Abstract:
A patient care system includes a clinician for providing the health care to the patient, an input device for signaling that the patient is initiating a current health care encounter to provide a patient-initiated encounter signal, and current patient information provided by the patient and received by the patient care system in response to the patient-initiated encounter signal. The patient care system includes an interface device in communication with the input device for providing a clinician-notification signal in response to the patient-initiated encounter signal to permit the clinician to determine that the patient has initiated the encounter, a medical records system in communication with the input device for receiving the current patient information from the patient and input devices in communication with medical records system for receiving the current patient information from a plurality of differing patients. The differing patients are disposed at a plurality of differing locations.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to the field of health care and, in particular, to the field of providing health care to a patient using telecommunications equipment. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,074 and 6,347,329 both entitled, “Electronic Medical Records System” issued to Evans on Jul. 13, 1999 and Feb. 12, 2002, respectively, teach a medical record system that created and maintained patient data. The Evans system captured patient data, such as patient complaints, lab orders, medications, diagnoses and procedures using a graphical user interface. Authorized health care providers could access and alter the captured patient data using the system taught by Evans. However, in the Evans system a physician actuated access to the records at the point of care rather than the patient. 
         [0006]    Thus, within the Evans system, patients were required to make appointments, sometimes for long periods of time in the future. Furthermore, when the patients arrived at the physician&#39;s office for their medical care they may have experienced long waiting periods due to factors such as failures in maintaining the schedules of the physician&#39;s offices and over scheduling of patients by the physician&#39;s office. Furthermore, prior art such as Evans required employees at the physician&#39;s office to pull and refile charts, to perform the scheduling, and many other functions. Under these circumstances doctor&#39;s offices may have required two to five full-time employees per physician. Also, these methods often required patients to make trips to the drug store after the visit to the doctor&#39;s office if prescriptions were required, thereby resulting in more lost time and inconvenience for the patients. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,695 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Alerting Patients and Medical Personnel of Emergency Medical Situations” issued to Stutman et al. on May 16, 1995 teaches a system that enabled a doctor to remotely set selections and limit parameters pertaining to specific medical and geodetic information of a patient. The doctor could also receive updates of the information over a wireless communication network when the parameters have been met. The host computer could extract selected portions of the information in response to the parameters provided over the communication network. A user interface in the Stutman system provided a series of menus on a display. The user interface also provided for manipulation by a keyboard to allow a user to enter the selection and limit parameters in a user recognizable format. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,448 entitled “Hospital Data Processing System” issued to Mitchell on Mar. 18, 1975 teaches a system for processing hospital data, such as patient information and biological test information. A central data processing apparatus stored and processed the data and provided for storage of new patient information. A plurality of remote stations could be provided to permit data collection and inputting into the central storage area in the Mitchell system. Memory was provided in the Mitchell system for short term storage of daily transaction data. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,309 entitled “Integrated Medical Test Data Storage and Retrieval System” issued to Coli on Feb. 9, 1982 teaches a patient report generating system for receiving, storing and reporting medical test data for a patient population. The system taught by Coli could periodically provide individual patient reports containing test results for each patient. The reports could contain all of the test results for a patient throughout the entire time period during which the patient was a member of the patient population. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,315 entitled “System and Method for Scheduling and Reporting Patient Related Services Including Prioritizing Services” issued to Garcia on Nov. 12, 1991 teaches a computerized hospital system for entering information which was pertinent to a patient in the hospital. Initial information was entered as part of the admitting procedure. The initial information included the patient history and the results of the examination ordered by the admitting physician. Additionally, the initial information that was entered into the Garcia system could include orders from a physician for tests or hospital services to be performed. The Garcia system could also schedule hospital services for the patient including the scheduling of tests, x-rays, ultrasound etc. Notes written by the physicians and nurses and their findings and observations were entered into the Garcia system. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,424 entitled “Model User Application System for Clinical Data Processing that Tracks and Monitors a Simulated Out-Patient Medical Practice Using Database Management Software” issued to Schneiderman on Mar. 24, 1992 teaches a method for entering new data representative of physician requests, for example requests for blood work or x-rays. Separate data fields were provided in the Schneiderman system for holding data that identified the types of specialists ordering the tests and the general recommendations of the specialists. A report generation program combined salient clinical data from office visits with the test results ordered during the visits. A further report generation program within the Schneiderman system combined salient clinical data from office visits with the results from specialist visits to which the primary care physician referred the patients. