step of selecting a supporter who is determined to be able to respond to the request immediately as a candidate for support for the request.

[0019] The present invention also relates to a medical support method executed by a medical support device that provides support from a supporter for medical treatment by a client in response to a request from the client, a client terminal device used by the client, and a supporter terminal device used by the supporter, and the above-mentioned object of the present invention is achieved by comprising: a candidate selection step executed by the medical support device, in which a supporter who has been determined to be able to immediately respond to the request is selected as a candidate for the supporter for the request; a judgment information sending step executed by the supporter terminal device, in which judgment information is information on which the judgment in the candidate selection step is based; and a request information sending step executed by the client terminal device, in which request information is information related to the request, and the above-mentioned object of the present invention is achieved by making the judgment based on the judgment information in the candidate selection step and making the selection in accordance with the request information.

[0020] The above object of the present invention can be more effectively achieved by making the determination in the candidate selection step based on whether or not the supporter has been authenticated.

[0021] Furthermore, the above object of the present invention is achieved by a medical assistance program for causing a computer to execute the above medical assistance method.

[0022] Furthermore, the above-mentioned object of the present invention is achieved by a medical support program for causing the medical support device, the client terminal device, and the supporter terminal device to execute the above-mentioned medical support method, the medical support program causing the medical support device to execute the candidate selection step, the client terminal device to execute the request information sending step, and the supporter terminal device to execute the judgment information sending step.

[0023] The above object of the present invention can be more effectively achieved by making the determination in the candidate selection step based on whether or not the supporter has been authenticated. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the medical support device, medical support system, medical support method, and medical support program of the present invention, candidates are selected by determining whether a supporter is in a state where they can immediately respond to a request from a client, so that a supporter who can respond to a request can be quickly selected. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a medical support system including a medical support device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing an example of data transmission and reception between the medical support device, the client terminal, and the supporter terminal in the support providing process. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a medical assistance device. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing an example of supporter information stored in a supporter information storage unit. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of a requester reception process performed by the medical assistance device. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of a supporter reception process by the medical support device. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of operation of a support providing process performed by the medical support device. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a client terminal; [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing an example of a screen displaying supporter candidates on a client terminal. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a supporter terminal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] In a situation such as telemedicine between doctors, technicians, etc. (physician-to-physician telemedicine), when a requester of medical treatment requests assistance from an assistant, the present invention determines whether the assistant is available to respond immediately to the request (hereinafter referred to as "assistant status determination") and selects an assistant who is available to respond immediately as a candidate. For example, the present invention is effective in a medical setting where an inexperienced examiner, who lacks sufficient knowledge and experience of the medical device, performs an examination using a medical device such as an ultrasound diagnostic device, and an experienced examiner, who is located in a remote location, provides assistance. Ultrasound examinations using ultrasound diagnostic devices in particular require high expertise from the examiner. By utilizing the present invention, even inexperienced examiners can perform accurate and efficient examinations. Note that the requester is not limited to an inexperienced examiner, and the assistant is not limited to an experienced examiner. The present invention can also be applied to cases such as when a physician performing a medical treatment outside his or her specialty requests assistance from a physician who specializes in that treatment.

[0027] The state of being able to respond immediately means a state in which, when a request is received from a requester, the supporter who is able to respond immediately will prioritize providing support for the request upon receiving the request from the requester. In the present invention, a supporter who is able to respond immediately is selected as a candidate, thereby preventing a situation in which the supporter selected by the requester is not available to provide support, and the requester can quickly receive support from the supporter. However, even if a supporter is able to respond immediately, it is also possible to allow the supporter to decline support depending on the content of the request, etc.

[0028] The present invention makes it possible to determine the supporter status based on the presence or absence of personal authentication for the supporter. For example, a website that provides a medical support service based on the present invention is constructed, and the website is further equipped with a login function for personal authentication. Supporters can provide support to requesters by logging in to the website. Supporter status is then determined by determining that a supporter who is logged in to the website is available to immediately respond to requests from requesters. In this way, a supporter can indicate that they are available to immediately respond by logging in to the website. If they are not available to immediately respond, they do not need to log in to the website.

[0029] In addition to determining the supporter status, the present invention can select supporter candidates using information about supporters (supporter information). A requester sets conditions for the supporter information, and supporters who have supporter information that matches the conditions and are available to respond immediately are selected as candidates. For example, if the supporter is an experienced ultrasound examiner, the area of ​​the examination target in which the supporter excels or specializes (heart, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, etc.) is used as supporter information. When making a request, the requester can select supporters who excel or specialize in that area as candidates by specifying the area of ​​the examination target as a condition setting for the supporter information.

[0030] The present invention may be realized as a medical support device that performs a series of processes including the above-mentioned assessment of the supporter status and selection of supporter candidates, or may be realized as a medical support system that, in addition to the medical support device, includes a client terminal device used by the requester and a supporter terminal device used by the supporter.

[0031] In the medical support system, information (candidate information) on the supporter candidates selected by the medical support device is transmitted to the requester terminal device, and the requester can select a supporter using the requester terminal device based on the candidate information. Information (selection information) on the selected supporter is transmitted from the requester terminal device to the medical support device, and the medical support device can also transmit information on support (support information) to the supporter terminal device used by the supporter corresponding to the selection information. Furthermore, in the medical support system, the medical support device can manage information related to medical treatment shared between the supporter terminal device used by the supporter who provides support according to the support information and the requester terminal device.

[0032] In addition to the medical assistance device and medical assistance system, the present invention may also be realized as a medical assistance method including the above-described processing or a medical assistance program for executing the method.

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. Furthermore, the configurations and the like in the following description are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the following description focuses on the main configurations and operations for implementing the present invention, and descriptions of general-purpose processing required for implementing the present invention, such as communication processing and screen display processing, are simplified or omitted.

