Caregiver Assignment Engine for Multi-Variable Patient Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for assigning caregivers to patients are labor-intensive, inefficient, and fail to consider multiple factors such as travel time, language requirements, certification, and caregiver workload, leading to suboptimal assignments.

Innovation Solution

A caregiver assignment (CA) computing system that utilizes machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze patient and caregiver data, including location, care type, and workload, to automatically generate real-time assignments considering multiple variables and preferences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual assignment by case managers is used, then flexibility in considering multiple factors is improved, but labor intensity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in considering multiple factorsVSAvoidlabor intensity and time consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automated self-service assignment where the computer system automatically matches caregivers to patients based on multiple factors including workload, location, and care type, eliminating the need for manual case manager intervention while maintaining flexibility in considering various assignment criteria

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical manual process of case managers reviewing and assigning caregivers with an automated computer-based system that uses algorithms to evaluate multiple factors and generate assignments, substituting human labor with computational processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If automated assignment systems are used, then productivity and efficiency are improved, but ability to consider multiple complex factors deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassignment efficiencyVSAvoidability to consider multiple complex factors

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system handles multiple complex factors by transforming them into standardized quantitative parameters including workload metrics, geographic distance calculations, and care type classifications, allowing the automated system to process diverse information uniformly through computational algorithms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the complex assignment problem into distinct evaluable components including caregiver workload assessment, patient care requirements analysis, geographic location matching, and care type compatibility, processing each segment separately and combining results for final assignment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If location-based assignment is used, then simplicity of assignment process is improved, but optimization of travel time and workload distribution deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of assignment processVSAvoidtravel time and workload optimization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms the simple location-based assignment into a multi-parameter optimization problem by incorporating travel time calculations, caregiver workload metrics, and care type requirements, converting qualitative considerations into quantifiable parameters for automated optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds multiple dimensions to the assignment process beyond simple location matching, including temporal dimensions (travel time, availability windows), workload dimensions (current assignment load, capacity), and care requirement dimensions (specialized skills, care type compatibility)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12518870B2Systems and methods for analyzing multiple variables in dynamic resource distribution

Publication Date: 2026.01.06 CENTENE CORP

AI summary

A caregiver assignment (CA) computing system is described. The CA computing system includes a processor coupled to a database. The processor is configured to receive caregiver data and convert the caregiver data into a shared format, the converted caregiver data including an indication of the current workload for the at least one caregiver. The processor is also configured to receive patient data associated with a patient, determine care data from the patient data, the care data including an estimated amount of time required to administer care to the patient, and convert the care data into the shared format, the converted care data indicating the estimated amount of time required to administer care to the patient. The processor is further configured to automatically generate, based at least upon the converted caregiver data and the converted care data, an assignment of a caregiver of the plurality of caregivers to the patient.