Abstract:
The method is for navigating in a computer device containing medical information. A first medical module ( 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 ) and a second medical module ( 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 ) of a module menu are provided. The first medical module is different from the second medical module. A display ( 200 ) displays the module menu ( 204 ) and a bookmark activation device ( 228 ) for activating a bookmark module ( 290 ). The first medical module from the module menu is selected and a first information segment in the first medical module is marked as a first bookmark. The second medical module is selected and a second information segment in the second medical module is marked as a second bookmark. The first and second bookmarks are stored in the bookmark module ( 290 ). The bookmark activation device is triggered to activate and display the second bookmark module.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an architecture and method for integrating and presenting medical information.  
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     Attempts have been made to improve the handling and presentation of complex medical information to the medical profession. However, the currently available method and systems are still quite cumbersome to use particularly when used in connection with handheld computers such as PDA devices. There is a need for a reliable and effective way of integrating and presenting medical information.  
         [0003]     The present invention provides a solution to the above-outlined problems. More particularly, the method is for navigating in a computer device containing medical information. A first medical module and a second medical module of a module menu are provided. The first medical module is different from the second medical module. A display displays the module menu and a bookmark activation device for activating a bookmark module. The first medical module from the module menu is selected and a first information segment in the first medical module is marked as a first bookmark. The second medical module is selected and a second information segment in the second medical module is marked as a second bookmark. The first and second bookmarks are stored in the bookmark module. The bookmark activation device is triggered to activate and display the second bookmark module. Flash memory (track of latest entries module) and linking inside modules and between modules are important features also that all modules can be accessed at all times in the main menu and the flash and bookmarks modules 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a national reference data interaction module assembly of the present invention;  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a regional reference data interaction module assembly of the present invention;  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is a first sample display of a database mode of the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 4  is a second sample display of a database mode of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 5  is a third sample display of a database mode of the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 6  is a fourth sample display of a database mode of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 7  is a fifth sample display of a database mode of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 8  is a sixth sample display of a database mode of the present invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 9  is a seventh sample display of a database mode of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     With reference to  FIGS. 1-9 , the present invention is a unique architecture and method for integrating and presenting medical information on a computer device such as a hand-held PDA computer devices or any other single task device to shorten the administrative work carried out by physicians and other medical professionals. The method also provides for improved patient security regarding drug information. The invention has a reference data component and a communication component. The reference data component may include national, regional and individual levels, as described below. An important aspect of the present invention is the selection of modules, how the modules interact with one another and the layout of the presentation of the module information.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a national reference data interaction module assembly  10  that has a drug interaction module  12 , a prescription module  14 , an ICD classification module  16 , surgical procedures module  18 , book modules  20 , reference source module  22 , scheduling module  24 , and a miscellaneous module  26 . The modules may work together. For example, the modules  12  and  14  may interact with one another. The modules  12 ,  14 ,  16  may also interact and link to a drug encyclopedia module  28  and the module  16  may interact with a DSM IV classification module  30 . The scheduling module  24  may interact with an address module  32 .  
         [0015]     The encyclopedia module  28  may include short descriptions of the various drugs used. The module may be connected to databases such as FASS and PDR. When the interaction section of the drug  28  for a particular drug is insufficient, the user may activate the interaction module  12  to obtain more detailed information about how drugs may interact when a patient is using more than one drug. It may also be possible to search in the module  12 . For example, if a patient is using five drugs, it is possible to search for all known interactions between the five drugs used by the patient.  
         [0016]     The module  14  may be connected to a database that has standard or common prescriptions for the drugs listed in, for example, the FASS database. The module  14  may include standard text that may be used by the professional who is prescribing the drugs. The module  16  may include standard classification codes for each diagnosis, such as ICD 10 and ICD 9CM. More in depth diagnosis DSM codes for psychiatric diseases may be found in the module  30 . However, psychiatric diagnoses may also have ICD codes. The module  30  may also be linked directly to the encyclopedia module  28 .  
