U.S. patent application number 13/374747 was filed with the patent office on 2013-07-04 for evidence-based healthcare information management protocols.
This patent application is currently assigned to Elwha LLC, a limited liability company of the State of Delaware. The applicant listed for this patent is Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Royce A. Levien, Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, JR., Dennis J. Rivet, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, JR.. Invention is credited to Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Royce A. Levien, Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, JR., Dennis J. Rivet, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, JR..
Application Number | 20130173296 13/374747 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48695627 |
Filed Date | 2013-07-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130173296 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hyde; Roderick A. ; et
al. |
July 4, 2013 |
Evidence-based healthcare information management protocols
Abstract
Structures and protocols are presented for signaling a decision
(processing or transmitting a medical record or other resource,
e.g.) conditionally, at least partly based on one or more
performance indicia (excess hospital readmissions, e.g.) or
therapeutic determinants (prior success, e.g.) or privacy
considerations (patient consent, e.g.).
Inventors: |
Hyde; Roderick A.; (Redmond,
WA) ; Jung; Edward K. Y.; (Bellevue, WA) ;
Kare; Jordin T.; (Seattle, WA) ; Leuthardt; Eric
C.; (St. Louis, MO) ; Levien; Royce A.;
(Lexington, MA) ; Lord; Richard T.; (Tacoma,
WA) ; Lord; Robert W.; (Seattle, WA) ;
Malamud; Mark A.; (Seattle, WA) ; Rinaldo, JR.; John
D.; (Bellevue, WA) ; Rivet; Dennis J.;
(Chesapeake, VA) ; Tegreene; Clarence T.;
(Bellevue, WA) ; Wood, JR.; Lowell L.; (Bellevue,
WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hyde; Roderick A.
Jung; Edward K. Y.
Kare; Jordin T.
Leuthardt; Eric C.
Levien; Royce A.
Lord; Richard T.
Lord; Robert W.
Malamud; Mark A.
Rinaldo, JR.; John D.
Rivet; Dennis J.
Tegreene; Clarence T.
Wood, JR.; Lowell L. |
Redmond
Bellevue
Seattle
St. Louis
Lexington
Tacoma
Seattle
Seattle
Bellevue
Chesapeake
Bellevue
Bellevue |
WA
WA
WA
MO
MA
WA
WA
WA
WA
VA
WA
WA |
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Elwha LLC, a limited liability
company of the State of Delaware
|
Family ID: |
48695627 |
Appl. No.: |
13/374747 |
Filed: |
January 9, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13374750 |
Jan 9, 2012 |
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13374747 |
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13374745 |
Jan 9, 2012 |
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13374750 |
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13374744 |
Jan 9, 2012 |
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13374745 |
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13374748 |
Jan 9, 2012 |
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13374744 |
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13374519 |
Dec 30, 2011 |
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13374748 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 50/18 20130101;
G16H 20/10 20180101; G16H 10/60 20180101; G06Q 10/10 20130101; G16H
20/30 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/3 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 50/24 20120101
G06Q050/24 |
Claims
1. A healthcare information management system comprising: circuitry
for obtaining an indication that a particular condition was treated
in a first patient with a first protocol; circuitry for causing a
record of a second patient to include the indication that the
particular condition was treated in the first patient with the
first protocol; and circuitry for retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol.
2. The healthcare information management system of claim 1, further
comprising: circuitry for obtaining an indication whether an
individual is compliant with a health regimen, the individual being
the second patient.
3. The healthcare information management system of claim 1, further
comprising: circuitry for obtaining an indication whether an
individual is compliant with a health regimen, the individual being
the second patient, the first protocol comprising the health
regimen, the health regimen comprising at least one of a dietary
component or an exercise component.
4-6. (canceled)
7. The healthcare information management system of claim 1, further
comprising: circuitry for obtaining an explicit indication whether
a record of treating a medical condition in a particular person
with a particular protocol contains any extrinsic evidence that
treating the medical condition with the particular protocol has
precedent, the particular person being the second patient, the
particular protocol being the first protocol.
8. The healthcare information management system of claim 1, further
comprising: circuitry for obtaining an explicit indication whether
a record of treating a medical condition in a particular person
with a particular protocol contains any extrinsic evidence that
treating the medical condition with the particular protocol has
precedent, the particular person being the second patient, the
particular protocol being the first protocol, the explicit
indication being an affirmative indication, the extrinsic evidence
that treating the medical condition with the particular protocol
has precedent comprising the indication that the particular
condition was treated in the first patient with the first
protocol.
9. (canceled)
10. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for obtaining an indication that a
specific pathology in a particular individual has been treated at a
first hospital and an indication that the specific pathology in the
particular individual has been treated at a second hospital as the
indication of the institutional readmission, the particular
condition comprising the specific pathology.
11. (canceled)
12. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for updating a locally-resident
subscriber registry in response to an individual entering a service
zone, the individual being the second patient.
13. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for updating a locally-resident
subscriber registry in response to an individual entering a service
zone, the individual being the second patient, the locally-resident
subscriber registry residing within a vehicle, the vehicle being
within the service zone.
14. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for looking up a communication delay
as a function of a medical condition, the medical condition
comprising the particular condition, the communication delay being
more than an hour; and circuitry for transmitting a query as an
automatic response to an expiration of the communication delay, the
query mentioning the first protocol.
15. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for looking up a communication delay
as a function of a therapeutic protocol, the therapeutic protocol
being the first protocol; and circuitry for transmitting a query as
an automatic response to an expiration of the communication
delay.
16. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for looking up a communication delay
as a function of a therapeutic protocol, the therapeutic protocol
being the first protocol, the communication delay being more than a
day; and circuitry for transmitting a query as an automatic
response to an expiration of the communication delay, the query
mentioning the first protocol.
17-18. (canceled)
19. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for causing an individual to be
contacted by a fallback mode of communication as a conditional
response to receiving no reply from the individual by a prior mode
of communication, the prior mode of communication being telephonic,
the individual being the first patient or the second patient or
neither the first patient nor the second patient.
20. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for causing an individual to be
contacted by a fallback mode of communication as a conditional
response to receiving no reply from the individual by a prior mode
of communication, the prior mode of communication being telephonic,
the individual being the first patient or the second patient or
neither the first patient nor the second patient, the fallback mode
of communication requesting a confirmation that the particular
condition was treated in the first patient with the first
protocol.
21. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for contacting an individual by a
fallback mode of communication as an automatic and conditional
response to receiving no reply from the individual by a prior mode
of communication, the fallback mode of communication being
telephonic, the individual being either the first patient or a
caregiver of the first patient.
22. (canceled)
23. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for retrieving a medical treatment
record of one individual selectively in response to an explicit
indication of a payment reduction that identifies the one
individual, the one individual being the second patient.
24. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for retrieving a medical treatment
record of one individual selectively in response to an explicit
indication of a payment reduction that identifies the one
individual, the one individual being the second patient, the
explicit indication of the payment reduction comprising the
association between the second patient and the indication of the
institutional readmission.
25. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for retrieving a medical treatment
record relating to a set of one or more pathologies selectively in
response to an explicit indication of a payment reduction that
identifies the set, the set of one or more pathologies comprising
the particular condition.
26. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for retrieving a medical treatment
record relating to a set of one or more pathologies selectively in
response to an explicit indication of a payment reduction that
identifies the set, the set of one or more pathologies comprising
the particular condition, the particular condition including at
least one of an addiction or chronic pain.
27-29. (canceled)
30. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for signaling a decision whether to
transfer a resource to a first individual partly based on an
indication that the first individual is not compliant with a health
regimen and partly based on an indication that the first individual
has accepted a telephone call, the first individual being the
patient.
31. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for signaling a decision whether to
transfer a resource to a first individual partly based on an
indication that the first individual is not compliant with a health
regimen and partly based on an indication that the first individual
has accepted a telephone call, the first individual being the
patient, the resource being a physical article in a machine, the
decision whether to transfer the resource to the first individual
being manifested as a decision whether to dispense the physical
article from the machine to the first individual.
32-33. (canceled)
34. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for responding to a payment-reduction
event relating to a first medical treatment by causing a selective
retrieval of one or more records that lack any prominence
indication relating to the first medical treatment from an archive
that includes at least one prominence indication relating to a
second medical treatment, the first protocol comprising the second
medical treatment.
35. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for responding to a payment-reduction
event relating to a first medical treatment by causing a selective
retrieval of one or more records that lack any prominence
indication relating to the first medical treatment from an archive
that includes at least one prominence indication relating to a
second medical treatment, the first protocol comprising the second
medical treatment, the at least one prominence indication relating
to the second medical treatment being the indication that the
particular condition was treated in the first patient with the
first protocol.
36. (canceled)
37. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for transmitting a real-time
notification to a first person as an automatic response to an
interface in a vicinity of a second person detecting a particular
event relating to the second person, the second person being a
patient of the first person, the second person being the second
patient.
38. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for transmitting a real-time
notification to a first person as an automatic response to an
interface in a vicinity of a second person detecting a particular
event relating to the second person, the second person being a
patient of the first person, the second person being the second
patient, the particular event relating to the second person
comprising the interface in the vicinity of the second person
detecting a wireless signal.
39. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for transmitting a real-time
notification to a first person as an automatic response to an
interface in a vicinity of a second person detecting a particular
event relating to the second person, the second person being a
patient of the first person, the second person being the second
patient, the particular event relating to the second person
comprising the interface in the vicinity of the second person
detecting a wireless signal from a transponder wearable by the
second person, the particular event indicating that the transponder
has entered a detection range of the interface or that the
interface has entered the vicinity of the second person.
40. (canceled)
41. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for implementing a failsafe
preventing medical equipment from operating until an order
associating the medical equipment with a patient is received and
until an indication is received that the patient is in a vicinity
of the medical equipment, the patient being the second patient, the
first protocol including a usage of the medical equipment.
42. A healthcare information management system comprising: means
for obtaining an indication that a particular condition was treated
in a first patient with a first protocol; means for causing a
record of a second patient to include the indication that the
particular condition was treated in the first patient with the
first protocol; and means for retrieving the record of the second
patient selectively in response to an association between the
second patient and an indication of an institutional readmission
after the record of the second patient includes the indication that
the particular condition was treated in the first patient with the
first protocol.
43-62. (canceled)
63. A healthcare information management method comprising:
obtaining an indication that a particular condition was treated in
a first patient with a first protocol; causing a record of a second
patient to include the indication that the particular condition was
treated in the first patient with the first protocol; and invoking
circuitry for retrieving the record of the second patient
selectively in response to an association between the second
patient and an indication of an institutional readmission after the
record of the second patient includes the indication that the
particular condition was treated in the first patient with the
first protocol.
64-83. (canceled)
84. An article of manufacture for healthcare information management
comprising: one or more physical media configured to bear a
device-detectable implementation of a method including at least
obtaining an indication that a particular condition was treated in
a first patient with a first protocol; causing a record of a second
patient to include the indication that the particular condition was
treated in the first patient with the first protocol; and
retrieving the record of the second patient selectively in response
to an association between the second patient and an indication of
an institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol.
85-104. (canceled)
105. An article of manufacture for healthcare information
management comprising: one or more physical media bearing a
device-detectable output indicating an occurrence of obtaining an
indication that a particular condition was treated in a first
patient with a first protocol; causing a record of a second patient
to include the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol; and retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol.
106-125. (canceled)
126. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for obtaining an indication whether
an individual is compliant with a health regimen, the individual
being the second patient, the first protocol comprising the health
regimen; circuitry for determining whether a portable device is in
a vicinity of another device, the portable device being associated
with the second patient, the other device being configured to
facilitate a component of the health regimen comprising at least
one of a dietary component or an exercise component; circuitry for
receiving a communication delay as data entered by a user, the user
being the first patient or the second patient or neither the first
patient nor the second patient; circuitry for transmitting a query
as an automatic response to an expiration of the communication
delay, the query asking about an effect of the first protocol, the
query being addressed to the user; circuitry for obtaining an
explicit indication whether a record of treating a medical
condition in the second patient with the first protocol contains
any extrinsic evidence that treating the medical condition with the
first protocol has precedent, the explicit indication being an
affirmative indication, the extrinsic evidence that treating the
medical condition with the first protocol has precedent comprising
the indication that the particular condition was treated in the
first patient with the first protocol; and circuitry for responding
to a payment-reduction event relating to a first medical treatment
by causing a selective retrieval of one or more records that lack
any prominence indication relating to the first medical treatment
from an archive that includes at least one prominence indication
relating to a second medical treatment, the first protocol
comprising the second medical treatment, the at least one
prominence indication relating to the second medical treatment
being the indication that the particular condition was treated in
the first patient with the first protocol.
127. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for determining whether a portable
device is in a vicinity of another device, the portable device
being associated with the second patient, the other device being
configured to facilitate a component of the first protocol;
circuitry for contacting an individual by a fallback mode of
communication as an automatic and conditional response to receiving
no reply from the individual by a prior mode of communication, the
fallback mode of communication being telephonic, the individual
being either the first patient or a caregiver of the first patient,
the prior mode of communication requesting a confirmation of the
indication that that the particular condition was treated in the
first patient with the first protocol; and circuitry for responding
to a payment-reduction event relating to a first medical treatment
by causing a selective retrieval of one or more records that lack
any prominence indication relating to the first medical treatment
from an archive that includes at least one prominence indication
relating to a second medical treatment, the first protocol
comprising the second medical treatment, the at least one
prominence indication relating to the second medical treatment
being the indication that the particular condition was treated in
the first patient with the first protocol.
128. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for detecting a wireless device
within an effective range of a stationary device, the stationary
device being configured to facilitate a component of the first
protocol, the wireless device being associated with and wearable by
the second patient; circuitry for updating a locally-resident
subscriber registry in response to the second patient entering a
service zone, the locally-resident subscriber registry residing
within a vehicle, the vehicle being within the service zone;
circuitry for looking up a communication delay as a function of a
medical condition and as a function of a therapeutic protocol, the
therapeutic protocol being the first protocol, the medical
condition comprising the particular condition, the communication
delay being more than an hour; circuitry for transmitting a query
as an automatic response to an expiration of the communication
delay, the query mentioning the first protocol; and circuitry for
causing the second patient to be contacted by a fallback mode of
communication as a conditional response to receiving no reply from
the second patient by a prior mode of communication, the prior mode
of communication being telephonic, the fallback mode of
communication requesting a confirmation of the indication that that
the particular condition was treated in the first patient with the
first protocol.
129. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for retrieving a medical treatment
record relating to a set of one or more pathologies selectively in
response to an explicit indication of a payment reduction that
identifies the set, the set of one or more pathologies comprising
the particular condition, the particular condition including at
least one of an addiction or chronic pain; circuitry for initiating
a telephone call between a first individual and a second individual
as an automatic response to the first individual not being
compliant with a health regimen and to an indication that the
second individual is available, the first individual being the
second patient, the second individual not being the first patient,
the first protocol comprising the health regimen; circuitry for
signaling a decision whether to transfer a resource to the first
individual partly based on an indication that the first individual
is not compliant with the health regimen and partly based on an
indication that the first individual has accepted the telephone
call, the first individual being the second patient, the resource
being a physical article in a machine, the decision whether to
transfer the resource to the first individual being manifested as a
decision whether to dispense the physical article from the machine
to the first individual; and circuitry for responding to an event
with an audible notification to a caregiver of the second patient,
the event comprising the indication that the particular condition
was treated in the first patient with the first protocol being
included in the record of the second patient.
130. The healthcare information management system of claim 1,
further comprising: circuitry for triggering a search of a
particular records archive by providing a selective search
criterion, one that results in an exclusion of a first element in
the particular records archive and an inclusion of a second element
in the particular records archive, the first element in the
particular records archive being a record of a third patient, the
record of the second patient comprising the second element in the
particular records archive; circuitry for transmitting a real-time
notification as an automatic response to an interface in a vicinity
of the second patient detecting a particular event relating to the
second patient, the particular event relating to the second patient
comprising the interface in the vicinity of the second patient
detecting a wireless signal from a transponder wearable by the
second patient, the particular event indicating that the
transponder has entered a detection range of the interface or that
the interface has entered the vicinity of the second patient;
circuitry for implementing a failsafe preventing medical equipment
from operating until an order associating the medical equipment
with the second patient is received and until an indication is
received that the second patient is in a vicinity of the medical
equipment, the first protocol including a usage of the medical
equipment; circuitry for looking up a communication delay as a
function of a medical condition and as a function of a therapeutic
protocol, the therapeutic protocol being the first protocol, the
medical condition comprising the particular condition, the
communication delay being more than a day; and circuitry for
transmitting a query as an automatic response to an expiration of
the communication delay, the query mentioning the first protocol.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is related to and claims the benefit
of the earliest available effective filing date(s) from the
following listed application(s) (the "Related Applications") (e.g.,
claims earliest available priority dates for other than provisional
patent applications or claims benefits under 35 USC .sctn.119(e)
for provisional patent applications, for any and all parent,
grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related
Application(s)). All subject matter of the Related Applications and
of any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc.
applications of the Related Applications, including any priority
claims, is incorporated herein by reference to the extent such
subject matter is not inconsistent herewith.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the
present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of {Attorney
Docket Nos. 1011-002-003, 1011-002-004, 1011-002-005,
1011-002-006}, each entitled Evidence-Based Healthcare Information
Management Protocols, naming Roderick A. Hyde; Edward K. Y. Jung;
Jordin T. Kare; Eric C. Leuthardt; Royce A. Levien; Richard T.
Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; John D. Rinaldo, Jr.; Dennis
J. Rivet; Clarence T. Tegreene; and Lowell L. Wood, Jr. as
inventors, filed on even date herewith, each of which is currently
co-pending or is an application of which a currently co-pending
application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date. Likewise
the present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of
{Attorney Docket No. 1011-002-001}, also entitled Evidence-Based
Healthcare Information Management Protocols and naming Roderick A.
Hyde; Edward K. Y. Jung; Jordin T. Kare; Eric C. Leuthardt; Royce
A. Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; John
D. Rinaldo, Jr.; Dennis J. Rivet; Clarence T. Tegreene; and Lowell
L. Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed 30 Dec. 2011, which is currently
co-pending.
[0003] For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the
present application claims benefit of priority of {Attorney Docket
Nos. 1011-002-003, 1011-002-004, 1011-002-005, 1011-002-006}, each
entitled Evidence-Based Healthcare Information Management
Protocols, naming Roderick A. Hyde; Edward K. Y. Jung; Jordin T.
Kare; Eric C. Leuthardt; Royce A. Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert
W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; John D. Rinaldo, Jr.; Dennis J. Rivet;
Clarence T. Tegreene; and Lowell L. Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed
on even date herewith, each of which was filed within the twelve
months preceding the filing date of the present application or is
an application of which a currently co-pending application is
entitled to the benefit of the filing date. Likewise the present
application claims benefit of priority of {Attorney Docket No.
1011-002-001}, also entitled Evidence-Based Healthcare Information
Management Protocols and naming Roderick A. Hyde; Edward K. Y.
Jung; Jordin T. Kare; Eric C. Leuthardt; Royce A. Levien; Richard
T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; John D. Rinaldo, Jr.;
Dennis J. Rivet; Clarence T. Tegreene; and Lowell L. Wood, Jr. as
inventors, filed 30 Dec. 2011, which was filed within the twelve
months preceding the filing date of the present application.
[0004] The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a
notice to the effect that the USPTO's computer programs require
that patent applicants reference both a serial number and indicate
whether an application is a continuation, continuation-in-part, or
divisional of a parent application. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit of
Prior-Filed Application, USPTO Official Gazette Mar. 18, 2003. The
present Applicant Entity (hereinafter "Applicant") has provided
above a specific reference to the application(s) from which
priority is being claimed as recited by statute. Applicant
understands that the statute is unambiguous in its specific
reference language and does not require either a serial number or
any characterization, such as "continuation" or
"continuation-in-part," for claiming priority to U.S. patent
applications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicant understands
that the USPTO's computer programs have certain data entry
requirements, and hence Applicant has provided designation(s) of a
relationship between the present application and its parent
application(s) as set forth above, but expressly points out that
such designation(s) are not to be construed in any way as any type
of commentary and/or admission as to whether or not the present
application contains any new matter in addition to the matter of
its parent application(s).