[0034] An example of the configuration of a medical support system equipped with a medical support device according to the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The medical support system 1 of this embodiment is a system that provides support for ultrasound examinations using an ultrasound diagnostic device, and enables a client who is an inexperienced examiner such as a trainee to receive support from an assistant who is an experienced ultrasound examiner.

[0035] The medical support system 1 includes a medical support device 2 that provides support from a supporter for an ultrasound examination performed by a requester, a client terminal (client terminal device) 3 used by the requester, and a supporter terminal (supporter terminal device) 4 used by the supporter, all of which are connected via a network 10 such as the Internet. For example, a general-purpose server is used as the medical support device 2, and a program running on the server executes processing to provide support from a supporter to the requester. The client terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4 may be general-purpose information devices with communication and image display functions, such as personal computers or tablets. Medical support can also be provided as a cloud service by using a cloud service server as the medical support device 2. While FIG. 1 illustrates multiple client terminals 3, the medical support device 2 typically provides medical support per request from a single client terminal 3. Note that at least one of the medical support device 2, the client terminal 3, and the supporter terminal 4 may be a dedicated device rather than a general-purpose device, and some or all of the processing may be implemented by hardware.

[0036] In the medical support system 1, a website for providing medical support (hereinafter referred to as the "medical support site") equipped with a login function for personal authentication is constructed in the medical support device 2. The requester logs in to the medical support site via the requester terminal 3, and the supporter logs in via the supporter terminal 4, thereby providing support for ultrasound examinations. Specifically, the requester makes a request from the requester terminal 3 to the medical support device 2, and the medical support device 2 selects supporter candidates who meet predetermined conditions and are available to immediately respond to the request from the requester, and notifies the selected candidates to the requester terminal 3. The medical support device 2 determines that a supporter who is logged in to the medical support site is available to immediately respond. Therefore, a supporter can indicate that he or she is available to immediately respond by logging in to the medical support site. A supporter selected by the requester from the candidates selected by the medical support device 2 is notified from the requester terminal 3 to the medical support device 2. Then, information for performing the ultrasound examination is transmitted and received between the supporter terminal 4 of the selected supporter and the requester terminal 3 via the medical support device 2.

[0037] The processes on the client terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4 can be executed by a program (application program). These processes can also be executed by installing a general-purpose web browser on the client terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4 and using HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) as a network protocol to send and receive information such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) pages between the web browser and a medical support site built on the medical support device 2 via the network 10.

[0038] The medical support system 1 executes processes such as accepting a requester's login to the medical support site constructed in the medical support device 2 (hereinafter referred to as "requester reception process"), accepting a supporter's login to the medical support site (hereinafter referred to as "supporter reception process"), and providing support from a supporter in response to a request from a requester (hereinafter referred to as "support provision process"). In addition to the above processes, the medical support system 1 also executes processes such as registering a requester to the medical support site (hereinafter referred to as "requester registration process") and registering a supporter to the medical support site (hereinafter referred to as "supporter registration process"), but descriptions of these processes will be simplified or omitted.

[0039] In the medical assistance system 1 configured as above, the flow of data transmission and reception between the medical assistance device 2, the client terminal 3, and the supporter terminal 4 in the support providing process will be outlined below.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows an example of data transmission and reception between the medical support device 2 and the client terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an example of data transmission and reception. It is assumed that the client and the supporter who is available to respond immediately have already logged in to the medical support site. The flow of data transmission and reception between the medical support device 2 and the client terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4 is not limited to the following example.

[0041] The requester terminal 3 transmits information (request information) for requesting support from a supporter to the medical support device 2 (step S1). Upon receiving the request information, the medical support device 2 selects supporter candidates who are available to respond immediately in accordance with the request information, and transmits candidate information about the selected candidates to the requester terminal 3.

[0042] When the requester terminal 3 receives the candidate information, it selects a supporter to request support from the candidate information and transmits the selected information to the medical support device 2 (step S2). After transmitting the selected information, the requester terminal 3 also transmits information about the subject who is the subject of the ultrasound examination (hereinafter referred to as "subject information") to the medical support device 2 (step S3).

[0043] When the medical assistance device 2 receives the selection information and the subject information, it transmits information related to assistance (assistance information) including the subject information to the supporter terminal 4 used by the supporter corresponding to the selection information (step S4). The supporter terminal 4 that has received the support information transmits information related to the acceptance of assistance (hereinafter referred to as "acceptance information") to the medical assistance device 2, and the medical assistance device 2 transmits the acceptance information to the requester terminal 3. Thereafter, the requester terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4 transmit and receive information such as echo images shared for performing ultrasound examinations (hereinafter referred to as "medical assistance-related information") via the medical assistance device 2.

[0044] The medical assistance device 2, the client terminal 3, and the supporter terminal 4, which perform the above-mentioned processes including the transmission and reception of data, will now be described.

[0045] First, the medical assistance device 2 will be described. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the medical support device 2. A general-purpose server is used as the medical support device 2, and Fig. 3 shows only the components related to the present invention. This also applies to Figs. 8 and 10 which show examples of the configuration of the client terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4 described later.

[0046] The medical support device 2 includes a requester reception unit 21 that performs requester reception processing, a supporter reception unit 22 that performs supporter reception processing, a candidate selection unit 23 that selects supporter candidates, a support request unit 24 that conveys support information to the supporter selected by the requester, an information transmission unit 25 that transmits information between the requester terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4, a requester authentication storage unit 26 that stores information for performing personal authentication of the requester, a supporter information storage unit 27 that stores supporter information, and a supporter status storage unit 28 that stores information regarding the status of the supporter (hereinafter referred to as "status information"). The candidate selection unit 23, the support request unit 24, and the information transmission unit 25 perform support provision processing.

