Abstract:
Phoenix Ortho, LLC ahs created a wholly unique, Integrated Orthopedic examination, image acquisition storage, retrieval, and management and documentation solution. This solution creates workflow enhancements, patient record security, and image access, availability and provider efficiencies not previously available.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This present patent application depends on provisional patent application 61/769,162, “Orthopedic Examination, Image Acquisition Storage, Retrieval, and Management and Documentation Solution,” filed by Paul L. McCune on Feb. 25, 2013. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED R&amp;D 
       [0002]    None. 
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    None. 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0004]    None. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0006]    The present disclosure relates generally to electronically stored medical records for orthopedic professionals. 
         [0007]    2. Background Art 
         [0008]    Any person having ordinary skill in the art will understand DICOM standards (from Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine), which have been developed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. DICOM standards establish file protocol for transport, display and image storage with respect to electronic medical records. 
         [0009]    DICOM enables the integration of scanners, servers, workstations, printers, and network hardware from multiple manufacturers into a picture archiving and communication system (PACS). 
         [0010]    Medical records have frequently been targeted with unauthorized access. Congress has passed regulations to protect patient privacy rights. 
         [0011]    Physicians still need a system that will protect patients&#39; privacy while ease use of stored records. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Phoenix Ortho, LLC has for the first time created a wholly unique, integrated orthopedic examination, image acquisition storage, retrieval, management and documentation solution. This solution creates workflow enhancements, patient record security, and image access, availability and provider efficiencies not previously available. 
         [0013]    This storage methodology secures records and makes them readily available to authorized providers of care. Now for the first time ever within any EMR, the physician can view the images ordered from the form from which they originated. 
         [0014]    Other features of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction is with the accompanying drawings. Though this invention was developed for use by orthopedic professionals, the invention itself and the claims made are not limited to that field. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    For a better understanding of the disclosure, and to show by way of example how the same may be carried into effect, reference is now made to the detailed description along with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals in the different figures refer to corresponding parts and in which the drawings show several embodiments: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  depicts a first embodiment of an operational workflow connectivity between the components of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  depicts image management by the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0018]    A listing of nomenclature used in the drawings and this specification includes the following:
   Electronic Medical Record (EMR)  100     Order Entry (OE)  200     Imaging Order  300     Digital Image Acq. Device (DIAD)  400     Work List Server (WLS)  500     Unique Identifier (UID)  600     Phoenix Ortho Archive (POAC)  700     DICOM Image  800     Compressed Native DICOM  850     Work Station  900     Internet  950     Interface  150     Compressed JPEG Image  160     DICOM Image  170     
 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    The invented system employs DICOM standards for transmission of images and identification data. 
         [0034]    In the invented system, a physician creates DICOM 
         [0035]    Images  800  with the DIAD  400 , also known as a “modality”, while treating patients. Usually these DICOM Images  800  are x-ray, MRI, or CT records. 
         [0036]    These records are stored in the Phoenix Ortho Archive (POAC)  700 , an electronic archive, accessed by software WLS  500 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the DIAD  400  uses the UID  600  and WLS  500  input to create a DICOM Image  800  which retains patient and other information within the image. The DICOM Image  800  is transported, stored, and retrieved by a is single executable software application WLS  500 , during which the UID  600  and other information is retained and possibly amended. 
         [0037]    The system automatically compresses the image in a Lossless JPEG format and stores the image, tagging it with the WLS  500  and UID  600 . The POAC  700  also stores the DICOM Image  800  in its native format. 
         [0038]    The Invented System allows a physician to retrieve desired Electronic Medical Records (EMR)  100 , which in this system comprises medical images with identifying information, producing the order at the point of care, by making an Order Entry (OE)  200  at a Work Station  900 , and receiving the images on a computer display Interface  150 . 
         [0039]    The Invented System receives a physician&#39;s OE  200  and sends an Imaging Order  300  to any DICOM-compliant Digital Image Acquisition Device (DIAD)  400  through the software application, Work List Server (WLS)  500 . 
         [0040]    The DIAD  400  reads the OE  200  submitted in native DICOM format without translation. 
         [0041]    Upon completion of image acquisition, the DIAD  400  submits the receives the requested images using the 45-character Unique Identifier (UID)  600  provided by the WLS  500  to the Phoenix Ortho Archive (POAC)  700 . 
         [0042]    The POAC  700  utilizes new File Stream technology available in the MS SQL  2008  DB to securely store both images. 
         [0043]    The File Stream technology is unique, faster and more secure than previous alternatives by using a file structure internal to the database that includes the image tags (potentially the UID  600 , IAD  400  and WLS  500 ) with the image, so there is no necessity of decomposing the image which subsequently requires decomposition to display the image. 
         [0044]    The POAC  700  solution secures files from inadvertent access or destruction thus protecting patient privacy in a way not done before. With the images secured, the POAC  700  automatically retrieves and notifies the ordering provider that the OE  200  is complete. 
         [0045]    Now for the first time ever within any emergency room, the physician can view the images ordered from the form from which they originated. 
         [0046]    The Physician simply clicks on a thumbnail of the image on the Work Station  900  and immediately views the diagnostic quality digital images in either Compressed JPEG is  160  or DICOM format  800  via Interface  150  (typically a computer monitor, but potentially any image-displaying device). 
         [0047]    The images are viewed by Phoenix Ortho&#39;s proprietary viewers to make this unique integrated solution a reality for the first time. From the same OE  200 , a provider can view any thumbnail filmstrip of prior images with a single mouse click while viewing the output images on the Interface  150 . 
         [0048]    A user places the OE  200  at a Work Station  900 , and the electronic request flows through the Ethernet and Internet  950  to the WLS  500 , which issues the Imaging Order  300  to the DIAD  400  to generate an image using the UID  600  and WLS  500  identifying data. The DIAD  400  generates a Compressed Native DICOM image  850  which is stored in the POAC  700 , where a user can recall the images through the Interface  150 .