System and method for handling the acquisition and analysis of medical data over a network

A central server controls the receipt and analysis of patient medical data and patient information. The central server receives patient medical data and patient information from a remote computer. A storage system stores the received patient medical data, patient information, and the associated medical report prepared at analysis workstations at any location after analysis of the patient medical data. A processor controls access to and analysis of the patient medical data by analysis workstations and controls access to the medical report. The central server transmits the patient medical data to and receives the associated medical report from analysis workstations. The central server transmits the medical report associated with the patient medical data to the remote computer. Also, a method controls the acquisition and analysis of patient medical data over a network by a central server from a remote computer operably interconnected by the network with the central server.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to a system and method for handling medical data on a network. In particular, the invention includes uploading patient medical data and patient information to a central server for selective access by a workstation for analyzing the patient medical data and preparing a medical report associated with the patient medical data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Medical devices such as medical sensors are used both in medical institutions and at home to monitor one or more vital signs or to observe and record patient medical data. The medical data is transported to medical personnel who are often specialists and have the expertise to analyze the medical data and to prepare a medical report associated with the medical data. In some instances, the medical personnel use specialized systems, methods, test systems, expert workstations and/or software to aid in the analysis of the patient medical data and in the preparation of a medical report which analyzes the patient medical data.

To accomplish this, the medical data must be readily available to the medical specialists. However, often the patient and medical data are located in remote locations away from the location of an available medical specialist. One solution is for the medical specialist to travel to the remote location such as a remote medical facility, hospital, or doctor's office to gain access to the patient medical data and to analyze the report. In other cases, the medical data is obtained at the remote facility and shipped via mail or courier service to medical facility or medical specialist located at a remote location. However, these processes are both costly and time consuming and are not desirable when the timely analysis of the patient medical data is critical to providing timely medical care to patients who may have a severe or life threatening condition.

Additionally, there are systems for remotely monitoring medical data from a patient by a medical care provider. In one such system, U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,821, issued to Fujimoto, a home medical system allows any patient to measure his or her daily condition at home and undergo a check or an inquiry diagnosis by a medical specialist or doctor located at a remote medical facility. Other systems such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,649, issued to David et al., provide an interactive remote patient monitoring system. However, these direct transactions often are unreliable due to the insecure nature of the transmission, the large amount of data required to be transmitted, and/or the need to associate patient information with the patient medical data and subsequently with the medical report associated with the patient medical data. Furthermore, these systems are administratively challenging and do not provide for control and management of the access to and the analysis of the patient medical data by medical specialists.

Therefore, it is desirable to have a system and method of sensing and acquiring patient medical data at a remote location for analysis by a medical specialist who is located at a remote distance. Such a system would control access to the patient medical data by the medical specialist who performs medical analysis of the patient medical data. Based on the patient medical data, the medical specialist working at an analysis workstation prepares a medical report associated with the patient medical data. The medical report is selectively provided to the remote location for review and access by local medical personnel or by the patient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one form, the invention is a central server configured to control the receipt and analysis of patient medical data and patient information. Selective access to the patient medical data is provided to an analysis workstation that is responsive to a medical specialist. The analysis workstation analyzes the patient medical data and prepares a medical report associated with the patient medical data. A first communication interface receives patient medical data and patient information from a remote computer and transmits the medical report associated with the patient medical data to the remote computer. A storage system stores the received patient medical data, patient information, and the associated medical report. A processor is configured to control access to and analysis of the patient medical data by the analysis workstation and the medical specialist and is configured to control access to the medical report. A second communication interface transmits the patient medical data to the analysis workstation and receives the associated medical report from the analysis workstation.

In another form, the invention is a system for handling patient medical data over a network. A remote computer is configured to receive patient medical data from a medical sensor. The remote computer is further configured to transfer the received patient medical data and patient information corresponding to the patient medical data. A central server is configured to receive and store the transferred patient medical data and corresponding patient information and is further configured to control access to the patient medical data and its corresponding patient information. An analysis workstation is associated with the central server. The analysis workstation is operated by a medical specialist who accesses and analyzes the patient medical data stored on the central server. The analysis workstation is responsive to the medical specialist to create a medical report associated with the patient medical data and transmits the medical report to the central server. The central server is also configured to receive from the analysis workstation the medical report associated with the patient medical data and corresponding patient information, and is configured to transmit the medical report to the remote computer.