         [0017]     The module  18  includes classification codes for surgical procedures. The book module  20  may include a plurality of medical reference books. Module  22  may include useful items such as calculators, tables for calorie requirements, body mass index calculations, body surface calculations and other formulas. The module  22  may also include laws and regulations that apply to the medical profession. The module may also have physiological reference values such as physiological and chemical reference values including normal values for chemical laboratories etc. The module  24  is an on-call schedule so that the physician can see who is on call during certain dates. The module  24  may interact with an address module  32  that includes, for example, the address and other vital contact information to the physicians in a certain area. The module  26  may also include miscellaneous information such as advertising and entertainment programs. The system may include additional modules such as personal documents module  400 , e-prescription module  402  and patient information system module  404 . Other modules may also be added as desired by the user.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a regional reference data interaction module assembly  50  that may have a regional drug module  52  that includes information about regionally recommended drugs that may interact with the prescription module  14  of the national module assembly  10 . If the physician prescribes a drug that is not regionally recommended a reminder may appear to prescribe the equivalent regionally recommended drug. The assembly  50  may also have a regional telephone directory module  54 , regional treatment module  56 , regional administrative routines module  58  and other regional information module  60  that may include miscellaneous regional information that may be useful to a professional in medicine. The module  54  may be focused on telephone numbers to regional medical facilities. The module  56  may include regional recommended treatment methods that may differ from treatment methods used in other regions. The module  58  may include information about regional administrative rules ranging from regional overtime reporting and payment and charging practices.  
         [0019]     The individual reference data interaction module assembly includes a documentation module that may interact with Macintosh and PC documents. The module includes a conversion program that may be used to convert documents to a PDA file format so that hierarchic and non-hierarchic pictures and text may be transferred. The plug-in module supports formats such as word processing programs, graphics programs, HTML and other currently used formats so that outside text and pictures may be viewed in the architecture of the present invention. Of course, the module may be adapted to support other formats also. The end user is provided with a specific program that allows for hierarchic conversion from MS word and Excel with full support for pictures, text and tables. The hierarchic conversion is done by using headers H 1 , H 2 , H 3  . . . H 7 . Each header size creates a new sublevel in the architecture of the handheld computer. The documents are fully integrated and allows for search, book marking, flash memory, notes and more.  
         [0020]     The communication module assembly  90  describes how the communication between the platform of the present invention and outside sources may take place. The assembly may have a reference data assembly  92 , a communication module  94  and the document module  72 . The assembly may be used to add, for example, information to the prescription module and patient charts. The assembly may include the reference modules.  
         [0021]     The communication module  94  may be used for many communication purposes such as communicating with a pharmacist to deliver prescriptions and registering certain illness in a registration program. The communication module may also be used to send survey information, provide side-effect reports, send medical certificates, provide feedback to drug companies, send information to billing department, provide information to research groups etc. The assembly may have a synchronization unit  96  for synchronizing information flows between the modules  92 ,  94  and PC/Mac and other types of documents on the Internet  98  and a middle server  100 . The middle server may be used to communicate with, for example, pharmacies, health monitoring units, drug manufacturers, insurance companies and research facilities. The server  100  may also be used for surveys and computer journal systems. The unit  96  may communicate via the PDA cradle or use infrared and blue-tooth communication techniques. For example, when the user needs to send a prescription, by using the prescription module  14 , the user simply places the PDA unit in the PDA cradle and press activate. A signal  116  is sent from the assembly  92  and includes the prescription module  14 , to the synchronization unit  96  that synchronizes the signal and forwards a synchronized signal  118  to the middle server  100 . The middle server  100  may then forward the prescription information to the pharmacist via any known communication media such as the Internet. The middle server  100  may also send back a confirmation signal to the user of the module assembly  92  to confirm that the signal has arrived to the correct pharmacist. The user may also use an infra red or blue tooth synchronization command on the PDA to send communication signals.  
         [0022]     The assembly  90  may also be connected with a local area network unit  102  to enable correspondence between the modules  92 ,  94  and the Internet  98  and the middle server  100 . The user may connect the PDA to the local area network  102  and send messages from the PDA via the network  102 . For example, patient charts are often only available on the network unit  102  to privacy/security reasons. The assembly may further include a mobile phone connection unit  104  to facilitate the communication between the modules  92 ,  94  and the Internet  98  and the middle server  100 .  
         [0023]     If desired, any communication material may be printed by sending printing signals from the module  94  to a printing unit  108 , such as using infra red, blue tooth and cradle communication techniques. As indicated earlier, the document companion module  72  may be used to interact, such as by placing the PDA in the PDA cradle, with PC/Mac and database documents  110  and with other PDA devices  112  via an infrared unit  114 .  
