Multi-media medical record system

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of processing data that includes image data, video data, or image and video data pertaining to a medical procedure. The method includes using a computer system to receive a video identification indicative of at least one of an imaging device and a video capture device that is to be a source of the data captured during the medical procedure. A patient identification indicative of an identity of a patient to be treated during the medical procedure is received with the computer system. The data transmitted by the at least one of the imaging device and the video capture device is received with the computer system, and is received without the identity of the patient. A relationship is established to link the data with the identification of the patient. Application of at least one processing rule is initiated to reduce a file size of the data from an original file size of the data as transmitted by the at least one of the imaging device and the video capture device. The data is stored in combination with the identification of the patient in a manner compliant with a standardized medical imaging transmission format.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing data comprising image data, video data, or image and video data pertaining to a medical procedure, the method comprising:
 using a computer system, receiving a video identification indicative of at least one of an imaging device and a video capture device that is to be a source of the data captured during the medical procedure that is to be processed;   with the computer system, receiving a patient identification indicative of an identity of a patient to be treated during the medical procedure;   with the computer system, receiving the data transmitted by the at least one of the imaging device and the video capture device, wherein the data is received without the identity of the patient;   establishing a relationship that links the data with the identification of the patient;   initiating application of at least one processing rule that, when complete, reduces a file size of the data from an original file size of the data as transmitted by the at least one of the imaging device and the video capture device; and   storing the data in combination with the identification of the patient in a manner compliant with a standardized medical imaging transmission format.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising storing, in a computer-accessible memory, the data captured by the at least one of the imaging device and the video capture device related to the patient identification. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving said patient identification comprises:
 receiving a query request for said patient identification from the video capture device over a communication network; and   searching a database of electronic medical records of patients for said patient identification satisfying said query request.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said establishing the relationship comprises:
 receiving an identity of a target folder in which the data captured by the video capture device is to be at least temporarily stored; and   assigning the patient identification to the data stored in the target folder.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient identification is combined with the data such that the identification of the patient becomes a part of the data and can not be inadvertently separated from the data when stored in the computer-accessible memory. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising storing, in a computer-accessible memory, the data transmitted by the at least one of the imagining device and the video capture device with the relationship so a subsequent request for the data from the computer-accessible memory returns the data in combination with the identification of the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the standardized medical image transmission format is a DICOM standard. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving the patient identification comprises:
 transmitting, over a communication network, a subset of patients registered at a healthcare facility for presentation to a user;   receiving, over the communication network, a specific patient selected by the user from the subset; and   establishing the identity of the patient as the specific patient selected by the user.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting the list of patients to the video capture device over the communication network. 
     
     
         10 . A method of capturing data comprising image data, video data, or image and video data pertaining to a medical procedure, the method comprising:
 using a computer system, receiving a video identification indicative of a video capture device that is to capture the data during a medical procedure;   with the computer system, receiving a patient identification indicative of a patient to be treated during the medical procedure;   transmitting information over a communication network for establishing the patient identification at the video capture device that is to capture the data, thereby allowing the video capture device to associate the patient identification with the data;   with the computer system, receiving the data associated with the patient identification transmitted by the video capture device; and   storing in a computer-accessible memory, the data associated with the patient identification transmitted by the video capture device, wherein a subsequent request for the data from the computer-accessible memory returns the data in combination with the patient identification.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the data associated with the patient identification by the video capture device is stored in the computer-accessible memory in a format that is compliant with a standardized medical image transmission format. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the standardized medical image transmission format is a DICOM standard. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising initiating application of at least one processing rule that, when complete, reduces a file size of the data from a captured file size of the data as captured by the video capture device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one rule applied comprises transcoding at least a portion of the data. 
     
     
         15 . A method of processing data comprising image data, video data, or image and video data pertaining to a medical procedure, the method comprising:
 using a computer system, receiving the data in a standardized medical image transmission format, wherein the standardized medical imagining transmission format comprises a patient identification in combination with the data; and   with the computer system, initiating application of at least one processing rule that, when complete, reduces a file size of the data combined with the patient identification from an original file size of the data as received by the computer system.