Centralized Electronic Dental Records for Cross-Provider Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patient dental records are often difficult to share between dental practices and patient access to their own records is limited, requiring redundant examinations when changing dentists.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows patients to manage and control their electronic dental records (EDRs) through a processor-based system, enabling the capture, storage, and sharing of EDRs across dental providers, with features for provider recommendations and appointment scheduling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If patient dental records are stored by each individual dental practice, then each practice can maintain and manage its own records, but sharing records between practices becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized EDR storage system that acts as an intermediary between multiple dental practices and patients. This central repository receives EDR files from various practices and makes them accessible to authorized users, enabling seamless record sharing without requiring direct integration between individual practice systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a universal platform that serves multiple dental practices simultaneously. The centralized storage and access system can handle EDR files from any participating practice, providing a multi-functional solution that eliminates the need for separate record management systems at each practice while enabling cross-practice record sharing.
2Ease of operation
If patients rely solely on the dental provider for access to their records, then the provider maintains control, but patient access and control is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a patient portal that enables patients to independently access, view, and manage their own EDR files. Patients can log in to the centralized system, retrieve their records, and even share them with new providers without requiring intervention from their current dental practice, thus providing self-service capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments access control by creating distinct user roles (patients, dental providers, administrators) with different permission levels. This segmentation allows patients to have direct access to their own records while maintaining security and control mechanisms, rather than requiring a single centralized authority for all access requests.
3Reliability
If a new dentist develops a new set of patient records, then the new dentist has complete records, but redundant examinations are performed which is detrimental to the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically transferring and making available EDR files from previous providers before the patient's first appointment with a new dentist. This advance preparation ensures that the new provider has access to complete historical records prior to seeing the patient, eliminating the need for redundant diagnostic procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback mechanisms that notify new dental providers when EDR files are available in the centralized repository. The provider can then retrieve the patient's complete medical and dental history, ensuring informed decision-making without requiring the patient to undergo unnecessary re-examinations.
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment, a system configured to maintain a patient account associated with a dental patient is disclosed. The system is further configured to cause a user interface to be presented on a patient device associated with the dental patient and to receive, from the patient device, an indication corresponding to a digital file associated with the dental patient that was generated by a first dental provider. The system is further configured to obtain the digital file based on the received indication, generate an electronic dental record (EDR) file based at least in part on the obtained digital file, store the EDR file in an EDR database, associate the EDR file with the patient account of the dental patient, receive information identifying a second dental provider from the patient device, and provide the second dental provider with access to the EDR file associated with the patient account.