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0005] This disclosure relates to managing information in an
evidence-based medical practice, particularly data relating to
patients or to diagnostic or therapeutic treatments.
SUMMARY
[0006] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to causing an electronic record
of a first protocol (comprising one or more instances of diagnostic
evaluations, regimen implementations, or medical interventions,
e.g.) for a particular condition (comprising one or more instances
of injuries, complaints, or pathologies, e.g.) to be annotated with
a scan of a document and retrieving the electronic record of the
first protocol after the electronic record of the first protocol is
annotated with the scan of the document partly based on an
indication of a first patient undergoing the first protocol and
partly based on an indication of an institutional readmission. In
addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in
the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present
disclosure.
[0007] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0008] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for causing an
electronic record of a first protocol for a particular condition to
be annotated with a scan of a document and circuitry for retrieving
the electronic record of the first protocol after the electronic
record of the first protocol is annotated with the scan of the
document partly based on an indication of a first patient
undergoing the first protocol and partly based on an indication of
an institutional readmission. In addition to the foregoing, other
system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text
forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0009] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to causing an
electronic record of a first protocol for a particular condition to
be annotated with a scan of a document and retrieving the
electronic record of the first protocol after the electronic record
of the first protocol is annotated with the scan of the document
partly based on an indication of a first patient undergoing the
first protocol and partly based on an indication of an
institutional readmission. In addition to the foregoing, other
computer program product aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0010] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for causing an electronic
record of a first protocol for a particular condition to be
annotated with a scan of a document and retrieving the electronic
record of the first protocol after the electronic record of the
first protocol is annotated with the scan of the document partly
based on an indication of a first patient undergoing the first
protocol and partly based on an indication of an institutional
readmission. In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects are
described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the
present disclosure.
[0011] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to obtaining an indication that
a particular condition was treated in a first patient with a first
protocol; causing a record of a second patient to include the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol; and retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol. In addition to the foregoing,
other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and
text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0012] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0013] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for obtaining an
indication that a particular condition was treated in a first
patient with a first protocol; circuitry for causing a record of a
second patient to include the indication that the particular
condition was treated in the first patient with the first protocol;
and circuitry for retrieving the record of the second patient
selectively in response to an association between the second
patient and an indication of an institutional readmission after the
record of the second patient includes the indication that the
particular condition was treated in the first patient with the
first protocol. In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects
are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of
the present disclosure.
[0014] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to obtaining an
indication that a particular condition was treated in a first
patient with a first protocol; causing a record of a second patient
to include the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol; and retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol. In addition to the
foregoing, other computer program product aspects are described in
the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present
disclosure.
[0015] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for obtaining an indication
that a particular condition was treated in a first patient with a
first protocol; causing a record of a second patient to include the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol; and retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol. In addition to the foregoing,
other system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and
text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0016] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to obtaining an indication of a
first protocol being employed in relation to a particular condition
in a first patient; requesting an effectiveness indication of the
first protocol from an entity partly based on the entity validating
the first protocol and partly based on a first communication delay
associated with the first protocol, the first communication delay
exceeding one hour; and signaling a decision whether to update a
prominence indication of the first protocol in response to whether
the effectiveness indication of the first protocol was received
from the entity after the effectiveness indication is requested
from the entity partly based on the entity validating the first
protocol and partly based on the first communication delay
associated with the first protocol. In addition to the foregoing,
other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and
text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0017] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0018] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for obtaining an
indication of a first protocol being employed in relation to a
particular condition in a first patient; circuitry for requesting
an effectiveness indication of the first protocol from an entity
partly based on the entity validating the first protocol and partly
based on a first communication delay associated with the first
protocol, the first communication delay exceeding one hour; and
circuitry for signaling a decision whether to update a prominence
indication of the first protocol in response to whether the
effectiveness indication of the first protocol was received from
the entity after the effectiveness indication is requested from the
entity partly based on the entity validating the first protocol and
partly based on the first communication delay associated with the
first protocol. In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects
are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of
the present disclosure.
[0019] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to obtaining an
indication of a first protocol being employed in relation to a
particular condition in a first patient; requesting an
effectiveness indication of the first protocol from an entity
partly based on the entity validating the first protocol and partly
based on a first communication delay associated with the first
protocol, the first communication delay exceeding one hour; and
signaling a decision whether to update a prominence indication of
the first protocol in response to whether the effectiveness
indication of the first protocol was received from the entity after
the effectiveness indication is requested from the entity partly
based on the entity validating the first protocol and partly based
on the first communication delay associated with the first
protocol. In addition to the foregoing, other computer program
product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text
forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0020] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for obtaining an indication
of a first protocol being employed in relation to a particular
condition in a first patient; requesting an effectiveness
indication of the first protocol from an entity partly based on the
entity validating the first protocol and partly based on a first
communication delay associated with the first protocol, the first
communication delay exceeding one hour; and signaling a decision
whether to update a prominence indication of the first protocol in
response to whether the effectiveness indication of the first
protocol was received from the entity after the effectiveness
indication is requested from the entity partly based on the entity
validating the first protocol and partly based on the first
communication delay associated with the first protocol. In addition
to the foregoing, other system aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0021] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to obtaining an association
between a particular condition and a first protocol; causing a
comparison between a threshold and a prominence indication of
treating the particular condition with the first protocol after the
association between the particular condition and the first protocol
is obtained; and signaling a decision whether to caution a
caregiver partly based on the association between the particular
condition and the first protocol and partly based on the comparison
between the threshold and the prominence indication of treating the
particular condition with the first protocol. In addition to the
foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0022] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0023] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for obtaining an
association between a particular condition and a first protocol;
circuitry for causing a comparison between a threshold and a
prominence indication of treating the particular condition with the
first protocol after the association between the particular
condition and the first protocol is obtained; and circuitry for
signaling a decision whether to caution a caregiver partly based on
the association between the particular condition and the first
protocol and partly based on the comparison between the threshold
and the prominence indication of treating the particular condition
with the first protocol. In addition to the foregoing, other system
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
[0024] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to obtaining an
association between a particular condition and a first protocol;
causing a comparison between a threshold and a prominence
indication of treating the particular condition with the first
protocol after the association between the particular condition and
the first protocol is obtained; and signaling a decision whether to
caution a caregiver partly based on the association between the
particular condition and the first protocol and partly based on the
comparison between the threshold and the prominence indication of
treating the particular condition with the first protocol. In
addition to the foregoing, other computer program product aspects
are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of
the present disclosure.
[0025] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for obtaining an association
between a particular condition and a first protocol; causing a
comparison between a threshold and a prominence indication of
treating the particular condition with the first protocol after the
association between the particular condition and the first protocol
is obtained; and signaling a decision whether to caution a
caregiver partly based on the association between the particular
condition and the first protocol and partly based on the comparison
between the threshold and the prominence indication of treating the
particular condition with the first protocol. In addition to the
foregoing, other system aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0026] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to obtaining an association
between a care administration space and a first device; obtaining
via a second device a patient consent conditionally authorizing a
release of a first medical record, the second device being a mobile
device; and causing the first device to receive the first medical
record partly based on the second device entering the care
administration space and partly based on the patient consent
authorizing the release of the first medical record. In addition to
the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0027] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0028] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for obtaining an
association between a care administration space and a first device;
circuitry for obtaining via a second device a patient consent
conditionally authorizing a release of a first medical record, the
second device being a mobile device; and circuitry for causing the
first device to receive the first medical record partly based on
the second device entering the care administration space and partly
based on the patient consent authorizing the release of the first
medical record. In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects
are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of
the present disclosure.
[0029] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to obtaining an
association between a care administration space and a first device;
obtaining via a second device a patient consent conditionally
authorizing a release of a first medical record, the second device
being a mobile device; and causing the first device to receive the
first medical record partly based on the second device entering the
care administration space and partly based on the patient consent
authorizing the release of the first medical record. In addition to
the foregoing, other computer program product aspects are described
in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present
disclosure.
[0030] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for obtaining an association
between a care administration space and a first device; obtaining
via a second device a patient consent conditionally authorizing a
release of a first medical record, the second device being a mobile
device; and causing the first device to receive the first medical
record partly based on the second device entering the care
administration space and partly based on the patient consent
authorizing the release of the first medical record. In addition to
the foregoing, other system aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0031] An embodiment provides a method. In one implementation, the
method includes but is not limited to obtaining an indication of a
first device associated with and wearable by a patient hospitalized
for a particular condition; obtaining an indication of a second
device associated with and wearable by a caregiver; causing a
recordation of a timestamp as an automatic response to the first
device associated with and wearable by the patient and the second
device associated with and wearable by the caregiver both being in
a single common location; and causing a retrieval of the timestamp
in response to an indication of an institutional readmission after
the recordation of the timestamp indicating the first device
associated with and wearable by the patient and the second device
associated with and wearable by the caregiver both having been in
the single common location. In addition to the foregoing, other
method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text
forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0032] In one or more various aspects, related machines,
compositions of matter, or manufactures of systems may include
virtually any combination permissible under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.101 of
hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the
herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices
of the system designer.
[0033] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to circuitry for obtaining an
indication of a first device associated with and wearable by a
patient hospitalized for a particular condition; obtaining an
indication of a second device associated with and wearable by a
caregiver; causing a recordation of a timestamp as an automatic
response to the first device associated with and wearable by the
patient and the second device associated with and wearable by the
caregiver both being in a single common location; and causing a
retrieval of the timestamp in response to an indication of an
institutional readmission after the recordation of the timestamp
indicating the first device associated with and wearable by the
patient and the second device associated with and wearable by the
caregiver both having been in the single common location. In
addition to the foregoing, other system aspects are described in
the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present
disclosure.
[0034] An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a
computer program product. In one implementation, the article of
manufacture includes but is not limited to a signal-bearing medium
configured by one or more instructions related to obtaining an
indication of a first device associated with and wearable by a
patient hospitalized for a particular condition; obtaining an
indication of a second device associated with and wearable by a
caregiver; causing a recordation of a timestamp as an automatic
response to the first device associated with and wearable by the
patient and the second device associated with and wearable by the
caregiver both being in a single common location; and causing a
retrieval of the timestamp in response to an indication of an
institutional readmission after the recordation of the timestamp
indicating the first device associated with and wearable by the
patient and the second device associated with and wearable by the
caregiver both having been in the single common location. In
addition to the foregoing, other computer program product aspects
are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of
the present disclosure.
[0035] An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the
system includes but is not limited to a computing device and
instructions. The instructions when executed on the computing
device configure the computing device for obtaining an indication
of a first device associated with and wearable by a patient
hospitalized for a particular condition; obtaining an indication of
a second device associated with and wearable by a caregiver;
causing a recordation of a timestamp as an automatic response to
the first device associated with and wearable by the patient and
the second device associated with and wearable by the caregiver
both being in a single common location; and causing a retrieval of
the timestamp in response to an indication of an institutional
readmission after the recordation of the timestamp indicating the
first device associated with and wearable by the patient and the
second device associated with and wearable by the caregiver both
having been in the single common location. In addition to the
foregoing, other system aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0036] In addition to the foregoing, various other method and/or
system and/or program product aspects are set forth and described
in the teachings such as text (e.g., claims and/or detailed
description) and/or drawings of the present disclosure. The
foregoing is a summary and thus may contain simplifications,
generalizations, inclusions, and/or omissions of detail;
consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
summary is illustrative only and is NOT intended to be in any way
limiting. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the devices
and/or processes and/or other subject matter described herein will
become apparent in the teachings set forth below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0037] FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or more
technologies may be implemented in one or more data-handling
media.
[0038] FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or more
technologies may facilitate coordination between a hospital and one
or more other facilities.
[0039] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or more
technologies may be implemented in a device.
[0040] FIGS. 4-7 respectively depict other exemplary environments
in which one or more technologies may be implemented in one or more
data-handling media.
[0041] FIGS. 8-13 respectively depict exemplary environments in
which one or more technologies may be configured to operate between
or among respective devices.
[0042] FIG. 14 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process described with reference to FIG. 8.
[0043] FIG. 15 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process described with reference to FIG. 9.
[0044] FIG. 16 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process described with reference to FIG. 10.
[0045] FIG. 17 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process described with reference to FIG. 11.
[0046] FIG. 18 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process described with reference to FIG. 12.
[0047] FIG. 19 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational
process described with reference to FIG. 13.
[0048] FIG. 20 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or
more technologies may be implemented in one or more data-handling
media on a network.
[0049] FIG. 21 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be implemented in one or more
data-handling media.
[0050] FIG. 22 depicts another exemplary environment in which one
or more technologies may be configured to operate between or among
respective devices.
[0051] FIG. 23 depicts variants of flows shown in one or more of
FIGS. 14-19.
[0052] FIG. 24 depicts variants of flows shown in one or more of
FIG. 14-19 or 23.
[0053] FIG. 25 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented
flows.
[0054] FIG. 26 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented
flows.
[0055] FIG. 27 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented
flows.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0056] In the following detailed description, reference is made to
the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the
drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components,
unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments
described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not
meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other
changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of
the subject matter presented here.
[0057] Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state
of the art has progressed to the point where there is little
distinction left between hardware, software, and/or firmware
implementations of aspects of systems; the use of hardware,
software, and/or firmware is generally (but not always, in that in
certain contexts the choice between hardware and software can
become significant) a design choice representing cost vs.
efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in the art will appreciate
that there are various vehicles by which processes and/or systems
and/or other technologies described herein can be effected (e.g.,
hardware, software, and/or firmware), and that the preferred
vehicle will vary with the context in which the processes and/or
systems and/or other technologies are deployed. For example, if an
implementer determines that speed and accuracy are paramount, the
implementer may opt for a mainly hardware and/or firmware vehicle;
alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the implementer may opt
for a mainly software implementation; or, yet again alternatively,
the implementer may opt for some combination of hardware, software,
and/or firmware. Hence, there are several possible vehicles by
which the processes and/or devices and/or other technologies
described herein may be effected, none of which is inherently
superior to the other in that any vehicle to be utilized is a
choice dependent upon the context in which the vehicle will be
deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, or
predictability) of the implementer, any of which may vary. Those
skilled in the art will recognize that optical aspects of
implementations will typically employ optically-oriented hardware,
software, and or firmware.
[0058] In some implementations described herein, logic and similar
implementations may include software or other control structures
suitable to operation. Electronic circuitry, for example, may
manifest one or more paths of electrical current constructed and
arranged to implement various logic functions as described herein.
In some implementations, one or more media are configured to bear a
device-detectable implementation if such media hold or transmit a
special-purpose device instruction set operable to perform as
described herein. In some variants, for example, this may manifest
as an update or other modification of existing software or
firmware, or of gate arrays or other programmable hardware, such as
by performing a reception of or a transmission of one or more
instructions in relation to one or more operations described
herein. Alternatively or additionally, in some variants, an
implementation may include special-purpose hardware, software,
firmware components, and/or general-purpose components executing or
otherwise invoking special-purpose components. Specifications or
other implementations may be transmitted by one or more instances
of tangible transmission media as described herein, optionally by
packet transmission or otherwise by passing through distributed
media at various times.
[0059] Alternatively or additionally, implementations may include
executing a special-purpose instruction sequence or otherwise
invoking circuitry for enabling, triggering, coordinating,
requesting, or otherwise causing one or more occurrences of any
functional operations described below. In some variants,
operational or other logical descriptions herein may be expressed
directly as source code and compiled or otherwise invoked as an
executable instruction sequence. In some contexts, for example, C++
or other code sequences can be compiled directly or otherwise
implemented in high-level descriptor languages (e.g., a
logic-synthesizable language, a hardware description language, a
hardware design simulation, and/or other such similar mode(s) of
expression). Alternatively or additionally, some or all of the
logical expression may be manifested as a Verilog-type hardware
description or other circuitry model before physical implementation
in hardware, especially for basic operations or timing-critical
applications. Those skilled in the art will recognize how to
obtain, configure, and optimize suitable transmission or
computational elements, material supplies, actuators, or other
common structures in light of these teachings.
[0060] In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize
that the various embodiments described herein can be implemented,
individually and/or collectively, by various types of
electro-mechanical systems having a wide range of electrical
components such as hardware, software, firmware, and/or virtually
any combination thereof; and a wide range of components that may
impart mechanical force or motion such as rigid bodies, spring or
torsional bodies, hydraulics, electro-magnetically actuated
devices, and/or virtually any combination thereof. Consequently, as
used herein "electro-mechanical system" includes, but is not
limited to, electrical circuitry operably coupled with a transducer
(e.g., an actuator, a motor, a piezoelectric crystal, a Micro
Electro Mechanical System (MEMS), etc.), electrical circuitry
having at least one discrete electrical circuit, electrical
circuitry having at least one integrated circuit, electrical
circuitry having at least one application specific integrated
circuit, electrical circuitry forming a general purpose computing
device configured by a computer program (e.g., a general purpose
computer configured by a computer program which at least partially
carries out processes and/or devices described herein, or a
microprocessor configured by a computer program which at least
partially carries out processes and/or devices described herein),
electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g., forms of memory
(e.g., random access, flash, read only, etc.)), electrical
circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a modem,
communications switch, optical-electrical equipment, etc.), and/or
any non-electrical analog thereto, such as optical or other
analogs. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that
examples of electro-mechanical systems include but are not limited
to a variety of consumer electronics systems, medical devices, as
well as other systems such as motorized transport systems, factory
automation systems, security systems, and/or
communication/computing systems. Those skilled in the art will
recognize the electro-mechanical as used herein is not necessarily
limited to a system that has both electrical and mechanical
actuation except as context may dictate otherwise.
[0061] In a general sense, those skilled in the art will also
recognize that the various aspects described herein which can be
implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of
hardware, software, firmware, and/or any combination thereof can be
viewed as being composed of various types of "electrical
circuitry." Consequently, as used herein "electrical circuitry"
includes, but is not limited to, electrical circuitry having at
least one discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having
at least one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at
least one application specific integrated circuit, electrical
circuitry forming a general purpose computing device configured by
a computer program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by
a computer program which at least partially carries out processes
and/or devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by
a computer program which at least partially carries out processes
and/or devices described herein), electrical circuitry forming a
memory device (e.g., forms of memory (e.g., random access, flash,
read only, etc.)), and/or electrical circuitry forming a
communications device (e.g., a modem, communications switch,
optical-electrical equipment, etc.). Those having skill in the art
will recognize that the subject matter described herein may be
implemented in an analog or digital fashion or some combination
thereof.
[0062] Those skilled in the art will further recognize that at
least a portion of the devices and/or processes described herein
can be integrated into an image processing system. A typical image
processing system may generally include one or more of a system
unit housing, a video display device, memory such as volatile or
non-volatile memory, processors such as microprocessors or digital
signal processors, computational entities such as operating
systems, drivers, applications programs, one or more interaction
devices (e.g., a touch pad, a touch screen, an antenna, etc.),
control systems including feedback loops and control motors (e.g.,
feedback for sensing lens position and/or velocity; control motors
for moving/distorting lenses to give desired focuses). An image
processing system may be implemented utilizing suitable
commercially available components, such as those typically found in
digital still systems and/or digital motion systems.
[0063] Those skilled in the art will likewise recognize that at
least some of the devices and/or processes described herein can be
integrated into a data processing system. Those having skill in the
art will recognize that a data processing system generally includes
one or more of a system unit housing, a video display device,
memory such as volatile or non-volatile memory, processors such as
microprocessors or digital signal processors, computational
entities such as operating systems, drivers, graphical user
interfaces, and applications programs, one or more interaction
devices (e.g., a touch pad, a touch screen, an antenna, etc.),
and/or control systems including feedback loops and control motors
(e.g., feedback for sensing position and/or velocity; control
motors for moving and/or adjusting components and/or quantities). A
data processing system may be implemented utilizing suitable
commercially available components, such as those typically found in
data computing/communication and/or network computing/communication
systems.