In yet another form, the invention is a method of controlling the acquisition and analysis of patient medical data over a network by a central server from a remote computer operably interconnected by the network with the central server. The method comprises receiving at a central server patient medical data and corresponding patient information from the remote computer. The central server controls access to and analysis of the received patient medical data by providing secure access by an analysis workstation. The patient medical data is transferred to an analysis workstation that is responsive to the medical specialist for analyzing the medical data and for creating a medical report associated with the patient medical data. The medical report is transferred to the central server from the analysis workstation. The central server receives from the analysis workstation the medical report associated with the patient medical data and corresponding patient information. The central server transmits the medical report to the remote workstation over the network.

In another form, the invention is a method for managing the receipt and analysis of Holter monitor patient medical data received at a remote computer and analyzed by a medical specialist located at a location remote from the remote computer. The method includes recording patient medical data on a medical sensor at a remote site, storing the patient medical data on a local storage medium, and transmitting the stored patient medical data to a remote computer. At the remote computer site, patient information corresponding to the patient medical data is created. The patient medical data is received from the medical sensor and stored on the remote computer. The patient medical data is compressed and transmitted along with corresponding patient information to the central server. The central server receives the compressed patient medical data and corresponding patient information, decompresses the patient medical data and stores the patient medical data and patient information. The central server controls access to the patient medical data and patient information. The patient medical data is transferred to an analysis workstation, which receives the patient medical data from the central server. The analysis workstation analyzes the patient medical data and generates a medical report associated with medical data. The medical report is transferred to the central server where it is received. The central server stores the medical report and controls access to the medical report. The medical report is transmitted to the remote computer where it is received from the central server and displayed.

The system and method of the present invention has a number of advantages over the prior art. The present system provides for remote acquisition of patient medical data and patient information at a local easily accessible medical facility or possibly at home. The patient medical data and patient information is transmitted to a central server that controls the receipt of and access to the patient medical data. The central server selectively provides the patient medical data to medical specialists who use an analysis workstation to analyze the patient medical data and prepare a medical report. Access to the medical reports are controlled by the central server and provided to the remote computer at the remote location for receipt and review by the local medical provider or the patient. Such a system provides a secure, timely and efficient acquisition and analysis of patient medical data that is not provided by prior art systems.

Other aspects and forms of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Corresponding reference characters and designations generally indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now toFIG. 1, one preferred embodiment of a system100for handling the acquisition and analysis of patient medical data and patient information over a network is illustrated. Patient information is specific data such as name, address, contact information, patient medical history, medical care provider information, and medical insurance data associated with a patient128. Patient medical data is medical data associated with one or more body functions of the patient128that have been measured and recorded.

The system100includes a central server102with a processor104and a storage system106. The processor104is configured to associate the patient medical data with the patient information. The storage system106may be any storage system such as local memory, fixed storage disks, remote storage disks, a database, or otherwise configured to store patient medical data, patient information and/or medical reports.

The server102includes a first communications interface108or other input/output port that is connected to a first communication network110. A remote computer112is equipped with a display114and is connected to the first network110. A medical sensor116provides patient medical data to the remote computer112via a data transfer system or connection118. The remote computer112is responsive to a user132, which may be a patient128or medical personnel located at a remote medical facility or doctor's office. The remote computer112is configured with a patient medical data acquisition, compression and transmission program for receiving patient medical data from the sensor116, for storing the patient medical data in its memory, for segmenting and compressing the patient medical data into one or more separate files, and for transferring the segmented and compressed patient medical data from the remote computer112to the central server102via first network110. The patient medical data acquisition, compression and transmission program may be stored via a local program load function in a memory of the remote computer112or may be downloaded to the remote computer112from a remote location over the first network110. The first communication interface108receives the patient medical data and the patient information from the remote computer112over the first network110.

