Patient condition and pain location and intensity communication apparatus and method

The present invention comprises a preprinted chart, or, in the case of software, a programmed screen display, on which is displayed front and back silhouettes of a patient. Alongside the silhouettes are provided a number of series of icons which illustrate various patient conditions, such as burn, cut, bruise, etc. with at least some of the icon series being color coded to indicate pain intensity. The icons can be moved to the silhouettes. In an alternative version, the chart can be folded in half with the bottom half inserted into a transparent plastic sleeve and the top half folded over the bottom half to provide confidentiality. Other chart embodiments include a small, portable patient dietary guideline chart, a tactile pain communicator with touch coded pain intensity indicators and a group therapy emotional pain communicator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to a patient condition and pain 
location and intensity communication apparatus and method, and, more 
particularly, to a patient communication system, which can be implemented 
as a two dimensional chart or in a software format, in which a display 
area including a patient silhouette is provided. A number of removable 
sticker icons, in the case of the hard copy embodiment, or, in the case of 
software, of movable digital image icons, of varying colors and indicia, 
are provided for attaching or moving to the silhouette to provide 
instantaneous patient condition, pain location and pain intensity 
information. In the case of a hard copy chart with movable icons, an 
alternative chart embodiment is designed for folding in half and a 
transparent plastic sleeve is provided for confidentiality and temporary 
patient condition information. A second alternative embodiment includes 
small, portable patient communication charts with movable dietary 
guideline icons. A third alternative embodiment is a tactile pain 
communicator which is touch coded to allow a patient to manually indicate 
pain intensity. A fourth alternative embodiment is a family overlay group 
pain communicator for group therapy sessions with a psycho-social adviser. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Recent trends in hospital and rehabilitation clinic patient care has seen 
an increasing emphasis on pain management, pain communication and improved 
patient-professional communication on the part of government, insurance, 
and health care providers. Guidelines developed by the Agency for Health 
Care Policies and Procedures mandate better communication between patients 
and practitioners regarding pain. The result has been formation of QIC 
(Quality Inpatient Care) Pain Committees at most major hospitals. One goal 
of such committees has been to improve patient to care giver communication 
and to minimize unnecessary patient pain. 
Such patient to care giver communication is problematical at best. With 
constant hospital shift changes, in a 24 hour period, an admitted patient 
will be seen by a minimum of 3 different nurses as well as nurses aids and 
other hospital personnel. Furthermore, a variety of physicians will 
typically be involved with caring for a single patient. With each new 
person coming into contact with the patient, information on the patient's 
condition must be conveyed in some fashion and charted. Frequently, this 
means that a sleeping patient must be awakened to answer repetitive and 
annoying questions. Furthermore, when a patient needs to be moved by 
hospital staff, the person doing the moving often does not have any idea 
of the patient's condition. Thus, injuries can be aggravated and/or 
unnecessary pain caused by hospital personnel who, often inadvertently, 
place weight or stress on injured limbs or other body parts. Recent trends 
in the health care industry have increased patient communication problems 
as more and more nurses aids and other relatively unskilled personnel are 
performing patient care functions previously reserved for trained nurses 
and doctors. 
A number of prior art attempts have been made to facilitate patient to care 
giver communication. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,890 to Ruth Leff, 
and entitled Communication Aid, is drawn to a series of cards attached to 
a ring for use by a patient with limited communication ability. Each card 
communicates a physical need or condition, such as wheelchair, stomach 
ache, etc. to a second party such as a nurse, nurse's aid, etc. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,549 to Kristi Sonsteby, and entitled Medical 
Documentation and Assessment Apparatus, a number of modular packets are 
color coded to represent different anatomical features of a patient, such 
as cardiovascular, neurological, etc. Matching diagnostic sheets are 
provided within each packet to place in a patient's file or chart. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,531 to Michael Rees, and entitled Apparatus and 
Method for Documenting Physical Examinations, a group of pre-printed 
anatomical stickers are provided upon which an examining physician can 
directly mark the location, size, shape, etc. of any abnormality. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,169 to Mary Mayfield, and entitled Medication 
Management System, a number of medications are listed on a time chart and 
color and shape coded stickers are associated with each medicine on the 
chart and are attached to the medicine containers as well. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,034 to Betheline Ford, and entitled Patient Care 
Information System, a photograph of a patient's face is positioned on a 
chart and any number of patient care icons are positioned proximate the 
photograph to designate sensory losses, mobility limitations, safety 
concerns, etc. The photograph is apparently used only for positive 
identification. 