[0047] The requester authentication storage unit 26 stores information required for the requester to log in to the medical support site (hereinafter referred to as "authentication information"). For example, an identification number (ID) uniquely assigned to the requester (hereinafter referred to as "requester ID") and a password are stored as authentication information. The requester ID and password may be set automatically by the medical support device 2, may be set by the requester, or may be changed by the requester after being automatically set by the medical support device 2. In addition to a character string, an image of the requester's fingerprint or face may be used as the password. In addition to the authentication information, the requester authentication storage unit 26 may also store information about the requester, such as the requester's name and years of experience in ultrasound examinations.

[0048] The supporter information storage unit 27 stores supporter information, which is information about supporters, including information about the supporter's attributes (hereinafter referred to as "supporter attribute information") and, similar to the requester authentication storage unit 26, authentication information required for the supporter to log in to the medical support site. Examples of the supporter attribute information stored include the supporter's name, occupation (specialist, radiologist, etc.), place of work, area of ​​examination that the supporter specializes in (heart, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, etc.) (hereinafter referred to as "specialized area"), and years of ultrasound examination experience. Authentication information stored includes an identification number (ID) uniquely assigned to the supporter (hereinafter referred to as "supporter ID") and a password. While supporter IDs and requester IDs may overlap, it is preferable to avoid overlaps, considering the need for unified management of both. Similar to the requester authentication storage unit 26, the supporter ID and password may be automatically set by the medical support device 2, or may be set by the supporter. Alternatively, the supporter may change the ID and password after the medical support device 2 automatically sets them. Furthermore, in addition to a character string, an image of the supporter's fingerprint, face, etc. may be used as the password. Note that examples of specialized body parts are not limited to those mentioned above, and various body parts can be inspected.

[0049] Supporter information (supporter attribute information, authentication information) is stored for each supporter in the supporter information storage unit 27. Fig. 4 shows an example of supporter information stored in the supporter information storage unit 27. In Fig. 4, the first line shows the item names constituting the supporter information, the second line and subsequent lines show information about each supporter, the first and second columns show authentication information, and the third to sixth columns show supporter attribute information.

[0050] The supporter status storage unit 28 stores, as status information, information on whether each supporter is logged in to the medical support site. For example, the supporter status storage unit 28 stores the status information of a logged-in supporter as "logged in" and the status information of a not-logged-in supporter as "logged out." To distinguish supporters, the supporter ID included in the supporter information stored in the supporter information storage unit 27 is used, and the supporter status storage unit 28 stores the supporter ID and status information for each supporter. When the medical support device 2 is started up, the supporter status storage unit 28 stores the status information of "logged out" as an initial value for all supporter IDs.

[0051] The supporter status storage unit 28 also stores information about the supporter terminal 4 used by the logged-in supporter (hereinafter referred to as "supporter terminal information"). For example, an IP address (Internet Protocol Address) is used as the supporter terminal information. The supporter terminal information is used when transmitting data from the medical support device 2 to the supporter terminal 4.

[0052] The supporter information storage unit 27 and the supporter status storage unit 28 may be integrated to store supporter information, status information, and supporter terminal information together for each supporter.

[0053] The requester reception unit 21 accepts the requester's login to the medical support site. Logging in is a mechanism for verifying the identity of a user (personal authentication) using an ID and password when the user accesses information or services provided on a computer or network, and the requester reception unit 21 also accepts the requester's login through personal authentication.

[0054] The requester terminal 3 transmits login information Lir, including the requester ID and password of the requester, to the medical support device 2. The requester receiving unit 21 then uses the requester ID and password included in the login information Lir to authenticate the requester. Specifically, the requester receiving unit 21 reads out authentication information Aur stored in the requester authentication storage unit 26 and compares it with the requester ID and password included in the login information Lir. If authentication information matching the requester ID and password in the login information Lir is stored in the requester authentication storage unit 26, the requester receiving unit 21 permits the requester to log in. If a matching requester ID is stored but the password does not match, the requester receiving unit 21 does not permit the requester to log in. If a matching requester ID is not stored, the requester receiving unit 21 also does not permit the requester to log in. The requester receiving unit 21 outputs the result of the authentication as reception information Rer, and the reception information Rer is transmitted to the requester terminal 3. The requester reception unit 21 outputs, as reception information Rer, information such as "Login allowed" if the requester is permitted to log in, "Password mismatch" if the password does not match, or "Not registered" if the requester ID is not stored.

[0055] The requester receiving unit 21 may hold information about the requester terminal 3 used by the logged-in requester (hereinafter referred to as "requester terminal information") and use it when transmitting data from the medical support device 2 to the requester terminal 3. As the requester terminal information, for example, an IP address is used, as in the supporter terminal information. The requester terminal information may be held by the requester authentication storage unit 26 or another component of the medical support device 2.

[0056] The supporter receiving unit 22 accepts a supporter's login to the medical support site. The supporter receiving unit 22 inputs login information (determination information) Lis, which includes the supporter ID and password of the supporter, transmitted from the supporter terminal 4 to the medical support device 2. Then, using the same process as the requester receiving unit 21, the supporter receiving unit 22 authenticates the supporter by comparing the supporter ID and password included in the login information Lis with the authentication information Aus read from the supporter information storage unit 27 that stores the supporter information. The supporter receiving unit 22 outputs the result of the authentication as reception information Res. As the reception information Res, for example, similar to the requester receiving unit 21, the supporter receiving unit 22 outputs information such as "Login allowed" if the supporter's login is permitted, "Password mismatch" if the password does not match, or "Not registered" if the supporter ID is not stored. The reception information Res is transmitted to the supporter terminal 4.

