Patient Timeline Generation System for Medical Data Integration

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for accessing and summarizing patient medical information in healthcare facilities are inefficient, leading to time-consuming searches and potential errors, as relevant information is scattered across various applications and flow sheets, making it difficult for medical personnel to quickly identify key events or procedures.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that generate patient timelines using medical information from various computer systems, utilizing unique identifiers and codes to create graphical representations of medical events and procedures over time, providing a quick and efficient summary view of a patient's medical history and future plans.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If medical personnel use grids or flow sheets to access patient information, then they can obtain medical data from multiple sources, but it becomes time-consuming and difficult to locate relevant information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to medical informationVSAvoidtime to locate information

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments patient information into discrete chronological events marked by unique codes, allowing medical personnel to access comprehensive data while quickly locating specific events through the segmented timeline structure rather than searching through unorganized grid data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a timeline intermediary layer that translates data from multiple clinical applications into a unified chronological sequence. This intermediary timeline consolidates information from various sources while maintaining quick accessibility, solving the contradiction between comprehensive information access and rapid location of relevant data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If medical personnel search and evaluate substantial amounts of data in grids or flow sheets, then they can find relevant medical information, but errors and mistakes may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of medical informationVSAvoidaccuracy of information retrieval

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of searching and evaluating data in grids with an automated computerized system that generates chronological timelines. This substitution eliminates human error in information retrieval while maintaining complete medical information through systematic data processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copied chronological representation of patient data from multiple sources, organizing it into a standardized timeline format. This copied structure maintains the completeness of original information while improving reliability through consistent formatting and automated generation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Loss of information

If existing methods like grids and flow sheets are used to view patient status, then medical data can be accessed, but a quick summary view or picture of patient progress is not provided

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavailability of medical dataVSAvoidease of understanding patient status

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds a chronological dimension to patient data presentation, transforming multi-source medical information into a time-based timeline. This dimensional change provides both complete data availability and easy understanding through the intuitive chronological sequence of events

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses visual markers and codes (analogous to color changes) to represent different types of medical events and their significance. These visual indicators provide immediate recognition of event types and patient status changes, making the information easy to interpret while maintaining comprehensive data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

4Loss of information

If medical personnel sort through different applications or pages to find patient information, then they can access scattered medical data, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to scattered medical informationVSAvoidefficiency of information retrieval

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges data from multiple scattered clinical applications into a single unified chronological timeline. This consolidation maintains access to all medical information while dramatically improving productivity by eliminating the need to navigate through multiple applications and pages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8401870B2Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for generating patient timelines

Publication Date: 2013.03.19 HARRIS DAWN HLDG INC

AI summary

An apparatus and system are provided for generating one or more patient timelines corresponding to a patient(s). The apparatus includes a processor configured to receive medical information, associated with a patient(s), from one or more different computer systems and store the received medical information in a memory. The processor is configured to examine the received medical information stored in the memory and identify whether data in the medical information indicates the medical information corresponds to a patient(s). The data may include a unique identifier(s) (ID(s)) associated with a patient(s). The processor is also configured to determine if content in the received medical information is designated for inclusion in at least one graphical representation. The content may include one or more unique codes. The processor is also configured to generate a graphical representation(s) corresponding to a chronological sequence of medical events associated with a patient(s) during a period of time.