Interestingly, none of these prior art patents is concerned with the 
communication of the pain causing condition, pain location and pain 
intensity to an attending care provider. None has provided a simple 
portable dietary guideline chart with movable icons. None has addressed 
the problem of providing non-verbal communication of pain conditions 
between a patient and a care provider. Finally, none has provided a 
secure, easily used group therapy emotional pain communicator for group 
patient to counselor communication. 
Accordingly, it is clear then, that a need exists for a reliable, practical 
and inexpensive apparatus and method which permits a patient or a patient 
attendant to quickly, effectively and accurately communicate patient 
conditions, patient pain location and/or pain intensity to an attending 
care provider. The present invention addresses this problem. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises a preprinted two dimensional chart, or, in 
the case of software, a programmed screen display, on which is displayed 
front and back silhouettes of a patient. Above the silhouettes are 
provided a number of series of icons which illustrate various patient 
conditions, such as burn, cut, bruise, etc. These or other icons can be 
color coded, e.g. from yellow to orange to red to indicate pain intensity 
with yellow being mild and red being excruciating pain. In addition, a 
number of other icons are provided to indicate areas of no pain, unusual 
risk conditions, restorative requirements, hearing, speech, vision, 
dietary restrictions, etc. A personal care area is also provided for 
quickly and efficiently communicating personal care conditions and 
concerns. Special Care and Ordinary Care Instruction areas are provided 
for noting these concerns. A row and column 24 hour patient condition time 
chart can also be provided on which color coded icons can be placed as 
well. 
In an alternative version of hard copy chart with movable icons, the chart 
can be folded in half with the bottom half inserted into a transparent 
plastic sleeve and the top half folded over the bottom half. The sleeve 
thus provides for confidentiality and also, once the top half of the chart 
is folded backwards, provides a place for temporary condition icons to be 
placed over the silhouettes. A second alternative embodiment includes 
small, portable patient communication charts with movable dietary 
guideline icons. A third alternative embodiment is a tactile pain 
communicator in which a number of indicators are touch coded with varying 
pain intensity indications to allow a patient who is temporarily or 
permanently incapable of verbal communication to manually indicate pain 
intensity to a health care provider. A fourth alternative embodiment is a 
family overlay group pain communicator for group therapy sessions with a 
psycho-social adviser. In this third embodiment, each patient in a group 
therapy session is given a chart with respective transparent positions 
representing each person in the group undergoing therapy. As prompted by 
the counselor, each member of the group places a negative, color coded, 
emotional pain intensity icon on the transparent position of the person or 
persons in the group who cause them emotional pain or a positive, color 
coded, emotional icon on those persons who give them support or make them 
feel good/wanted, etc. Each chart is then confidentially turned into the 
counselor who, by overlaying the charts, can readily pinpoint the person 
or persons in the group who cause pain or who provided positive support. 
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
The principle objects and advantages of the present invention include: 
providing a patient condition and patient pain communication apparatus and 
method; providing such an apparatus and method which reliably, quickly and 
effectively communicates patient conditions, patient health concerns, 
patient pain sources, pain location and pain intensity from a patient to a 
health care provider; providing such an apparatus and method in which a 
patient silhouette is provided on a chart, either in hard copy or on a 
computer screen display; providing such an apparatus and method in which a 
number of informational icons are provided for localized attachment to the 
silhouette with each icon being coded to represent a health condition 
and/or color coded for pain intensity; providing such an apparatus and 
method which includes a patient condition time chart for periodic updating 
by health care personnel; providing, in the case of an alternative hard 
copy chart with movable icons, a transparent plastic sleeve for receiving 
a half folded chart to provide for confidentiality and temporary patient 
condition information; providing such an apparatus and method in a second 
alternative embodiment which includes small, portable patient 
communication charts with movable dietary guideline icons; providing such 
an apparatus and method in a third alternative embodiment which includes a 
tactile pain communicator with different areas touch coded to allow a 
patient to manually indicate pain intensity; providing a fourth 
alternative embodiment in which a family overlay group pain communicator 
provides emotional pain communication for group therapy sessions with a 
psychosocial counselor; and providing such an apparatus and method which 
is economical to manufacture, efficient in operation, and which is 
particularly well adapted for the proposed usage thereof. 
