Patent ID: 6230142
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: G16H,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for manipulation and analysis of data related to clinical pathways, the method comprising the steps of:(a) providing a clinical pathway database for storing:(i) an initial procedure decision data element, corresponding to a decision point within the clinical pathway; and(ii) at least one subsequent decision data element, corresponding to an available subsequent decision point within the clinical pathway;(iii) a patient identification data element corresponding to the initial and subsequent decision data elements for a particular patient;(iv) at least one patient visit data element corresponding to the patient identification data element; and(v) a time stamp data element corresponding to each of the at least one patient visit data elements:(b) providing a historical clinical pathway database for storing previously selected subsequent decision data elements, selected corresponding to the initial procedure decision data element;(c) selecting one of the at least one subsequent decision data elements stored within the clinical pathway database;(d) comparing the selected subsequent decision data element, including the associated patient identification data element, patient visit data element and time stamp data element, with the previously selected subsequent decision data elements, including the associated patient identification data element, patient visit data element and time stamp data element, stored in the historical clinical pathway database; and(e) based upon predetermined correlation criteria between the selected subsequent decision data element and the previously selected subsequent decision data elements stored in the historical clinical pathway database, modifying the at least one subsequent decision data element within the clinical pathway database.