As shown inFIG. 1, the sensor116senses a parameter of a patient's body and stores data corresponding to the sensed parameter as patient medical data. The sensor116records the patient medical data recorded by the sensor116and stores the patient medical data in a local storage mechanism (not shown). This sensor storage mechanism may be local memory or may be a fixed or removable storage medium such as a PCMCIA flash card. The sensor116may be a Holter monitor or recorder that records electrocardiogram (ECG) data of the patient128over a period of time. For example, the Holter monitor records ECG data or Holter data over a period of 24 hours. The Holter monitor is equipped with internal memory for storing the Holter data (not shown). The sensor116is equipped with a communication interface configured to download or transmit the stored patient medical data from the sensor116to the remote computer112via a data transfer system118that is compatible with the communication interface of the remote computer112. For example, the communication interface may be a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface that is commonly found on a personal computer. In such an arrangement, the remote computer112includes a USB interface such that the sensor116transfers the patient medical data from its USB interface over the data transfer system118to the USB interface of the remote computer112. The data transfer system118may be any type for transferring data such as a serial interface, a parallel interface, a local area network interface, an infrared interface, an optical interface, or other hard-wired or wireless interface.

The data transfer system118may also be a removable storage medium or mechanism for storage of the patient medical data. One such removable storage medium is a PCMCIA flash card. The sensor116and remote computer112would each be configured for the PCMCIA card. Initially, the card would be positioned within the sensor116to store patient data being recorded by the sensor116. After recording and storage are completed, the PCMCIA flashcard with the stored patient medical data from the sensor116is removed from the sensor116and inserted into the PCMCIA slot of the remote computer112. The patient medical data is removed, copied or transferred by the remote computer112to its memory for segmentation and compression. In an alternative embodiment, the PCMCIA card may itself be equipped with the USB interface and the patient medical data transferred from the PCMCIA card located in the sensor116via the USB interface to the remote computer112. Other memory storage devices are also possible. For example, the sensor116and the remote computer112may be configured to store and retrieve patient medical data using a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, a memory stick, memory card or other removable storage medium.

The remote computer112stores the received patient medical data on its local storage medium (not shown). The remote computer112segments the patient medical data and compresses the segmented patient medical data for improved transmission to the central server102. For example, patient medical data are usually large data files of more than 10 megabytes of data. The remote computer112may compress the patient medical data into a plurality of smaller files such as one-megabyte files. In this case, the plurality of one-megabyte files composing a single patient medical data are identified or named in such a manner as to enable their efficient and effective decompression back into the original patient medical data prior to the compression process. Additionally, the transmission of the smaller segmented and compressed data files is improved since a transmission error occurring during the transmission will only require the retransmission of a single one-megabyte files, rather than the entire patient medical data file. After segmenting and compressing, the remote computer112transmits the stored patient medical data over the first communication network110to the first communication interface108of the central server102.

The first communication network110may be any communication network capable of transmission of data. Examples of the first network110include the public switched network, the public data network, a packet switched data network, an Internet, or a wireless network. The first network110may be the Internet capable of supporting web pages and web page communications. The remote computer112may be equipped with an Internet communication interface or service from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) who enables communication of data between the interconnected remote computer112and any other interconnected computer including the central server102. The central server102is configured for communication over an operably connected communication network110such as the Internet. The first communication interface108of the central server102is configured to receive and transmit data from and to the remote computer112.

The processor104of the central server102may host a web page such that the remote computer112located remote from the central server102accesses the web page. When the remote computer112accesses the web page hosted by the central server102, the remote computer112under the control of the user132transmits the patient medical data and associated patient information from its memory to the central server102through the web page. Processor104receives the segmented and compressed patient medical data and associated patient information received from remote computer. The processor104decompresses the patient medical data and recompiles the segmented patient medical data and stores the patient medical data and patient information for controlled access and future analysis.

Optionally, a remote server130connected to the first network110between the remote computer112and the central server102may be employed. The remote server130hosts the web page that is accessible by the remote computer112configured with a web browser. The remote computer112transmits the patient medical data and patient information to the web page of the remote server130. The remote server130transfers the received patient medical data and patient information to the central server102over the first network110to the first communication interface108. This optional configuration allows more flexibility. For example, the remote server130may be hosted by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) at a central communication hub in the first network110and the central server102may be remotely located at a medical institution or medical service provider's location.

The central server102may receive patient medical data from a plurality of sensor116and/or remote computers112over the first network110. WhileFIG. 1only shows a single sensor116and a single remote computer112, in operation a plurality of sensors would provide patient medical data to each remote computer112. Additionally, a plurality of remote computers112would be located at a plurality of widely dispersed medical institutions, all of which are independently connected to the first network110. As such, the plurality of remote computers112and the central server102communicate over the first network110using a secure access that is a minimum of 128-bit secure socket layer connection. In other embodiments, other secure access arrangements may also be incorporated consistent with the invention.