         [0024]     The assembly  90  may also be used to, for example, update the module assemblies  10 ,  50 ,  90 . If the user needs to update one of the plug-in modules such as the encyclopedia module  28  of the assembly  10 , the user may place the PDA in the PDA cradle and activate the updating function. The updating of the secure digital (SD) cards of the PDA may occur automatically or manually so that the module  28  receives updated information via one of the communication units  96 ,  102 ,  104 . Of course, any other suitable card or storage technology may be used. Almost all information needed, except the patient charts, may be stored on the PDA. The patient charts cannot be stored, for legal and privacy reasons, and must be obtain via the network unit  102 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is an example of a display  200  of a PDA unit  198  that has a doctor companion tab  202  and a module tab or arrow  204  at an upper end of the display  200 . By activating the tab  204 , the display shows a drop menu that lists all the modules available on the PDA  198 , such as the modules  12 ,  14 ,  16  etc. described in  FIG. 1 . The user may add and delete modules from the unit  198 , as desired, since each module is a plug-in module.  
         [0026]     For illustrative purposes, the user has selected the module  28 , associated with the FASS database, so that a long list of drugs is shown. By pressing on the tab  204  again a new module may be displayed. It should be noted that the user may change to another module at any time by pressing the tab  204  with a cursor or electronic pen.  
         [0027]     By activating the tab  202 , the display  200  displays a sub-menu  206  including a unit  208 , alternative tab  210  and help tab  212 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . While in the mode of the unit  208 , the display  200  displays a menu  212  of sub-groups of the module  28  such as ATC codes, pregnancy and breast feeding issues related to the drugs listed in the FASS database. On the right side of the menu  212  is a short-cut list  214  of quick commands to activate each sub-group by pressing, for example, the short cut command “/4” to a sub-menu for pregnancy and breast feeding. The alternative tab  210  may be used as an alternative to the bar  216  because the commands such as search, back arrow, forward arrow, home etc. are shown in the tab  210 .  
         [0028]     All the main displays have the common tool bar  216  at the lower end of the display. The bar  216  may have a house button  218  with a right arrow  220  and a left arrow  222  on each side of the button  218 . By activating the button  218 , the user may go back to the starting position or starting menu of each module. The arrows  220 ,  222  permit the user to go forward or backward within a module. For example, if the user has activated one of the drugs listed in the menu  200  and needs to go back to the initial menu, the user may click on the back arrow  222 . The arrows  220 ,  222  may also be used to move between different plug-in modules such as between the module  28  and the drug interaction module  12  and then back to the module  28 . The arrows have functions that are similar to arrow commands used by the Internet browser.  
         [0029]     The tool bar  216  also has a flash button  224 , notes button  226  and bookmarks button  228 . The button  224  may be used as a quick memory that saves the first (n) number of the latest searches in a chronological order for each plug-in module. When search number (n+1) is conducted, the first search will disappear from the short-term memory list. The button  226  permits the user to make personal notes in connection with a search. The notes are saved and available next time the user activates the particular plug-in module. The button  228  permits the user to create a personal quick register that may include a certain number of items. The bar  216  also has a search command  230  that starts the search engines in the particular plug-in module that is being used. The bar  216  also has a clock  232  and by clicking on the clock, a timer is displayed. The timer has a stopwatch and a unique heart rate calculator. Here the user can simply tap the buttons on the handheld computer or the screen directly, while doing this a flashing heart will appear on the screen and the tapping frequency will be displayed in numbers. This instrument allows the user to check the heart rate/pulse of the patient without having to rely on a watch. The help button  212  may include manuals for each plug-in module to aid the user in how to operate the system.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is an illustrative view of a display  234  that shows details of a drug listed in the display  200  of  FIG. 3 . The user may select a drug from the display  200  and activate it to show details of the selected drug, as shown in the display  234 . In other words, the display may show information at a more detailed level that is below the list of drugs shown in the display  200 .  
         [0031]     Because the width of a typical PDA display such as the display  234  is often shorter than the length of a typical sentence, the whole sentence cannot be shown in the display. However, the user may mark or tap a line  236  with an electronic pen  238  and then hold the pen on the line and the display will scroll to the right to show the whole sentence.  
