Computer implemented method for determining the presence of a disease in a patient

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for determining the presence of a disease in a patient, the method comprising: Receiving first rule sets comprising rules, the rules of each first rule set being grouped into one or more second rule sets, each second rule set comprising a score value; Determining, for each first rule set, the highest score value of its second rule sets; Calculating a total score value for the disease as a derivative of the determined highest score values; Returning a first diagnosis result, the first diagnosis result being indicative of the presence of the disease in the patient, the first diagnosis result having assigned the total score value;

1 . A computer-implemented method for determining the presence of a disease in a patient, the method comprising:
 Receiving, by a computer system, first rule sets comprising rules, the rules of each first rule set being operable to evaluate a set of disease indicators, the disease indicators of each first rule set being biomedically related to each other, the rules of each first rule set being grouped into one or more second rule sets, each second rule set comprising a score value, said score value being indicative of the risk of the patient to have the disease in case the evaluation of the one or more rules of said second rule set on biomedical data of the patient returns a positive result;   Determining, by the computer system, for each first rule set, the highest score value of its second rule sets by evaluating all rules of said second rule sets on the biomedical data of the patient;   Calculating, by the computer system, a total score value for the disease as a derivative of the determined highest score values of all first rule sets;   Returning, by the computer system, a first diagnosis result, the first diagnosis result being indicative of the presence of the disease in the patient, the first diagnosis result having assigned the total score value.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 ,
 whereby each first rule set represents one organ system and wherein each first rule set solely comprises rules for evaluating disease indicators to become manifest in said organ system, or   whereby each first rule set represents a set of biomedically related disease indicators and wherein each first rule set solely comprises rules for evaluating said disease indicators, or   whereby each first rule set represents one medical sub-discipline and wherein each first rule set solely comprises rules which comprises at least one condition on disease indicators of diseases examined in said medical sub-discipline.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of displaying the first diagnosis result to a user, said displaying step comprising:
 Determining, whether the total score value exceeds a first threshold value;   In case the total score value does exceed the first threshold value, executing the following steps:
 Displaying the first diagnosis result in a first GUI window; 
 Displaying one or more dialog windows prompting a user to enter additional data of the patient; 
 Calculating a final score value by evaluating one or more third rule sets on the entered additional data; 
 Displaying positive positive second diagnosis result in a second GUI window in case the final total score value exceeds a second threshold value, and 
 Displaying a negative second diagnosis result in case the final score value does not exceed the second threshold value. 
   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , whereby the method is implemented in a decision support system having a multi-tier architecture, whereby a first tier provides for access to the biomedical patient data, whereby a second tier comprises a rule engine and is operable to evaluate the rules of the first rule sets irrespective of the type of disease whose presence is to be determined, and whereby a third tier displays the first and second diagnosis results to a user, whereby the number and type of dialog windows created by the third tier depends on an identifier of the disease and on the identifiers of all first rule sets having a highest score value larger than 0. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , whereby the biomedical data of the patient is collected by executing the steps:
 receiving parts of the biomedical patient data of the patient from a plurality of different data sources, whereby each received part of the biomedical patient data comprises a unique identifier, the unique identifier being identical in each of the received parts of the biomedical patient data, and   storing the received biomedical data into one database, thereby using the unique identifier as database access key for all the received parts of the biomedical patient data,   whereby the unique identifier is generated by each of the data sources by executing the steps of:
 receiving a user-selected secret; 
 storing the user-selected secret in a memory; 
 computing a private key by applying an embedding and randomizing function onto the secret; 
 storing the private key in the memory; 
 computing a public key by using the private key, whereby the computation of the public key is performed by using a cryptographic one-way function, the public key and the private key forming a asymmetric cryptographic key pair; 
 outputting the public key for providing the access key; and 
 erasing the secret and the private key from the memory. 
   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , whereby the method for returning a diagnosis of a patient is implemented as a decision support system on a computer system, the decision support system being operatively coupled to a database comprising the biomedical patient data of the patient, whereby the rules of each first rule set are evaluated on said biomedical data at an event being selected from the group consisting of:
 the moment of starting a doctor information system being operatively coupled to the decision support system;   the moment of accessing the biomedical patient data of the patient by the decision support system or by a doctor information system being operatively coupled to the decision support system; and   at a predefined time and date.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , whereby evaluating the one or more rules of each first rule set further comprises the steps of:
 after having evaluated the rules, storing information indicating that the rules have been evaluated;   before evaluating the rules, checking whether said information has already been stored and evaluating the rules only in case said information has not yet been stored.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , whereby the rules of the first rule sets are received by a decision support system from a rules repository, whereby the rules are stored and transmitted from the rules repository to the decision support system in a data format, said data format allowing to modify or exchange the rules without introducing changes to the decision support system or the structure of the rules repository. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , whereby the rules of the first rule sets are received by a decision support system together with the first threshold. 
     