[0064] With reference now to FIG. 1, shown is an example of a
system 1 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. One or more media 105 are
configured to bear one or more instances of a registry 109 (of
multiple subscribers, e.g.); organized informational data
components relating to health-related protocols 120, 130, 140
relating to the treatment of various conditions 160, 170, 180
(symptoms or pathologies 181 or sets 107 thereof, e.g.); thresholds
191, 192; and outputs 195, 196. One or more such data components
126 relate specifically to the handling of condition 160 using
protocol 120 prospectively or otherwise, for example, for one or
more particular patients or more generally as described below.
(Such sets 107 of pathologies 181 may comprise one or more of an
addiction or chronic pain or major depression, for example.) One or
more data components 127 likewise relate specifically to the
handling of condition 170 using protocol 120 (MRI screening
followed by magnetic stimulation therapy, e.g.). One or more data
components 128 likewise relate specifically to the handling of
condition 180 using protocol 120.
[0065] One or more data components 136 likewise relate specifically
to the handling of condition 160 using protocol 130. One or more
data components 137 likewise relate specifically to the handling of
condition 170 (hypertension with major depression in a male of 50
years or older, e.g.) using protocol 130 (a series of ten weekly
counseling sessions, e.g.). One or more data components 138
likewise relate specifically to the handling of condition 180 using
protocol 130.
[0066] One or more data components 146 likewise relate specifically
to the handling of condition 160 using protocol 140. One or more
data components 147 likewise relate specifically to the handling of
condition 170 (major depression, e.g.) using protocol 140. In some
contexts, protocol 140 may comprise a particular drug 141
(sertraline, e.g.) taken at a particular dosage (50 milligrams,
e.g.) with a particular frequency 144 (daily, e.g.). One or more
data components 148 likewise relate specifically to the handling of
condition 180 using protocol 140.
[0067] A wide variety of conditions 160, 170, 180 of interest may
be identified using one or more common medical classification
publications: the ICD (International Classification of Diseases);
the ICSD (International Classification of Sleep Disorders); the
NANDA (North American Nursing Diagnosis Association); the DSM-IV
(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders); the
Mendelian Inheritance in Man; and the SNOMED (Systematized
Nomenclature of Human Medicine, D axis). In practical terms,
records signaling such conditions may also comprise textual
descriptors to locate misclassified or other data components 126,
137, 148 that signal such conditions 160, 170, 180 of interest (in
a physician's remarks or other annotations relating to patients who
have been readmitted to a hospital or psychiatric facility,
e.g.).
[0068] Likewise a wide variety of protocols 120, 130, 140 (of
diagnosis or treatment, e.g.) of interest may be identified using
one or more common procedure codes in various publications: the
ICHI (International Classification of Health Interventions); the
ICPM (International Classification of Procedures in Medicine); the
ICPC-2 (International Classification of Primary Care); the HCPCS
(Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System); the ICD-10-PCS and the
ICD-9-CM Volume 3 (International Classification of Diseases); the
NIC (Nursing Interventions Classification); the NMDS (Nursing
Minimum Data Set); the NOC (Nursing Outcomes Classification); the
SNOMED (Systematized Nomenclature of Human Medicine, P axis); and
the CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes. In practical terms,
records signaling such protocols may also comprise DRG (Diagnosis
Related Group) codes or textual descriptors to locate misclassified
or other data components 126, 137, 148 that signal such protocols
120, 130, 140 of interest.
[0069] With reference now to FIG. 2, shown is an example of various
institutions among which one or more technologies may be
implemented. A motor vehicle bearing a mobile device 241 is shown
in a vicinity of a hospital 201 on a network 290 (the Internet or a
phone network, e.g.) shared with another hospital 202 and a home
289 of a patient 292. In some contexts, network 290 may include one
or more call centers 295 operated by one or more agents 294 as
described below. A stationary device 242 is configured to monitor a
location 204 within which it resides (in or near an emergency room
of hospital 202, e.g.). In the particular context as shown,
hospital 201 is in one service zone 207 and hospital 202 is in a
second service zone 208.
[0070] With reference now to FIG. 3, shown is an example of a
system 3 (a subsystem comprising network 290, e.g.) in which one or
more technologies may be implemented. Device 305 may (optionally)
include one or more instances of input modules 311, 312, 313, 314,
315, 316, 317, 318, 319; of configuration modules 321, 322, 323,
324, 325, 326; of request modules 331, 332; of retrieval modules
341, 342, 343, 344; of response modules 351, 352, 353, 354, 355,
356, 357, 358, 359; of invocation modules 371, 372, 373, 374; of
statement modules 381, 382; of comparators 391; of clocks 392; of
expert systems 393; of transmitters 394; of global positioning
systems 396; of radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders
397; or of ultrasound identification (USID) transponders 398. In
some contexts, moreover, a single component (an
application-specific integrated circuit or device-executable
software, e.g.) may implement two or more types of the modules
described below. Input module 319, for example, may (optionally) be
configured to implement more than one of input modules 311-318 (as
an automatic response to device-detectable events as described
below, e.g.). Response module 359 may likewise be configured to
implement more than one of response modules 351-358 (in response to
an activation signal from invocation module 374, e.g.). In many of
the contexts described below, two or more instances of device 305
are configured to interact with one another or to include one or
more media 105 as described below. See FIGS. 4-7, 20, and 21.
[0071] With reference now to FIG. 4, shown is an example of a
system 4 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. One or more media 405 are
configured to bear one or more instances of content 431, 432; of
protocol data 450; of patient attributes 470 (gender 471 or age 472
or race 473, e.g.); of biometrics 481, test results 482, computed
tomography scans 483 or other images 484; or other such diagnostic
data 490. Each of the data components 126-128, 136-138, 146-148
that pertain to a particular patient 292, for example, may
(optionally) include one or more protocol identifiers 451, material
identifiers 452 (of drugs, e.g.), timing data 453 (of dosages,
e.g.), protocol effectiveness indicators 456 (such as rankings 454
or scores 455, e.g.), or dates 457 (of orders or enrollments or
injuries or other major events, e.g.) as well as diagnostic data
490 relating to each selected protocol (documenting its rationale
or apparent effect, e.g.).
[0072] With reference now to FIG. 5, shown is an example of a
system 5 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. One or more media 505 are
configured to bear one or more instances of pathology identifiers
511, symptom identifiers 512, complaints 513, or other such
condition indications 515; of report types 521, request
authorizations 522, user identifiers 523, or other such indications
525 (of excessive institutional readmissions or other apparently
negative outcomes that warrant scrutiny, e.g.); of time intervals
538 or programmatic delays 541, 542, 543, 544; of inputs 551, 552
or replies 555; of records 561, 562, 563, 564, 565, 566, 567, 568,
569 relating to a particular patient or caregiver; of queries 571,
572, 573, 574 or requests 581, 582 as described below.
[0073] With reference now to FIG. 6, shown is an example of a
system 6 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. One or more media 605 are
configured to bear one or more instances of accounts 616 (relating
to funds or other inventories, e.g.); orders 618 (by a physician,
e.g.); components 651, 652 of a regimen 650; records 671, 672, 673,
674, 675 relating to a particular patient or caregiver; indications
681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689 of various events or
conditions relating to healthcare or information management; or of
goods 691, services 692, credits 693, or other incentives 694 as
described below.
[0074] With reference now to FIG. 7, shown is an example of a
system 7 (a network subsystem, e.g.) in which one or more
technologies may be implemented. One or more media 705 are
configured to bear one or more instances of validations 701, 702;
records 710 (comprising timestamps 711 or other data 712
manifesting measurement or observation events, e.g.); e-mail
addresses 721, telephone numbers 722, or other contact information
720 (of a care provider or administrator, e.g.); preferences 725
(of users of devices 305 as described below, e.g.); identifiers
731, 732, 733, 734, 735 (of devices or individuals, e.g.); coded or
other digitally expressed exceptions 740 affecting treatment
decisions (cost differences 741, side effects 742, past failures
743, or patient preferences 744, e.g.); global positioning system
(GPS) data 751, 752 (of devices or individuals as described below,
e.g.); data 764 comprising medical justification audit reports 765;
indications 777 comprising requests 771, 772 (signaling an
association 776 between a caregiver or patient and various
indications 681-689 described below, e.g.); and scans 788, 789 (of
documents supporting a course of treatment, e.g.).
[0075] Several variants described herein refer to device-detectable
"implementations" such as one or more instances of
computer-readable code, transistor or latch connectivity layouts or
other geometric expressions of logical elements, firmware or
software expressions of transfer functions implementing
computational specifications, digital expressions of truth tables,
or the like. Such instances can, in some implementations, include
source code or other human-readable portions. Alternatively or
additionally, functions of implementations described herein may
constitute one or more device-detectable outputs such as decisions,
manifestations, side effects, results, coding or other expressions,
displayable images, data files, data associations, statistical
correlations, streaming signals, intensity levels, frequencies or
other measurable attributes, packets or other encoded expressions,
or the like from invoking or monitoring the implementation as
described herein.
[0076] In some embodiments, a "state" of a component may comprise
"available" or some other such state-descriptive labels, an event
count or other such memory values, a partial depletion or other
such physical property of a supply device, a voltage, or any other
such conditions or attributes that may change between two or more
possible values irrespective of device location. Such states may be
received directly as a measurement or other detection, in some
variants, and/or may be inferred from a component's behavior over
time. A distributed or other composite system may comprise
vector-valued device states, moreover, which may affect
dispensations or departures in various ways as exemplified
herein.
[0077] "Received," "particular," "wearable," "portable,"
"precedent," "stationary," "audible," "conditional," "explicit,"
"prior," "extrinsic," "mobile," "specific," "partly," "local,"
"between," "passive," "associated," "effective," "single,"
"wireless," "any," "within," "automatic," "proximate," "remote,"
"common," "selective," "explicit," "resident," "employed,"
"detectable," "multiple," "in a vicinity," "affirmative," or other
such descriptors herein are used in their normal yes-or-no sense,
not as terms of degree, unless context dictates otherwise. In light
of the present disclosure those skilled in the art will understand
from context what is meant by "vicinity," by being "in" or "at" a
detection region, by "remote," and by other such positional
descriptors used herein. "For" is not used to articulate a mere
intended purpose in phrases like "circuitry for" or "instruction
for," moreover, but is used normally, in descriptively identifying
special purpose circuitry or code.
[0078] In some embodiments, "signaling" something can include
identifying, contacting, requesting, selecting, or indicating the
thing. In some cases a signaled thing is susceptible to fewer than
all of these aspects, of course, such as a task definition that
cannot be "contacted."
[0079] In some embodiments, "status indicative" data can reflect a
trend or other time-dependent phenomenon indicating some aspect of
a subject's condition. Alternatively or additionally, a status
indicative data set can include portions that have no bearing upon
such status. Although some types of distillations can require
authority or substantial expertise (e.g. making a final decision
upon a risky procedure or other course of treatment), many other
types of distillations can readily be implemented without undue
experimentation in light of teachings herein.
[0080] In some embodiments, "causing" events can include
triggering, producing or otherwise directly or indirectly bringing
the events to pass. This can include causing the events remotely,
concurrently, partially, or otherwise as a "cause in fact," whether
or not a more immediate cause also exists.
[0081] Some descriptions herein refer to an "indication whether" an
event has occurred. An indication is "positive" if it indicates
that the event has occurred, irrespective of its numerical sign or
lack thereof. Whether positive or negative, such indications may be
weak (i.e. slightly probative), definitive, or many levels in
between. In some cases the "indication" may include a portion that
is indeterminate, such as an irrelevant portion of a useful
photograph.
[0082] With reference now to FIG. 8, shown is an example of a
system 8 (a subsystem of one or more networks 290, 890 described
herein, e.g.) in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
A desktop scanner 878 is configured to transmit a scan 811 of a
hardcopy 877 (of a medical journal article, e.g.) to a local system
841 (comprising a display 810 and keyboard 846, e.g.) on one or
more networks 290, 890 described herein. One such network 890
comprises a records archive 820 accessible by one or more retrieval
modules 825 operable by a remote requestor 893 (remote from local
system 841, e.g.).
[0083] With reference now to FIG. 14, shown is a high-level logic
flow 14 of an operational process. Intensive operation 42 describes
causing an electronic record of a first protocol for a particular
condition to be annotated with a scan of a document (e.g.
configuration module 326 amending a digital record 569 of the first
protocol to include a reference to or a copy of a digital scan 811
of a hard copy 877 in response to input module 314 receiving the
reference to or the copy of the digital scan 811). This can occur,
for example, in a context in which record 569 reflects patient 292
being admitted or having been admitted to hospital 201 for the
treatment of a particular condition 170 by a specific protocol 120,
in which network 290 is linked to network 890, in which one or more
instances of device 305 reside on network 890 (implementing a
computer workstation comprising system 841, e.g.), in which one or
more input modules 311-319 receive the digital scan 811 as an
automatic response to scanner 878 receiving the hard copy 877, and
in which configuration module 326 fully implements the annotation
(directly to a remote instance of record 569, e.g.) without any
manual input (as an additional automatic response to scanner 878
receiving the hard copy 877, e.g.). Alternatively, input module 314
may be configured to confirm that a caregiver wants such annotation
or to permit the caregiver to tune the annotation (by adding
related notes or orders or by annotating other records 561-569 with
the same scan 811, e.g.). In some variants, for example, the local
user can confirm that the changes made to a local instance of
record 569 (including a locally indicated or displayed scan 811,
e.g.) should be written to a remote records archive 820 (into a
data component 127 specifically associated with the protocol 120
and with the condition 170, e.g.) by responding affirmatively to a
query 572 like "save changes to the current record?"
[0084] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for annotating an electronic record as
described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 7,941,009 ("Real-time computerized annotation of
pictures"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,913,162 ("System and method for
collaborative annotation using a digital pen"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,847,970 ("System and method for reception analysis and annotation
of prescription data"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,546,524 ("Electronic input
device system and method using human-comprehensible content to
automatically correlate an annotation of a paper document with a
digital version of the document"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,373,342
("Including annotation data with disparate relational data"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,286,894 ("Hand-held computer device and method for
interactive data acquisition analysis annotation and calibration");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,269,787 ("Multi-document context aware annotation
system"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,493 ("Delivering electronic versions
of supporting documents associated with an insurance claim"); U.S.
Pat. No. 6,839,403 ("Generation and distribution of annotation
overlays of digital X-ray images for security systems"); U.S. Pat.
No. 6,721,921 ("Method and system for annotating documents using an
independent annotation repository"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,519
("Distributed real time catalog-based annotation and documentation
system for cardiology procedures"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,901
("Distributed real time replication-based annotation and
documentation system for cardiology procedures"); U.S. Pat. No.
6,397,181 ("Method and apparatus for voice annotation and retrieval
of multimedia data").
[0085] Extensive operation 51 describes retrieving the electronic
record of the first protocol after the electronic record of the
first protocol is annotated with the scan of the document partly
based on an indication of a first patient undergoing the first
protocol and partly based on an indication of an institutional
readmission (e.g. retrieval module 825 retrieving record 569 based
on indications that patient 292 was treated for the particular
condition 170 at hospital 201 and was released and later readmitted
for the same condition 170). This can occur, for example, in a
context in which record 569 includes a symptom identifier 512 or
other indication 681 of the specific medical condition 170, in
which record 569 also includes a color scan 811 of content 431
pertaining to the medical condition 170 presented in the form of a
hard copy 877 (a research study provided by the patient 292 or a
family member, e.g.), and in which such later readmission (for the
particular condition or for a treatment of some harm to the patient
resulting from a medical error that occurred during the prior
hospitalization, e.g.) would otherwise trigger a reduction in
payment for the "first" protocol or for other hospital services. In
some contexts, for example, a Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus
Aureus (MRSA) diagnosis that appears during a patient's hospital
stay, or some other hospital-acquired condition, may be indicative
of such medical error. Alternatively or additionally, such content
431 (in one or more media 105, 405 residing on network 890, e.g.)
may pertain to one or more medical protocols 120, 130 under
prospective consideration for treating the patient 292 and may be
retained (as evidence of diligent decision-making or of why a
course of treatment was not selected, e.g.).
[0086] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for determining which patients have been
treated or hospitalized for a particular condition as described
herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.
7,996,074 ("System and method for providing closely-followed
cardiac therapy management through automated patient care"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,991,485 ("System and method for obtaining, processing
and evaluating patient information for diagnosing disease and
selecting treatment"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,942,817 ("Patient monitoring
and treatment medical signal interface system"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,827,043 ("Method using a global server for providing patient
medical histories to assist in the delivery of emergency medical
services"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,154 ("Patient-controlled automated
medical record, diagnosis, and treatment system and method"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,395,216 ("Using predictive models to continuously update
a treatment plan for a patient in a health care location"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,395,214 ("Apparatus, device and method for prescribing,
administering and monitoring a treatment regimen for a patient");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,805 ("Patient conditional diagnosis, assessment
and symptom tracking system"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,085 ("Method and
apparatus to produce, maintain and report information related to
patient treatment using medical devices"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,634
("System and method for determining a condition of a patient");
U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,165 ("Medical workstation for treating a
patient with a voice recording arrangement for preparing a
physician's report during treatment"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,039
("Method for automated collection of psychotherapy patient
information and generating reports and treatment plans").
[0087] With reference now to FIG. 9, shown is an example of a
system 9 (e.g. a subsystem of one or more networks 290, 990) in
which one or more technologies may be implemented. A desktop system
941 is configured to display (to a caregiver 991 or other
authorized entity, e.g.) one or more instances of studies 931,
records 932, forms 933, or other such indications relating to a
patient 992. Such records 932 may include various data components
127, 136, 148 relating to therapies (actually or potentially) being
performed upon one or more patients 292, 992 as described herein.
In some contexts, one or more such records 932 may be retrieved
from or saved to records archive 920 (by one or more retrieval
modules 925 in an implementation of device 305 described above,
e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, a regional network 990 (e.g.
for one or more hospitals 201, 202) containing such archives may be
accessed (by a remote requestor 993, e.g.) as described herein.
[0088] With reference now to FIG. 15, shown is a high-level logic
flow 15 of an operational process. Intensive operation 35 describes
obtaining an indication that a particular condition was treated in
a first patient with a first protocol (e.g. input module 316
receiving a medical record 932 or other specific indication 935
that protocol 120 was used for treating condition 170 in patient
292). This can occur, for example, in a context in which one or
more such indications 935 comprise a data component 127 associated
with protocol 120 and with condition 170, in which a second patient
992 or her caregiver 991 has access to some or all of the data
component 127 (including the specific indication 935, e.g.), and in
which condition 170 is described in data component 127 with a
pathology identifier 511 ("fibromyalgia," e.g.) that has also been
assigned to the "second" patient 992. In some variants, for
example, one or more such data components 126-128, 136-138 may
reside in one or more regional records archives 820, 920 accessible
to authorized caregivers 991. Alternatively or additionally, one or
more such indications 935 may be obtained from a published research
study 931 (as a hard copy 877 to be scanned, e.g.) or entered into
an online form 933 (with an identifier of a hospital 201 or a
physician or protocol data 450 or other background information
known to caregiver 991 about the "first" patient 292 or his/her
prior treatment, e.g.).
[0089] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for extracting an indication that a patient
(mammal, e.g.) was treated for a particular condition as described
herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.
8,073,711 ("Method and system for obtaining health-related records
and documents using an online location"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,065,347
("Managing protocol amendments in electronically recorded clinical
trials"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,972,274 ("System and method for analyzing
a patient status for congestive heart failure for use in automated
patient care"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,935,055 ("System and method of
measuring disease severity of a patient before, during and after
treatment"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,899,764 ("Medical ontologies for
machine learning and decision support"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,552,039
("Method for sample processing and integrated reporting of dog
health diagnosis"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,353 ("Electronic system for
collecting and automatically populating clinical order information
in an acute care setting"); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,085 ("Method
and apparatus to produce, maintain and report information related
to patient treatment using medical devices").