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from 
the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying 
drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, 
certain embodiments of this invention. 
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary 
embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and 
features thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
I. Introduction and Environment 
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed 
herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are 
merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. 
Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are 
not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims 
and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to 
variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately 
detailed structure. 
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for 
convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, the 
words "up", "down", "right" and "left" will refer to directions in the 
drawings to which reference is made. Said terminology will include the 
words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of a similar 
import. 
Referring to the drawings in more detail, reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 
generally designates a patient pain intensity and location communication 
apparatus in the form of a hard copy two dimensional chart including front 
and back patient silhouettes 2 and 3, respectively, displayed on a colored 
background in a first display area 4. A plurality of pain source icon 
groups 5, 6, and 7 are positioned alongside the background 4 in a second 
display area 8. The icon group 5 indicates a broken bone, the icon group 6 
indicates a burn, and the icon group 7 indicates a cut. Each of the icon 
groups 5-7 is formed by a series of stickers which can be removed from the 
icon location and placed on the silhouettes in particular locations to 
indicate pain location. Meanwhile, the icon groups 5-7 are color coded to 
represent pain intensity, as described in a pain intensity color code 
guide 11. For example, the broken bone icon group 5 includes a number of 
stickers 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d with the sticker 5a being blue in color, the 
sticker 5b being yellow in color, the sticker 5c being orange in color and 
the sticker 5d being red in color. Thus, from left to right, the stickers 
5a to 5d represent increasing pain intensity, as described in the color 
code guide 11. The icon groups 6 and 7 are similarly color coded. A 
patient or a person attending the patient can thus select a particular 
color of icon indicating a particular condition and intensity of pain, 
remove the icon sticker and place it on the appropriate silhouette 2 or 3, 
as shown in FIG. 2. 
Referring again to FIG. 1, a number of additional icon groups are provided, 
each including a plurality of stickers. For example, an icon group 12 
includes stickers indicating numbness or lack of feeling; an icon group 13 
includes stickers indicating weight bearing areas or areas of the 
patient's body which are capable of supporting weight or of being handled 
by personnel without intolerable pain; an icon group 14 indicates areas of 
intense pain or areas which should not be touched; an icon group 15 
indicates areas of pain without a specific cause, with the icons within 
the group 15 being color coded dots, again as indicated in the guide 11; 
an icon group 21 includes dots indicating areas of no pain, which dots can 
be of a uniform color different than the colors in the guide 11, e.g. 
green; and a sticker 22 indicating nothing by mouth to prevent any foods, 
liquids or medicine to be administered orally can be prominently placed 
over the mouth of the silhouette 2. 
A third display area 23 includes a row and column overall pain intensity 
indicator chart 24. In the chart 24, column divisions 25 indicate a time 
line, such as four hour windows in a 24 hour day. Row divisions 26 
represent overall pain intensity on a scale from 0 being non-existent or 
minimal to 10 being maximum. In the second display area 8, an icon group 
31 includes stickers of a different color, e.g. black, which can be 
adhered to the chart 24 in the appropriate time column at the appropriate 
pain level to keep a running chart of overall pain. An icon group 32 
includes stickers labeled as "S" to indicate that the patient was asleep 
during the monitoring period. This might indicate to personnel to wake the 
patient during the next monitoring period. 
An indicia display area 33 provides an area for patient and physician 
identification, an area 34 is provided with instructions on use of the 
chart 1 and an area 35 is provided for miscellaneous notes. 
Referring to FIG. 2, an example is provided of the chart 1 in use for a 
patient with extensive injuries on the right side of his body. For 
example, an orange sticker 5c indicating an intensely painful broken bone 
is attached to his left arm; a red burn icon sticker 6 and a "Do Not 
Touch" icon sticker 14 are attached to his left hand; a numbness icon 
sticker 12 is attached to his left shoulder; a number of pain stickers 15, 
which can be of varying pain intensity color codes, are distributed over 
several portions of the left side of his body; and the "nothing by mouth" 
sticker 22 is attached over his mouth. By contrast, on both sides of his 
right arm, as well as his right leg, weight bearing stickers 13 are 
attached to indicate that these are areas which can support weight with 
tolerable or no pain. 
