Abstract:
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for collecting information regarding the medication an individual is taking before an individual&#39;s healthcare visit. A patient medication list is generated using scanned barcode information or information from a photograph taken with the patient&#39;s mobile device. The pre-populated medication list is served to a clinician during the individual&#39;s healthcare visit without the need for manual entry of each medication the patient is currently taking to speed up the medication reconciliation process.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    An electronic medical record (EMR) contains the standard medical and clinical data gathered in one provider&#39;s office. An electronic medical record (EMR) is a digital or computerized version of a paper chart that contains all of a patient&#39;s medical history from one practice. Information contained in the EMR is typically used by providers for diagnosis and treatment. Electronic health records (EHRs), on the other hand, are designed to contain and share information from all providers involved in a patient&#39;s care. EHR data can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized providers and staff from across more than one health care organization. Like, the EMR, an EHR can be used by multiple providers for diagnosis and treatment of the patient. 
         [0002]    Some of the standard medical data gathered in the EMR or EHR includes prescribed medications and over the counter medications being taken by a patient. Under current JCHO guidelines, medications for a patient must be reconciled to avoid medication errors. As defined by the JCAHO, medication reconciliation is “the process of comparing a patient&#39;s medication orders to all of the medications that the patient has been taking. This reconciliation is done to avoid medication errors such as omissions, duplications, dosing errors, or drug interactions. It should be done at every start or transition of care in which new medications are ordered or existing orders are rewritten. Transitions in care include changes in setting, service, practitioner or level of care. 
         [0003]    The medication reconciliation process typically comprises five steps: 
         [0004]    1. Develop a list of current medications; 
         [0005]    2. Develop a list of medications to be prescribed; 
         [0006]    3. Compare the medications on the two lists 
         [0007]    4. Make clinical decisions based on the comparison 
         [0008]    5. Communicate the new list to appropriate caregivers and to the patient.” 
         [0009]    The benefits of correctly identifying the medications a patient is taking are significant. Without a correct list of current medications, steps 2-5 of the medication reconciliation process cannot be done correctly or efficiently. Currently, the process of developing a list of current medications when a clinician manually enters, such as typing into a computer interface, each medication and information that is provided to them by the patient or the patient&#39;s family. This may be done by verbal communication from the patient to the clinician, by bringing a handwritten list of medications or bringing all of the actual medications and/or medication container with the information regarding the prescription or over the counter medication. Depending on the number of medication and patient&#39;s ability to communicate this information, the time to gather and enter the information can take up a significant portion of the clinician visit. Once the list has been input into the computer interface by the clinician, list is then stored in the patient&#39;s electronic medical record. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The present invention is defined by the claims. 
         [0011]    The claimed invention relates to a system and method supporting computerized healthcare information systems. More specifically, the claimed invention relates to a system and method for computer based healthcare information users to receive information on individual usage in a timely, correct and organized manner a computer based electronic medical record for the patient. 
         [0012]    The claimed solution is necessarily rooted in computerized electronic medical record technology in order to overcome a problem specifically arising in the realm of computer healthcare information networks, and the claims address the problem of efficiently and correctly collecting information regarding medication an individual is taking in a computerized healthcare information system before the individual&#39;s healthcare visit. If adhering to the routine, conventional function of medication list generation in a healthcare information system, a clinician would manually enter, such as typing in, each medication and medication information individually into the individual&#39;s medical record in a computerized healthcare information system during the individual&#39;s healthcare visit. This can cause delay and for the incorrect information to be entered. 
         [0013]    The claimed invention overcomes the limitations of current computer healthcare information technology and provides other benefits that will become clear to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. 
         [0014]    The claimed system and method of the present application represents a new paradigm of providing medication information in a computerized electronic medical record. Not only does the claimed invention provide clinicians with a current medication list for the patient without manual entry but it also prevents errors in entry of the information and saves time during the patient visit that could be used for patient care. Users of electronic medical records or electronic health records utilizing the claimed invention will notice increased performance of their EMR or EHR, increased retrieval of the medication information from storage, fewer user steps to utilize the EMR and user access to the medication information. Furthermore, anything that reduces the number of “clicks” or entries a computer user has to make in an EMR or EHR results in reducing the memory utilization, CPU cycles, number of operations that need to be performed by the computer, and power consumption. The resulting cost savings and operational efficiencies of a computer electronic medical record magnify the potential benefits of this technology. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary computing environment suitable to implement embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an exemplary system for generating a medication list for person suitable to implement embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a medication bottle with information regarding administration of the medication; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an item of medication, such as a pill, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of exemplary methods of pre-populating a medication list in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The subject matter of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Moreover, although the terms “step” and/or “block” may be used herein to connote different elements of methods employed, the terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described. 
