Method for Minimizing Entry of Medically Similar Orders in a Computerized Medical Records System

Abstract

An electronic medical records system with computerized provider order entry includes error checking for duplicate or medically similar orders. In the system, similar medical orders are displayed on adjacent screens and are highlighted, thereby allowing medical personnel to easily identify and evaluate the orders. The user can therefore choose to modify or delete medically similar entries easily and quickly, thereby minimizing the occurrence of duplicate or repetitive orders, and increasing efficiency of the system.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A medical records computer system, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a patient database comprising at least one existing medical order initiated for a selected patient;   a user interface device coupled to the processor; and   a display communicatively coupled to the processor and the memory, the display including an existing order portion displaying at least one existing medical order, and a new order portion adjacent the existing order portion for displaying a new medical order entered by medical personnel, the processor being programmed to:
 receive a new medical order entered through the user interface device and display the new medical order on the new order portion; 
 compare the new medical order to the existing medical orders in the patient database to determine whether the existing medical order is medically similar to the new medical order; and 
   highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order on the display when the existing medical order is medically similar to the new medical order, wherein a medical practitioner entering the new order is provided with a notification to prevent the entry of a medically similar order.   
     
     
         2 . The medical record computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the existing order portion of the display displays a plurality of existing medical orders categorized in medical order types, and wherein the processor is further programmed to highlight at least one of the predetermined medical order types that contains the existing medical order that is medically similar to the new order. 
     
     
         3 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order on the display by changing a font of at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order. 
     
     
         4 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order on the display by changing a color of a font of at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order. 
     
     
         5 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order on the display by enclosing the at least one of the existing medical order and the new order with a line on the display. 
     
     
         6 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order on the display by scrolling the display to position the existing medical order and the new medical order adjacent one another in the first and second portions of the display. 
     
     
         7 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order by producing an audible warning sound when the processor determines that the existing medical order is medically equivalent to the new medical order. 
     
     
         8 . The medical computer records system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order by sorting the existing medical orders to position the existing medical order at a position adjacent the medically similar new medical order. 
     
     
         9 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises a database storing a plurality of known medical orders and correlating these orders to medically similar orders, and the processor is further programmed to:
 compare the known medical orders to the new medical order to identify a match;   retrieve the corresponding medically similar medical orders from the database;   compare the medically similar orders to the existing medical order to determine whether the new medical order is similar to the existing medical order; and   highlight the existing medical order when it is medically similar to the new medical order.   
     
     
         10 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the database storing a plurality of known medical orders further correlates the known medical orders with categories of medical order types, the existing medical orders are correlated with corresponding medical order types on the display, and the processor is further programmed to highlight the medical order type corresponding to the new medical order on the existing order portion of the display. 
     
     
         11 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the notification is provided in real time. 
     
     
         12 . A method for minimizing entries of medically similar orders by medical personnel in a computerized medical records system, the method comprising the following steps:
 storing at least one existing medical order initiated by medical personnel for a specific patient, and displaying the existing medical order on a first portion of a display screen;   receiving a new medical order for the patient through a user interface, and displaying the new medical order on a second portion of a display screen;   using a processor to compare the new medical order to the existing medical order; and   highlighting at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order to provide a notification that a medically similar order has been entered.   
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the steps of identifying a medically similar order further comprises the steps of:
 storing a plurality of known medical orders and corresponding medically similar orders in a database for comparison;   comparing the known medical orders to the new medical order to identify a match;   retrieving the corresponding medically similar orders;   comparing the medically similar orders to the existing medical order to determine whether the new medical order is medically similar to the existing medical order; and   highlighting the existing medical order when it is medically similar to the new medical order.   
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising the step of categorizing each of the existing medical orders as a predetermined medical order type, determining the medical order type of the new medical order, and highlighting the corresponding medical order type in the first portion of the display to enable a user to identify a medically similar order. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising the step of comparing at least a portion of the new medical order to a database of known medical orders as the medical order is entered through the user interface, and providing a list of corresponding known medical orders for the user to select. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising the step of providing one or more alternatives for the user to select as the new medical order is entered. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising the step of scrolling the identified existing medical order to a position adjacent the new medical order on the display screen. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the step of highlighting at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order to provide a notification happens in real time. 
     
     
         19 . A medical records computer system, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing:
 a medical orders database, the medical orders database comprising a plurality of known medical orders grouped in a plurality of categories based on a medical order type; and 
 a patient database comprising at least one existing medical order initiated for a selected patient, the existing medical order categorized in a medical order type; 
   a user interface device coupled to the processor; and   a display communicatively coupled to the processor and the memory, the display including an existing order portion for displaying at least one existing medical order, and a new order portion for displaying a new medical order entered by medical personnel, the processor being programmed to:
 receive a new medical order entered through the user interface device and displayed on the new order portion; 
 compare the new medical order to the orders database to determine a medical order type; and 
 compare the new medical order to the existing medical orders of the same medical order type in the patient database to determine whether the existing medical order is medically similar to the new medical order; and 
   highlight at least one of the existing medical order type corresponding to the new medical order, the existing medical order that is medically similar to the new medical order, and the new medical order on the display when the existing medical order is medically similar to the new medical order, wherein a medical practitioner entering the new order is provided with a notification to prevent the entry of a medically similar order.   
     
     
         20 . The medical record computer system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the existing order portion of the display displays a plurality of existing medical orders categorized in medical order types, and wherein the processor is further programmed to highlight at least one of the predetermined medical order types that contains the existing medical order that is medically similar to the new order. 
     
     
         21 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the medical order database further includes a plurality of predetermined medically similar orders that correspond to a known medical order, and the processor is programmed to evaluate the medically similar orders, and to highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order on the display when the processor determines that the existing medical order is medically similar to the new medical order. 
     
     
         22 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the processor is programmed to group the existing medical order with at least one other existing medical order of the same medical order type on the display, and to highlight the medical order type that corresponds to the new medical order in the existing order portion of the display when a medically similar or duplicate order is found. 
     
     
         23 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the processor is further programmed to scroll the medical order type corresponding to the new medical order to a top portion of the existing order portion of the display to highlight the medically similar entry. 
     
     
         24 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 22 , further comprising the step of visually grouping the existing medical orders corresponding to a medical order type by enclosing the existing medical orders in a display box in the existing order portion of the display. 
     
     
         25 . The medical records computer system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the processor is programmed to highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order on the display by scrolling the display to position the existing medical order and the new medical order adjacent one another in the first and second portions of the display. 
     
     
         26 . The medical computer records system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the processor is programmed to highlight at least one of the existing medical order and the new medical order by sorting the existing medical orders to position the existing medical order at a position adjacent the new medical order. 
     
     
         27 . The medical computer records system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the processor is further programmed to highlight existing medical orders of the same medical order type as the new medical order to allow a medical practitioner to compare the new medical order to existing medical orders.