Still referring to FIG. 2, the row and column pain intensity chart 24 
includes a number of stickers 31 placed in five of the six time columns 
26. The stickers 31 are positioned to indicate pain intensities from 3 to 
6 on a scale of 10. In addition, a sticker 32 is positioned in one of the 
time columns to indicate that the patient was sleeping during that 
monitoring period. 
Referring to FIG. 3, a computer controlled screen display 41 is programmed 
to electronically display a chart 42 which is essentially identical in 
detail to the hard copy chart 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The electronic chart 42 
includes a firs t display area 43 with a pair of body silhouettes 44 and 
45. A second display are a 51 includes a number of color coded icons 52 
which are identical in meaning to the icon groups 5-7, 21, 22, 31 and 32 
of FIGS. 1 and 2, and which will not be further described. These icons are 
selectable via a standard "point and click" method such that they can be 
dragged from the second display area 51 onto the silhouettes 44 and 45 in 
the first display area 43 via a cursor 53 and mouse (not shown), or onto a 
row and column overall pain intensity chart 54 in a third display area 55, 
as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. A typical pull down 
menu 60 is provided above the screen display areas 43 and 51 which pull 
down menu 60 allows each chart 42 to be stored as a separate graphics file 
and/or printed in a known manner. 
Referring to FIG. 4, a veterinary version of the invention is illustrated. 
The veterinary version, which can also be implemented as hard copy charts 
or computerized graphical screen displays, includes a first display area 
61 with left and right animal silhouettes 62 and 63, respectively. A 
second display area 64 includes a number of color coded icon groups, 
generally indicated at 65. The icon groups 65, again, are essentially 
identical in form and function to those illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, and will 
not be further described herein. Additional icon groups which are 
specially tailored to veterinary use, such as "Fat Deposits" icons 71, can 
be provided as well. Instead of a row and column time overall pain 
intensity chart, which, of course, would be relatively useless with an 
animal patient incapable of self evaluation, a special instructions window 
72 is provided for specific operations, such as feeding, wound dressing 
and bathing, etc. 
FIGS. 5a-5c illustrate an alternative hard copy chart, generally indicated 
at 80. The chart 80 is both a patient pain intensity and location 
communication apparatus and a comprehensive patient condition indicator. 
The chart 80, like the chart 1, includes front and back patient 
silhouettes 81 and 82, respectively, displayed on a colored background 83 
in a bottom display area 84 (FIG. 5b). A first group of icons 85 are color 
coded from yellow to orange to red, and numbered to indicate varying 
degrees of pain intensity. This first icon group 85 is positioned near the 
top of the chart 81 in a top display area 91 (FIG. 5a). The top display 
area 91 is designed to fold over the bottom display area 84 to provide 
confidentiality, particularly when used with a clear plastic sleeve 92, as 
shown in FIG. 6. 
Also positioned in the top display portion 91 are a second group of icons 
93 arrayed along the left side of the top display area 91, which second 
icon group 93 is indicative of various patient impairments, such as 
diabetic, dentures, requiring oxygen, etc. A third group of icons 94 is 
indicative of restorative measures required for this particular patient, 
such as belt restraint, cane, wheelchair, elbow protector, etc. A fourth 
group of icons 95 is indicative of various physical conditions of a 
particular patient, such as broken bones, skin tears, loss of feeling, 
etc. A fifth icon group 101 includes miscellaneous icons such as check 
marks and change of condition flags for use in a Personal Care block 102. 
The Personal Care block 102 has directions indicating the degree of care 
required for a particular patient for Dressing, Bathing, Grooming, Eating, 
Toileting, cognitive status, native language, etc. In addition, a Special 
Care Instructions block 103 is provided for written special instructions, 
typically instructions that are subject to frequent change. 
A Care Instructions block 104 (FIG. 5b) is provided for written 
instructions for long standing or chronic conditions since the Care 
Instructions block 104 is positioned within the plastic sleeve 92 while 
the Special Care Instructions block 103 is placed outside the plastic 
sleeve 92. A Transfer Instructions block 105 is positioned immediately 
below the Care Instructions block 104. 