         [0022]    Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods, systems, and computer-readable media for generating a patient medication list for a provider using scanned bar code or information from a photograph. 
         [0023]    An exemplary computing environment suitable for use in implementing embodiments of the present invention is described below.  FIG. 1  is an exemplary computing environment (e.g., medical-information computing-system environment) with which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. The computing environment is illustrated and designated generally as reference numeral  100 . The computing environment  100  is merely an example of one suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention. Neither should the computing environment  100  be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any single component or combination of components illustrated therein. 
         [0024]    The present invention is a special computing system that can leverage well-known computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that might be suitable for use with the present invention include personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above-mentioned systems or devices, and the like. 
         [0025]    The present invention might be described in the context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Exemplary program modules comprise routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The present invention might be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules might be located in association with local and/or remote computer storage media (e.g., memory storage devices). 
         [0026]    With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the computing environment  100  comprises a computing device in the form of a control server  102 . Exemplary components of the control server  102  comprise a processing unit, internal system memory, and a suitable system bus for coupling various system components, including data store  104 , with the control server  102 . The system bus might be any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus, using any of a variety of bus architectures. Exemplary architectures comprise Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronic Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, also known as Mezzanine bus. 
         [0027]    The control server  102  typically includes therein, or has access to, a variety of non-transitory computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that might be accessed by control server  102 , and includes volatile and nonvolatile media, as well as, removable and nonremovable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by control server  102 . Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. 
         [0028]    The control server  102  might operate in a computer network  106  using logical connections to one or more remote computers  108 . Remote computers  108  might be located at a variety of locations in a medical or research environment, including clinical laboratories (e.g., molecular diagnostic laboratories), hospitals and other inpatient settings, veterinary environments, ambulatory settings, medical billing and financial offices, hospital administration settings, home healthcare environments, and clinicians&#39; offices. Clinicians may comprise a treating physician or physicians; specialists such as surgeons, radiologists, cardiologists, and oncologists; emergency medical technicians; physicians&#39; assistants; nurse practitioners; nurses; nurses&#39; aides; pharmacists; dieticians; microbiologists; laboratory experts; laboratory technologists; genetic counselors; researchers; veterinarians; students; and the like. The remote computers  108  might also be physically located in nontraditional medical care environments so that the entire healthcare community might be capable of integration on the network. The remote computers  108  might be personal computers, servers, routers, network PCs, peer devices, other common network nodes, or the like and might comprise some or all of the elements described above in relation to the control server  102 . The devices can be personal digital assistants or other like devices. 
         [0029]    Computer networks  106  comprise local area networks (LANs) and/or wide area networks (WANs). Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, and the Internet. When utilized in a WAN networking environment, the control server  102  might comprise a modem or other means for establishing communications over the WAN, such as the Internet. In a networking environment, program modules or portions thereof might be stored in association with the control server  102 , the data store  104 , or any of the remote computers  108 . For example, various application programs may reside on the memory associated with any one or more of the remote computers  108 . It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers (e.g., control server  102  and remote computers  108 ) might be utilized. 
         [0030]    In operation, an organization might enter commands and information into the control server  102  or convey the commands and information to the control server  102  via one or more of the remote computers  108  through input devices, such as a keyboard, a microphone (e.g., voice inputs), a touch screen, a pointing device (commonly referred to as a mouse), a trackball, or a touch pad. Other input devices comprise satellite dishes, scanners, or the like. Commands and information might also be sent directly from a remote healthcare device to the control server  102 . In addition to a monitor, the control server  102  and/or remote computers  108  might comprise other peripheral output devices, such as speakers and a printer. 
         [0031]    Although many other internal components of the control server  102  and the remote computers  108  are not shown, such components and their interconnection are well known. Accordingly, additional details concerning the internal construction of the control server  102  and the remote computers  108  are not further disclosed herein. 