[0057] When the supporter receiving unit 22 permits the supporter to log in, it outputs reception information Res of "Login permitted" and updates the status information stored in the supporter status storage unit 28. Specifically, the supporter receiving unit 22 outputs information (hereinafter referred to as "authentication result information") Ar indicating that the supporter is logged in, that is, "Logged in," and changes the status information stored in the supporter status storage unit 28 corresponding to the supporter ID in the login information Lis to "Logged in." Furthermore, the supporter receiving unit 22 stores supporter terminal information of the supporter terminal 4 used by the supporter as supporter terminal information Ts in the supporter status storage unit 28. The supporter terminal 4 may include the supporter terminal information in the login information Lis, or may transmit only the supporter terminal information.

[0058] The requester receiving unit 21 and the supporter receiving unit 22 may be integrated to perform the requester reception process and the supporter reception process as a single component. The requester receiving unit 21 and the supporter receiving unit 22 may perform the requester registration process and the supporter registration process, respectively. Furthermore, in the personal authentication by the requester receiving unit 21 and the supporter receiving unit 22, after permitting login, the requester receiving unit 21 and the supporter receiving unit 22 may generate session IDs for the requester and the supporter, respectively, and use the session IDs for subsequent data transmission and reception between the requester terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4 and the medical support device 2. A session ID is information assigned by a web server or web application to uniquely identify a session (a series of processes from login to logout, etc.) of a user who accessed a website, etc. In the medical support system 1, the medical support device 2 assigns the session ID as the web server. The session ID for the requester may be stored in the requester authentication storage unit 26, and the session ID for the supporter may be stored in the supporter status storage unit 28.

[0059] The candidate selection unit 23 selects candidates for supporters in response to a request from a client. The candidate selection unit 23 inputs request information Rq transmitted from the client terminal 3 to the medical support device 2, and outputs candidate information Cd regarding the selected candidates for supporters.

[0060] The candidate selection unit 23 selects as candidates supporters who are available to respond immediately to requests from client devices and who satisfy predetermined conditions. Since the medical support device 2 determines that a supporter who is logged in to the medical support site is available to respond immediately, the candidate selection unit 23 determines that a supporter whose status information stored in the supporter status storage unit 28 is "logged in" is available to respond immediately.

[0061] The predetermined conditions for the supporter to be selected are set by specifying the contents of the items (hereinafter referred to as "attribute items") constituting the supporter attribute information in the supporter information stored in the supporter information storage unit 27. For example, the contents of the specialized body part (heart, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, etc.) are specified as the conditions for the supporter to be selected. The requester specifies the contents of the specialized body part of the supporter for whom support is requested, and the contents are stored in request information Rq and transmitted from the requester terminal 3 to the medical support device 2. The candidate selection unit 23 confirms the conditions for the supporter to be selected from the contents of the specialized body part, which is an attribute item included in the request information Rq.

[0062] The candidate selection unit 23 detects a request from a client by inputting request information Rq, reads status information St from the supporter status storage unit 28, and confirms the supporter ID of a supporter whose status information St is "logged in." The candidate selection unit 23 then reads supporter attribute information Spa corresponding to the confirmed supporter ID from the supporter information storage unit 27, and if the specialized body part, which is an attribute item in the supporter attribute information Spa, matches the content of the specialized body part included in the request information Rq, selects the supporter with that supporter ID as a candidate. After selecting all candidate supporters, the candidate selection unit 23 outputs the supporter IDs and all or part of the supporter attribute information of the selected supporters as candidate information Cd. The candidate information Cd is sent to the client terminal 3.

[0063] Note that, as conditions for selecting a supporter, other attribute items may be used in addition to or in addition to the specialized area. Furthermore, conditions for selecting a supporter may be set automatically, instead of or in addition to the requester's specification. For example, a supporter who works in the same area as the requester may be selected as a candidate. The candidate selection unit 23 may select a supporter without setting predetermined conditions for the supporter to be selected, simply by determining whether the supporter is available to immediately respond to a request from the requester.

[0064] The support request unit 24 transmits support information to the supporter selected by the requester. The support request unit 24 inputs the selection information Sl and the subject information Sb transmitted from the requester terminal 3 to the medical support device 2, and outputs support information Sup.

[0065] The support request unit 24 determines that the supporter corresponding to the supporter ID included in the selection information S1 has been selected by the requester, and reads out the supporter terminal information Ts corresponding to the supporter ID from the supporter status storage unit 28. Then, the support request unit 24 outputs support information Sup including the subject information Sb so that the medical assistance device 2 transmits it to the supporter terminal 4 corresponding to the supporter terminal information Ts. Note that the support request unit 24 may include information about the requester in the support information Sup.

[0066] The supporter terminal 4, which has received the support information Sup, transmits acceptance information Cns regarding the acceptance of support to the medical support device 2, and the support request unit 24 inputs the acceptance information Cns. By logging in to the medical support site, the supporter indicates that he or she is available to respond immediately to a request from a client. However, to allow the supporter to decline support depending on the content of the support indicated by the support information Sup, the acceptance information Cns is used to communicate to the medical support device 2 whether the supporter will accept the request. The support request unit 24 confirms whether the supporter will accept the request based on the acceptance information Cns and outputs the confirmation result as acceptance information Cnr. For example, when a supporter accepts a request from a client, the supporter terminal 4 transmits the acceptance information Cns as "acceptable," and the support request unit 24 outputs the acceptance information Cnr as "acceptable." If the supporter does not accept the request from the client, the supporter terminal 4 transmits the acceptance information Cns as "cannot accept", and the support request unit 24 outputs the acceptance information Cnr as "cannot accept". The acceptance information Cnr is transmitted to the client terminal 3. Note that the support request unit 24 may output the acceptance information Cns as the acceptance information Cnr as is.