Referring again toFIG. 1, the central server102is further configured with a second communication interface120, which is connected to a second network122. An analysis workstation124is also connected to the second network122such that analysis workstation124and the central server102communicate by sending data files such as patient medical data from the central server102to analysis workstation124. Of course, while a single analysis workstation124and medical specialist126is shown inFIG. 1, a plurality of analysis workstations124may be connected to the second network122and operable with the second communication interface120of the central server102such that more than one analysis workstation124is operable at any instance in time.

The processor104is further configured to control access to and analysis of patient medical data by the analysis workstation124and to control access to the medical report associated with the patient medical data and generated by the workstation124. The medical report is stored in storage system106and includes data, written analysis text files, diagrams, graphs, spreadsheets, test data, objects, object files, audio files, or video files. The analysis workstation124is responsive to an operator such as a medical specialist126to receive the patient medical data, to analyze the patient medical data and to prepare the medical report associated with the patient medical data. The processor104controls access to the patient medical data by analysis workstation124for analysis by the medical specialist126. The medical report is created by the analysis workstation124and is transmitted by the analysis workstation124to the central server over the second network122. The processor104associates the medical report with the patient medical data and patient information. The processor104notifies remote computer112, which is authorized to receive the particular medical report for a particular patient128, that the medical report is complete. The user132of the remote computer112instructs the remote computer112to request a copy of the medical report that is controlled by the central server102. The central server102transmits the medical report to the remote computer112which displays the medical report on the display114, stores the medical report on a local storage medium (not shown), or prints the report on a local printer (not shown) associated with the remote computer112. Additionally, the central server102transmits the medical report to the remote computer112over the first communication interface108.

FIG. 2illustrates one process for controlling analysis of patient information, patient medical data and medical reports by the central server102. The user132logs into the central server102at302. The central server102may receive patient information at400from the logged on user132or receive patient medical data at500. The central server102associates the received patient medical data with patient information at202. The patient information may be pre-existing patient information or new patient information added via400. Next, the central server102makes the patient medical data available for analysis by one of the medical specialists126operating one of the analysis workstations124. The medical specialist126logs into the central server at804and is notified of the available patient medical data for analysis (at204). Once the medical specialist126selects a particular file or files of patient medical data to analyze, the central server102at206transfers the particular patient medical data to the analysis workstation124of the medical specialist126. The central server102may restrict access to particular patient medical data either by a particular analysis workstation124or by a particular medical specialist126. For example, the medical specialist126may be restricted to only receiving patient medical data for analysis from a particular group of remote computers112which may represent a group of medical institutions or clients. After transferring the patient report at206, the central server102marks the particular patient medical data as being under analysis and restricts further access to the data by another medical specialist126or analysis workstation124.

When the analysis of the patient medical data by the medical specialist126is complete, the medical specialist126instructs the analysis workstation124to transmit the medical report to the central server102. The central server102receives and stores the medical report at208and associates it with the corresponding patient medical data and the patient information at210. Once the medical report is associated with the patient information, the medical report is made available to one or more users132at remote computers112based on pre-established authorization and notification assignments at212. The user128may request one of the stored medical reports at606using the “review results” process discussed later inFIG. 6. If the user selects to review the medical report at606, the central server102transmits the medical report at214to the remote computer112associated with the requesting user132over the first network110.

In operation, the medical data of the patient128is recorded at the site of the patient128with the sensor116. A local medical care provider such as a physician at a local medical office provides the patient128with the sensor116. The patient128uses the sensor116such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) data recorder or the Holter monitor/recorder to record ECG data over a defined period of time. The patient128wears the monitor at home or work during normal daily activity. After the defined period of time has elapsed and the recording is complete, the patient128returns to the medical office or facility with the sensor116or directly accesses a remote computer112equipped with the necessary acquisition software as discussed above and below. The sensor116has the patient medical data stored internally in memory or on a removable storage format. The user132of the remote computer112is the medical technician, medical assistant, doctor or may be the patient128. Remote computer112is configured with software designed to retrieve and manage the patient medical data. As noted earlier, a software configuration consistent with this invention is the patient medical data acquisition, compression and transmission program for receiving patient medical data from the sensor116, storing the patient medical data on the remote computer112, compressing the medical data, and transferring the patient medical data from the remote computer112to the central server102. The remote computer112is configured such that the storage format and patient medical data as presented by the data transfer system118is seen as a removable drive on the remote computer112.