[0090] Intensive operation 43 describes causing a record of a
second patient to include the indication that the particular
condition was treated in the first patient with the first protocol
(e.g. configuration module 323 modifying a medical record 562 of
the "second" patient 992 by including one or more specific
indications 935 that protocol 120 was used for treating condition
170 in one or more prior patients 292, with or without identifying
any particular "first" patient 292). This can occur, for example,
in a context in which protocol 120 is not yet established as the
preferred treatment for treating condition 170; in which the
"first" and "second" patients have one or more attributes 470
(gender 471 or general age 472 or race 473, e.g.) in common; in
which record 562 identifies one or more such attributes 470 but
does not include other information that identifies the "first"
patient 292. In addition to such considerations relating to patient
privacy, tracking such information may be helpful in relation to
other regulatory considerations. Under the healthcare system in the
United States, for example, Section 4302 of Public Law 111-148 (the
"Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," sometimes called
"Obamacare") "[r]equires federally conducted or supported
healthcare programs or surveys to collect and report demographic
data, including ethnicity, sex, primary language, and disability
status, as well as data at the smallest geographic level possible,
such as state or local, etc."
[0091] Referring again to FIGS. 1 & 9, moreover, in some
contexts a caregiver 991 may determine a circumstance of the
"second" patient falls into one or more identifiable exceptions 740
to a general practice of treating condition 170 with a more
conventional protocol 140. In a context in which the conventional
protocol 140 is characterized by one or more generally preferred
drugs 141 and associated dosages 142, practice groups or facilities
or modes (in-patient at hospital 201, e.g.), or frequencies of
treatment (daily or weekly, e.g.), an unconventional protocol 120
may be warranted for one or more reasons of cost difference 741
(protocol 140 being too expensive for continued use, e.g.); side
effects 742 (an allergy to drug 141 or drug interaction risk,
e.g.); past failure 743 (having been ineffective for treating
condition 170 in patient 992, e.g.); or a documented preference 744
(manifested by a waiver from "second" patient 992, e.g.). In some
variants, therefore, it may be preferable for configuration module
323 to be operable for modifying medical record 562 to include such
exceptions 740 in circumstance (optionally by querying caregiver
991 for such information, e.g.).
[0092] Extensive operation 52 describes retrieving the record of
the second patient selectively in response to an association
between the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol (e.g. retrieval module 925
requesting and providing medical record 562 in response to a remote
requestor 993 initiating a medical justification audit report 765
indicating that the "second" patient 992 underwent multiple
in-patient treatments for condition 170 during separate hospital
stays). This can occur, for example, in a context in which
operations 35 and 43 had both been performed; in which the
retrieval is "selective" insofar that each instance of operation 52
retrieves less than all such records 561-569 (of billing, e.g.); in
which caregiver 991 has reasonably and correctly relied upon the
indication 935 as precedent (that the particular condition 170 was
treated in the "first" patient 292 with protocol 120, e.g.) in her
decision to recommend or administer protocol 120 to the "second"
patient 992 in hospital 201; in which it is not self-evident that
such administration was reasonable in the absence of the specific
indication 935; and in which protocol 120 is ultimately not
permanently effective at eradicating the particular condition 170.
In the event that the "second" patient 992 is readmitted to
hospital 202 later for further treatment of the particular
condition 170 and that such readmission would otherwise trigger a
reduction in payment for the services of caregiver 991 or of
hospital 201, remembering and reacquiring the particular condition
170 (or some other adequate justification) may become an onerous
and crucial task. In some contexts, a medical justification audit
report 765 may include data 764 (where available) supporting care
decisions made on behalf of many individuals each of whom was
readmitted (hospitalized more than once for a particular condition,
e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, in some contexts, such an
association 776 (between the "second" patient 992 and an indication
777 of apparently-excessive institutional readmissions, e.g.) may
be established by an electronic request 771 (received from remote
requestor 993 and directly invoking retrieval module 925, e.g.).
More generally, such actions taken with reference to one or more
criteria are "selective" (as used in FIGS. 24-27 below, e.g.) if at
least one of the criteria is used as a determinant in deciding
which data components (records, e.g.) will not be included in or
affected by the action.
[0093] With reference now to FIG. 10, shown is an example of a
system 10 in which one or more technologies may be implemented. One
interface 1001 (e.g. a desktop system 841, 941) is configured for
use (e.g. by a physician, administrator, or other authorized entity
1091) in entering and transmitting an order 1018 or other such
content (of a protocol 130 or condition 170, e.g.) via one or more
networks 1090 as described above. The one or more networks 1090 are
also configured to contact entity 1091 (using contact information
720 for the same interface 1001 or another interface 1002
associated with the same entity 1091, e.g.) under some conditions
as described herein, such as to request an indication of the
effectiveness of a treatment (protocol 130, e.g.) that the entity
might have tried or witnessed recently. In some contexts, this
permits protocol data 1090 (average evaluations 1053 or use counts
1054, e.g.) to be generated or updated (on various instance of
media 105, 405, 505, 605, 705 in network 1050, e.g.).
[0094] With reference now to FIG. 16, shown is a high-level logic
flow 16 of an operational process. Intensive operation 36 describes
obtaining an indication of a first protocol being employed in
relation to a particular condition in a first patient (e.g. input
module 313 receiving a record 564 indicating that an order 1018 was
placed for a particular drug 141 or protocol 140 prescribed or
purchased for the treatment of a particular condition 170 in
patient 292). This can occur, for example, in a context in which
device 305 includes one or more media 105 (on network 1090, e.g.)
bearing an average evaluation 1053, use count 1054, or other such
quantified protocol data 1050 as described below (as a data
component 147 associated with the particular condition 170 and with
the particular drug 141 or protocol 140, e.g.). In some contexts,
moreover, input module may receive the indication as an inquiry
into the prospect of treating condition 170 with one or more
protocols 130, 140 and may record such inquiries in record 564.
Alternatively or additionally, input module 313 and request module
332 may be configured to perform operation 36 jointly by initiating
communication with someone generally familiar with the protocol 140
(a nurse or pharmacist who can administer the particular drug 141
or protocol 140, e.g.).
[0095] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for motivating or monitoring voluntary
participation in information management protocols as described
herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.
8,056,118 ("Systems and methods for universal enhanced log-in,
identity document verification, and dedicated survey
participation"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,828,554 ("System for delivering an
educational program to a remote site and for monitoring
participation therein"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,532 ("Method of
soliciting a user to input survey data at an electronic commerce
terminal"); and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/066,442
("Cost-effective resource apportionment technologies suitable for
facilitating therapies").
[0096] Extensive operation 53 describes requesting an effectiveness
indication of the first protocol from an entity partly based on the
entity validating the first protocol and partly based on a first
communication delay associated with the first protocol, the first
communication delay exceeding one hour (e.g. request module 331
asking one or more entities 1091 who validated the particular
protocol for an effectiveness indicator 456 signaling how effective
the particular protocol was for the treatment of condition 170 in
patient 292). This can occur, for example, in a context in which an
entity 1091 signals one or more validations 701, 702 of the
treatment by prescribing, purchasing, administering, or authorizing
the particular drug 141 or protocol 140 for the treatment of
condition 170 in patient 292 and in which one or more data
components 127, 137, 147 define respective communication delays
542, 543, 544 so that request module 331 transmits a query (by
telephone or e-mail, e.g.) to the entity 1091 (practitioner or
patient, e.g.) only after the treatment has probably failed or
started to work. In a context in which a 10-day course of an
antibiotic (as protocol 130, e.g.) would be expected to alleviate a
fever (as condition 160, e.g.) in a few hours or days, for example,
a corresponding communication delay 543 of about 5 days (within an
order of magnitude, e.g.) will be appropriate for obtaining a score
455 (on a 0-5 scale, e.g.) or other effectiveness indicator 456 as
a delayed automatic response to the ordering or administration of
the antibiotic. In less urgent contexts, moreover, an expected
delivery time (in hours or days, e.g.) may be included for some of
the communication delays 541-544 (those for which a drug 141 or
other material component of a protocol 140 is delivered to a
patient's home 289, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, request
module 331 may be configured to send the same request to a
particular entity 1091 via more than one interface 1001, 1002
(using both an e-mail address 721 and a telephone number 722
associated with a single identified entity 1091, e.g.).
[0097] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for transmitting queries or other information
requests as described herein without undue experimentation. See,
e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,073,013 ("Method and apparatus for collecting
survey data via the internet"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,962,359 ("Method
and system for collecting and disseminating survey data over the
interne"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,836,073 ("Method and system for
transmitting pre-formulated query to database"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,590,547 ("Method for transmitting an anonymous request from a
consumer to a content or service provider through a
telecommunication network"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,529,214 ("Mobile node
for transmitting a request for information which specifies a
transfer device to be used"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,532 ("Method of
soliciting a user to input survey data at an electronic commerce
terminal"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,014 ("Method and apparatus for
administering a survey via a television transmission network").
[0098] Extensive operation 57 describes signaling a decision
whether to update a prominence indication of the first protocol in
response to whether the effectiveness indication of the first
protocol was received from the entity after the effectiveness
indication is requested from the entity partly based on the entity
validating the first protocol and partly based on the first
communication delay associated with the first protocol (e.g.
statement module 382 incrementing a use count 1054 in response to
receiving a Facebook-style "like" signal from a patient 292 who
used the protocol). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which the patient 292 was the "entity" contacted in operation 53
(via contact information 720, e.g.); in which the patient 292 was
sent a request for such a "like" signal after protocol 140 had
enough time (to fail or start working, e.g.), in which a total
count of such "like" signals is a "prominence indication" (of
protocol 140, e.g.), in which the communication delay and the
"first" patient's identity are recorded but not published, and in
which a new best practice could not otherwise win widespread
recognition within a year of someone devising the practice. In some
contexts, for example, a nurse or other care provider familiar with
one or more protocols 120, 130 (as they apply to condition 160,
e.g.) can designate one or more corresponding delays (based on a
success, when a difference is typically seen, or on a side effect
onset or other symptom change distribution, e.g.). In a context in
which protocol 120 comprises a spinal fusion, for example, a
corresponding delay 2126 may be between 6 and 12 months. (See FIG.
21.) In a context in which protocol 130 comprises administering an
antihypertensive (for condition 170, e.g.), a corresponding delay
2137 may be on the order of 1.0 months (within an order of
magnitude, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, statement module
382 may perform operation 57 by transmitting an average evaluation
1053 computed based on effectiveness-indicative numerical scores
455 received from each of several entities 1091. This can occur,
for example, in a context in which multiple entities have each
responded to a corresponding query 573 (like "We need to know how
effective you thought this treatment was on a zero-to-five scale .
. . please press or say `5` to indicate that the treatment was
perfectly effective . . . please press or say `0` to indicate that
the treatment was completely ineffective," e.g.) transmitted by
request module 331 and in which such an average (as a rolling or
inception-to-date average, e.g.) is a "prominence indication" of
the treatment or other protocol.
[0099] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for calculating and disseminating prominence
indications as described herein without undue experimentation. See,
e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,078,606 ("Rank-based estimate of relevance
values"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,080 ("Methods for generating
healthcare provider quality and cost rating data"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,065,669 ("Apparatus for automatically converting numeric data to
a processor efficient format for performing arithmetic
operations"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,046,371 ("Scoring local search
results based on location prominence"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,949,643
("Method and apparatus for rating user generated content in search
results"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,865,171 ("Method and system for rating
notification"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,826,965 ("Systems and methods for
determining a relevance rank for a point of interest"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,730,005 ("Issue tracking system using a criteria rating
matrix and workflow notification"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,630,913
("Automated processing of medical data for disability rating
determinations"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,245 ("System and method
for analyzing communications of user messages to rank users and
contacts based on message content").
[0100] With reference now to FIG. 11, shown is an example of a
system 11 (a subsystem of one or more networks described above,
e.g.) in which one or more technologies may be implemented. A local
unit 1105 owned or used by a caregiver 1191 may be configured to
receive one or more orders 1018, 1118 or other indications 1126,
1127, 1136, 1137 each comprising corresponding data components 126,
127, 136, 137 that each relate to a corresponding specific
combination of a condition 160, 170 and protocol 120, 130 for its
treatment, as shown. In some contexts, one or more servers 1195
(residing in networks described herein, e.g.) or local circuitry
may provide selective feedback (one or more warnings 1119, e.g.)
relating to some such combinations (selected by caregiver 1191,
e.g.).
[0101] With reference now to FIG. 17, shown is a high-level logic
flow 17 of an operational process. Intensive operation 37 describes
obtaining an association between a particular condition and a first
protocol (e.g. input module 311 receiving a record 563 indicating
that an order 1118 was placed for a particular drug or protocol 130
prescribed or purchased for the treatment of a particular condition
160). This can occur, for example, in a context in which the
protocol 130 includes administering prednisone daily by ingestion
and in which the particular condition 160 is Bell's palsy, bone
pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, muscular dystrophy, pulmonary
fibrosis, or certain other off-label uses of prednisone. In some
contexts, moreover, such protocols 120, 130, 140 may include other
drugs or non-medicinal components (physical therapy or surgery,
e.g.). Moreover input module 311 may, in some variants, be
configured to be invoked by one or more queries 571-574 or other
structured dialogs (permitting an expert system 393 to interact
with a physician or other caregiver 1191 via local unit 1105,
e.g.).
[0102] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for searching for therapies or conditions that
may apply to a patient as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,008,285 ("Droxidopa and
pharmaceutical composition thereof for the treatment of
fibromyalgia"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,005,687 ("System, method and
computer program product for estimating medical costs"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,979,289 ("System and method for intelligent management of
medical care"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,860,552 ("CNS assay for prediction
of therapeutic efficacy for neuropathic pain and other functional
illnesses"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,797,145 ("Animal health diagnostics");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,552,039 ("Method for sample processing and
integrated reporting of dog health diagnosis"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,490,048 ("Apparatus and method for processing and/or for
providing healthcare information and/or healthcare-related
information"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,346,523 ("Processing an insurance
claim using electronic versions of supporting documents"); U.S.
Pat. No. 6,704,595 ("Automated method for diagnosing and monitoring
the outcomes of atrial fibrillation"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,626
("Patient monitoring system including speech recognition
capability").
[0103] Intensive operation 44 describes causing a comparison
between a threshold and a prominence indication of treating the
particular condition with the first protocol after the association
between the particular condition and the first protocol is obtained
(e.g. invocation module 373 triggering comparator 391 to generate
an output 195 by comparing a prominence indication 1136 with a
threshold 191). This can occur, for example, in a context in which
one or more devices 305 (including media 105, 405, 505, 705, e.g.)
reside in server 1195 and in which response module 351 selects the
threshold 191 according to who initiates the association (as a
function of a user identifier 523 of a specific caregiver 1191 or
caregiver type, e.g.) or to what condition 160 or protocol 130 has
been associated. In some contexts, for example, more esteemed
caregivers or less hazardous conditions and protocols may warrant a
threshold 192 corresponding to a lower prominence (signaling less
scrutiny and more latitude in the caregiver's choice of treatment
protocols, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, invocation module
373 may trigger a comparison implemented in a formula (as a
subtraction, e.g.). In some contexts, moreover, a less-prominent
protocol may be requested by a patient 292 or warranted by the
patient's situation. Alternatively or additionally, invocation
module 373 may be configured to trigger a storage operation in
which one or more instances of prominence indications 1136;
thresholds 191; comparison results; quantifications of reputation
or scrutiny or latitude (characterizing caregiver 1191, e.g.); or
other output 195 are stored in one or more records 569-569, 671-675
as described herein (e.g. in a data component 136-138, 146-148
relating to an elected protocol 130, 140).
[0104] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for selecting and applying thresholds or other
criteria as described herein without undue experimentation. See,
e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,236 ("Flow control of events based on
threshold, grace period, and event signature"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,061,592 ("Overdraft threshold analysis and decisioning"); U.S.
Pat. No. 8,005,685 ("Ranking air travel search results based upon
user criteria"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,976,171 ("Projector cooling system
with time dependent temperature threshold"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,898,995 ("Dynamic adjustment of inactivity timer threshold for
call control transactions"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,894,448 ("Proving that
a user profile satisfies selection criteria for targeted data
delivery"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,849,398 ("Decision criteria for
automated form population"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,742,193 ("Method for
inspecting prints identifying differences exceeding a threshold");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,624,447 ("Using threshold lists for worm
detection"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,592,859 ("Apparatus to compare an
input voltage with a threshold voltage"); and U.S. Pat. No.
7,536,301 ("System and method for implementing real-time adaptive
threshold triggering in acoustic detection systems").
[0105] Extensive operation 54 describes signaling a decision
whether to caution a caregiver partly based on the association
between the particular condition and the first protocol and partly
based on the comparison between the threshold and the prominence
indication of treating the particular condition with the first
protocol (e.g. response module 356 transmitting an "obscure
treatment option" warning 1119 to caregiver 1191 if the threshold
191 exceeds the prominence indication 1136 and otherwise not
transmitting any such warning). This can occur, for example, in a
context in which server 1195 is on several networks 290, 890, 990;
in which searching various records archives 820, 920 can take
several minutes or hours to determine a prominence indication 1136;
in which local unit 1105 includes an e-mail or other text message
display capability operable to deliver such warnings; in which a
hospital 201 or field of practice uses a standard numerical
threshold for all prominence indication comparisons; and in which
the caregiver 1191 would otherwise select among several protocols
120, 130 for the particular condition(s) 160, 170 without knowing
which of them had recently become popular in the caregiver's field
of practice. In a context in which higher numerical indications
1126 signify more prominence and in which a threshold is set at 4,
for example, such threshold may be met (sufficient to avoid
triggering a cautionary message to caregiver 1191, e.g.) by
determining either that 4 instances of condition 160 had been
treated with protocol 120 (for an implementation incorporating a
use count 1054, e.g.) or that one or more entities indicated the
effectiveness of treating condition 160 with protocol 120 with an
average evaluation of at least 4 (for an implementation
incorporating an average evaluation 1053, e.g.). Alternatively or
additionally, response module 356 may be configured to implement a
conditional decision to caution a caregiver 1191 with one or more
of a font effect (a bolding or bright color selectively applied for
lower-prominence therapies, e.g.), audible warning 1119 (a tone,
e.g.), or modal dialog box (displaying a message like "are you sure
you want to order this unconventional treatment?" at local unit
1105 before finalizing order 1118, e.g.).
[0106] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for implementing a conditional message as
described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 7,932,837 ("Conditional aircraft cabin warning and
signalling system for determining the cabin status"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,002,454 ("System and method for warning an operator of a vehicle
if the vehicle is operating in a condition that may result in drive
belt failure"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,487 ("System and method for
warning of a tip over condition in a tractor trailer or tanker");
U.S. Pat. No. 6,437,707 ("Detecting a low performance takeoff
condition for aircraft for use with ground proximity warning
systems"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,392 ("Alert device for providing a
warning of a baby's condition which may lead to the onset of
SIDS"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,556 ("Apparatus and method for
detecting a low-battery power condition and generating a user
perceptible warning"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,554 ("Severe weather
detection apparatus and method of detecting and warning of severe
weather conditions"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,211,791 ("Warning system
for excessive apparent temperature conditions").
[0107] With reference now to FIG. 12, shown is an example of a
system 12 (e.g. a subsystem of one or more networks 290, 890, 990,
1090, 1290) in which one or more technologies may be implemented. A
motor vehicle or other device 1241 associated with a care
administration space (a location 1204 inside or near ambulance 1295
configured to permit one or more caregivers 1291 to treat a patient
1292 in trauma, e.g.) may include one or more instances of wireless
transceivers 1211, wall mountings 1213, display screens 1216, or
couplings 1218 to external power. Also in some contexts, as
described below, device 1241 may be configured to obtain and
present one or more medical records 1217 (comprising one or more
data components 126, 128 relating to an emergency protocol 120 or
to a specific patient 1292 relayed via display screen 1216, e.g.).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which a wrist band
1223 or other device 1242 worn or held by patient 1292 contains one
or more implementations of conditional consent 1222 (configured by
patient 1292 prior to an emergency, e.g.) or transponders 1225 as
described below.