         [0032]    In an embodiment exhibited by  FIG. 2 , the processing duties are split among several computing systems. The data store  270  may be implemented through a database system and may be an electronic medical record or electronic health record. The internet  240  serves as a communications link to consumer mobile devices. The tasks performed by the processor utilize a variety of computer technology. In one embodiment, the technology can be divided into three tiers, web server, application server and database server. Each tier is comprised of a number of system layers as described below. 
       Consumer Manager 
       [0033]    Consumer manager  210  is the control center for consumers, such as patients or family members. Consumer manager  210  resides on a personal computing device or mobile device  205  (such a smart phone) of the consumer. Furthermore, consumer manager  210  has an interface  222  with device  205  such that consumer manager  210  can receive information from the camera  212  and scanner  214  residing or connected to device  205 . 
         [0034]    The consumer manager  210  allows the consumer to communicate with medication list generator  250  and patients&#39; electronic medical records  270  via a network  240 . The patient or patient representative may initiate registration of the device  205  via a web interface  216 . The signup process will collect basic patient information  218 , such as patient identification  228 , device identification  226 , a password and a unique user id which can be used to login. The patient identification  228  can be transmitted to an EMR such that the correct EMR for the patient is utilized. 
         [0035]    When a consumer logs in  216 , she is taken directly to a medication consumer manager  210 . From the medication consumer manager  210  maintains login screen  216 , basic patient information  218  and an API layer between the patient&#39;s electronic medical record  240  and the medical consumer manager  210 . 
         [0036]    The consumer manager  210  is able to maintain additional patient information  220  such as nutrition information (such as calorie and fat gram counting), exercise information (such as counting steps and workouts) as well as other applications such as links to medical devices and monitors. The information maintained in the medication consumer application  210  includes basic consumer information  216  including name, patient number, IP address along with medical contacts, links and interfaces to medical devices, monitors and other medical applications, payment information, pharmacy contact information. The device  205  having the medication consumer application  210  has access to a camera  212  and/or bar code scanner  214  such as those on smart phones, web cameras or personal computers. Consumer manager  210  also includes a consumer medication information component  224  for providing the consumer with a medication list  282  (discussed in detail below) and information regarding the consumer&#39;s medications. A consumer can access known medication information via an interface  224  displayed by the consumer manager  210  on the consumer&#39;s smart phone or personal computer  205 . 
         [0037]    Medication List Generator 
         [0038]    Medication List Generator  250  is comprised of subcomponents including a consumer interface  252 , barcode decoder  254 , photograph decoder  256 , medication catalog  258 , medication list manager  260 , electronic medical record interface  262  and clinician interface  264 . It will be appreciated that some or all of the modules of medication list generator  250  may reside on consumer device  205  or alternatively some or all of the modules of medication list generator  250  may be accessed via network  240  and reside on device remote to consumer device  205 . 
         [0039]    Consumer Interface  252   
         [0040]    Consumer interface  252  is in communication with consumer manager  210 . Consumer manager  210  communicates information such as device id registration  226  and patient identification  228  to consumer interface  252  of medication list generator  250 . Consumer interface receives the patient identification  228  and device identification  226  for registration. Interface  252  also receives any scanned barcodes  228  and photographs  226  from consumer manager  210  of device  205 . Consumer interface  252  also communicates medication information and medication lists to consumer manager  210  such that the information can be provided to the consumer via consumer medication interface  224  of consumer manager  210 . 
         [0041]    Barcode Decoder  254   
         [0042]    A barcode  228  is scanned by scanner  214  with device  205 . The code strings associated with the medication are scanned  228  with the barcode scanner. The scanned barcode information is passed to the consumer manager  210  via device interface  222 . The consumer manager  210  communicates the scanned bar code information via consumer interface  252  which is then passed to barcode decoder  254 . For example, bar code  310  is scanned from medication bottle  305  of  FIG. 3 . Medication catalog  258  used to match the scanned bar code information with the medication name, route, dosage and any other identifying information contained in the code strings. 
         [0043]    Barcode decoder  254  decodes the medication bar code information  225 . For example code received: XYZ XYZ123 XYZ1234 as shown in  FIG. 3  corresponds with Amoxicillin 500 mg capsule as shown in  FIG. 3 . The decoding can be accomplished by matching the bar code information with the correct medication in medication catalog manager  258 . 