[0067] If a supporter declines support, for example, the requester can select another supporter (hereinafter referred to as "supporter reselection"). The requester terminal 3 that receives the "cannot accept" acceptance information Cnr transmits new selection information Sl to the medical support device 2, and the support request unit 24 inputs the selection information Sl and outputs support information Sup to the supporter terminal 4 of the newly selected supporter. In this case, since the support information Sup can be reused, the requester terminal 3 does not need to retransmit the subject information Sb.

[0068] The information transmission unit 25 mediates the transmission and reception of medical information shared by the supporter terminal 4 of the supporter who has accepted a request from the requester and the requester terminal 3 between the two devices. The information transmission unit 25 mediates the transmission and reception of medical information such as echo images captured by an ultrasound diagnostic device, voice data of the requester, and voice data of the supporter. The information transmission unit 25 receives medical information "Mrr" transmitted from the requester terminal 3 to the medical support device 2, outputs it as medical information "Mrs," and transmits the medical information "Mrs" to the supporter terminal 4. The information transmission unit 25 also receives medical information "Mss" transmitted from the supporter terminal 4 to the medical support device 2, outputs it as medical information "Msr," and transmits the medical information "Msr" to the requester terminal 3. The information transmission unit 25 may output the medical information "Mrr" directly as the medical information "Mrs," or may output the medical information "Mss" directly as the medical information "Msr."

[0069] The medical support provided by the supporter to the client is terminated when the client terminal 3 and / or the supporter terminal 4 transmits an end signal Es to the medical support device 2. In the medical support device 2, the information transmission unit 25 inputs the end signal Es, and therefore, when the information transmission unit 25 inputs the end signal Es, it terminates the processing.

[0070] In the configuration of the medical support device 2, examples of the operation of the requester reception process, the supporter reception process, and the support provision process will be described with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 5 to 7. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the requester reception process, Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the supporter reception process, and Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the support provision process.

[0071] In the requester reception process, the requester reception unit 21 inputs the login information Lir transmitted from the requester terminal 3 (step S10). The requester reception unit 21 reads out the authentication information Aur stored in the requester authentication storage unit 26 and checks whether authentication information Aur including the requester ID included in the login information Lir exists (step S20). If authentication information Aur including the requester ID included in the login information Lir exists, the requester reception unit 21 checks whether the password included in the authentication information Aur matches the password included in the login information Lir (step S30). If both passwords match, the requester reception unit 21 sets the reception information Rer to "Login allowed" (step S40). If both passwords do not match, the requester reception unit 21 sets the reception information Rer to "Password mismatch" (step S50). If authentication information Aur including the requester ID included in the login information Lir does not exist, the requester reception unit 21 sets the reception information Rer to "Not registered" (step S60). The requester receiving unit 21 outputs the reception information Rer, and the reception information Rer is transmitted to the requester terminal 3 (step S70).

[0072] In the supporter reception process, the supporter reception unit 22 inputs the login information Lis transmitted from the supporter terminal 4 (step S110). The supporter reception unit 22 reads out the authentication information Aus stored in the supporter information storage unit 27, and checks whether authentication information Aus including the supporter ID included in the login information Lis exists (step S120). If authentication information Aus including the supporter ID included in the login information Lis exists, the supporter reception unit 22 checks whether the password included in the authentication information Aus matches the password included in the login information Lis (step S130). If both passwords match, the supporter reception unit 22 sets the reception information Res to "Login allowed" (step S140), outputs authentication result information Ar, and changes the status information stored in the supporter status storage unit 28 corresponding to the supporter ID in the login information Lis to "Logged in" (step S150). If both passwords do not match, the supporter receiving unit 22 sets the reception information Res to "password mismatch" (step S160). If there is no authentication information Aus including the supporter ID included in the login information Lis, the supporter receiving unit 22 sets the reception information Res to "unregistered" (step S170). Furthermore, the supporter receiving unit 22 stores the supporter terminal information Ts of the supporter terminal 4 in the supporter status storage unit 28 (step S180). The supporter receiving unit 22 outputs the reception information Res, and the reception information Res is sent to the supporter terminal 4 (step S190).

[0073] In the support provision process, when the candidate selection unit 23 receives request information Rq transmitted from the client terminal 3 (step S210), it reads out status information St from the supporter status storage unit 28 (step S220) and checks whether the status information St is “logged in” (step S230). If the status information St is “logged in”, the candidate selection unit 23 reads out supporter attribute information Spa corresponding to the supporter ID of the status information St from the supporter information storage unit 27 (step S240) and checks whether the specialized body part in the supporter attribute information Spa matches the specialized body part included in the request information Rq (step S250). If both specialized body parts match, the candidate selection unit 23 adds the supporter ID and the supporter attribute information Spa to the candidate information Cd (step S260). If both specialized body parts do not match or if the status information St is “logged out”, the candidate selection unit 23 reads out the next status information St from the supporter status storage unit 28 (step S220).

[0074] When all the status information St has been read out from the supporter status storage unit 28 (step S270), the candidate selection unit 23 outputs the candidate information Cd, and the candidate information Cd is transmitted to the client terminal 3 (step S280).

[0075] Next, in the support provision process, when the support request unit 24 receives the selection information Sl transmitted from the client terminal 3 (step S290), it reads out the supporter terminal information Ts corresponding to the supporter ID included in the selection information Sl from the supporter status storage unit 28 (step S300). Furthermore, if the support request unit 24 does not request a supporter reselection (step S310), when it receives the subject information Sb transmitted from the client terminal 3 (step S320), it outputs support information Sup including the subject information Sb and stores the support information Sup (step S330). If a supporter reselection is required (step S310), the support request unit 24 outputs the stored support information Sup. The support information Sup is sent to the supporter terminal 4 corresponding to the supporter terminal information Ts (step S340).