[0108] With reference now to FIG. 18, shown is a high-level logic
flow 18 of an operational process. Intensive operation 39 describes
obtaining an association between a care administration space and a
first device (e.g. configuration module 322 making a record 568 in
which an identifier 734 of the "first" device 242, 1241 is
associated with an identifier 732 of an ambulance 1295 or other
location 204 allocated to providing patients 292 medical care).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which "first" device
242, 1241 includes a wall mounting 1213 fixing it in relation to
the care administration space; in which the "first" device includes
a wireless transmitter 394 or transceiver 1211 detectable by a
"second" device as described below; and in which the care
administration space is defined by the effective range of the
wireless transmitter 394 or transceiver 1211. In some contexts, for
example, such locations 204 may include an emergency room or urgent
care clinic. Alternatively or additionally, a regional server 1195
or other stationary device in network 1290 may be configured to
obtain GPS data 751 indicating a current position of an ambulance
1295 or other mobile care administration space that may then be
compared with GPS data 752 indicating a current position of a
device held or worn by patient 292 (e.g. through network 1290 in
lieu of direct wireless transmission between proximate devices
1241, 1242). In some contexts, moreover, the "first" device may
comprise an external power coupling 1218 configured to power the
"first" device for an indefinite period (via a vehicle battery or
similar source that is maintained daily, e.g.).
[0109] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for configuring a device for direct or
indirect wireless communication as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,986,940 ("Automatic
wireless network linking method with security configuration and
device thereof"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,940,744 ("System, apparatus and
method for automated wireless device configuration"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,929,950 ("Dynamically configurable IP based wireless device and
wireless networks"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,916,707 ("Identity-based
wireless device configuration"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,885,687 ("Device
for updating configuration information in a wireless network");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,778,752 ("System for connecting a telematics device
to a vehicle using a wireless receiver configured to transmit
diagnostic data"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,231 ("Method to wirelessly
configure a wireless device for wireless communication over a
secure wireless network"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,643,828 ("Method and
apparatus for fast link setup in a wireless communication system");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,616,594 ("Wireless device discovery and
configuration"); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,233,745 ("Field device
configured for wireless data communication").
[0110] Intensive operation 46 describes obtaining via a second
device a patient consent conditionally authorizing a release of a
first medical record, the second device being a mobile device (e.g.
input module 315 receiving pre-emergency input 551 from or about a
patient 492 that includes a conditional consent 1222 permitting a
release of the one or more medical records 567, 1217 of the
patient's to a caregiver 991, 1291 that is contingent upon the
occurrence of an emergency). This can occur, for example, in a
context in which the patient 492 (who can, in some instances, be
the same individual as one or more other identified patients
depicted herein, e.g.) enters such pre-emergency input 551 (by a
menu selection, e.g.) using a handheld device (the "second" device
1242, e.g.); in which the "occurrence of an emergency" is
manifested as the "second" device entering the "care administration
space" (e.g. location 204, 1204); and in which the authorization to
release the "first" medical record would otherwise be much slower
(due to trauma, e.g.). In some contexts, for example, the "first"
device may be configured to include one or more media 105, 505
bearing such contingently-releasable medical records 1217 for most
or all registered patients 992, 1292 (patients enrolled in registry
109, e.g.) in a region (county or state, e.g.) so that the "first"
and "second" devices 1241, 1242 may easily interact directly and
locally (not via network 1290, e.g.) with or without network 1290
being online. Alternatively or additionally, the "second" device
may include a wrist band 1223 wearable by an at-risk patient 1292
(e.g. one suffering from dementia, epilepsy, or other medical
conditions that make it more likely that a patient may be unable to
consent to a records transfer).
[0111] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for conducting a structured dialogue with a
patient or caregiver as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,065,250 ("Methods and
apparatus for predictive analysis"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,024,179
("System and method for improving interaction with a user through a
dynamically alterable spoken dialog system"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,610,556 ("Dialog manager for interactive dialog with computer
user"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,539,656 ("System and method for providing
an intelligent multi-step dialog with a user"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,461,000 ("System and methods for conducting an interactive dialog
via a speech-based user interface"); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,954
("Interaction education system for teaching patient care").
[0112] Extensive operation 56 describes invoking circuitry for
causing the first device to receive the first medical record partly
based on the second device entering the care administration space
and partly based on the patient consent authorizing the release of
the first medical record (e.g. invocation module 372 causing
display screen 1216 of device 1241 to display medical record 1217
as an automatic response to the "second" device 1242 entering the
care administration space and partly based on the prior
configuration of above-described conditional consent 1222 (in
operation 46, e.g.). In some contexts, for example, such
configuration may have been implemented by a non-emergency
caregiver 991 who provides the patient with the "second" device
1242. Alternatively or additionally, in some contexts, a local
entity (a hospital 201 or ambulance company, e.g.) may own the
first device, a patient may own the second device, and a third
entity may own the invoked "circuitry."
[0113] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for identifying wireless devices in a region
of interest as described herein without undue experimentation. See,
e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,903,905 ("Pen-shaped scanning device having a
region identity sensor"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,869,807 ("Method of
managing a code identifying a wireless device with conflict
minimized in a wireless telecommunications system"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,319,876 ("System and method for using equipment identity
information in providing location services to a wireless
communication device"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,295,120 ("Device for
verifying a location of a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag
on an item"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,791,477 ("Method and apparatus for
identifying waypoints and providing keyless remote entry in a
handheld locator device"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,693,512 ("Device
location and identification system"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,747
("Method and device for identifying an object and determining its
location").
[0114] With reference now to FIG. 13, shown is an example of a
system 13 (e.g. a subsystem of one or more networks 290, 890, 990,
1090, 1290) in which one or more technologies may be implemented.
As shown, caregiver 1391 wears a device 1342 (on a lanyard or
clothing 1349, e.g.) configured to include a caregiver identifier
1332 that identifies her. Likewise patient 1331 wears a device 1341
configured to include a patient identifier 1331 that identifies him
(on a gown or wrist band 1223, e.g.). In some variants, such
wearable devices 1341, 1342 are configured to interact wirelessly
(either with one another or with a wall-mounted device 1343, e.g.)
as an automatic response to being in a common location (e.g. at
location 1204, 1304).
[0115] With reference now to FIG. 19, shown is a high-level logic
flow 19 of an operational process. Intensive operation 38 describes
obtaining an indication of a first device associated with and
wearable by a patient hospitalized for a particular condition (e.g.
configuration module 322 associating a specific patient 1392 with a
patient identifier 1331 on an article wearable by a patient 1392
who has been admitted to hospital 201 for a specific pathology 181
or complaint 513). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which the article (a wrist band 1223, e.g.) is assigned to patient
1392 upon checking in to the hospital; in which configuration
module 322 was invoked at that time (at patient intake, e.g.); and
in which one or more instances of device 305 reside on one or more
networks described herein (in a wall-mounted device 1343 or server
1195 of hospital 201, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, a
stationary device 1343 may perform operation 38 by detecting a
device 1341 associated with patient 1392 in a given location 1304
(entering his hospital room, e.g.).
[0116] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for permitting an identification of a person
by a wearable article as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,068,008 ("Emergency
responder credentialing system and method"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,049,597 ("Systems and methods for securely monitoring an
individual"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,039,093 ("Method for preparing
tamperproof ID documents"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,988,043 ("Fraud
prevention in issuance of identification credentials"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,979,286 ("Patient-interactive healthcare management"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,975,913 ("Discernment card and a discernment card
business system using the discernment card"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,481,370 ("Removable patient identification strap for blood
recipient verification"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,687 ("Multi-web
business form having moisture proof wristband, identification
labels and web joint").
[0117] Intensive operation 41 describes obtaining an indication of
a second device associated with and wearable by a caregiver (e.g.
configuration module 321 associating a specific caregiver 1391 with
a caregiver identifier 1332 on an article wearable by the
caregiver). This can occur, for example, in a context in which the
article (on a badge or lanyard or in a wrist band or article of
clothing 1349, e.g.) was assigned to caregiver 1391 upon arriving
at the facility and in which configuration module 321 was invoked
at that time. Alternatively or additionally, a stationary device
1343 (mounted on a wall, e.g.) may perform operation 41 by
detecting a device 1342 associated with caregiver 1391 in a given
location 1304 (entering her patient's hospital room, e.g.).
[0118] Intensive operation 45 describes causing a recordation of a
timestamp as an automatic response to the first device associated
with and wearable by the patient and the second device associated
with and wearable by the caregiver both being in a single common
location (e.g. configuration module 324 storing a timestamp 711
indicating when both caregiver 1391 and patient 1392 were together
in location 1304). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which timestamp 711 is generated from a digital clock 392; in which
record 710 is initially aggregated at one or more devices 1341-1343
locally, in which one or more records archives 820, 920 later
received record 710 in a batch data aggregation process, and in
which the "single common location" is a hospital room or a
detection range of one or more devices 1341-1343. In some
implementations, for example, device 1341 may include one or more
configuration modules 321-326 as described herein and may be
configured to perform operations 38, 41, and 45 (in lieu of device
1343, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, in some variants,
device 1342 may likewise include one or more configuration modules
321-326 as described herein and may be configured to implement
device 305 (e.g. operable to perform operations 38, 41, and
45).
[0119] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for implementing an automatic timestamp and
recordation as described herein without undue experimentation. See,
e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,979 ("Automated patient management
system"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,844,837 ("Electronic device and timer
therefor with tamper event time stamp features and related
methods"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,643,465 ("Method for insertion of time
stamp into real time data within a wireless communications
network"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,289,651 ("Image reporting method and
system"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,283,566 ("Method and circuit for
generating time stamp data from an embedded-clock audio data stream
and a video clock"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,257,158 ("System for
transmitting video images over a computer network to a remote
receiver"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,210 ("Hood intrusion and loss of AC
power detection with automatic time stamp"); U.S. Pat. No.
6,893,396 ("Wireless interne bio-telemetry monitoring system and
interface"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,122 ("Systems and methods for
screening for adverse effects of a treatment").
[0120] Extensive operation 55 causing a retrieval of the timestamp
in response to an indication of an institutional readmission after
the recordation of the timestamp indicating the first device
associated with and wearable by the patient and the second device
associated with and wearable by the caregiver both having been in
the single common location (e.g. response module 352 retrieving a
record 710 including such timing data 453 from one or more records
archives 820, 920 in response to a request 581 indicative of
patient 1392 being readmitted to one or more hospitals 201, 202 for
the same specific pathology 181 or complaint 513). This can occur,
for example, in a context in which such readmission for the
particular condition would otherwise trigger a reduction in payment
for one or more prior hospitalizations. In some contexts, for
example, one or more remote requestors 893, 993 may have initiated
a prior instance of operation 55 (performed by a remote instance of
invocation module 371, e.g.) in which an entity's request 581 for
records included a readmission-indicative report type 521 (having a
name that includes "readmission," e.g.), a readmission-indicative
request authorization 522 (from an agency that monitors excessive
readmissions, e.g.), a query reciting or prompted by readmission,
or other such explicit or implicit indications 525 of readmission
that might have been avoidable if a prior hospitalization or
treatment had been executed correctly. Alternatively or
additionally, response module 352 may be configured to perform
operation 55 by retrieving and transmitting such a
timestamp-containing record 710 (indicative of when the first and
second devices 1341, 1342 were both in the single common location
1304, e.g.) to one or more remote requestors 893, 993.
[0121] With reference now to FIG. 20, shown is context in which one
or more technologies may be implemented. System 2000 includes one
or more data-handling media 2005 (residing in an instance of device
305, e.g.) operably coupled with one or more search engines 2098 on
networks 2090 as described above. Medium 2005 may include one or
more instances of search terms 2010 (e.g. comprising criteria 2001,
2002); names 2011, audit identifiers 2012, or other such
indications 2013; search results 2030; values 2061, 2062; or
queries 2071, 2072 as described below.
[0122] With reference now to FIG. 21, shown is context in which one
or more technologies may be implemented. System 2100 may
(optionally) include one or more data-handling media 2105
(configured to transmit or store data, e.g.) residing in an
instance of device 305 or otherwise on a network 290 as described
above. In some variants, medium 2105 may bear one or more instances
of zone description data 2117 (e.g. representing one or more
service zones 207, 208 or other locations 204, 1204, 1304); data
components 126, 127, 136, 137 (in tabular form, e.g.); reports
2143, 2144, 2145; requests 2146; signals 2151, 2152, 2153, 2154
(comprising audio data 2157 or other encoded data 2158, e.g.);
search terms 2180 (comprising one or more text strings 2181, 2182,
2183 connected by logical operators, e.g.); messages 2190
(comprising phone calls 2191, text 2192, and annotations 2193 as
described below, e.g.); and hyperlinks 2196, menu options 2197, or
other such controls 2195 (comprising one or more interfaces 1001,
1002 or other devices described above, e.g.). In some contexts,
data component 126 (as described above) may include one or more
delays 2126 corresponding specifically to the handling of condition
160 with protocol 120; data component 127 (as described above) may
include one or more delays 2127 corresponding specifically to the
handling of condition 170 with protocol 120; data component 136 (as
described above) may include one or more delays 2136 corresponding
specifically to the handling of condition 160 with protocol 130;
and data component 137 (as described above) may include one or more
delays 2137 corresponding specifically to the handling of condition
170 with protocol 130. Moreover in some variants each instance of
audio data 2157 may include one or more timestamps 711 as well as
other data 712 (transcripts or labels of patient interview clips,
recorded physician remarks, concurrent diagnostic data 490, or
other events encoded as text 2192 or other annotations 2193
relating to raw auditory data with which they are archived,
e.g.).
[0123] With reference now to FIG. 22, shown is context in which one
or more technologies may be implemented. System 2200 may include
two or more devices 2205, 2215 having a linkage 2211 therebetween
as described below. In various embodiments, device 2205 may include
one or more instances of lookup modules 2221, 2222; update modules
2228, 2229; detection modules 2241, 2242, 2243, 2244, 2245, 2246;
cameras 2253 or other sensors 2254; or processors 2255 as described
below. Alternatively or additionally, device 2205 may comprise a
machine 2230 (configured for vending or other dispensations of
drugs 141, foods, or other goods 691, e.g.); a battery or other
on-board power supply 2258; or one or more speakers 2257
(configured to manifest a warning 1119 or other audio data 2157 as
described below, e.g.). In various implementations, device 2215 may
likewise include one or more instances of food containers
(refrigerators or cupboards 2271, e.g.); actuators 2272 (of a
dispenser, e.g.); exercise machines 2273 (relating to a regimen
650, e.g.); handhelds 2274 (telephones, e.g.); detectable
structures 2275 (transponder or barcode, e.g.); adhesives 2277;
wristbands 2278; or buttons 2279. Alternatively or additionally,
device 2215 may comprise medical equipment 2280 (devices configured
for imaging or measurement, e.g.). One or more of devices 2205,
2215 may be configured to implement an instance of device 305 and
to include one or more media 105, 405, 505, 605, 705, 2005, or 2105
depicted above.
[0124] With reference now to flow 2300 of FIG. 23 and to other
flows 14-19 described above, in some variants, one or more of
operations 2322, 2325 may be performed in conjunction with
intensive operations described above or in preparation for one or
more extensive operations described above. Alternatively or
additionally, one or more of operations 2374, 2378, 2379 may
likewise be performed in response to one or more intensive
operations described above or in conjunction with extensive
operations described above.
[0125] Intensive operation 2322 describes receiving a communication
delay as data entered by a user (e.g. input module 312 receiving
data 2158 that includes delay 2137 from an end user device 2215 or
system 841, 941). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which the user is a caregiver or patient 292 who operates an
implementation of device 305; in which input module 312 can accept
such data 2158 as a user preference 725 (e.g. by asking "when
should we contact you?"); in which delay 2137 comprises an integer
number of days; and in which means for performing one or more
intensive operations 35-46 as described above include an
implementation of device 305. Alternatively or additionally, one or
more input modules 311-319 may be configured to obtain other such
data 2158 as described herein. In one such configuration, for
example, input module 317 may be configured to let the user enter
an e-mail address 721, telephone number 722, or other contact
information 720 manifesting one or more of the user's preferences
725 (to be used in operation 2374 described below, e.g.).
[0126] Intensive operation 2325 describes looking up a
communication delay as a function of a therapeutic protocol (e.g.
lookup module 2221 returning delay 2137 selectively in response to
an indication that protocol 130 is being used for treating
someone). This can occur, for example, in a context in which means
for performing one or more intensive operations 35-46 as described
above include an implementation of device 2205; in which a data
component 127 associated with a different therapeutic protocol 120
includes a communication delay 2127 of 2.0 hours (as a digital
expression, e.g.); in which one or more data components 137, 138
specifically associated with therapeutic protocol 130 each includes
a communication delay 2137 that is more than 2.0 hours; and in
which an appropriate entity (a caregiver 1391 or expert consultant,
e.g.) has determined that such a communication delay 2137 will be
more effective (than a shorter delay 2127, e.g.) following a
triggering event (an order or administration, e.g.) for eliciting
participation from a population of patients or caregivers who adopt
a therapeutic protocol 130. In some contexts, for example, a table
of suitable communication delays 2126, 2136, 2127, 2137 may be
estimated (by a survey of experienced nurses or physician's
assistants, e.g.) as a median time within which each given
condition 160, 170 typically produces a detectable change in
symptoms (relating to each respective protocol, e.g.). In some
contexts, moreover, a slightly longer period (by 1% to 50% or 1-3
standard deviations across a survey distribution, e.g.) may be
preferable. Alternatively or additionally, the lookup result
(communication delay 2137, e.g.) may depend as a function of a
medical condition (being shorter than a communication delay 2136
associated with the same protocol 130 but a different condition
160, e.g.). Such a configuration of tabular data may be useful, for
example, in a context in which protocol 130 (taking an
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, e.g.) typically provides a
faster detectable response in treating condition 170 (shortness of
breath, e.g.) than in treating condition 160 (leg swelling,
e.g.).
[0127] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for implementing lookup functions as described
herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.
7,940,982 ("Method and apparatus for color space conversion using
per-color selection of look-up table density"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,921,088 ("Logical operations encoded by a function table for
compressing index bits in multi-level compressed look-up tables");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,916,137 ("Generation of 3D look-up tables for image
processing devices"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,847,989 ("Method for
conversion of a colour space using separate chromatic and luminance
look-up tables"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,706,034 ("Multi-Dimensional
look-up table generation via adaptive node selection based upon
color characteristics of an input image"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,558,961
("Systems and methods for embedding messages in look-up tables");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,069 ("Numerical value conversion using a
look-up table for coefficient storage"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,346,642
("Arithmetic processor utilizing multi-table look up to obtain
reciprocal operands"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,080 ("Look-up table
based USB identification").
[0128] Intensive operation 2327 describes looking up a
communication delay as a function of a medical condition (e.g.
lookup module 2222 selecting delay 2137 in response to an
indication that a patient 292 is being treated for condition 170).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which a data component
136 associated with a different condition 160 includes a
communication delay 2136 of 2.0 calendar months (as a digital
expression, e.g.); in which one or more data components 137, 147
specifically associated with medical condition 170 each includes a
communication delay 2137 that is less than 2.0 calendar months; and
in which an appropriate entity (a specialist or other physician,
e.g.) has determined that such a communication delay 2137 will be
more effective (than a longer delay 2136, e.g.) following a
triggering event (an estimated delivery time, e.g.) for eliciting
participation from a population of caregivers or patients who treat
or suffer from medical condition 170. Alternatively or
additionally, the lookup result (data component 137, e.g.) may
depend as a function of a therapeutic protocol (having a
communication delay 2137 longer than that of a data component 127
associated with the same condition 170 but a different protocol
120, e.g.). Such a configuration of tabular data may be useful, for
example, in a context in which treating condition 170 (back pain,
e.g.) with protocol 130 (a particular weightlifting exercise in a
sauna, e.g.) will not generally permit an evaluation of treatment
effectiveness as soon as that of protocol 120 (medication,
e.g.).
