EHR GUI with Automatic Field Advancement for Workflow Alignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electronic health record (EHR) systems are inefficient due to rigid data entry interfaces that do not align with healthcare workers' workflows, requiring excessive hand movement and distracting the worker from patient interaction, leading to increased data entry time.

Innovation Solution

A client EHR application with a graphical user interface (GUI) on a touch-screen device allows for free-hand data entry using a stylus or thumb, with fields positioned in a corner to minimize hand movement, and automatic advancement to the next data point, enabling data entry that follows the healthcare worker's workflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional EHR interfaces are programmed to collect clinical data in a specific order, then data entry follows a structured process, but data entry time increases because the order may not match the healthcare worker's actual workflow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkflow alignmentVSAvoiddata entry time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The EHR interface dynamically adapts its data collection order based on the healthcare worker's actual workflow rather than enforcing a fixed sequence. The system detects and responds to the user's natural data entry patterns, reordering fields and categories to match the worker's preferred workflow, thereby reducing navigation time while maintaining structured data collection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of requiring the healthcare worker to adapt to the EHR's predetermined data collection order, the system inverts the approach by allowing the worker's natural workflow to dictate the interface's data collection sequence. The EHR adapts its structure to fit the user's workflow rather than forcing the user to conform to the system's structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Measurement precision

If clinical data is input using a keyboard or two-handed touch-screen operation, then data can be entered accurately, but the healthcare worker must look at the screen or keyboard instead of the patient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata entry accuracyVSAvoidpatient interaction quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical data entry methods (keyboard typing or two-handed touch operations requiring visual attention to the screen) with voice recognition technology. The healthcare worker speaks clinical data that is automatically captured and entered into the EHR, eliminating the need to look at the screen or keyboard while maintaining accurate data entry through speech-to-text conversion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Quantity of substance

If conventional EHR interfaces require manual navigation through multiple screens or fields, then all necessary data points can be collected, but data entry time increases due to excessive hand movement and interface navigation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of clinical dataVSAvoiddata entry efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple data entry fields and navigation steps into a single integrated voice command interface. Instead of requiring the healthcare worker to manually navigate through multiple screens or fields, the system merges the entire data collection process into a continuous voice-based interaction that captures all necessary clinical data points in one streamlined workflow, eliminating redundant navigation actions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of operation

If the EHR interface is configured with fields positioned away from each other, then each field can be adequately sized, but hand movement increases when entering data in sequential fields

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefield accessibilityVSAvoidhand movement time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The voice recognition system replaces the mechanical hand movement required to navigate between physically separated fields with vocal commands. The healthcare worker can input data for any field in the sequence using voice without moving their hand across the screen, effectively eliminating the time loss associated with hand movement while maintaining proper field spacing and sizing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10956031B1Graphical user interface for data entry into an electronic health records application

Publication Date: 2021.03.23 ALLSCRIPTS SOFTWARE LLC

AI summary

A client EHR executing on a client computing device is described herein, wherein the client EHR is configured to present a GUI on a display of the client computing device. The GUI comprises a first field, a second field, and a third field, wherein the first field is configured to receive an identifier for a category of clinical data, the second field is configured to receive clinical data of the identified category of clinical data and the third field is configured to present the identified category of clinical data from the electronic health record of a patient. The client computing device then receives input comprising clinical data of the category identified, which is then integrated into the patient's electronic health record maintained by the EHR. After receiving an input comprising clinical data, the GUI automatically advances to the next subcategory of the identified category for which clinical data is needed.