[0076] When the support request unit 24 receives the acceptance information Cns transmitted from the supporter terminal 4 (step S350), it checks whether the acceptance information Cns indicates "acceptable" (step S360). If the acceptance information Cns indicates "acceptable", the support request unit 24 outputs the acceptance information Cnr as "acceptable" (step S370). If the acceptance information Cns indicates "unacceptable", the support request unit 24 outputs the acceptance information Cnr as "unacceptable" (step S380) and waits for input of selection information S1 to reselect a supporter (step S290). The acceptance information Cnr is transmitted to the client terminal 3.

[0077] The information transmission unit 25 outputs the medical care-related information Mrr transmitted from the client terminal 3 as medical care-related information Mrs, and outputs the medical care-related information Mss transmitted from the supporter terminal 4 as medical care-related information Msr (step S400) until it receives an end signal Es transmitted from the client terminal 3 and / or the supporter terminal 4 (step S390). Once the end signal Es is received (step S390), the information transmission unit 25 ends the processing.

[0078] In the operation of the above-mentioned support provision process, if all of the acceptance information Cns sent from the supporter terminal 4 of the supporter selected by the requester is "unacceptable," processing such as terminating the process or resetting the conditions for selecting a supporter is performed.

[0079] Next, the client terminal 3 will be described. The client terminal 3 is a device used by the client who performs the ultrasound examination, and a general-purpose information device is used as the client terminal 3. An ultrasound diagnostic device is connected to the client terminal 3, and the echo image output from the ultrasound diagnostic device is input to the client terminal 3. The client terminal 3 and the ultrasound diagnostic device are connected, for example, by installing a capture board in the client terminal 3 and connecting the capture board to the ultrasound diagnostic device with a cable. The capture board is a device that takes in video signals and audio signals from outside, converts them into video data in a format that can be handled by a computer, and outputs them.

[0080] 8 shows an example of the configuration of the client terminal 3. The client terminal 3 includes input means 31 consisting of a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc., which are provided in a general-purpose information device, display means 32 consisting of a display, liquid crystal panel, etc., which are provided in the general-purpose information device, an image input unit 33 that inputs an echo image, and a control unit 34 that executes a client reception process, a support provision process, etc.

[0081] The image input unit 33 inputs the echo image Eci output from the ultrasound diagnostic device connected to the client terminal 3, and outputs it to the control unit 34 as echo image information Ecp.

[0082] In the requester reception process, the control unit 34 inputs the requester ID and password of the requester from the input means 31. For example, the control unit 34 displays a screen with fields for inputting the requester ID and password on the display means 32, and prompts the requester to input the requester ID and password. The requester inputs the requester ID and password using the input means 31, such as a keyboard. The control unit 34 outputs the inputted requester ID and password as login information Lir, and the login information Lir is transmitted to the medical support device 2.

[0083] Reception information Rer, which is the result of the personal authentication by the medical support device 2, is transmitted from the medical support device 2 to the client terminal 3 and input to the control unit 34, which then performs processing according to the content of the reception information Rer. For example, if the reception information Rer is "Login permitted," the control unit 34 displays, via the display means 32, a message indicating that login is permitted and the homepage of the service provided by the medical support system 1. If the reception information Rer is "Password mismatch," the control unit 34 displays, via the display means 32, a message indicating that the password is incorrect and a screen prompting the user to re-enter the password. If the reception information Rer is "Not registered," the control unit 34 may display, via the display means 32, a message indicating that the client ID is not registered, and may also display, via the display means 32, a button for proceeding to the registration procedure. The control unit 34 may also perform the requester registration process.

[0084] In the support provision processing, the control unit 34 performs processing in response to input from the input means 31, input of candidate information Cd, acceptance information Cnr, medical related information Msr, and echo image information Ecp transmitted from the medical support device 2 to the client terminal 3, etc.

[0085] The requester requests assistance from a supporter by specifying a specialized area, which is a condition for the supporter to be selected. For example, the control unit 34 displays a screen having buttons corresponding to each element of the specialized area (heart, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, etc.) on the display means 32. The requester then specifies the content of the specialized area by touching or clicking the button using the input means 31, and the control unit 34 stores the content in request information Rq and outputs it. The request information Rq is sent to the medical assistance device 2.

[0086] After inputting the candidate information Cd, the control unit 34 performs processing to select a supporter to be requested to provide support from the supporter candidates selected by the medical support device 2, using the candidate information Cd. For example, the control unit 34 displays supporter attribute information of each candidate included in the candidate information Cd and a selection button (hereinafter referred to as a "selection button") on the screen using the display means 32. An example of the display screen is shown in FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, the occupation (specialist, medical examiner, etc.) and work location of each candidate are displayed on a screen 321 such as a display, and a selection button 322 is displayed on the left edge. The requester selects a supporter by touching or clicking the selection button 322 of the candidate to be selected. The control unit 34 outputs the supporter ID of the selected supporter as selection information SI. The selection information SI is transmitted to the medical support device 2.

[0087] After outputting the selection information SI, the control unit 34 outputs subject information Sb, which is information about the subject who is the subject of the ultrasound examination. To generate the subject information Sb, for example, the control unit 34 displays a screen with a field for inputting subject information on the display unit 32 and prompts the requester to input the subject information. The subject information may include, for example, the subject's age, gender, chief complaint (major symptoms), medical history, vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, etc.), and the requester inputs the subject information using the input unit 31, such as a keyboard. The control unit 34 outputs the input subject information as subject information Sb. The subject information Sb is transmitted to the medical support device 2. Note that the timing at which the requester inputs the subject information is not limited to after selecting a supporter, but may also be before selecting a supporter. Furthermore, the requester terminal 3 may output the selection information SI and the subject information Sb simultaneously or in an integrated manner. In this case, the support request unit 24 of the medical support device 2 changes the processing in accordance with the form in which the selection information SI and the subject information Sb are transmitted.