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,188 entitled “Clinical Information Reporting System” issued to Selker on Jan. 11, 1994 teaches a clinical information reporting system for use with an electronic data base in a health care facility. The electronic data base in the Selker system contained records for a group of patients and operational information. The patient records and operational information were accessed by clinicians and used during the course of the operations of the facility. The patient records included clinical information for a group of patients. Furthermore, a method for generating reports from the information stored in the data base on the care given to the patrons was provided in the Selker system. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,741 entitled “Computer System and Method for Storing Medical Histories Using a Carrying Size Card” issued to Eberhardt on Aug. 19, 1997 teaches a system for storing individual medical histories on a storage device. Preferably the size of the storage device was approximately the size of a credit card. New medical data could be added to the storage device as required. Furthermore, information in the storage device could be communicated to other computers in order to permit the information to be available to the health care providers. This permitted retrieval of large data records about the individual by the provider. Additionally, Eberhardt discloses that a second computer can collate and sort data relating to an individual. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    A patient care system for providing health care to a patient includes a clinician for providing the health care to the patient, an input device for signaling by the patient that the patient is initiating a current health care encounter to provide a patient-initiated encounter signal, and current patient information provided by the patient and received by the patient care system in response to the patient-initiated encounter signal. The patient care system includes an interface device in communication with the input device for providing a clinician-notification signal in response to the patient-initiated encounter signal to permit the clinician to determine that the patient has initiated the current health care encounter, an electronic medical records system in communication with the input device for receiving the current patient information from the patient and a plurality of input devices in communication with the electronic medical records system for receiving the current patient information from a plurality of differing patients. 
         [0015]    The differing patients of the plurality of differing patients are disposed at a plurality of differing locations. Corporate headquarters receives the current patient information and manages the patient care system in accordance with the current patient information and previous patient information stored in the electronic medical records system. Information is received by the corporate headquarters from the electronic medical records system for managing the patient care system in accordance with the previous patient information and the corporate headquarters manages the patient care system in accordance with both the current patient information and the previous patient information. 
         [0016]    The electronic medical records system is in communication with the input device by way of an internet. The electronic medical records system is in communication with the clinician by way of the internet, and current encounter information is received by the clinician from the electronic medical records system in response to the patient-initiated encounter signal. Previous encounter information is provided in accordance with a previous encounter wherein the clinician receives the previous encounter information from the electronic medical records system in response to the patient-initiated encounter signal. Current encounter information is received by the clinician from the electronic medical records system in response to the patient-initiated encounter signal. 
         [0017]    A kiosk houses the input device, and the kiosk is a permanent kiosk, a temporary kiosk or a pop up kiosk. The current patient information is patient identification information, patient symptom information and patient insurance information. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The invention will be described in conjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numerals designate like elements and wherein: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic representation of the electronic patient care system and method of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 2A-J  show images including schematic representations of sample screen shot images illustrating some of the steps that can be performed in accordance with one of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, for example, as set forth in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a screen shot representation of an example of the type of data that can be displayed to a clinician in the system and method of the present invention, for example, as set forth in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  shows a screen shot representation of a prescription form which can be used by a clinician to write prescriptions for a patient in accordance with the system of the present invention, for example, as set forth in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a screen shot representation of further information, for example, queue information, that can be displayed to a clinician in the system of the present invention, for example, as set forth in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  shows a screen shot representation of further information that can be stored within the system of the present invention and displayed to a clinician, for example, as set forth in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  shows a screen shot representation of a lab test report for a patient that can be stored within the system of the present invention and displayed to a clinician, for example, as set forth in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a schematic representation of the electronic patient care system  10  of the present invention. A patient  12  can register with the electronic patient care system  10  to initiate an encounter by accessing a web-based electronic medical records system  17 . The electronic medical records system  17  can be a centralized or a distributed data center and can contain all of the information of the electronic patient care system  10 . This permits encounters between the patient  12  and a clinician  18  for permitting the patient  12  to receive health care services from the clinician  18 , wherein the clinician  18  is also in direct communication with the electronic medical records system  17 . 
