Medical Imaging System Voice Control and Wireless Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Healthcare environments face challenges with cluttered workspaces, inefficient data access, limited interoperability between devices, and repetitive motion disorders, which hinder workflow efficiency and patient safety due to the complexity of managing multiple devices and systems in a demanding clinical setting.
Innovation Solution
A medical imaging and information management system with enhanced communication capabilities, including an information manager and communication manager that facilitates access to image data and scheduling of notifications and conferences via a network, allowing for voice or vocal commands and reducing the need for physical device interaction, thereby improving workflow and communication between healthcare practitioners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices and systems are used in a healthcare facility, then functionality and data access capabilities are improved, but workspace clutter and device management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple devices and systems (imaging equipment, information management systems, communication devices, and data storage systems) into a single integrated system. This merging eliminates the need for separate workstations and multiple logons, allowing healthcare practitioners to access all functions through one unified interface, thereby reducing workspace clutter while maintaining full functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated system provides universal access to multiple functions including imaging modalities, patient information systems, communication tools, and data storage. A single system can perform what previously required multiple specialized devices, enabling practitioners to access diverse functionalities without managing separate equipment clusters.
2Loss of information
If practitioners use computers or telephones in the facility for data access, then information accessibility is improved, but workflow interruption and distraction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces wireless communication as an intermediary between practitioners and the information management system. By using wireless technology, practitioners can access patient information, images, and communication tools without being physically bound to a computer or telephone in the facility, allowing them to maintain workflow continuity while staying connected to essential information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from wired, fixed-position device access to wireless, mobile access. This dimensional change allows practitioners to access information anywhere in the facility rather than being constrained to specific workstations, eliminating the trade-off between information accessibility and workflow disruption.
3Ease of operation
If practitioners physically interact with multiple devices for data entry and access, then information management capability is improved, but repetitive motion disorders increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical mechanical interactions (typing on keyboards, using mice, manual device switching) with automated and voice-activated controls. The integrated system can automatically retrieve information, display images, and initiate communications without requiring repetitive manual inputs, thereby maintaining information management capability while reducing the risk of repetitive motion disorders.
4Reliability
If multiple logons are required for different systems, then system security and access control are improved, but time consumption and inconvenience increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated system merges multiple separate systems into a single unified platform, allowing practitioners to access all functions through one logon. This eliminates the time-consuming process of repeatedly logging into different systems while maintaining the security and access control measures necessary for healthcare environments.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide improved clinical workflow using a medical imaging and information management system and method with enhanced communication capabilities. Certain embodiments of the system include an information manager including clinical content, such as images and/or information, and a communication manager receiving an event notification from the information manager. The system may further include an interface capable of accessing the information manager. Additionally, the system may include a contact device capable of communicating via the communication manager. A modality may transmit examination data to the information manager and may receive instructions for the information manager. In an embodiment, the communications manager includes a contact information list with one or more contact devices associated with a user. The communications manager may be capable of detecting a presence of a user on a network.