Touch-Sensitive Sliding Timeline for EMR Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electronic medical record (EMR) systems are inefficient for real-time communication between doctors and patients due to complex interfaces, making it difficult to quickly access and share medical information, which hinders the doctor-patient relationship and increases medical care costs.

Innovation Solution

A touch-sensitive display device system that allows for intuitive access and presentation of EMR information using portable EMR access devices with touch-sensitive sliding timelines, icons, and detail panels, enabling efficient selection and presentation of medical information, and a middle-tier application that caches and reorganizes data for faster access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional EMR interfaces are used to store and organize medical information, then information can be stored in databases, but access and retrieval of information becomes slow and complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveamount of medical information storedVSAvoidtime to access and retrieve information

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The EMR interface is segmented into multiple functional layers: a display layer showing visual representations of medical data, a middle-tier application layer that processes and caches data, and a database layer for storage. This segmentation allows the system to present simplified views to users while maintaining comprehensive data storage, reducing access time without losing information quantity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing and caching medical information in the middle-tier application before it is needed. Data is organized and prepared in advance, so when a doctor or patient needs to access information, it is already formatted and ready for immediate display, eliminating the need for real-time querying and processing during patient consultations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If detailed EMR information is made accessible to patients, then patient awareness and engagement improve, but the complexity of the interface increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of medical information sharedVSAvoidcomplexity of access interface

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates simplified visual copies or representations of complex medical data. Instead of presenting raw database entries, the interface generates user-friendly visual displays that mirror the essential information in an accessible format. This allows complete medical information to be shared with patients through an intuitive interface that does not require technical knowledge to navigate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If doctors use conventional computer interfaces to navigate EMR data, then information can be accessed, but communication efficiency with patients decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of medical informationVSAvoidcommunication efficiency between doctor and patient

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

A portable EMR access device serves as an intermediary between the comprehensive EMR database and the doctor-patient interaction. This device provides rapid access to accurate medical information during consultations, allowing doctors to reference reliable data without being slowed by complex interface navigation, thereby maintaining both information accuracy and communication efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Loss of information

If comprehensive medical data is stored in databases, then medical records are complete, but the time and training required for data entry increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of medical recordsVSAvoidtime for data entry and storage

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service mechanisms where medical information is automatically captured, processed, and stored without requiring manual data entry. The middle-tier application automatically organizes and caches data as it is generated from various medical sources, completing the data entry process autonomously and ensuring comprehensive records are maintained with minimal human intervention and training required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8775213B2Method, apparatus, and system for reading, processing, presenting, and/or storing electronic medical record information

Publication Date: 2014.07.08 EMERGENT HEALTH CARE SOLUTIONS LLC

AI summary

A method for accessing, processing, presenting, and/or storing electronic medical record (EMR) information on a touch-sensitive display includes reading EMR information, displaying at least a portion of the EMR information on a touch-sensitive sliding timeline, detecting finger swipe or similar gestures, and scrolling the sliding timeline so that a different portion of the EMR information is displayed chronologically on the touch-sensitive sliding timeline. The resolution of the timeline can be expanded or collapsed in response to pinch gestures. The timeline is divided into a columns, each column including icons representing medical related events. A second timeline having a different time resolution from the first timeline is used for navigating the medical related events. Different levels of detail regarding the medical related events can be viewed in different detail panes. An EMR access device and system are also disclosed, which are configured to access and present EMR information.