         [0027]    The accessing of the electronic medical records system  17  by the patient  12  can be by way of the internet  16  using a kiosk  13  or any other type of information device or information interface device, a website  14  or any other type of internet interface known to those skilled in the art. The patient care system  10  can thus permit direct and immediate transmission of information between the patient  12 , the clinician  18  and the web-based electronic medical records system  17 . Thus, within the electronic patient care system  10  the kiosks  13  are fully integrated with the electronic medical records system  17 . 
         [0028]    The kiosk  13  can be part of a kiosk system. A kiosk system can include all of the facilities and equipment necessary to permit the patient  12  to initiate an encounter and receive health care from the clinician  18  within the patient care system  10 , as discussed in more detail below. For example, a kiosk system can include two or more examination rooms, in addition to two or more kiosks  13  each having its own display device  15 . Preferably each clinician  18  can be provided with a separate examination room for working with individual patients  12  in privacy. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a kiosk system suitable for two clinicians  18  can be approximately two hundred square feet. However, the amount of space per clinician  18  can vary as needed. Accordingly, a kiosk system according to the present invention can be located in a supermarket near supermarket pharmacy, in a strip mall or in any other convenient location. Likewise, it will be understood by those skilled in the art than the website  14  can be part of a website system having all of the features described herein with respect to the kiosk system for providing an encounter between the patient  12  and the clinician  18 . 
         [0029]    It will be understood by those skilled in the art that any number of kiosk systems can be disposed at different locations while they are coupled to the medical records system  17  in order to practice the invention at each of the kiosk systems. For example, the kiosk systems can be located in different cities within a single country or even in different countries. Additionally, the patients  12  can be coupled to the medical records system  17  by way of any other transmission channel known to those skilled in the art. For example, the patients  12  can be coupled to the medical records system  17  by way of CDMA communications systems. For example, web technology enabled cell phones, such as smart phones, can permit the patients  12  to indicate their intention to initiate an encounter with the clinician  18  and send registration information to the clinician  18 . An interactive television with an internet enabled set top box can also be used. An IVR phone system to power the same process. 
         [0030]    All information within the patient care system  10  can be displayed for real-time viewing by management. The analysis is mostly for business intelligence applications located within the corporate headquarters  21 . Additionally, at the corporate headquarters  21  observation of data flow and analytics can be performed on the information within the medical records system  17  by the management of the patient care system  10 . Furthermore, the analytics can be performed in real time based upon the information received at the corporate headquarters  21  and, accordingly, the patient care system  10  can be managed in real-time from within the corporate headquarters  21 . Inventory can be tracked, contracts can be entered with suppliers and pricing decisions can be made. The results of the real-time analytics can be shared with drug companies or insurance companies or any other legitimate corporations. 
         [0031]    Thus, managers located at the corporate headquarters  21  can do analytics on the data by logging into the system website from their corporate headquarters. However, it will be understood that any real-time analysis performed in this manner need not be part of the patient care process at the time of the encounter. Rather, the analysis performed can be performed at any time, primarily for the purpose of business intelligence applications. 
         [0032]    For example, if a plurality of kiosk systems, which can have one or more kiosks  13 , are disposed at different locations they can all be coupled to the medical records system  17 . The lengths of the queues at each of the various kiosks  13  can be determined by algorithms preferably located in the data center  17  of the system  10 . Accordingly, the patients  12  waiting in longer queues at some of the kiosks  13  can be informed of any shorter queues at other kiosks  13  that are located nearby by the system  10 . The determinations of which kiosks  13  have longer queues, which kiosks  13  are near the kiosks  13  which have long queues, whether the nearby queues are shorter than the ones having long queues and the likely travel time from a longer queue to a shorter queue can all be performed at any convenient location. 
         [0033]    The medical records system  17  may store any type of information on the patient  12  that was previously received and recorded, as well as any new information provided by the patient  12  to the medical records system  17  during a current encounter with the patient care system  10 . For example, the patient  12  can transmit current information on his/her complaints and symptoms to the medical records system  17  by way of the kiosk  13 . The previously provided information and the currently provided information within the medical records system  17  can be displayed on a graphical user interface which is available for viewing by the clinician  18  at the location of the patient  12 . The choice of information to be displayed in this manner can be interactively controlled by the clinician  18  using the graphical user interface at the location of the patient  12 . 