As noted above, the remote computer112is configured with the web browser or other data communication interface. The user132of the remote computer112logs onto the central server102through a secure access connection such as a secure socket layer connection with a 128-bit minimum encryption. This provides secure access to the central server102and the transmitted patient medical data and the patient information. The central server102hosts a web page and receives the patient medical data via the web page from the remote computer112configured with the web browser. As described above, the central server102transfers the patient medical data to the medical specialist126operating the analysis workstation124. The analysis workstation generates the medical report associated with the patient medical data and transmits the medical report to the central server102. The central server102associates the medical report with the patient information and patient medical data and provides selective access to the medical report from one or more remote computers112or users132of remote computers112. The central server102transmits or provides access to the medical report by the remote computer112via the web page.

FIG. 3illustrates the user login screen302that is presented to the user132of the remote computer112when the user132logs into the central server102. Once the user132logs in, the user132is presented with a user options menu304. The list of available options for user132are defined by the central server102based on a pre-establish list of authorized functions or activities based on the user identification number. For example, a medical assistant132in a medical office may operate the remote computer112to upload patient medical data. The medical assistant user132may not be authorized to view the associated medical reports once completed. However, the attending physician may be notified of the availability of the medical report, and may access the system to view the medical report. Generally, the user132may select one of the options from the “users option menu”: (1) add new patient, (2) upload patient medical data, (3) review a medical report, (4) download a medical report, or (5) log off.FIGS. 4 to 7illustrate processes associated with each of these user options.

FIG. 4illustrates the “add new patient” process400as selected by the user132on the “user options menu”304, the user is prompted to supply the patient information at402. The central server102presents the user132with a series of user information screens. The user132interacts with the web page hosted by the central server102or optional remote server130and enters the patient information. The user132is then requested to save or cancel the entered data at404. If the user132selects to cancel, the user132is returned at406to the user options menu304. If the user132selects to save, the central server102verifies the validity of the data format at406. If the data is not in a valid format, the user132is returned to the patient entry at416. If the data is valid, the central server102parses the patient information into a save format at408and adds the patient information to a database at410. The method further adds a log number to the patient information at412when the information is stored and sends a confirmation message at414to the user132. Once this is complete, the central server102returns the user132at416to the user options menu304. The user132need only complete the “add new patient” process of400for a patient128that is new to the central server102. If the patient information already exists in the central server102for a patient128, this process is not required. At this point, the user132may upload the patient medical data, such as the Holter data to the central server102from the remote computer112.

Referring now toFIG. 5, when the user132of the remote computer112selects the “upload files” process500from the user options menu304, the user132is prompted to select either a new or existing patient128at502. If a new patient128, the user132is directed to the new patient sequence400as discussed above. If an existing patient128, the user132is offered a list of patients at504. Of course, the list of patients offered to a particular user132by the central server102is limited based on the user authorization identified when the user132logged into central server201. When the user132selects a particular patient128, the remote computer112uploads the patient medical data to the central server102at506and the central server102receives the uploaded files. The transmission of the patient medical data from the remote computer112to the central server102may occur immediately or may be delayed to a later time. For instance, the transmission of the patient medical data may be delayed to be sent after business hours, when the need or usage of the remote computer112or first network110is less. When the remote computer112has compressed the patient medical data into segmented compressed files prior to transmission to the central server102, the central server102decompresses the received compressed patient medical data and recompiles the patient medical data to the state it was before being compressed by the remote computer112. The central server102associates the patient medical data with the patient information and stores the patient medical data in storage106, as discussed above and shown at508. Once the patient medical data is stored and ready for access, the central server102is notified of new patient medical data at510and a confirmation message is sent to the user132at the remote computer112at512. The user132operating the remote computer112is returned to the user options menu304at416.

