Interface devices and methods for storing and managing information collected from medical devices

Abstract

A system for the collection, management, and dissemination of information relating at least to a medical procedure is disclosed. The system includes a user interface adapted to provide raw data information at least about one of a patient, the medical procedure, and a result of the medical procedure. A medical device communicates with the user interface, receives the raw data information from the user interface, and generates operational information during use. A central database communicates at least with the medical device and receives data from the medical device. The central database is used to create related entries based on the raw data information and the operational information and optionally transmits the related entry to the medical device or the medical device user. The related entry includes information that provides guidance based on previously tabulated, related medical procedures. A system for the iterative analysis of medical standards is also disclosed along with methods for the evaluation of medical procedures and standards.

1 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A user interface device for collecting, storing and managing information relating to medical procedures, the user interface device comprising:
 (a) a microprocessor through which the user interface device is enabled to communicate with a raw data source, a first medical device and a second medical device, the microprocessor being configured to receive for each of the medical procedures:
 (i) raw data from the raw data source at least one of before, during and after performance of the medical procedure with which the raw data is associated, the raw data comprising patient-specific information, 
 (ii) procedure-specific information from the first medical device automatically at least one of during and after performance of the medical procedure with which the procedure-specific information from the first medical device is associated, and 
 (iii) procedure-specific information from the second medical device automatically at least one of during and after performance of the medical procedure with 
   which the procedure-specific information from the second medical device is associated, the microprocessor being further configured to match automatically, for each of the medical procedures performed, the patient-specific information obtained from the raw data source with the procedure-specific information related thereto obtained from the first and the second medical devices; and   (b) a storage medium associated with the microprocessor, the storage medium having a local database for storing automatically as a record therein the patient-specific information and the procedure-specific information matched thereto for each of the medical procedures performed, the local database being configured to allow use of the records therein.   
     
     
         41 . The user interface device of  claim 40  wherein the raw data source comprises a hospital information system. 
     
     
         42 . The user interface device of  claim 40  wherein the patient-specific information includes at least one of a name of a patient, an age of the patient, a weight of the patient, a health of the patient, a medical condition of the patient, a disease type of the patient and a medical history of the patient. 
     
     
         43 . The user interface device of  claim 40  wherein:
 (a) the first medical device is a fluid injector system and the procedure-specific information therefrom includes at least one of a flow rate of administration, a volume administered, a type of contrast media, a density of the contrast media, a viscosity of the contrast media, a manufacturing lot of the contrast media, a temperature of the contrast media, a phase of the administration, a start time of the administration, an end time of the administration and a delay in the administration; and 
 (b) the second medical device is a scanning device and the procedure-specific information therefrom includes at least one of an imaging modality, a type of study, a region of interest studied, an image from the study, a start time of the study, an end time of the study, a parameter, and a final imaging report. 
 
     
     
         44 . The user interface device of  claim 40  wherein the first medical device is a fluid injector system and the procedure-specific information therefrom includes at least one of a flow rate of administration, a volume administered, a type of contrast media, a density of the contrast media, a viscosity of the contrast media, a manufacturing lot of the contrast media, a temperature of the contrast media, a phase of administration, a start time of the administration, an end time of the administration and a delay in the administration; 
     
     
         45 . The user interface device of  claim 40  wherein the second medical device is a scanning device and the procedure-specific information therefrom includes scanning parameters from the scanning device, the scanning parameters including at least one of a number of slices, a thickness of the slices, a spacing of the slices, a speed, a window, a level, a time to echo, a field of view, a voxel size, a pulse sequence, a flip angle, a software version, a number of coils used, a time of acquisition, a milliamp-seconds calculation, and X-ray information. 
     
     
         46 . The user interface device of  claim 40  further including a means for communicating for establishing communication with a least a central computer through which one or more of the records stored in the local database can be transmitted to the central computer for use thereby. 
     
     
         47 . The user interface device of  claim 46  wherein the means for communicating is configured to establish communication with the central computer at least in part through a network. 
     
     
         48 . The user interface device of  claim 47  wherein the network includes the Internet. 
     
     
         49 . The user interface device of  claim 43  wherein the user interface device is configured to receive from the fluid injector system information about equipment used thereby and to transmit, via a means for communicating, the equipment information to at least one of a vendor thereof and an information system, the equipment information including at least one of a size of a syringe used, a volume of the syringe used, a type of a fluid used, a manufacturing lot of the fluid used, a rate of flow of the fluid used, a volume of the fluid used, a type of a catheter used, a number of disposables used and a type of disposables used. 
     
     
         50 . The user interface device of  claim 40  further including at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, a bar code reader, a touch screen and any other suitable input device for inputting other information into the user interface device, the other information including at least some of the raw data. 
     