     
         10 . A computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform steps for determining the presence of a disease in a patient, the steps comprising:
 Receiving, by a computer system, first rule sets comprising rules, the rules of each first rule set being operable to evaluate a set of disease indicators, the disease indicators of each first rule set being biomedically related to each other, the rules of each first rule set being grouped into one or more second rule sets, each second rule set comprising a score value, said score value being indicative of the risk of the patient to have the disease in case the evaluation of the one or more rules of said second rule set on biomedical data of the patient returns a positive result;   Determining, by the computer system, for each first rule set, the highest score value of its second rule sets by evaluating all rules of said second rule sets on the biomedical data of the patient;   Calculating, by the computer system, a total score value for the disease as a derivative of the determined highest score values of all first rule sets;   Returning, by the computer system, a first diagnosis result, the first diagnosis result being indicative of the presence of the disease in the patient, the first diagnosis result having assigned the total score value.   
     
     
         11 . A computer system comprising:
 a storage medium,   a database,   a rules repository,   a processor, the processor being operatively coupled to the rules repository and the database, the processor being operable for executing instructions stored in the storage medium, whereby the storage medium contains instructions for performing the steps of:
 Receiving first rule sets comprising rules, the rules of each first rule set being operable to evaluate a set of disease indicators, the disease indicators of each first rule set being biomedically related to each other, the rules of each first rule set being grouped into one or more second rule sets, each second rule set comprising a score value, said score value being indicative of the risk of the patient to have the disease in case the evaluation of the one or more rules of said second rule set on biomedical data of the patient returns a positive result; 
 Determining, for each first rule set, the highest score value of its second rule sets by evaluating all rules of said second rule sets on the biomedical data of the patient; 
 Calculating a total score value for the disease as a derivative of the determined highest score values of all first rule sets; 
 Returning a first diagnosis result, the first diagnosis result being indicative of the presence of the disease in the patient, the first diagnosis result being indicative of the presence of the disease in the patient, the first diagnosis result having assigned the total score value; 
   wherein the rules of the first and second rule sets are received from the rules repository and wherein the database comprises the biomedical data of the patient.   
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 11 , further comprising a user interface for entering a user-selected secret and a memory, whereby the storage medium contains instructions for performing the steps of:
 receiving a user-selected secret;   storing the user-selected secret in the first memory;   computing a private key by applying an embedding and randomizing function onto the secret;   storing the private key in the memory;   computing a public key by using the private key, whereby for performing the calculation of the public key a cryptographic one-way function is used, the public key and the private key forming an asymmetric cryptographic key;   outputting the public key for providing the access key; and   erasing the secret and the private key from the memory.   
     
     
         13 . A computing system comprising:
 a database,   one or more first computing devices, each first computing device being operatively coupled to the database and comprising:
 a processor, 
 a memory, wherein the memory contains instructions for performing steps for generating a pseudonym, said steps comprising:
 receiving a user-selected secret; 
 storing the user-selected secret in the memory; 
 computing a private key by applying an embedding and randomizing function onto the secret; 
 storing the private key in the memory; 
 computing a public key by using the private key, whereby for performing the calculation of the public key a cryptographic one-way function is used, the public key and the private key forming an asymmetric cryptographic key; 
 outputting the public key for providing an access key; and 
 erasing the secret and the private key from the memory. 
 
 means for storing biomedical data into the database, whereby the public key is used as database access key for storing biomedical data of the user into the database, 
 whereby the stored biomedical data in the database constitutes the data basis for a decision support system being operable to automatically determine whether one or more orphan diseases is present in the user. 
   
     
     
         14 . A computing system comprising:
 a database,   one or more first computing devices, each first computing device being operatively coupled to the database and comprising:
 a processor, 
 a first memory, wherein the memory contains instructions for performing steps for generating a pseudonym, said steps comprising:
 receiving a user-selected secret; 
 storing the user-selected secret in the memory; 
 computing a private key by applying an embedding and randomizing function onto the secret; 
 storing the private key in the memory; 
 computing a public key by using the private key, whereby for performing the calculation of the public key a cryptographic one-way function is used, the public key and the private key forming an asymmetric cryptographic key; 
 outputting the public key for providing an access key; and 
 erasing the secret and the private key from the memory. 
 
 means for storing biomedical data into the database, whereby the public key is used as database access key for storing the biomedical data of the user into the database,
 whereby the stored biomedical data in the database constitutes the data basis for a decision support system, 
 whereby said biomedical data of the patient comprises disease indicator values belonging to two or more groups of biomedically related disease indicator groups, 
 whereby said decision support system is operable to determine the presence of a disease in the patient by executing instructions, said instructions implementing steps comprising:
 Determining, for each group of disease indicators, a score value, said score value being indicative of the risk of the patient to have the disease when solely the disease indicators of said group are evaluated, 
 Calculating a total score value for the disease as a derivative of the determined score values of all disease indicator groups; 
 Returning a first diagnosis result, the diagnosis result being indicative of the presence of the disease in the patient, the first diagnosis result being indicative of the presence of the disease in the patient, the first diagnosis result having assigned the total score value;