         [0034]    Using the current and previous information stored within the electronic medical records system  17 , as well as any verbal reports provided by the patient  12  to the clinician  18 , the clinician  18  can provide health care to the patient  12  during a current encounter. The health care is provided during the current encounter according to the new and previous information of the patient  12  and the medical training of the clinician  18 . The information that the patient  12  can provide in order to initiate an encounter with the patient care system  10  are described in more detail below. It will be understood that the clinician  18  can initiate an encounter with the health care system  10 . 
         [0035]    After completing an encounter within the patient care system  10  a patient  12  can be discharged by the clinician  18 . Information and instructions based upon the encounter can be sent by the clinician  18  to the personal health records of the patient  12  at the home of the patient  12 , for example by email. In another embodiment educational information for the patient  12  related to encounters with the health care system  10  can be stored in the same server as the electronic medical records system  17  and a notification that new information is in the personal health record of the patient  12  can be sent via email to the patient  12 . Information with respect to an encounter can also be sent to the billing offices to arrange for billing, to laboratories in order to request lab work, and to collaborating physicians who can provide oversight of the encounters within the patient care system  10 . Additionally, information with respect to an encounter can be sent to any other location or stored for on-demand retrieval. Retrieval can be from any location where the information within the medical records system  17  on previous or current encounters between the system  10  and the patient  12  may be useful. 
         [0036]    Thus, it will be understood that the kiosk  13 , the medical records system  17 , the billing offices, the pharmacy, the laboratories and the collaborating physicians are in direct, real time communication with each other and are, therefore, fully integrated with each other. In a preferred embodiment pharmacies and laboratories can be integrated with the patient care system  10  by connecting them to the system  10  via a clearing-house or other conduit rather than being a part of the system  10 . Furthermore, it will be understood that any other location that may be useful for facilitating the performance of the operations of the patient care system  10  can also be integrated with the patient care system  10  or connected them to the system  10  via the clearing-house or other conduit, provided it can be placed in with the system  10  as understood by those skilled in the art. 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2A-2J , there is shown a series of photographs and screen shots illustrating the system and method of the present invention according to a preferred embodiment. As previously described, a kiosk  13  can be provided within the patient care system  10  in order to permit the patient  12  to register with the patient care system  10  thereby signaling the system  10  that an encounter is being initiated. The kiosk  13  can be a permanent structure for maintaining access to the patient care system  10  from a selected location for a long period or time. However, in one preferred embodiment of the invention the kiosk  13  can be a temporary structure or a portable structure, for permitting the kiosk  13  to be conveniently assembled at a location for a relatively shorter period, disassembled, removed, transported, and reassembled at another location. For example, the kiosk  13  can be a pop-up kiosk for permitting convenient assembly, disassembly and transporting thereof. 
         [0038]    Furthermore, permanent kiosks  13  as well as temporary or portable kiosks  13  in accordance with the present invention can be provided at any location that is suitable for an encounter between a patient  12  and a clinician  18 , provided the location permits access to the internet  16 , in order to permit communication between the kiosk  13  and the medical records system  17 . In one preferred embodiment of the invention a kiosk  13  can be located within or in the vicinity of a pharmacy in order to save the time required by the patient  12  to travel to a pharmacy to fill a prescription for medication or equipment after an encounter. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIG. 2A , the kiosk  13  can include a display device  15  for permitting the patient  12  to interact conveniently with the electronic medical records system  17 . As previously described, the kiosk system including the kiosk  13  is fully integrated with the medical records system  17 , preferably by way of the internet  16 . Additionally, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the kiosk  13  can include a display of instructions  20 , or a plurality of displays of instructions  20 , in order to assist the patient  12  in using the patient care system  10 . 