     
         51 . The user interface device of  claim 40  further including at least one of:
 (a) a monitor for displaying at least a selected portion of at least one of the records stored in the storage medium; and 
 (b) a printer for printing at least a desired portion of at least one of the records stored in the storage medium. 
 
     
     
         52 . The user interface device of  claim 40  wherein the user interface device is configured to receive the raw data automatically from the raw data source. 
     
     
         53 . The user interface device of  claim 46  wherein the user interface device is configured to receive from the central computer, via the means for communicating, information affecting operation of the user interface device for use thereby. 
     
     
         54 . The user interface device of  claim 46  wherein the user interface device is configured to transmit, via the means for communicating, statistical information about operation of at least one of the user interface device, the first medical device and the second medical device received therefrom, wherein the statistical information includes at least one of a usage rate thereof, a pattern of use thereof, a service history thereof and a reliability history thereof. 
     
     
         55 . The user interface device of  claim 46  wherein the user interface device is configured to receive, via the means for communicating, information from a vendor of at least one of the first medical device and the second medical device for use thereby. 
     
     
         56 . The user interface device of  claim 46  wherein the user interface device is configured to receive, via the means for communicating, updated software for operation thereof from at least one of the central computer and a vendor of the user interface device. 
     
     
         57 . The user interface device of  claim 46  wherein the user interface device is configured to receive from the central computer, via the means for communicating, at least one related entry based on at least some of the records previously transmitted thereto, the at least one related entry containing information to provide guidance to a practitioner for at least one of the medical procedure that is being performed and the medical procedure that is about to be performed. 
     
     
         58 . The user interface device of  claim 57  wherein the at least one related entry may take the form of a set of parameters associated with at least one of an injection of contrast media into a patient by the first medical device and an imaging of the patient by the second medical device as part of the medical procedure to be performed on the patient. 
     
     
         59 . A user interface device for collecting, storing and managing information relating to medical procedures, the user interface device comprising:
 (a) a microprocessor through which the user interface device is enabled to communicate with a raw data source and at least one medical device, the microprocessor being configured to receive for each of the medical procedures:
 (i) raw data from the raw data source at least one of before, during and after performance of the medical procedure with which the raw data is associated, the raw data comprising patient-specific information, and 
 (ii) procedure-specific information from the at least one medical device automatically at least one of during and after performance of the medical procedure with 
   which the procedure-specific information is associated, the microprocessor being further configured to match automatically, for each of the medical procedures performed, the patient-specific information obtained from the raw data source with the procedure-specific information related thereto obtained from the at least one medical device; and   (b) a storage medium associated with the microprocessor, the storage medium having a local database for storing automatically as a record therein the patient-specific information and the procedure-specific information matched thereto for each of the medical procedures performed, the local database being configured to allow use of the records therein.   
     
     
         60 . A user interface device for collecting, storing and managing information relating to medical procedures, the user interface device comprising:
 (a) a microprocessor through which the user interface device is enabled to communicate with a raw data source and a plurality of medical devices, the microprocessor being configured to receive for each of the medical procedures:
 (i) raw data from the raw data source at least one of before, during and after performance of the medical procedure with which the raw data is associated, the raw data comprising patient-specific information, and 
 (ii) procedure-specific information from each of the plurality of medical devices at least one of during and after performance of the medical procedure with which the procedure-specific information is associated, 
   the microprocessor being further configured to match, for each of the medical procedures performed, the patient-specific information obtained from the raw data source with the procedure-specific information related thereto obtained from each of the plurality of medical devices; and   (b) a storage medium associated with the microprocessor, the storage medium having a local database for storing as a record therein the patient-specific information and the procedure-specific information matched thereto for each of the medical procedures performed, the local database being configured to allow use of the records therein.   
     
     
         61 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more software programs containing instructions for causing a computer to perform a method of collecting, storing and managing information relating to medical procedures, the method comprising:
 (a) enabling communication with a raw data source, a first medical device and a second medical device;   (b) for each of the medical procedures, receiving:
 (i) raw data from the raw data source at least one of before, during and after performance of the medical procedure with which the raw data is associated, the raw data comprising patient-specific information, 
 (ii) procedure-specific information from the first medical device automatically at least one of during and after performance of the medical procedure with which the procedure-specific information from the first medical device is associated, and 
 (iii) procedure-specific information from the second medical device automatically at least one of during and after performance of the medical procedure with which the procedure-specific information from the second medical device is associated; 
   (c) matching automatically, for each of the medical procedures performed, the patient-specific information obtained from the raw data source with the procedure-specific information related thereto obtained from the first and the second medical devices; and   (d) storing automatically in a local database as a record therein the patient-specific information and the procedure-specific information matched thereto for each of the medical procedures performed, the local database being configured to allow use of the records therein.