Patent ID: 8463741
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: G06F,G06Q,G16H

Abstract:
1. A data processing system for aid of a medical pathologist in manual workflow involving review, analysis and reporting on patient case information that includes microscopic images of patient tissue specimens and associated data, comprising: a source of digital image data representing images of the patient tissue specimens to a plurality of predetermined magnifications for plural patients including cases to be reviewed by the pathologist; an image database containing memory for storing the digital image data and associated data relating to the image data; a workflow database containing memory for storing case management data associated with examination of the specimens by the pathologist; a computer workstation comprising at least one digital processor coupled to the image database and to the workflow database, the processor being operable under control of a user to obtain and display selected ones of the images for review, to accept user input from the pathologist relating to the examination of the specimens by the pathologist and to record in at least one of the image database and the workflow database information resulting from the user input; wherein the digital processor is programmed, in conjunction with display of the image data, to present to the user a display based on the case management data in the workflow database, said display comprising visual representations emulating contents of physical case packages that include paper files and glass slides forming workload units to be reviewed, wherein the processor is programmed to select and to display digital image data obtained from the physical case packages upon user selection and manipulation of display icons that graphically represent depictions of the physical case packages and depictions of the glass slides, said emulating including visually representing the case packages and the glass slides as icons that are visibly changed in at least one of a shape, size, orientation, color, blinking characteristic, animation characteristic and position of the icons in a user display for manipulating the case management data in the workflow database to virtually correspond with user handling of physical case packages and the glass slides; wherein the processor is operable when accessing at least one of the image database and the workflow database, to associate the images with digital document data relating to the case package and its associated patient.