[0129] Extensive operation 2374 describes transmitting a query as
an automatic response to an expiration of the communication delay
(e.g. statement module 381 transmitting one or more queries 571-574
relating to protocol 120 or to condition 160 only after waiting for
a time interval specified by delay 2126). This can occur, for
example, in a context in which one or more of operations 2322,
2325, 2327 have been performed; in which a prior communication
(such as an input 551-552 or query 571-574 or request 581, 582 or
order 1018, 1118) or other event described herein tolled the
beginning of the time interval and in which means for performing
one or more extensive operations 51-57 as described above include
an implementation of device 305. Alternatively or additionally, in
various embodiments, statement module 381 may be configured to
trigger one or more other extensive operations as described herein
upon such expiration.
[0130] Extensive operation 2378 describes causing an individual to
be contacted by a fallback mode of communication as a conditional
response to receiving no reply from the individual by a prior mode
of communication, the prior mode of communication being telephonic
(e.g. response module 354 taking no action if a reply 555 to a
phone call 2191 is received before an expiration of delay 541 but
otherwise initiating another message 2190 to the individual). This
can occur, for example, in a context in which the delay 541 is on
the order of ten seconds (within an order of magnitude, e.g.); in
which the reply 555 may take the form of a key press or utterance
(as indicated in FIG. 10, e.g.) during the phone call 2191; and in
which the fallback mode of communication includes a delivery (by a
fax or other machine 2230 installed in the individual's home 289 or
office or by an automatically placed order to a third party with
delivery instructions, e.g.) of a physical article (in which
message 2190 comprises one or more instance of reminder letters or
goods 691, e.g.) to the individual. Alternatively or additionally,
in a context in which a foreseeable reply 555 may take the form of
a return phone call 2191, e-mail message (containing specific text
2192, or online session (via the Internet, e.g.), the delay 541 may
be on the order of one hour or one week (within 1 or 2 orders of
magnitude, e.g.).
[0131] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for determining whether specific input has
been received from a person within a particular time interval as
described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 8,055,240 ("Method of notifying a caller of message
confirmation in a wireless communication system"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,045,693 ("Message reception confirmation method, communications
terminal and message reception confirmation system"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,707,624 ("System for, and method of, proving the transmission,
receipt and content of a reply to an electronic message"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,483,721 ("Communication device providing diverse audio
signals to indicate receipt of a call or message"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,283,807 ("Method and telecommunication system for indicating the
receipt of a data message"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,031,734 ("System and
method for confirming short message service (SMS) message reception
in mobile communication terminal"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,020,458
("Method and telecommunication system for indicating the receipt of
a data message"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,341 ("Method and apparatus
for announcing receipt of an electronic message"); and U.S. Pat.
No. 6,122,485 ("Method and system for confirming receipt of a
message by a message reception unit").
[0132] Extensive operation 2379 describes contacting an individual
by a fallback mode of communication as an automatic and conditional
response to receiving no reply from the individual by a prior mode
of communication, the fallback mode of communication being
telephonic (e.g. response module 355 taking no action if a reply
555 to a prior message 2190 is received within a time interval 538
but otherwise initiating a phone call 2191 to the individual). This
can occur, for example, in a context in which the prior message
2190 (comprising text 2192 or a phone query 571, e.g.) was sent by
a request module 331, 332 as described above; in which the prior
message 2190 included a hyperlink 2196, menu option 2197, or other
such control 2195 configured to facilitate the individual providing
input 552 to response module 355 without the need to include any
direct communication with other individuals; in which the time
interval 538 began when the prior message 2190 was sent; in which
response module 355 infers the "receiving no reply from the
individual" if the time interval 538 ends without such input 552;
and in which means for performing one or more extensive operations
51-57 as described above include an implementation of device 305.
In some implementations, for example, the time interval 538 may be
on the order of 3.0 days or of 3.0 months (within an order of
magnitude, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, response module
355 may be configured (as an auto-dialer, e.g.) to initiate a phone
call 2191 between a call center 295 and the individual (a caregiver
or patient 292, e.g.) as an automatic response partly based on the
time interval 538 having expired and partly based on an immediate
availability of a call center agent 294 (manifested as an
indication 684 of the agent's current status, e.g.).
[0133] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for facilitating the operation of a call
center or otherwise initiating communications as described herein
without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,213
("Method of controlling access to network resources using
information in electronic mail messages"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,860,935
("Conditional communication"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,783,023 ("Systems
and methods for providing unified collaboration systems with
conditional communication handling"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,048
("Conditional message delivery to holder of locks relating to a
distributed locking manager"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,042,338 ("Alerting a
care-provider when an elderly or infirm person in distress fails to
acknowledge a periodically recurrent interrogative cue"); U.S. Pat.
No. 6,307,937 ("Method and apparatus for an adapter card providing
conditional access in a communication system"); and U.S. Pat. No.
6,108,709 ("System for sending an e-mail message to a first type of
terminal based upon content thereof and selected conditions and
selectively forwarding it to a second type of terminal").
[0134] With reference now to flow 2400 of FIG. 24 and to other
flows 14-19, 2300 described above, in some variants, one or more of
operations 2424, 2426 may be performed in conjunction with
intensive operations described above or in preparation for one or
more extensive operations described above. Alternatively or
additionally, one or more of operations 2471, 2475 may likewise be
performed in response to one or more intensive operations described
above or in conjunction with extensive operations described
above.
[0135] Intensive operation 2424 describes updating a
locally-resident subscriber registry in response to an individual
entering a service zone (e.g. update module 2228 adding an
identifier 733 of the individual to a registry 109 stored on a
medium 105 in service zone 207 in response to an indication 683
that the individual has entered service zone 207). This can occur,
for example, in a context in which the individual is a patient 292,
1392 as described herein; in which service zone 207 is a defined
region (a county or metropolitan area, e.g.); in which device 2205
is on network 290; in which device 2215 is held or worn by patient
292; in which detection module 2242 detects that patient 292 has
entered service zone 207 by comparing zone description data 2117
(defining service zone 207, e.g.) with GPS data 752 indicating a
current position of device 2215; in which detection module 2242
responds by passing the indication 683 to update module 2228; and
in which means for performing one or more intensive operations
35-46 as described above include an implementation of device 2205.
Alternatively or additionally, detection module 2242 may determine
whether the individual has entered service zone 207 simply by
detecting whether device 2215 is within a direct operating range of
device 2205.
[0136] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for determining whether a device is in a
location or region as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,019,168 ("Motion
detecting device and search region variable-shaped motion
detector"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,723 ("System of utilizing cell
information to locate a wireless device"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,986,237
("Location management method using RFID series"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,932,830 ("Method of assigning and deducing the location of
articles detected by multiple RFID antennae"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,605,688 ("Vehicle location determination system using an RFID
system"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,573,369 ("System and method for
interrogating and locating a transponder relative to a
zone-of-interest"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,525,425 ("System and method for
defining an event based on relationship between an object location
and a user-defined zone"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,046,162 ("Method and
apparatus to locate a device in a dwelling or other enclosed
space"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,326 ("Method for determining when
a communication unit is located within a preferred zone").
[0137] Intensive operation 2426 describes obtaining an indication
that a specific pathology in a particular individual has been
treated at a first hospital and an indication that the specific
pathology in the particular individual has been treated at a second
hospital (e.g. retrieval module 343 extracting a first record 671
indicating that patient 292 was first treated at hospital 201 for
pathology 181 and a second record 672 indicating that the same
patient 292 was later treated at hospital 202 for the same
pathology 181). This can occur, for example, in a context in which
retrieval module 343 comprises one or more of the means for
performing intensive operations 35-46 as described above; in which
retrieval module 343 has access to one or more records archives
820, 920 pertaining to treatments at both hospitals 201, 202; in
which the institutional readmission (whichever was later, e.g.) and
some suspect conditions (those that are not objectively verifiable
or even supported by evidence, e.g.) or protocols (those that
signal possible caprice or ulterior motivation on the part of a
patient or caregiver, e.g.) together suggest a possibility of fraud
or neglect that might warrant a clawback or payment reduction for
one or more hospitalizations or protocols; in which the records
671, 672 identify one or more protocols 130, 140 performed in
relation to the specific pathology 181; and in which such records
671, 672 pertaining to the particular individual (patient 292,
e.g.) both identify pathology 181 in an identical or sufficiently
similar manner. Such a context can exist, for example, where
retrieval module 343 automatically recognizes identical or related
pathology identifiers 511 in use at both hospitals 201, 202.
Alternatively or additionally, a user who invokes retrieval module
343 (an auditor who has some cause to suspect fraud or abuse, e.g.)
may provide two or more instances of pathology identifiers 511
(expressed as text strings 2181, 2182 of a search term, e.g.) that
are considered related, optionally with a name or other identifiers
of the particular individual (as another text string 2183 of the
search term, e.g.).
[0138] Extensive operation 2471 describes retrieving a medical
treatment record of one individual selectively in response to an
explicit indication of a payment reduction that identifies the one
individual (e.g. retrieval module 341 extracting whichever billing
or other records 561-569 contain data components 127, 137, 147
pertaining to treatment of a medical condition 170 of a specific
patient 292 at hospital 202 in response to an explicit indication
2013 of a potential or actual payment reduction identifying the
specific patient 292). This can occur, for example, in a context in
which means for performing one or more extensive operations 51-57
as described above include an implementation of device 305; in
which the specific patient 292 has been identified by name 2011; in
which the payment reduction is indicated "explicitly" insofar that
the indication 2013 includes an audit identifier 2012 that CMS
(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a federal agency
within the United States Department of Health and Human Services)
associates with payment reductions so that hospitals 201, 202
recognize the significance of the audit; in which one or more such
records 561-569 reside in archive 820; and in which such retrieval
is "selective" insofar that medical treatment records of other
individuals in the same archive 820 are not included in the
retrieval. This can occur, for example, in a context in which one
or more remote requestors 893, 993 (federal regulators, e.g.) have
singled out an individual (patient 292, e.g.) suspected of "excess"
institutional readmissions. Under the healthcare system in the
United States, for example, Section 3025 of Public Law 111-148 (the
"Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," sometimes called
"Obamacare") states that, " . . . beginning on or after Oct. 1,
2012, in order to account for excess readmissions in the hospital,
the Secretary [of Health and Human Services] shall reduce the
payments that would otherwise be made to such hospital . . . ."
[0139] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for managing the accounting for a hospital or
other medical provider as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,065,162 ("Provider data
management and claims editing and settlement system"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,962,350 ("Payment of health care insurance claims using
short-term loans"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,860,732 ("Medicare pharmacy
calculator II"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,827,234 ("Privacy entitlement
protocols for secure data exchange, collection, monitoring and/or
alerting"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,805,318 ("Using a non-profit
organization to satisfy medicare out-of-pocket/troop and product
replacement"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,464,043 ("Computerized method and
system for obtaining, storing and accessing medical records"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,433,827 ("System and method for displaying a health
status of hospitalized patients"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,493
("Delivering electronic versions of supporting documents associated
with an insurance claim"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,545 ("Medical code
system"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,828 ("Method of improving drug
treatment").
[0140] Extensive operation 2475 describes retrieving a medical
treatment record relating to a set of one or more pathologies
selectively in response to an explicit indication of a payment
reduction that identifies the set (e.g. retrieval module 342
generating a report 2145 comprising numerous data components 127,
128, 137, 138 relating particularly to a list or set 107 of one or
more medical conditions to be extracted from one or more records
archives 820, 920 as an automatic response to a report request 2146
that effectively identifies which medical conditions are being
audited pursuant to a potential or actual payment reduction). This
can occur, for example, in a context in which at least one such
condition 180 comprises a pathology 181 associated with one or more
specific text strings 2182, 2183 (e.g. "addict" or "stress
disorder" listed in the subset of data components 127, 128, 137,
138 comprising the report 2145) and in which the potential or
actual payment reduction is implicitly evident in a report type 521
(a readmission audit, e.g.), a request authorization 522
(identifying a federal agency or other office responsible for
identifying or preventing payment reductions, e.g.), a user
identifier 523 (of a remote requestor 893, 993 who works for
Medicare or Medicaid, e.g.), or other such indications 525; in
which each data component in records archives 820, 920 includes one
or more instances of records 561-569 described herein; and in which
such retrieval is "selective" in that it excludes some records (in
data component 126, e.g.) that reside in one or more records
archives 820 based on their relation to a medical condition 160
that is not of interest. Alternatively or additionally, in some
contexts, retrieval module 342 may implement operation 2475 by
executing a request (using search term 2180, e.g.) that sets forth
one or more pathological conditions 160 (e.g. "injur" or "lacerat"
expressed in an "ANDNOT" clause of a search term 2010, 2180) that
are to be excluded from the report 2145.
[0141] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for retrieving data based on a "condition"
description as described herein without undue experimentation. See,
e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,844,470 ("Treatment order processing system
suitable for pharmacy and other use"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,739,126
("Method, system, and computer program product for physician
efficiency measurement and patient health risk stratification");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,707,047 ("Method and system for generating
personal/individual health records"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,664,659
("Displaying clinical predicted length of stay of patients for
workload balancing in a healthcare environment"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,640,175 ("Method for high-risk member identification"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,624,027 ("Method and system for automated medical records
processing"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,613,620 ("Physician to patient
network system for real-time electronic communications and transfer
of patient health information"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,291 ("System
and method for modeling of healthcare utilization"); and U.S. Pat.
No. 6,266,645 ("Risk adjustment tools for analyzing patient
electronic discharge records").
[0142] With reference now to flow 2500 of FIG. 25 and to other
flows 14-19, 2300, 2400 described above, in some variants, one or
more of operations 2521, 2527 may be performed in conjunction with
intensive operations described above or in preparation for one or
more extensive operations described above. Alternatively or
additionally, one or more of operations 2575, 2578 may likewise be
performed in response to one or more intensive operations described
above or in conjunction with extensive operations described
above.
[0143] Intensive operation 2521 describes detecting a wireless
device within an effective range of a stationary device (e.g.
detection module 2246 determining that device 2215 is within an
effective range of device 2205 by establishing a wireless linkage
2211 with device 2215). This can occur, for example, in a context
in which means for performing one or more intensive operations
35-46 as described above include an implementation of device 2205
as a stationary device that also implements device 242 (affixed to
a building or other stationary structure, e.g.); in which device
2215 includes one or more media as described above and an
implementation of device 305 that does not have a power supply
(comprising a passive RFID transponder 397, e.g.); and in which
device 2215 is configured to respond to a wireless signal from
device 2205 by transmitting a unique wireless signal 2154
recognizable to detection module 2246 if device 2215 is within the
effective range (linkage 2211, e.g.) of device 2205. Alternatively
or additionally, in some contexts, device 2215 may comprise a
passive USID transponder 398 in a system configured as described
above, mutatis mutandis.
[0144] Intensive operation 2527 describes obtaining an explicit
indication whether a record of treating a medical condition in a
particular person with a particular protocol contains any extrinsic
evidence that treating the medical condition with the particular
protocol has precedent (e.g. configuration module 325 receiving one
or more yes/no values 2061, 2062 from physicians or other
caregivers 991, 1191 in response to one or more queries 2071, 2072
directed to whether a patient's records 671-675 included suitable
annotations 2193 of extrinsic evidence in support of any
unconventional protocols 130, 140 prescribed or used by the patient
292). This can occur, for example, in a context in which means for
performing one or more intensive operations 35-46 as described
above include an implementation of device 305; in which
configuration module 325 directs such a query to caregivers 991,
1191 who are editing one or more data components 126, 136, 146 of
the patient's medical record 674 (relating to one or more protocols
120, 130, 140 being performed, e.g.); in which configuration module
325 is configured to recognize one or more protocols 120 as
conventional (standard or normal or common, e.g.); and in which
configuration module 325 is configured to accept such evidentiary
content 432 (scans 811 or references or annotations 2193, e.g.)
documenting any applicable precedent (research studies or reports
or prominence indications or anecdotal data, e.g.). In some
contexts, configuration module 325 may require such content 432 or
an affirmation of its existence (as value 2061, e.g.) before
permitting such records 674 to be saved, for example, or before
permitting any order for other protocols 130, 140 (for
non-emergency treatments, e.g.) to be placed. Alternatively or
additionally, configuration module 325 may be operable to send a
notification message 2190 to another entity 1091 (a hospital
administrator, e.g.) as an automatic response to any unconventional
protocol 140 being ordered by any caregiver at a particular
hospital 202 unless one or more such values 2061, 2062 are received
(concerning extrinsic evidence and precedent, e.g.). In some
contexts, moreover, configuration module 325 is itself configurable
by such entities 1091 such that each can control what kinds of
notice they receive (by selectively subscribing to receive notices
of unprecedented protocols 140 being used with or without
subscribing to receive notices of unconventional-but-precedented
protocols 130 being used, e.g.).
[0145] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for searching a collection of health-related
treatments as described herein without undue experimentation. See,
e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,010,664 ("Hypothesis development based on
selective reported events"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,991,485 ("System and
method for obtaining, processing and evaluating patient information
for diagnosing disease and selecting treatment"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,970,552 ("Diagnostic system for selecting nutrition and
pharmacological products for animals"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,959,568
("Advanced patient management for identifying, displaying and
assisting with correlating health-related data"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,853,626 ("Computational systems for biomedical data"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,630,762 ("Medical device with resuscitation prompts depending
on elapsed time"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,485,095 ("Measurement and
analysis of trends in physiological and/or health data"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,181,375 ("Patient data mining for diagnosis and projections
of patient states"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,558 ("System and
method for correlation of patient health information and implant
device data").
[0146] Extensive operation 2575 describes initiating a telephone
call between a first individual and a second individual as an
automatic response to the first individual not being compliant with
a health regimen and to an indication that the second individual is
available (e.g. response module 358 creating a teleconference
session or other phone call 2191 that includes patient 292 and
agent 294 in response to an indication 686 that patient 292 is
currently not compliant with one or more components 651, 652 of a
health regimen 650 contemporaneously with an indication 687 of
agent 294 being available to participate in the phone call 2191).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which means for
performing one or more extensive operations 51-57 as described
above include an implementation of device 305; in which agent 294
provides indication 687 explicitly and directly to response module
358 (by clicking an "available" button on a desktop system 841, 941
that implements an auto-dialer, e.g.); in which such components
651, 652 include at least one of a requirement (to use an exercise
machine or take particular drugs or nutraceuticals, e.g.) or a
restriction (to refrain from smoking, e.g.); and in which one or
more devices 2205, 2215 (comprising one or more sensors 2254, e.g.)
signal compliance or noncompliance with regimen 650. A sensor
activation can signal noncompliance with a regimen component 651
that forbids snacking during certain hours, for example, by
detecting a kitchen cupboard 2271 opening. Alternatively or
additionally, an implementation of sensor 2254 can detect
compliance with a regimen component 652 that requires a task
(medication or exercise, e.g.) to be performed during a particular
time interval 538 by detecting a movement in something associated
with the task (an exercise machine 2273 or drug dispenser actuator
2272 or "task done" button 2279 on a handheld 2274, e.g.).
[0147] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for detecting a movement of some or all of a
device as described herein without undue experimentation. See,
e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,082,122 ("Mobile device having a motion
detector"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,973,820 ("Motion detector and image
capture device, interchangeable lens and camera system including
the motion detector"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,967,141 ("Device for the
automatic detection of the movement of objects"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,887,493 ("Implantable device employing movement sensing for
detecting sleep-related disorders"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,826,310
("Acoustic navigation device and method of detecting movement of a
navigation device"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,635,846 ("Motion detector
device with rotatable focusing views and a method of selecting a
specific focusing view"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,511,260 ("Encoder device
for detecting movement"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,454,299 ("Device and
method for detecting an end of a movement of a valve piston in a
valve"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,920,699 ("Device for and method for
detecting a relative movement between two machine parts which are
movable relative to one another").