FIG. 5c illustrates an opposite side of the top display area 91 with an 
area 105 for personalizing the chart 80 with a particular patient's name 
and an instruction area 106 indicating the confidentiality of the chart 80 
and the circulation restrictions. 
FIG. 6 illustrates the use of the transparent plastic sleeve 92 with the 
folding chart 80. The sleeve 92 includes a back panel 111. A front panel 
112 is shorter than the back panel 111, leaving an exposed top portion 113 
of the back panel 111 with apertures 114 to enable attachment of the 
sleeve 92 to a vertical surface (not shown). The bottom display area 84 of 
the chart 80 is approximately the same dimension as the sleeve front panel 
112. The top display area 91 is designed to fold over the sleeve front 
panel 112 such that it covers the bottom display area 84 to maintain the 
patient information confidential. Since the sleeve 92 is transparent, the 
silhouettes 81 and 82 show through the sleeve front panel 112. A front 
surface 115 of the sleeve front panel 112 thus serves as a temporary 
location for any of the icons in the chart upper display area 91. For 
example, a bruise icon 121 with an orange pain intensity icon 122 is shown 
attached to the front surface 115 for a mild and temporary knee bruise 
which causes moderate pain. Since these icons 121 and 122 are placed on 
the outside of the sleeve front panel 112, they can also be sensed 
tactically by attending nurses or other personnel during low light 
conditions to determine the existence of any recent temporary changes in 
patient condition. For example, a night nurse making her first rounds can 
run her fingers over the sleeve front panel 112 and feel the icons 121 and 
122 which will give her an immediate warning a new condition exists of 
which she should be aware. Conversely, if she feels no icons on the sleeve 
front panel 112, then she can be assured that only long term patient 
conditions are relevant. 
By contrast, icons representing more permanent conditions, such as a 
glasses icon 123, a skin risk icon 124 and a serious burn icon 125 causing 
severe pain represented by a red pain intensity icon 131 are all placed 
directly on the chart bottom display area 84, which is positioned beneath 
the sleeve front panel 112. Typically these icons representing more 
permanent conditions are left in place until the chart 80 is 
replaced--normally a 90 day cycle. 
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a second alternative hard copy chart is 131 
illustrated. The chart 131 is a dietary supplement chart which is intended 
as a supplemental to the chart 80 described above. The chart 131 is a 
small, portable "tent" chart with matching outer surfaces 132 and matching 
inner surfaces 133. Arrayed on the inner surfaces 133 (only one of which 
is illustrated in FIG. 8) are a plurality of icon stickers 134, all of 
which relate to dietary conditions or restrictions. For example, a 
"choking" icon 134a; a "denture" icon 134b; a "tracheotomy" icon 134c; a 
"diabetic" icon 134d; a "nothing by mouth" icon 134e; a "liquids only" 
icon 134f; and a "no sodium" icon 134g are pictured. Other icons relating 
to dietary restrictions will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
The chart 131 is designed to be a small, e.g. 3" by 2", portable tent when 
folded in half. Certain pertinent ones of the icons 134a-134g are removed 
from the inner surfaces 133 and placed on the outer surfaces 132 by a 
patient, family member or attendant. The chart 131 is then carried by the 
patient or attendant to and from meals and placed in front of the 
patient's chair on the table as a convenient and obvious warning of 
dietary restrictions and conditions. When not in use, the chart 131 can be 
conveniently stored by slipping it into the transparent sleeve 92 behind 
the chart 80. The chart 131 also includes a third panel 135 with a slot 
136 which is sized to accommodate a tab 137 to form a "tent" which 
conveniently sets on a table with both outer surfaces 132 being readily 
visible to attending personnel. 