[0088] When the control unit 34 receives the entrustment information Cnr, it performs processing according to the content of the entrustment information Cnr. For example, if the entrustment information Cnr is "acceptable," the control unit 34 displays, by the display means 32, a message indicating that the selected supporter has accepted the entrustment. If the entrustment information Cnr is "unacceptable," the control unit 34 displays, by the display means 32, a screen 321 such as that shown in FIG. 9, for example, to allow the requester to reselect a supporter. At this time, the candidate marked "unacceptable" may be hidden, or the selection button for that candidate may be made inoperable, so that the requester cannot select that candidate.

[0089] When the control unit 34 receives the medical care-related information Msr, it outputs the medical care-related information Msr to the outside using a means appropriate to its content. For example, if the medical care-related information Msr is an image, the control unit 34 displays the medical care-related information Msr using the display means 32. If the medical care-related information Msr is audio, the control unit 34 outputs the medical care-related information Msr using an output means such as a speaker provided in the client terminal 3.

[0090] When the control unit 34 receives the echo image Ecp, it outputs it as medical care-related information Mrr. The medical care-related information Mrr is sent to the medical support device 2. If there is any information other than the echo image Ecp that the control unit 34 wishes to share with the supporter terminal 4, the control unit 34 receives that information via the input means 31 or the like and outputs it as medical care-related information Mrr.

[0091] When the support providing process is to be ended from the client terminal 3, the control unit 34 outputs an end signal Es. For example, the control unit 34 displays a button indicating the end of the process on the screen using the display means 32. Then, when the client performs a touch operation or a click operation on the button using the input means 31, the control unit 34 outputs the end signal Es. The end signal Es is transmitted to the medical support device 2.

[0092] An example of the operation of the client terminal 3 configured as above has been described above.

[0093] The supporter terminal 4 will now be described. The supporter terminal 4 is a device used by a supporter who provides support to a client for an ultrasound examination, and a general-purpose information device is used as the supporter terminal 4.

[0094] 10 shows an example of the configuration of the supporter terminal 4. The supporter terminal 4 includes an input means 41 consisting of a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc., which are provided in a general-purpose information device, a display means 42 consisting of a display, liquid crystal panel, etc., which are provided in a general-purpose information device, and a control unit 43 that executes supporter reception processing, support provision processing, etc.

[0095] In the supporter reception process, the control unit 43 performs the same process as the control unit 34 of the client terminal 3 and outputs the login information Lis. The login information Lis is transmitted to the medical support device 2. In addition, the control unit 43 inputs the reception information Res and performs the same process as the control unit 34 of the client terminal 3.

[0096] In the support providing process, the control unit 43 performs processing in response to input from the input means 41, input of support information Sup and medical care related information Mrs transmitted from the medical care support device 2 to the supporter terminal 4, and the like.

[0097] After inputting the support information Sup, the control unit 43 presents the support information Sup to the supporter and confirms whether the supporter will accept assistance with the test indicated by the support information Sup. For example, the control unit 43 displays the support information Sup on the screen using the display means 32, as well as a button indicating whether the test can be accepted (hereinafter referred to as the "acceptable button") and a button indicating whether the test cannot be accepted (hereinafter referred to as the "unacceptable button"). The supporter indicates whether or not the test can be accepted by touching or clicking the "acceptable button" or "unacceptable button" using the input means 41. If the "acceptable button" is operated, the control unit 43 outputs acceptance information Cns indicating "acceptable," and if the "unacceptable button" is operated, the control unit 43 outputs acceptance information Cns indicating "unacceptable." The acceptance information Cns is transmitted to the medical assistance device 2.

[0098] When medical care-related information Mrs is input, the control unit 43 performs the same processing as the control unit 34 of the client terminal 3 when medical care-related information Msr is input. Furthermore, when there is information to be shared with the client terminal 3, the control unit 43 inputs that information using the input means 41 or the like and outputs it as medical care-related information Mss. The medical care-related information Mss is transmitted to the medical support device 2.

[0099] When the support providing process is ended from the supporter terminal 4, the control unit 43 outputs an end signal Es by the same process as the control unit 34, and the end signal Es is transmitted to the medical support device 2.

[0100] The control unit 43 may perform a process different from that of the control unit 34 of the client terminal 3 described above, in the same process as that of the control unit 34.

[0101] An example of the operation of the supporter terminal 4 configured as above has been described above.

[0102] The following modifications are possible to this embodiment. Although the medical support device 2 determines that a supporter who is logged in to the medical support site constructed in the medical support device 2 is available for immediate response, other methods of determination are also possible. For example, the supporter terminal 4 may transmit information indicating that the supporter is available for immediate response to the medical support device 2, and the medical support device 2 may determine that the supporter is available for immediate response upon receiving the information. In this case, the information from the supporter terminal 4 may be transmitted, for example, when the control unit 43 of the supporter terminal 4 displays, on the screen of the supporter terminal 4 using the display means 42, a button indicating that the supporter is available for immediate response, and the information from the supporter terminal 4 is transmitted when the button is touched or clicked using the input means 41.

[0103] The medical support device 2 may store the subject information Sb and the echo images included in the medical care-related information Mrr transmitted from the client terminal 3. This allows the history of the subject to be managed and can be used in future medical treatment. The stored information can also be used when, for example, it is desired to hear the opinion of another supporter as a second opinion. However, the consent of the subject must be obtained before storing this information.