[0148] Extensive operation 2578 describes signaling a decision
whether to transfer a resource to a first individual partly based
on an indication that the first individual is not compliant with a
health regimen and partly based on an indication that the first
individual has accepted a telephone call (e.g. response module 357
transferring credits 693 into an account 616 of patient 292 in
response to an indication 685 that patient 292 participated in a
phone call 2191 with call center 295 about regimen 650). This can
occur, for example, in a context in which an agent 294 of call
center 295 participates in the phone call 2191; in which the
resource (incentive 694, e.g.) is effective (large enough, e.g.) to
motivate a particular patient 292 sometimes to take the call but
not large enough to motivate the patient to violate the regimen
650; and in which a primary purpose of call center 295 is to
initiate such telephone calls in response to one or more signals
2153 (a device-generated notification or webcam feed, e.g.)
directly or indirectly indicating that a patient 292 is apparently
noncompliant with a time-critical component 651 (relating to
dosages of an antibiotic, e.g.) of regimen 650. This can occur, for
example, in a context in which patient 292 complies with the
regimen component 651 in a portion of the patient's home 289 that
the call center agent 294 can monitor (via a camera 2253,
microphone, or other sensor 2254, e.g.); in which patient 292 has
been informed of the incentives 694; in which an instance of device
305, 2205 as described above resides in the patient's home 289 and
on one or more networks described above; and in which response
module 357 performs operation 2578 by causing food or other goods
691 to be provided to patient 292 (delivered to the patient's home
289 by a third-party supplier who receives an order 618 from
response module 357, e.g.) as an automatic response to patient 292
accepting the phone call from call center 295. Alternatively or
additionally, an instance of device 305 may be configured to
deliver such goods 691 (in a dispensing machine 2230 at the
patient's home, e.g.).
[0149] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for determining whether someone has accepted a
telephone call as described herein without undue experimentation.
See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,680,260 ("Detecting a voice mail system
answering a call"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,386,101 ("System and method for
call answer determination for automated calling systems"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,260,205 ("Call waiting using external notification and
presence detection"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,738,613 ("Telephone set
having automatic incoming-call acknowledgement detection"); U.S.
Pat. No. 6,697,456 ("Speech analysis based answer detection for IP
based telephones"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,650,751 ("Answer detection for
IP based telephones using passive detection"); and U.S. Pat. No.
6,111,946 ("Method and system for providing answer supervision in a
switched telephone network").
[0150] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for causing a vending machine actuation or
other delivery of goods as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,068,933 ("Products and
processes for vending a plurality of products via defined groups");
U.S. Pat. No. 8,041,454 ("Automated business system and method of
vending and returning a consumer product"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,002,144
("Drive system for a vending machine dispensing assembly"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,844,363 ("Vending machine apparatus to dispense herbal
medications and prescription medicines"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,783,379
("Automated vending of products containing controlled substances");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,753,091 ("Device and method for controlling the
filling of a cup by a vending machine"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,536,360
("Electronic purchase of goods over a communications network
including physical delivery while securing private and personal
information of the purchasing party"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,272,571
("Method and apparatus for effective distribution and delivery of
goods ordered on the World-Wide-Web"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,165
("Apparatus and methods for inventory, sale, and delivery of
digitally transferable goods"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,189
("Computerized, monitored, temperature affected, delivery system
for perishable goods").
[0151] With reference now to flow 2600 of FIG. 26 and to other
flows 14-19, 2300, 2400, 2500 described above, in some variants,
one or more of operations 2621, 2623 may be performed in
conjunction with intensive operations described above or in
preparation for one or more extensive operations described above.
Alternatively or additionally, one or more of operations 2674, 2677
may likewise be performed in response to one or more intensive
operations described above or in conjunction with extensive
operations described above.
[0152] Intensive operation 2621 describes causing a
locally-resident subscriber registry to be updated (e.g. invocation
module 371 triggering update module 2228 to remove an identifier
733 of the individual from a registry 109 stored on a medium 105 in
service zone 207 in response to an indication 683 that the
individual is not in service zone 207). This can occur, for
example, in a context in which the individual is a patient 292,
1292 as described herein; in which service zone 207 is a defined
region (a county or metropolitan area, e.g.); in which device 2205
is on network 290; in which device 2215 is held or worn by patient
292; in which invocation module 371 detects that patient 292 left
service zone 207 by receiving an indication that patient 292 is now
in another service zone 208 (at home 289, e.g.); and in which
invocation module 371 responds by transmitting a request 772 for
the removal of the individual from the registry 109. Alternatively
or additionally, invocation module 371 and detection module 2244
may be configured jointly to determine whether the individual is
still in service zone 207 simply by detecting whether device 2215
(worn or carried by the individual, e.g.) is within a direct
operating range of device 2205. Alternatively or additionally,
invocation module 371 may be configured to invoke one or more other
functional modules as described with reference to flows herein.
[0153] Intensive operation 2623 describes determining whether a
portable device is in a vicinity of another device (e.g. detection
module 2241 detecting whether two devices 2205, 2215 are close
enough that a sensor 2254 in one can directly detect a transponder
1225 or other detectable structure 2275 of the other). This can
occur, for example, in a context in which means for performing one
or more intensive operations 35-46 as described above include an
implementation of device 2205; in which one or both devices 2205,
2215 implement an instance of device 305; in which detection module
2241 is configured to receive a signal 2152 from sensor 2254; in
which such detection is "direct" insofar that a wireless linkage
2211 between the devices 2205, 2215 consists of free space or other
passive media (air, e.g.); and in which one or both devices 2205,
2215 are portable (configured to be worn or carried in one hand,
e.g.). In some contexts, for example, a camera 2253 can transmit a
signal 2152 (image, e.g.) indicating a detectable structure 2275 (a
barcode or other visible feature that is unique to device 2215,
e.g.) that detection module 2241 is configured to recognize.
Alternatively or additionally, one or more other devices 241, 242
may be configured (e.g. as a tower or satellite or wall-mounted
device 1343, e.g.) to perform operation 2623 by detecting both
devices 2205, 2215 in a common location 204, 1304 simultaneously
and the two devices are "in a vicinity" of one another insofar that
both are within 50 meters of the same point (e.g. at a "third"
device 241, 242).
[0154] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for determining by wireless communication
which devices are in a region as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,064,884 ("System and
method for provisioning a wireless device to only be able to access
network services within a specific location"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,010,126 ("Surveying wireless device users by location"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,983,677 ("Location-based wireless messaging for wireless
devices"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,979,086 ("Virtual visitor location
register for a wireless local area network"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,809,378 ("Location visit detail services for wireless devices");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,548,158 ("First responder wireless emergency
alerting with automatic callback and location triggering"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,539,500 ("Using cell phones and wireless cellular
systems with location capability for toll paying and collection");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,385,516 ("Location visit confirmation services for
wireless devices"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,068,992 ("System and method of
polling wireless devices having a substantially fixed and/or
predesignated geographic location"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,076
("Location specific reminders for wireless mobiles").
[0155] Extensive operation 2674 describes responding to an event
with an audible notification (e.g. response module 353 causing
speaker 2257 to signal a caregiver 1291, 1391 or other entity 1091
when one or more intensive operations 35-46 are completed). This
can occur, for example, in a context in which a device 305 or
system 841, 941 described above includes an implementation of
device 2205. Alternatively or additionally, response module 353 may
comprise one or more of the means for performing extensive
operations 51-57 as described above.
[0156] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for implementing a device-initiated phone call
or other audible notification as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,041,017 ("Emergency
call service with automatic third party notification and/or
bridging"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,650,811 ("Shifting device"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,508,298 ("Automatic crash notification using prerecorded
messages"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,493,281 ("Automatic notification of
irregular activity"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,469,155 ("Handheld
communications device with automatic alert mode selection"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,181,192 ("Handheld portable automatic emergency alert
system and method"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,076,235 ("Automatic
notification of personal emergency contacts from a wireless
communications device"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,442,485 ("Method and
apparatus for an automatic vehicle location, collision
notification, and synthetic voice"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,074
("Radio communication system with automatic geographic event
notification").
[0157] Extensive operation 2677 describes responding to a
payment-reduction event relating to a first medical treatment by
causing a selective retrieval of one or more records that lack any
prominence indication relating to the first medical treatment from
an archive that includes at least one prominence indication
relating to a second medical treatment (e.g. response module 352
responding to a request 582 for records 565, 566 indicating that
protocol 120 was administered but that lack any prominence
indications 1126, 1127 relating to protocol 120). This can occur,
for example, in a context in which request 582 comprises a message
from an entity that pays for at least some of the first medical
treatment (Medicare or Medicaid, e.g.) such as remote requestor 893
(an auditor or regulator, e.g.); in which a report type 521,
request authorization 522, or other such indication 525 signals a
potential or actual payment-reduction event (manifesting a
reduction that has resulted or may result from a failure to justify
the use of protocol 120 in treating one or more specific medical
conditions 160, e.g.) and in which a single order 1018 for protocol
120 does not constitute a "prominence indication" for purposes of
determining whether the use of protocol 120 itself should be
scrutinized (made subject to a payment reduction, e.g.).
Alternatively or additionally, response module 352 may invoke one
or more retrieval modules 825, 925 configured to access at least
one records archive 920 that contains a prominence indication 1137
(average evaluation 1053 or use count 1054, e.g.) for another
protocol 130.
[0158] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for identifying records relating to an
unjustified action as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,793,835 ("System and
method for identity-based fraud detection for transactions using a
plurality of historical identity records"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,668,843
("Identification of anomalous data records"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,650,321 ("Two classifier based system for classifying anomalous
medical patient records"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,493,281 ("Automatic
notification of irregular activity"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,944,599
("Monitoring and automatic notification of irregular activity in a
network-based transaction facility"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,592
("Method and system for using bad billed number records to prevent
fraud in a telecommunication system").
[0159] With reference now to flow 2700 of FIG. 27 and to other
flows 14-19, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600 described above, in some
variants, one or more of operations 2724, 2729 may be performed in
conjunction with intensive operations described above or in
preparation for one or more extensive operations described above.
Alternatively or additionally, one or more of operations 2772,
2773, 2776 may likewise be performed in response to one or more
intensive operations described above or in conjunction with
extensive operations described above.
[0160] Intensive operation 2724 describes detecting a passive
wireless transponder within a vicinity of a vehicle (e.g. detection
module 2243 receiving a return signal 2151 from a passive device
implementing a radio frequency identification transponder 397 or an
ultrasound identification transponder 398). This can occur, for
example, in a context in which medium 2105 comprises the passive
device (a semiconductor chip or other device lacking a power supply
2258, e.g.); in which one or more detection modules 2241-2246
reside aboard an ambulance 1295 (in device 1241, e.g.) or other
vehicle (in device 241, e.g.); and in which means for performing
one or more intensive operations 35-46 as described above include
an implementation of device 2205. Alternatively or additionally,
detection module 2243 (implemented in a stationary device 242,
e.g.) may be configured to perform operation 2724 by detecting a
passive wireless transponder that is aboard the vehicle (in device
1241, e.g.).
[0161] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for configuring a portable device to detect a
passive wireless transponder as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,074,007 ("Passive
client-host detection for connected peripherals"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,072,310 ("System for detecting and measuring parameters of
passive transponders"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,045,929 ("Determining
presence of radio frequency communication device"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,978,639 ("Systems, methods and devices for collecting data from
wireless sensor nodes"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,969,143 ("Method of
tracking an object having a passive transponder attached thereto");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,725,253 ("Tracking, auto-calibration, and
map-building system").
[0162] Intensive operation 2729 describes obtaining an indication
whether an individual is compliant with a health regimen (e.g.
input module 318 receiving timing data 453 relating to when a
patient is taking medications at home). This can occur, for
example, in a context in which one or more caregivers 991, 1191
prescribe a home care regimen 650 and in which one or more
particular components 652 of the regimen (antibiotics or other
medications, e.g.) are crucial to a favorable outcome for a
specific patient 292. Alternatively or additionally, input module
318 may be configured to provide additional data relevant to a
determination of regimen compliance (raw data 712 with one or more
timestamps 711 from a sensor 2254 in the patient's home 289, e.g.)
into the patient's record 673. This can occur, for example, in a
context in which there are one or more indications 685 (diagnostic
data 490 or protocol data 450, e.g.) that an institutional
readmission has resulted from a behavior of a patient 292 or
at-home caregiver and not from anything that occurred earlier
(while in-patient at hospital 201, e.g.).
[0163] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for generating indications of patient
compliance or noncompliance as described herein without undue
experimentation. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,032,399 ("Treatment
regimen compliance and efficacy with feedback"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,917,377 ("Patient data mining for automated compliance"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,599,892 ("Method for secure diagnostic screening,
servicing, treatment, and compliance monitoring for sleep apnea in
truck drivers"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,417,205 ("Medical item thermal
treatment systems and method of monitoring medical items for
compliance with prescribed requirements"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,926,667
("Patient compliance monitor"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,668
("Monitoring patient compliance and bioavailability of drugs by
deproteinizing body fluids"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,858 ("Systems and
methods for monitoring patient compliance with medication
regimens"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,095 ("Treatment regimen compliance
and efficacy with feedback"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,136 ("Method of
monitoring compliance with methadone treatment program"); and U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 13/199,053 ("Systematic distillation of
status data relating to regimen compliance").
[0164] Extensive operation 2772 describes triggering a search of a
particular records archive by providing a selective search
criterion, one that results in an exclusion of a first element in
the particular records archive and an inclusion of a second element
in the particular records archive (e.g. retrieval module 344
transmitting a search term 2010 to search engine 2098 that searches
records archive 820 and generates a search result 2030 that
excludes one or more data components 138 therein and includes one
or more other data components 126 therein). This can occur, for
example, in a context in which search term 2010 identifies one or
more selective inclusion criteria 2001 (e.g. words or codes
identifying condition 160) and one or more selective exclusion
criteria 2002 (e.g. words or codes identifying protocols 130, 140).
Alternatively or additionally, retrieval module 344 may be
configured to trigger a search of other search records archive 920
(by invoking retrieval module 925, e.g.) and to include the result
2030 (in report 2144, e.g.).
[0165] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for performing selective data retrieval as
described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 8,068,603 ("Focused retrieval of selected data in a call
center environment"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,966,532 ("Method for
selectively retrieving column redundancy data in memory device");
U.S. Pat. No. 7,203,633 ("Method and system for selectively storing
and retrieving simulation data utilizing keywords"); U.S. Pat. No.
6,519,327 ("System and method for selectively retrieving messages
stored on telephony and data networks"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,726
("System and method for selection and retrieval of diverse types of
video data on a computer network"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,573
("Method and system for the integrated storage and dynamic
selective retrieval of text, audio and video data"); U.S. Pat. No.
6,137,914 ("Method and format for storing and selectively
retrieving image data"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,573 ("System and a
method for selective data retrieval from a remote database on basis
of caller line identification and user specific access codes").
[0166] Extensive operation 2773 describes transmitting a real-time
notification to a first person as an automatic response to an
interface in a vicinity of a second person detecting a particular
event relating to the second person (e.g. update module 2229
transmitting one or more records 561-569, 671-675 or other data
components 136-138 to the "first" person upon detecting an input
551, 552 or other action taken by the "second" person). This can
occur, for example, in a context in which the "first" person is a
caregiver 991, 1191, 1291 or patient 292, 992 or administrator (a
call center agent 294 or other entity 1091, e.g.); in which the
interface comprises one or more of the above-described devices; in
which such data components 136-138 relate to the "second" person or
to device 2205; in which the "particular event" comprises device
2215 entering a detection range of something carried or worn by the
"second" person (manifesting the vicinity of the 2nd person, e.g.);
and in which means for performing one or more extensive operations
51-57 as described above include an implementation of device 2205.
Alternatively or additionally, update module 2229 may be configured
to transmit such a notification (using an e-mail address 721 or
telephone number 722, e.g.) in response to a "particular event"
occurring within device 305 (comprising one or more computation or
detection events described herein or a combination thereof, e.g.).
In some contexts, for example, update module 2229 may be configured
to respond to one or more records 561-569, 671-675 as described
herein being saved without a prominence indication or annotation
2193 (in a context in which the "second" person is a caregiver
failing to document an unconventional treatment being ordered,
e.g.).
[0167] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for implementing a real-time notification as
described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 8,060,562 ("Real time update notification"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,940,602 ("Real-time system and method of underwater depth
discrepancy detection, recordation and alarm notification"); U.S.
Pat. No. 7,924,149 ("System and method for providing alarming
notification and real-time, critical emergency information to
occupants in a building or emergency designed area and evacuation
guidance system to and in the emergency exit route"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,899,739 ("Construction payment management system and method with
real-time draw notification features"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,898,423
("Real-time event notification"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,890,622
("Real-time notification of device events"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,865,566 ("Method and apparatus for providing real-time
notification for avatars"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,835,506 ("Method and
system for real-time notification and disposition of voice services
in a cable services network"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,813,481
("Conversation recording with real-time notification for users of
communication terminals"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,617,162 ("Real time push
notification in an event driven network"); and U.S. Pat. No.
7,319,378 ("Anti-theft system for a vehicle with real-time
notification feature").
[0168] Extensive operation 2776 describes implementing a failsafe
preventing medical equipment from operating until an order
associating the medical equipment with a patient is received and
until an indication is received that the patient is in a vicinity
of the medical equipment (e.g. detection module 2245 enabling
medical equipment 2280 to function only after receiving a report
2143 or other indication 688 that an authorized caregiver has
generated such an order and only after detecting that the specific
patient 292, 1392 is in a vicinity of the medical equipment 2280).
This can occur, for example, in a context in which one or more
orders 1018, 618 as described above call for particular diagnostic
data 490 in relation to patient 292; in which such orders
explicitly or implicitly identify the equipment 2280 (corresponding
to a particular biometric 481, test result 482, computed tomography
scan 483, or other image 484, e.g.) in association with the patient
for whom they are to be obtained; in which detection module 2245 is
configured to determine whether a location or device that includes
a patient identifier 731, 1331 is in a vicinity of the equipment
2280; and in which detection module 2245 receives indication 688
via input module 314. This can occur, for example, in a context in
which one or more detection modules 2241-2246 are mounted on the
equipment 2280 or in the same room (as a stationary instance of
equipment 2280, e.g.). In some contexts, moreover, a single device
305 or room (office or server room, e.g.) or facility (hospital
201, e.g.) may be configured to contain an entire system described
herein. Alternatively or additionally, an instance of detection
module 2245 configured to detect equipment 2280 may reside on the
specific patient 292 or in a location associated with the patient
292 (in the patient's room, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally,
module 314 may be configured to receive other data (one or more of
indications 681-687, e.g.) on data-handling media 105, 405, 505,
605, 705, 2005, 2105 as described herein.
[0169] In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques
may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other
structures effective for implementing a medical equipment failsafe
as described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., U.S.
Pat. No. 8,083,406 ("Diagnostic Delivery Service"); U.S. Pat. No.
8,070,739 ("Liquid drug transfer devices for failsafe correct snap
fitting onto medicinal vials"); U.S. Pat. No. 8,068,917 ("Fail-safe
programming for implantable medical device"); U.S. Pat. No.
7,752,058 ("Portable terminal and health management method and
system using portable terminal"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,696,751 ("Method
and apparatus for ferrous object and/or magnetic field detection
for MRI safety"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,438,072 ("Portable field
anesthesia machine and control therefore"); U.S. Pat. No. 7,087,036
("Fail safe system for operating medical fluid valves"); U.S. Pat.
No. 7,034,934 ("Anti-carcinogenic lights and lighting"); U.S. Pat.
No. 6,768,420 ("Vehicle compartment occupancy detection system");
and U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,809 ("Defibrillator battery with memory and
status indication gauge").
[0170] In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize
that the various aspects described herein which can be implemented,
individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware,
software, firmware, or any combination thereof can be viewed as
being composed of various types of "electrical circuitry."
