EHR Note Automation via Fingerprinting and Audio Transcription

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manual generation of medical notes by physicians is time-consuming, leading to burnout and inaccuracies, which increases the patient's cost of care and negatively affects outcomes due to repetitive data entry and lack of efficiency in tracking patient information.

Innovation Solution

A note automation server generates partially completed medical notes using patient information from EHR systems, selecting appropriate templates and predicting billing codes based on historical data, and completes notes with audio transcriptions to reduce manual labor and improve accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physicians manually create medical notes during and after appointments, then the notes contain accurate patient information, but the process is time-consuming and leads to physician burnout

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of medical notesVSAvoidtime spent on data entry

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system generates a partially completed note in advance of the appointment using patient information from the EHR system, fingerprint generation, scenario matching, and template selection. This preliminary note creation reduces the time physicians need to spend on data entry during and after appointments while maintaining accuracy through structured templates and pre-populated fields.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses audio files recorded by physicians during appointments, automatically transcribes them, and uses the transcription to fill in the remainder of the medical note. This self-service approach allows the system to automatically complete documentation tasks that would otherwise require manual physician input, reducing burnout while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Quantity of substance

If physicians spend two hours on data entry and administrative tasks for every hour of direct patient care, then comprehensive medical records are created, but physician quality of life is reduced and burnout is common

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of medical recordsVSAvoidphysician efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By generating partially completed notes before appointments using EHR data, fingerprint analysis, scenario matching, and template selection, the system pre-processes documentation tasks. This shifts work from high-volume data entry during/after appointments to automated preliminary preparation, improving physician efficiency while maintaining record completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual physician data entry with automated processes including fingerprint generation, scenario matching algorithms, template selection, and audio transcription. This substitution of mechanical automation for manual labor significantly reduces the 2:1 ratio of administrative time to patient care time while maintaining comprehensive record creation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual medical note creation is performed from scratch for each appointment, then notes are customized to patient needs, but the process is repetitive and leads to inaccuracies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization of medical notesVSAvoidaccuracy of medical notes

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses fingerprint generation to capture patient-specific characteristics and matches them with appropriate scenarios and templates. This allows the note structure and content to be locally optimized for each patient's specific needs, condition, and history while maintaining overall accuracy through standardized medical templates and validation rules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses audio files recorded by physicians during appointments as feedback to verify and complete the automatically generated notes. The transcription of this audio feedback is used to fill in remaining portions of the note, allowing verification and correction of any inaccuracies while maintaining customization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11610654B1Digital fingerprinting for automatic generation of electronic health record notes

Publication Date: 2023.03.21 ZEALTH INC

AI summary

A note automation server automatically generates medical notes for appointments between patients and physicians. The note automation server generates a fingerprint for each upcoming appointment between a patient and physician using information from an EHR system and information stored on the note automation server. The fingerprint includes information about the patient, including demographic information and medical history. The note automation server identifies an appropriate note template and billing codes for the appointment using the fingerprint and an audio file recorded by a physician during and/or after an appointment. The fingerprint, audio file, and note template are used complete of the medical note. The completed medical note and billing codes are exported to the EHR system, where it is accessed by the physician. The note automation server monitors the EHR system to see if the physician modified the medical note or a billing code.