         [0040]    The display device  15  provided within a kiosk  13  can display a plurality of buttons  25  as shown in  FIG. 2B . The buttons  25  can permit the patient  12  to initiate an encounter with the patient care system  10  and to indicate to the medical records system  17  whether he/she is a new patient or a returning patient. Accordingly, the medical records system  17  can retrieve previously stored information for the patient  12  if a determination is made that such information exists. Additionally, the display device  15  can include a viewing pane  23  for providing additional instructions to assist the patient  12  in interacting with the health care system  10 , as shown more clearly in  FIG. 2C . 
         [0041]    When the patient  12  indicates that he/she is a new patient or a returning patient by way of the buttons  25 , the display device  15  can provide a display of a plurality of data fields  30  as shown in  FIG. 2D . The data fields  30  can be used by the patient  12  to enter name, address and telephone number information into the medical records system  17 . The queries put to a patient  12  by the medical records system  17 , and the information provided by the patient  12 , can include any queries or information that may facilitate the encounter between the patient  12  and the patient care system  10 . Additionally, the buttons  35  can be provided on the display device  15  in order to permit the patient  12  to return to a previously displayed screen, move to the next display screen, or exit from the electronic patient care system  10 . 
         [0042]    In the next screen displayed on the display device  15 , additional identifying information can be entered by the patient  12  by way of the data fields  40  as shown in  FIG. 2E . The information entered into the data fields  40  by the patient  12  can be gender information, social security information, or any other kind of information known to those skilled in the art. When the information of the data fields  30 ,  40 , or when any other identifying information is received, the medical records system  17  can request that the patient  12  enter information regarding the nature of the current encounter. In order to enter this information the patient  12  can use the buttons  45  as shown in  FIG. 2F . For example, using the buttons  45  on the display device  15  the patient  12  can indicate that the current encounter is being initiated because of an illness, a minor injury, a screening/test, a vaccination or a sports physical. Additionally, further buttons  45  may be provided for any other reason which may be useful for determining how the clinician  18  should treat the patient  12  during the encounter. 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIG. 2G , a further screen may be provided on the display device  15  wherein the buttons  50  can be used by the patient  12  to indicate the symptoms of the patient  12  to the patient care system  10 . For example, using the buttons  50  the patient  12  can indicate sinus pain, cold and flu, a tick/insect bite, a fever (less than 72 hours), an allergy, an eye irritation, an ear pain/problem, a sore throat, a scalp/hair problem, cold sores, a skin rash/condition, bladder/urinary symptoms, or any other symptoms 
         [0044]    Furthermore, any type of symptoms can be indicated to the patient care system  10 . For example, the indicated symptoms can be very specific information required by medical specialists, such as cardiologists. Furthermore, the symptoms can be indicated in any manner known to those skilled in the art. For example, the symptoms can be indicated by selecting or creating images of any type that may be determined to be useful for an encounter within the patient care system  10 . Images can be displayed on the display device  15  to permit, for example, the patient  12  to point to, to circle or to draw an area of the body where pain or other concerns are localized. 
         [0045]    It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the clinician  18  must operate strictly according to guidelines that are promulgated for patient care within the patient care system  10 . The guidelines are adapted to strictly comply with all applicable laws, codes and regulations. For example, the clinician  18  may be a physician, a nurse practitioner or any other health care worker. The governing state law where the kiosk  13  is located may set forth which conditions a clinician  18  is permitted to treat without collaborating with a physician. The guidelines may list any conditions that must be treated only if a physician collaborates during an encounter. Furthermore, the guidelines can set forth which conditions can be treated at the time of the encounter by the clinician  18  but must be submitted for later review by a collaborating physician. Conditions which must be immediately referred to an emergency room can also be indicated. 
         [0046]    As an example, a nurse clinician  18  may be required to refer a patient  12  having a fever longer than seventy-two hours to an emergency room rather than trying to treat him/her. In a preferred embodiment, the clinician  18  can be alerted immediately when a patient  12  indicates a condition which should be handled by the emergency room. Furthermore, the clinician  18  may be provided with predetermined protocols for all conditions treated during an encounter within the patient care system  10  and required to strictly comply with them. 