[0104] Although the medical support system 1 carries out the transmission of medical information between the client terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4, the medical support system 1 may carry out the processing up to the selection of supporter candidates, and the processing thereafter may be carried out by another device or system. In particular, the processing of the information transmission unit 25 is an intermediary for the information sent and received between the client terminal 3 and the supporter terminal 4, and therefore can be carried out by another device or system.

[0105] The medical support system 1 supports ultrasound examinations using an ultrasound diagnostic device, but it can also support examinations using other medical equipment. For example, it can support microscopic examinations using Gram staining, Ziehl-Neelsen staining, Giemsa staining, etc. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied in educational settings where medical equipment operation methods are learned.

[0106] The above-described embodiments can be realized in a computer and memory configuration by using the client authentication storage unit, supporter information storage unit, and supporter status storage unit as memory, and implementing the processing of the other components as programs as described above. Each component can also be realized with hardware such as a dedicated IC (Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). Information stored in each storage unit may be stored for a long period of time in file format or the like in storage (auxiliary storage device). Furthermore, while the above-described embodiments are described in the form of a system or device, the present invention can also be in the form of a method or program.

[0107] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, matters not explicitly disclosed in the above-described embodiments do not deviate from the scope of ordinary practice by a person skilled in the art, and values ​​that can be easily assumed by a person skilled in the art can be adopted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1 Medical support system 2 Medical support equipment 3. Client terminal 4. Supporter terminals 10 Network 21 Client Reception Department 22 Supporter Reception 23 Candidate Selection Department 24 Support Request Department 25 Information Transmission Department 26 Client authentication memory unit 27 Supporter information storage unit 28 Supporter status memory unit 31, 41 Input means 32, 42 Display means 33 Image input unit 34, 43 Control section

Claims

1. A medical assistance device that provides assistance from a supporter to medical treatment by a client in response to a request from the client, A medical support device comprising a candidate selection unit that selects a supporter who is determined to be available to immediately respond to the request as a candidate for support for the request.

2. The medical support device according to claim 1 , wherein the candidate selection unit makes the determination based on whether or not the supporter has been authenticated.

3. Further provided is a supporter information storage unit that stores supporter information that is information about the supporter, 3. The medical support device according to claim 1, wherein the candidate selection unit selects candidates for supporters in response to the request based on the judgment and the supporter information stored in the supporter information storage unit.

4. A medical assistance system comprising: a medical assistance device that provides assistance from a supporter to medical treatment by a client in response to a request from the client; a client terminal device used by the client; and a supporter terminal device used by the supporter, the medical assistance device comprises a candidate selection unit that selects a supporter who is determined to be in a state where he or she can immediately respond to the request as a candidate for the supporter for the request, the supporter terminal device transmits determination information which is information on which the candidate selection unit makes a determination; the requester terminal device transmits request information which is information relating to the request; A medical support system characterized in that the candidate selection unit makes the judgment based on judgment information transmitted from the supporter terminal device, and makes the selection in accordance with request information transmitted from the client terminal device.

5. the supporter terminal device transmits information necessary for performing personal authentication of the supporter as the determination information; 5. The medical support system according to claim 4, wherein the candidate selection unit makes the determination based on whether or not the supporter has been authenticated based on the determination information transmitted from the supporter terminal device.

6. The medical assistance device further includes a supporter information storage unit that stores supporter information that is information about the supporter, the client terminal device transmits request information including conditions for the supporter information; 5. The medical support system according to claim 4, wherein the candidate selection unit makes the selection using the supporter information stored in the supporter information storage unit and the conditions included in the request information transmitted from the client terminal device.

7. the medical support device transmits candidate information, which is information about candidates for supporters selected by the candidate selection unit; the client terminal device selects a supporter based on the candidate information transmitted from the medical assistance device, and transmits the selected information; 7. A medical support system according to claim 4, wherein the medical support device transmits support information, which is information relating to support, to a supporter terminal device used by a supporter corresponding to the selection information transmitted from the client terminal device.

8. 8. The medical assistance system according to claim 7, wherein the medical assistance device manages information related to medical treatment shared between a supporter terminal device used by a supporter who provides assistance in accordance with the assistance information and the client terminal device.

9. A medical assistance method executed by a computer, in response to a request from a client, for providing assistance from a supporter to medical treatment by the client, comprising: A medical support method characterized by comprising a candidate selection step of selecting a supporter who is determined to be available to immediately respond to the request as a candidate for support for the request.

10. A medical support method executed by a medical support device that provides support from a supporter for medical treatment by a client in response to a request from the client, a client terminal device used by the client, and a supporter terminal device used by the supporter, comprising: a candidate selection step executed by the medical support device to select a supporter who is determined to be in a state where he or she can immediately respond to the request as a candidate for the supporter for the request; a determination information transmitting step executed by the supporter terminal device to transmit determination information which is information serving as a basis for judgment in the candidate selection step; a request information sending step, executed by the requester terminal device, of sending request information that is information related to the request; A medical support method characterized in that, in the candidate selection step, the judgment is made based on the judgment information, and the selection is made in accordance with the request information.

11. 11. The medical support method according to claim 9, wherein in the candidate selection step, the determination is made based on whether or not the supporter has been authenticated.

12. A medical assistance program for causing a computer to execute the medical assistance method according to claim 9.

13. A medical assistance program for causing the medical assistance device, the client terminal device, and the supporter terminal device to execute the medical assistance method according to claim 10, causing the medical assistance device to execute the candidate selection step; causing the supporter terminal device to execute the determination information transmitting step; a medical assistance program for causing the client terminal device to execute the request information transmitting step;

14. 14. The medical assistance program according to claim 12, wherein in the candidate selection step, the determination is made based on whether or not the assistant has been authenticated.

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