Consequently, as used herein "electrical circuitry" includes, but
is not limited to, electrical circuitry having at least one
discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having at least
one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one
application specific integrated circuit, electrical circuitry
forming a general purpose computing device configured by a computer
program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by a computer
program which at least partially carries out processes and/or
devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a
computer program which at least partially carries out processes
and/or devices described herein), electrical circuitry forming a
memory device (e.g., forms of random access memory), and/or
electrical circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a
modem, communications switch, or optical-electrical equipment).
Those having skill in the art will recognize that the subject
matter described herein may be implemented in an analog or digital
fashion or some combination thereof.
[0171] The foregoing detailed description has set forth various
embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions
and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art
that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams,
flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or
collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or
virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several
portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented
via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field
Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs),
or other integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art will
recognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in
whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated
circuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or more
computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more
processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination
thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code
for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of
one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the
subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as
a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative
embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies
regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to
actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing
medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable
type medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact
Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer
memory, etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital
and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a
waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication
link (e.g., transmitter, receiver, transmission logic, reception
logic, etc.), etc.).
[0172] One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein
described components (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the
discussion accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of
conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications are
contemplated. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars
set forth and the accompanying discussion are intended to be
representative of their more general classes. In general, use of
any specific exemplar is intended to be representative of its
class, and the non-inclusion of specific components (e.g.,
operations), devices, and objects should not be taken limiting.
[0173] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or
singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate
from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the
plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The
various singular/plural permutations are not expressly set forth
herein for sake of clarity.
[0174] The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates
different components contained within, or connected with, different
other components. It is to be understood that such depicted
architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other
architectures may be implemented which achieve the same
functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components
to achieve the same functionality is effectively "associated" such
that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two
components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality
can be seen as "associated with" each other such that the desired
functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or
intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated
can also be viewed as being "operably connected", or "operably
coupled," to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and
any two components capable of being so associated can also be
viewed as being "operably couplable," to each other to achieve the
desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable
include but are not limited to physically mateable and/or
physically interacting components, and/or wirelessly interactable,
and/or wirelessly interacting components, and/or logically
interacting, and/or logically interactable components.
[0175] In some instances, one or more components may be referred to
herein as "configured to," "configurable to," "operable/operative
to," "adapted/adaptable," "able to," "conformable/conformed to,"
etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize that "configured to"
can generally encompass active-state components and/or
inactive-state components and/or standby-state components, unless
context requires otherwise.
[0176] While particular aspects of the present subject matter
described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent
to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein,
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and,
therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope
all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit
and scope of the subject matter described herein. It will be
understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used
herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the
appended claims) are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the
term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not
limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at
least," the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but
is not limited to," etc.). It will be further understood by those
within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim
recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited
in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent
is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following
appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases "at
least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations.
However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply
that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite
articles "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such
introduced claim recitation to claims containing only one such
recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory
phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles
such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or "an" should typically be
interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one or more"); the same
holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim
recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an
introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in
the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be
interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare
recitation of "two recitations," without other modifiers, typically
means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).
Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to "at
least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, in general such a
construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art
would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least
one of A, B, and C" would include but not be limited to systems
that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C
together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In
those instances where a convention analogous to "at least one of A,
B, or C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is intended
in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the
convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C"
would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B
alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C
together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further
understood by those within the art that typically a disjunctive
word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms,
whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be
understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the
terms, either of the terms, or both terms unless context dictates
otherwise. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be typically
understood to include the possibilities of "A" or "B" or "A and
B."
[0177] Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common
within the art to implement devices and/or processes and/or
systems, and thereafter use engineering and/or other practices to
integrate such implemented devices and/or processes and/or systems
into more comprehensive devices and/or processes and/or systems.
That is, at least a portion of the devices and/or processes and/or
systems described herein can be integrated into other devices
and/or processes and/or systems via a reasonable amount of
experimentation. Those having skill in the art will recognize that
examples of such other devices and/or processes and/or systems
might include--as appropriate to context and application--all or
part of devices and/or processes and/or systems of (a) an air
conveyance (e.g., an airplane, rocket, helicopter, etc.), (b) a
ground conveyance (e.g., a car, truck, locomotive, tank, armored
personnel carrier, etc.), (c) a building (e.g., a home, warehouse,
office, etc.), (d) an appliance (e.g., a refrigerator, a washing
machine, a dryer, etc.), (e) a communications system (e.g., a
networked system, a telephone system, a Voice over IP system,
etc.), (f) a business entity (e.g., an Internet Service Provider
(ISP) entity such as Comcast Cable, Qwest, Southwestern Bell,
etc.), or (g) a wired/wireless services entity (e.g., Sprint,
Cingular, Nextel, etc.), etc.
[0178] In certain cases, use of a system or method may occur in a
territory even if components are located outside the territory. For
example, in a distributed computing context, use of a distributed
computing system may occur in a territory even though parts of the
system may be located outside of the territory (e.g., relay,
server, processor, signal-bearing medium, transmitting computer,
receiving computer, etc. located outside the territory).
[0179] A sale of a system or method may likewise occur in a
territory even if components of the system or method are located
and/or used outside the territory. Further, implementation of at
least part of a system for performing a method in one territory
does not preclude use of the system in another territory.
[0180] With respect to the numbered clauses and claims expressed
below, those skilled in the art will appreciate that recited
operations therein may generally be performed in any order. Also,
although various operational flows are presented in a sequence(s),
it should be understood that the various operations may be
performed in other orders than those which are illustrated, or may
be performed concurrently. Examples of such alternate orderings may
include overlapping, interleaved, interrupted, reordered,
incremental, preparatory, supplemental, simultaneous, reverse, or
other variant orderings, unless context dictates otherwise.
Furthermore, terms like "responsive to," "related to," or other
past-tense adjectives are generally not intended to exclude such
variants, unless context dictates otherwise. Also in the numbered
clauses below, specific combinations of aspects and embodiments are
articulated in a shorthand form such that (1) according to
respective embodiments, for each instance in which a "component" or
other such identifiers appear to be introduced (with "a" or "an,"
e.g.) more than once in a given chain of clauses, such designations
may either identify the same entity or distinct entities; and (2)
what might be called "dependent" clauses below may or may not
incorporate, in respective embodiments, the features of
"independent" clauses to which they refer or other features
described above.
CLAUSES
[0181] 1. (Independent) A healthcare information management system
comprising:
[0182] circuitry for obtaining an indication that a particular
condition was treated in a first patient with a first protocol;
[0183] circuitry for causing a record of a second patient to
include the indication that the particular condition was treated in
the first patient with the first protocol; and
[0184] circuitry for retrieving the record of the second patient
selectively in response to an association between the second
patient and an indication of an institutional readmission after the
record of the second patient includes the indication that the
particular condition was treated in the first patient with the
first protocol.
[0185] 2. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0186] circuitry for receiving a communication delay as data
entered by a user.
[0187] 3. The system of CLAUSE 2 in which the circuitry for
retrieving the record of the second patient selectively in response
to an association between the second patient and an indication of
an institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0188] circuitry for transmitting a query as an automatic response
to an expiration of the communication delay.
[0189] 4. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0190] circuitry for looking up a communication delay as a function
of a therapeutic protocol.
[0191] 5. The system of CLAUSE 4 in which the circuitry for
retrieving the record of the second patient selectively in response
to an association between the second patient and an indication of
an institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0192] circuitry for transmitting a query as an automatic response
to an expiration of the communication delay.
[0193] 6. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0194] circuitry for looking up a communication delay as a function
of a medical condition.
[0195] 7. The system of CLAUSE 6 in which the circuitry for
retrieving the record of the second patient selectively in response
to an association between the second patient and an indication of
an institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0196] circuitry for transmitting a query as an automatic response
to an expiration of the communication delay.
[0197] 8. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0198] circuitry for causing an individual to be contacted by a
fallback mode of communication as a conditional response to
receiving no reply from the individual by a prior mode of
communication, the prior mode of communication being
telephonic.
[0199] 9. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0200] circuitry for contacting an individual by a fallback mode of
communication as an automatic and conditional response to receiving
no reply from the individual by a prior mode of communication, the
fallback mode of communication being telephonic.
[0201] 10. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0202] circuitry for updating a locally-resident subscriber
registry in response to an individual entering a service zone.
[0203] 11. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0204] circuitry for obtaining an indication that a specific
pathology in a particular individual has been treated at a first
hospital and an indication that the specific pathology in the
particular individual has been treated at a second hospital.
[0205] 12. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0206] circuitry for retrieving a medical treatment record of one
individual selectively in response to an explicit indication of a
payment reduction that identifies the one individual.
[0207] 13. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0208] circuitry for retrieving a medical treatment record relating
to a set of one or more pathologies selectively in response to an
explicit indication of a payment reduction that identifies the
set.
[0209] 14. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0210] circuitry for detecting a wireless device within an
effective range of a stationary device.
[0211] 15. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0212] circuitry for obtaining an explicit indication whether a
record of treating a medical condition in a particular person with
a particular protocol contains any extrinsic evidence that treating
the medical condition with the particular protocol has
precedent.
[0213] 16. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0214] circuitry for initiating a telephone call between a first
individual and a second individual as an automatic response to the
first individual not being compliant with a health regimen and to
an indication that the second individual is available.
[0215] 17. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0216] circuitry for signaling a decision whether to transfer a
resource to a first individual partly based on an indication that
the first individual is not compliant with a health regimen and
partly based on an indication that the first individual has
accepted a telephone call.
[0217] 18. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0218] circuitry for causing a locally-resident subscriber registry
to be updated.
[0219] 19. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0220] circuitry for determining whether a portable device is in a
vicinity of another device.
[0221] 20. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0222] circuitry for responding to an event with an audible
notification.
[0223] 21. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0224] circuitry for responding to a payment-reduction event
relating to a first medical treatment by causing a selective
retrieval of one or more records that lack any prominence
indication relating to the first medical treatment from an archive
that includes at least one prominence indication relating to a
second medical treatment.
[0225] 22. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0226] circuitry for detecting a passive wireless transponder
within a vicinity of a vehicle.
[0227] 23. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0228] circuitry for obtaining an indication whether an individual
is compliant with a health regimen.
[0229] 24. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0230] circuitry for triggering a search of a particular records
archive by providing a selective search criterion, one that results
in an exclusion of a first element in the particular records
archive and an inclusion of a second element in the particular
records archive.
[0231] 25. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0232] circuitry for transmitting a real-time notification to a
first person as an automatic response to an interface in a vicinity
of a second person detecting a particular event relating to the
second person.
[0233] 26. The healthcare information management system of any of
the above SYSTEM CLAUSES in which the circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0234] circuitry for implementing a failsafe preventing medical
equipment from operating until an order associating the medical
equipment with a patient is received and until an indication is
received that the patient is in a vicinity of the medical
equipment.
[0235] 27. (Independent) A healthcare information management method
comprising:
[0236] obtaining an indication that a particular condition was
treated in a first patient with a first protocol;
[0237] causing a record of a second patient to include the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol; and
[0238] retrieving the record of the second patient selectively in
response to an association between the second patient and an
indication of an institutional readmission after the record of the
second patient includes the indication that the particular
condition was treated in the first patient with the first
protocol.
[0239] 28. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0240] receiving a communication delay as data entered by a
user.
[0241] 29. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0242] looking up a communication delay as a function of a
therapeutic protocol.
[0243] 30. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0244] looking up a communication delay as a function of a medical
condition.
[0245] 31. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0246] causing an individual to be contacted by a fallback mode of
communication as a conditional response to receiving no reply from
the individual by a prior mode of communication, the prior mode of
communication being telephonic.
[0247] 32. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0248] contacting an individual by a fallback mode of communication
as an automatic and conditional response to receiving no reply from
the individual by a prior mode of communication, the fallback mode
of communication being telephonic.
[0249] 33. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0250] updating a locally-resident subscriber registry in response
to an individual entering a service zone.
[0251] 34. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0252] obtaining an indication that a specific pathology in a
particular individual has been treated at a first hospital and an
indication that the specific pathology in the particular individual
has been treated at a second hospital.
[0253] 35. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0254] retrieving a medical treatment record of one individual
selectively in response to an explicit indication of a payment
reduction that identifies the one individual.
[0255] 36. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0256] retrieving a medical treatment record relating to a set of
one or more pathologies selectively in response to an explicit
indication of a payment reduction that identifies the set.
[0257] 37. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0258] detecting a wireless device within an effective range of a
stationary device.
[0259] 38. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0260] obtaining an explicit indication whether a record of
treating a medical condition in a particular person with a
particular protocol contains any extrinsic evidence that treating
the medical condition with the particular protocol has
precedent.
[0261] 39. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0262] initiating a telephone call between a first individual and a
second individual as an automatic response to the first individual
not being compliant with a health regimen and to an indication that
the second individual is available.
[0263] 40. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0264] signaling a decision whether to transfer a resource to a
first individual partly based on an indication that the first
individual is not compliant with a health regimen and partly based
on an indication that the first individual has accepted a telephone
call.
[0265] 41. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0266] causing a locally-resident subscriber registry to be
updated.
[0267] 42. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0268] determining whether a portable device is in a vicinity of
another device.
[0269] 43. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0270] responding to an event with an audible notification.
[0271] 44. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0272] responding to a payment-reduction event relating to a first
medical treatment by causing a selective retrieval of one or more
records that lack any prominence indication relating to the first
medical treatment from an archive that includes at least one
prominence indication relating to a second medical treatment.
[0273] 45. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0274] detecting a passive wireless transponder within a vicinity
of a vehicle.
[0275] 46. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES, further comprising:
[0276] obtaining an indication whether an individual is compliant
with a health regimen.
[0277] 47. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0278] triggering a search of a particular records archive by
providing a selective search criterion, one that results in an
exclusion of a first element in the particular records archive and
an inclusion of a second element in the particular records
archive.
[0279] 48. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises:
[0280] transmitting a real-time notification to a first person as
an automatic response to an interface in a vicinity of a second
person detecting a particular event relating to the second
person.
[0281] 49. The healthcare information management method of any of
the above METHOD CLAUSES in which the retrieving the record of the
second patient selectively in response to an association between
the second patient and an indication of an institutional
readmission after the record of the second patient includes the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol comprises: implementing a failsafe
preventing medical equipment from operating until an order
associating the medical equipment with a patient is received and
until an indication is received that the patient is in a vicinity
of the medical equipment.
[0282] 50. (Independent) A healthcare information management method
comprising:
[0283] causing an electronic record of a first protocol for a
particular condition to be annotated with a scan of a document;
and
[0284] retrieving the electronic record of the first protocol after
the electronic record of the first protocol is annotated with the
scan of the document partly based on an indication of a first
patient undergoing the first protocol and partly based on an
indication of an institutional readmission.
[0285] 51. The healthcare information management method of CLAUSE
50 further comprising:
[0286] performing the operation(s) of any one or more of the above
METHOD CLAUSES that depend from METHOD CLAUSE 27.
[0287] 52. (Independent) A healthcare information management method
comprising:
[0288] obtaining an indication of a first protocol being employed
in relation to a particular condition in a first patient;
[0289] requesting an effectiveness indication of the first protocol
from an entity partly based on the entity validating the first
protocol and partly based on a first communication delay associated
with the first protocol, the first communication delay exceeding
one hour; and
[0290] signaling a decision whether to update a prominence
indication of the first protocol in response to whether the
effectiveness indication of the first protocol was received from
the entity after the effectiveness indication is requested from the
entity partly based on the entity validating the first protocol and
partly based on the first communication delay associated with the
first protocol.
[0291] 53. The healthcare information management method of CLAUSE
52 further comprising:
[0292] performing the operation(s) of any one or more of the above
METHOD CLAUSES that depend from METHOD CLAUSE 27.
[0293] 54. (Independent) A healthcare information management method
comprising:
[0294] obtaining an association between a particular condition and
a first protocol;
[0295] causing a comparison between a threshold and a prominence
indication of treating the particular condition with the first
protocol after the association between the particular condition and
the first protocol is obtained; and
[0296] signaling a decision whether to caution a caregiver partly
based on the association between the particular condition and the
first protocol and partly based on the comparison between the
threshold and the prominence indication of treating the particular
condition with the first protocol.
[0297] 55. The healthcare information management method of CLAUSE
54 further comprising:
[0298] performing the operation(s) of any one or more of the above
METHOD CLAUSES that depend from METHOD CLAUSE 27.
[0299] 56. (Independent) A healthcare information management method
comprising:
[0300] obtaining an association between a care administration space
and a first device;
[0301] obtaining via a second device a patient consent
conditionally authorizing a release of a first medical record, the
second device being a mobile device; and
[0302] causing the first device to receive the first medical record
partly based on the second device entering the care administration
space and partly based on the patient consent authorizing the
release of the first medical record.
[0303] 57. The healthcare information management method of CLAUSE
56 further comprising:
[0304] performing the operation(s) of any one or more of the above
METHOD CLAUSES that depend from METHOD CLAUSE 27.
[0305] 58. (Independent) A healthcare information management method
comprising:
[0306] obtaining an indication of a first device associated with
and wearable by a patient hospitalized for a particular
condition;
[0307] obtaining an indication of a second device associated with
and wearable by a caregiver;
[0308] causing a recordation of a timestamp as an automatic
response to the first device associated with and wearable by the
patient and the second device associated with and wearable by the
caregiver both being in a single common location; and
[0309] causing a retrieval of the timestamp in response to an
indication of an institutional readmission after the recordation of
the timestamp indicating the first device associated with and
wearable by the patient and the second device associated with and
wearable by the caregiver both having been in the single common
location.
[0310] 59. The healthcare information management method of CLAUSE
58 further comprising:
[0311] performing the operation(s) of any one or more of the above
METHOD CLAUSES that depend from METHOD CLAUSE 27.
[0312] 60. (Independent) A system comprising:
[0313] means for performing the operation(s) of any one or more of
the above METHOD CLAUSES.
[0314] 61. (Independent) An article of manufacture comprising:
[0315] one or more physical media configured to bear a
device-detectable implementation of a method including at least
[0316] obtaining an indication that a particular condition was
treated in a first patient with a first protocol;
[0317] causing a record of a second patient to include the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol; and
[0318] retrieving the record of the second patient selectively in
response to an association between the second patient and an
indication of an institutional readmission after the record of the
second patient includes the indication that the particular
condition was treated in the first patient with the first
protocol.
[0319] 62. The article of manufacture of CLAUSE 61 in which a
portion of the one or more physical media comprises:
[0320] one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one
or more instructions for performing the operation(s) of any one or
more of the above METHOD CLAUSES.
[0321] 63. (Independent) An article of manufacture comprising:
[0322] one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable
output indicating an occurrence of
[0323] obtaining an indication that a particular condition was
treated in a first patient with a first protocol;
[0324] causing a record of a second patient to include the
indication that the particular condition was treated in the first
patient with the first protocol; and
[0325] retrieving the record of the second patient selectively in
response to an association between the second patient and an
indication of an institutional readmission after the record of the
second patient includes the indication that the particular
condition was treated in the first patient with the first
protocol.
[0326] 64. The article of manufacture of CLAUSE 63 in which a
portion of the one or more physical media comprises:
[0327] one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one
or more instructions for performing the operation(s) of any one or
more of the above METHOD CLAUSES.
[0328] 65. The article of manufacture of CLAUSE 63 in which at
least one of the one or more physical media comprises:
[0329] one or more signal-bearing media bearing at least one signal
from an implementation having at least circuitry for retrieving the
record of the second patient selectively in response to an
association between the second patient and an indication of an
institutional readmission after the record of the second patient
includes the indication that the particular condition was treated
in the first patient with the first protocol.
[0330] All of the patents and other publications referred to above
are incorporated herein by reference generally--including those
identified in relation to particular new applications of existing
techniques--to the extent not inconsistent herewith (in each
respective latest edition, where applicable). While various system,
method, article of manufacture, or other embodiments or aspects
have been disclosed above, also, other combinations of embodiments
or aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of
the above disclosure. The various embodiments and aspects disclosed
above are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be
limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated in the
final claim set that follows.
* * * * *