         [0047]    After indicating his/her symptoms to the health care system  10  using the buttons  50 , the patient  12  can indicate whether he/she has health care insurance using the buttons  55  in a further screen shown on the display device  15 . The buttons  50  are shown in  FIG. 2H . Additionally, the patient  12  can indicate whether payment for the current encounter with the patient care system  10  should be submitted through an insurance company, or paid by the patient  12  using the buttons  60  on the display device  15  as shown in  FIG. 2I . Any information entered into the health care system  10  by buttons or any other method described herein can also be collected using a of a card such as a credit card or an insurance card, an RFID device, an optical device or any other information device. 
         [0048]    Furthermore, in one preferred embodiment of the invention, the patient  12  can be prompted by the patient care system  10  to indicate which health insurance plan is to be used for payment using buttons  65  or any other device, as shown in  FIG. 2J . As also shown in  FIG. 2J , additional health insurance plans or additional instructions for the patient  12  can be selected using the button  70  on the display device  15  if necessary. 
         [0049]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a screen shot of a graphical user interface  75  suitable for collecting or entering any information and for displaying any information. The information displayed can include any guidelines or protocols that may be relevant to the encounter for the clinician  18  or the patient  12 . The display of  FIG. 3  shows one example of the kind of data from the electronic medical records system  17  which can be available to the clinician  18  during an encounter. However, the graphical user interface  75  can display any kind of information for the clinician  18  that may facilitate an encounter between a patient  12  and the patient care system  10 . It will be understood that such a display of data from the electronic medical records system  17  can eliminate the need for pulling hard copies of the patient&#39;s records from shelves. 
         [0050]    As also shown in  FIG. 3  the graphical user interface  75  can set forth a plurality of clinical lists  71  for the clinician  18 . For example, a history of the medication prescribed for the patient  12  can be shown in a medications list  72 . Additionally, a History of Present Illness (HPI) list  74  can be provided to indicate. For example, any allergies that the patient  12  may have, along with the severity and the patient&#39;s symptoms can be displayed. Any other problems that the clinician  18  should be aware of can also be shown on the graphical user interface  75  in this manner. It will be understood that current information entered by the patient into the patient care system  10 , and received by the medical records system  17 , can be made available to the clinician  18  at the location of the kiosk system instantaneously, along with the information on the patient  12  that was previously stored in the medical records system  17 . Furthermore, any information entered into the medical records system  17  by the clinician during an encounter can also be displayed instantaneously on the graphical user interface  75 . 
         [0051]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a prescription form can be provided to the clinician  18  on the graphical user interface  75  for prescribing any required medicines or services for the patient  12  in accordance with the encounter between the patient  12  and the clinician  18  within the patient care system  10 . For example, the name of a clinician  18 , the name of a medication and the prescription instructions can be entered in data fields  76  displayed on the graphical use interface  75  as shown. 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , additional information can be displayed on the graphics user interface  75 . The additional information can include a list of the patients  12  in the queue of the clinician  18  who are waiting to see the clinician  18 . This information is available to the corporate headquarters  21  at all times for all kiosks  13  that are active in the patient care system  10 . 
         [0053]    User inbox  85  can contain any tasks, reminders, or instructions that the user of the system may find useful. These items can be created by the patient  12  of, the system  10  (based on workflow rules or any other source of rules), or another user. The items can be provided with a priority level (i.e. high, medium, low, etc.) and can be tied to various workflow rules or any other source of rules. For example, if new medical results are received the results can be analyzed by the system  10  and a task can be created by the system  10  to that indicate when new abnormal lab results have arrived. In another example, after a patient  12  has been seen, the system  10  can create a visit follow-up task to indicate that a call should be made to the patient  12  back to determine how he/she are doing. 
         [0054]    Additionally, the clinician  18  can be provided with a screen on the graphical interface user  75  showing a face sheet (or encounter history) of a patient  12  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The face sheet can be a high level view of the history of the patients  12 . Each encounter between the patient  12  and the patient care system can be displayed, along with its corresponding symptoms. Likewise, the problems presented by the patient  12  in the previous encounters with the patient care system  10  and the medications provided, can be displayed on the graphical user interface  75 . Furthermore, information on allergies, immunizations and any other information believed to be useful by those skilled in the art for diagnosing and treating the patient  12  by the clinician  18  can be displayed on the graphical user interface  75 . Likewise, the results of clinical tests performed on the patient  12  can be displayed on the graphical user interface  75  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0055]    While the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific examples thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.