Referring to FIG. 9, a third alternative embodiment of a hard copy chart is 
illustrated and generally indicated at 141. The chart 141 is a "tactile 
pain communicator" for use by patients who, for any reason, are unable to 
communicate orally with a physician, dentist or other health care 
provider. The chart 141 includes a number of different tactile pain level 
indicating areas, here shown as five in number and labeled 142a-142e. The 
tactile pain level indicating areas 142a-142e have printed indicia and are 
also color coded from blue to red as indications of the pain intensity 
which they represent. Finally, each tactile pain level indicating area 
includes a number of raised dots 143 numbering from a single dot 143 in 
area 142a indicating no pain to 5 dots 143 in area 142e indicating maximum 
pain. The chart 141 is useful in a variety of environments, including, 
without limit, a dentist's office or an oral surgeon's office, and as a 
pain level communication tool for speech impaired persons. The chart 141 
can be small and capable of being held in a patient's hand, for example, 
3" in diameter. Alternatively, the chart 141 can be provided as a 
permanent adjunct to a dental chair, for example placed atop a chair arm 
or on a frame immediately in line with the patient's vision. When provided 
as a permanent feature of a dental chair or the like, the indicating areas 
142a-142e can also function as electrical switches which turn on lighted 
indicators positioned beneath each tactile area. 
Referring to FIG. 10, a fourth alternative hard copy chart, indicated 
generally at 151, is provided for use in emotional or psychological group 
or family therapy. The chart 151 includes a larger, opaque circle 152 with 
a plurality of smaller, transparent windows 153a-153h, each of which is 
numbered with a respective number from 1 to 8. A plurality of color coded 
positive emotional indicating icon stickers 154a-154c are provided beneath 
the larger circle 152 on the left side of the chart 151. A plurality of 
negative emotional pain indicating icon stickers 155a-155c are positioned 
on the right side of the chart 151 below the larger circle 152. The icon 
stickers 154a-154c and 155a-155c, although color coded, are preferably 
transparent or semi-transparent. 
The chart 151 is designed to give a therapist or group leader confidential 
information for use in identifying causes of emotional pain during group 
or family therapy. During such sessions, each participating member of the 
group or family is given a number which corresponds to a respective one of 
the numbers 1 to 8 on the chart 151. Of course, instead of numbers, actual 
names can be used or family positional names such as Mom, Dad, Sister, 
Brother, etc. Each participant in the therapy session is given one of the 
charts 151 and asked, during the sessions, to place pertinent emotional 
icon stickers 154a-154 and/or 155a-155c from the bottom of their chart 151 
onto the applicable transparent window 153a-153h. For example, 
participants might be asked to select the one person in the group who most 
makes them feel intimidated, angry or happy and to place an appropriate 
icon sticker on that person's transparent window 153a-153h. For example, 
for intimidation or anger, one of the negative icon stickers 155a-155c 
will be selected according to the intensity of the negative emotion, i.e. 
yellow stickers 155a represent relatively mild emotions, orange stickers 
155b represent stronger feelings and red stickers 155c represent 
particularly intense feelings. Similarly for positive emotions, white 
stickers 154a represent somewhat positive feelings, green stickers 154b 
represent stronger positive feelings and blue stickers 154c represent 
intensely happy or positive emotions. Once the therapy sessions is over, 
the therapist collects all of the charts 151 from each participant in 
confidentiality and overlays them on top of each other. Since the windows 
153a-153h are transparent and the icon stickers 154a-154c and 155a-155c 
are semi-transparent, the therapist can quickly discern the person or 
persons who are the primary source of the negative and/or positive 
emotional feelings for the participants. Therapy for the group and for 
individuals in the group can then be devised accordingly. 
Any of the charts 80, 131, 141 or 151 can also be implemented as screen 
displays in a computer program and the claims are intended to cover such 
an embodiment. 
It should be noted that the charts and screen displays illustrated in FIGS. 
1-10 and described herein are exemplary only and that many other 
variations can be devised. For example, the illustrated silhouettes 2 and 
3 represent an adult male, but it is contemplated that other charts with 
representations of an adult female or male or female children can be used. 
The icon groupings are also not limited to those shown, but can include 
other symbols, either of conventional or custom design. In the veterinary 
version, a silhouette of a dog is illustrated as representative, but other 
versions including cats, horses and other domestic animals and pets are 
contemplated. The colors used in the pain intensity, emotional pain 
intensity icons and other color coding are also representative only, since 
many other color schemes can be used, although the gradations from blue to 
red are somewhat accepted in the field. The numbers of degrees of pain 
represented on the charts 1, 42, 80, 141 and 151, either physical or 
emotional is also representative only, and can be expanded or lessened as 
well. 
It is thus to be understood that while certain forms of the present 
invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be 
limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.