         [0032]     If the user wants to go down one level, the user merely taps an item in the display. If the user wants to view an entire sentence, when the sentence is longer than the width of the display, the user taps and holds the pen on the selected line the full text will then appear in a dialogue box. When tap and hold is applied to pictures a zoom functionality appears for the selected part if the picture, the zoom part follows when the pen moves around the screen. The user may also switch module by clicking on the tab  204  to display a menu of another module, such as the ICD module  16 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The same tap and hold commands apply to the new module and other modules.  
         [0033]      FIG. 6  is an illustrative example of a sub-menu  240  including underlined text that functions as links  242 . The menu  240  also includes free text  244  and the user may put the pen  238  directly on the text  244 , where there is no link text  242 , and pull the text in a desired direction with the pen  238 . The user may also activate a scroll bar  246  on the right side of the menu  240  and pull a marker up and down to correspondingly move the text up and down. The user may also click with the pen  238  on arrows  248 ,  250  to move within the text  244 . When clicking on a link, the information, such as text, pictures and tables, opens and expands. The link is visible on top and when the user scrolls the next link appears at the bottom of the information. By clicking on the back arrow the user is taken to the non-expanded start-point.  
         [0034]      FIG. 7  is a schematic illustrative view  260  of a search pop-up window  262  that may be shown by activating the search command  230  in the tool bar  216 . The menu in the window  262  is customized to the particular module that is in use. For example, when the module  28  is used, the window  262  enables the user to search for a drug by the name of the generic substance of the drug or by the trademark of the drug. When the module  12  is used, the user may search for the drug trademark, the generic name or an interaction search command. The interaction search command is a multiple interaction search command that enables a search for many drug names to determine the interactive effect therebetween. When the module  16  is used, the user may search by classification code  264  or word description  266 . The search words may be entered on a line  268  in the window  262  and the user may select the level of the word search by marking a category box  270  or a section box  272 . By marking the box  272 , the user may obtain all diagnosis available for a drug.  
         [0035]      FIG. 8  shows a flash memory display  280  that lists the latest searches for a particular module. The user may change the module by pressing the tab  282  to list the latest search commands for a different module. The user may scroll down the list  284  by pressing an arrow  286  or by dragging the text down with the electronic pen. As indicated above, the display  280  may be designed so that when the display is full and the user would like to add one more search command, the display  280  will delete the oldest or first search command. The cache memory may be cleared by marking a box  288  and press an okay button  289 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 9  shows a bookmark view/module  290  that the user may use to bookmark favorite information in each module  12 - 32 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The module  290  may be displayed by activating the bookmark  228  so that the bookmarks for the particular module that has been selected are displayed. An important feature of the method of the present invention is that the user may jump directly to the bookmarks of other modules without having to restart each module and then find the bookmarks. The user may change module by clicking on a tab  292  so that the user may, for example, switch from the module  12  to the module  16  while the user is within the bookmark module  292 . When an interesting page or information segment  295  has been found, the user may bookmark the page by marking a bookmark box  294  and an okay button  296 . The user may clear the memory cache by marking a clearance box  298  and pressing the button  296 . The user may display previously selected bookmarks from other module by activating the tab  292  and selecting another module to display a list  297  of the bookmarks  295  for that other selected module. The user may then select the bookmark  295  of interest from the list  297  and press show  299  to display the entire information segment of the bookmark  295 . The bookmark  295  and other bookmarks may be deleted by pressing a delete button  301 .  
         [0037]     It is also possible to bookmark one segment many times so that more than one module may have the same bookmark.  
         [0038]     It may also be possible to add a survey module that may be used for national, regional as well as local/individual content applications. The user may use the module to fill out various surveys/feedback documents such as studies of disease, reports on side effects of drugs etc. The documents may be synchronized over mobile telephone, cradle, infrared, bluetooth and WLAN directly over to an xml compatible database or any other suitable database. The survey module may be customized and converted to PDA format by the user in the computer by using a survey companion program and then be transferred to the hand held computer. The user may then fill out the survey on the hand held computer and synchronize it over to an xml based or any other type of database for further processing.  
         [0039]     While the present invention has been described in accordance with preferred compositions and embodiments, it is to be understood that certain substitutions and alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.