Referring now toFIG. 6, when the user132selects the “review results” process600from the user options menu304, the user132of the remote computer112searches for a particular medical report associated with a particular patient128and selects the patient128or the medical report at602. The central server102provides the remote computer112with a list of available completed medical reports and associated files at604. The user132selects one of the available medical reports to view at606. Once the user132has viewed the medical report, the user132may add notes to the medical report or to an associated report or file at608. When this is complete at610, the user132may choose to view another medical report or return to the user options menu304at416.

Referring now toFIG. 7, when the user132selects the “download results” process700from the user options menu304, the user132searches for a particular patient128at702. The central server102lists the patients128available to the user132and the associated files at704. From the list presented by the central server102, the user132selects a file to download at706. The user132selects a memory or storage location associated with the remote computer112to download the file to at708and initiates the download process. The central server102downloads the selected file via the first communication interface108over the first network110to the remote computer112at710. Once the download has been complete, the central server102returns the user132at416to the user options menu304.

The medical specialist access and analysis process800is illustrated inFIG. 8. The medical specialist126, located at analysis workstation124, logs into the central server102at802. The medical specialist126and analysis workstation124are first authenticated as a valid user132and valid workstation at804. An individual specialist is limited to only accessing patient medical data from certain remote computers112or patients128. The central server102scans the system for patient medical data available to be analyzed at806by the particular medical specialist126. The medical specialist126is presented with a list of patient medical data available to be analyzed by the particular medical specialist126at808. The central server102provides analysis workstation124and the medical specialist126with a single patient medical data for analysis at810. The central server102selectively permits a single medical specialist126to access a particular patient's128patient medical data at812. Additionally, the central server102provides a patient demographic file associated with the patient medical data to analysis workstation124. The patient demographic file is created based on the patient information received from the remote computer112and stored in storage106. Analysis workstation124, operable by the medical specialist126, performs a medical analysis of the patient medical data at814. The patient medical data may be Holter data from a Holter monitor and the analysis workstation124may be a Holter workstation configured with a Holter program to perform a Holter analysis of the Holter data. The Holter analysis results in the creation at816of the medical report that includes one or more data files including a Portable Document File (PDF) file containing the Holter analysis report. When the Holter analysis process and resulting medical report are complete, the medical specialist126logs back into the central server102and the central server102receives the completed medical report and any associated data files from analysis workstation124at818. The central server102stores the received medical report in local memory or storage106. The Holter report may be in a PDF file format, which is absorbed into the storage106as an object. Other associated files may be included in the database or stored in other storage106controlled by the processor104.

When the central server102receives the medical report, the central server102notifies the associated or designated remote computer112that the medical report is complete and available for access and review. The remote computer112receives the notification and is provided access to the medical report. Controlled access by the central server102to the medical report is made in several different ways including viewing the report in a view mode from the remote computer112equipped with a web browser. Another method is for the remote computer112equipped with PDF-format reader, to view the document. The remote computer112displays the PDF-formatted medical report on display114, stores the medical report locally, or prints the medical report on an associated printer (not shown). In another method, the medical report is transmitted as an electronic file by the central server102to the remote computer112via the first communication interface108over the first network110.

The invention is also a method for managing the receipt and analysis of Holter monitor patient medical data received at the remote computer112and analyzed by the medical specialist126located at a location remote from the remote computer112. At the site of the patient128, patient medical data is recorded on the sensor116and is stored on a local storage medium. The patient medical data is transmitted to the remote computer112. At the remote computer112, new patient information is created that corresponds to the patient medical data. The patient medical data is received from the sensor116and stored on the remote computer112. The remote computer112segments and/or compresses the patient medical data and transmits the segmented and/or compressed patient medical data and corresponding patient information to the central server102.

The central server102receives the segmented and/or compressed patient medical data and corresponding patient information. The central server102decompresses and/or compiles the patient medical data and stores the patient medical data and patient information in storage106. A processor104associated with the central server102controls the access to the patient medical data and patient information. The central server102transfers the patient medical data to the analysis workstation124. Analysis workstation124receives the patient medical data from the central server102and analyzes the patient medical data. Based on this analysis, analysis workstation124generates the medical report and transfers the medical report to the central server102. The central server102receives the medical report from analysis workstation124and stores the medical report. Processor104controls access to the medical report. The central server102transmits the medical report to the remote computer112. The remote computer112receives the medical report from the central server102and displays the medical report.

As various changes could be made in the above exemplary constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is further to be understood that the method steps described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed consistent with the present invention.