         [0044]    Photograph Decoder  256   
         [0045]    A photograph  226  is taken by camera  212  of device  205 . For example, a photograph of label  320  is taken of medication bottle  305  of  FIG. 3  and/or the actual medication  400  of  FIG. 4 . The photograph  226  is passed to the consumer manager  210  via device interface  222 . The consumer manager  210  communicates the photograph to consumer interface  252  of medication list generator  250  which is then passed to photograph decoder  256 . 
         [0046]    Photograph decoder  256  utilizes text recognition software to parse as much data from the photograph  226  as possible. For example, photograph decoder would use text recognition to parse the information of the photograph of label  320  received. For example, text recognition would recognize and parse from a photograph: 
         [0047]    Patient information—Jean Doe 
         [0048]    Route of medication—By Mouth 
         [0049]    Frequency of medication—3 times daily 
         [0050]    Length of medication—10 days 
         [0051]    Photograph decoder can also use text and color recognition to parse information from a photograph  400  of the medication itself. For example, photograph decoder  256  can determine that the photograph of pill  400  is a pink capsule having the identification code  123 X. 
         [0052]    The information parsed from the photographs  225  can then be matched with the correct medication in medication catalog manager  258 . For example, the pink pill color and pill code  123 X may be contained in medication catalog  258  and listed for amoxicillin 500 mg capsule. As such the parsed photograph information can be matched up with the medication information contained in medication catalog  258 . Thus, even in the absence of a barcode with medication information or a prescription label, the consumer can still photograph the actual medication and the parsed and matched information is used to populate the medication list  282  for the consumer discussed in more detail below. 
         [0053]    Additionally, additional information can be parsed from a photograph  226  of a medication label or medication itself, including patient information, pharmacy information and prescriber that may not be contained the bar code string or if a bar code string is unavailable. For example code describing the medication, dose and route may be obtained from decoding the barcode but information regarding the frequency, patient name, pharmacy and date prescribed may be parsed from a photograph of the medication label. Alternatively, if there is no bar code  228  available, as much information as possible can be generate by photograph decoder  256  and matching the parsed information using medication catalog  258  of medication list generator  250 . 
         [0054]    Medication Catalog  258   
         [0055]    The medication catalog manager  258  maintains a list drugs and arranges them into catalogs with medication attributes. For example, medication attributes include: 
         [0056]    Name of the medication including brand name, generic name, chemical name. 
         [0057]    Route that the medication is to be administered (e.g., oral administration, nasal administration, ocular administration) 
         [0058]    Frequency refers to how often the medication is to be administered to the patient (e.g., once a day, every 4 hours, as needed). 
         [0059]    Length refers to how long the medication is to be administered or prescription should last (e.g., 10 days, 12 hours) 
         [0060]    Dosage is the amount of the medication that is to be administered (e.g., 2 pills, 2 drops, 5 cc) 
         [0061]    Special instructions provided by the clinician such as “take with food, take at night.” 
         [0062]    Date Prescribed is the date the medication was prescribed. 
         [0063]    Prescribing Clinician is the name, address, clinician identifier and DEA number if needed. 
         [0064]    Pharmacy fulfilling medication order is the name, pharmacy identifier that has filled the prescription. 
         [0065]    Codes and coding information associated with the medication and the above information. 
         [0066]    Information regarding physical characteristic of the medication including color, size, markings and textual codes etched on the medication. 
         [0067]    The medication catalog  220  may also maintain updated information for each medication such as drug interactions, adverse events and black box warnings. The catalogs with the medication attributes may include flags to indicate that a medication is subject to a recall, adverse event or has a new black box warning. The medication catalog and medication information is updated on a regular basis by entering new information into medication list generator or alternative automatic updates from drug companies and/or the FDA. 
         [0068]    It will be appreciated that the medication catalog  258 , medication list manager  260 , photograph parser,  256  and barcode decoder  254  may reside on the consumer smart phone or computer  205  or alternatively may be located in another computing environment communicating via a network. 
         [0069]    List Manager  260   
         [0070]    Medication List Generator  260  leverages information from the consumer manager and/or the patient record to identify the patient using the API layer, communicates with the medication catalog manager to receive the prescription information for the medication. 
         [0071]    As medications are scanned or photographed by device  205 , decoded by barcoder  254  and photograph decoder  256  and matched to the correct medication and related information using medication catalog  258 , a running list of medications and associated information is maintained by list manager  260 . For example, when consumer uses a first device to scan barcode  310  of  FIG. 3  of medication  1 , the information is transmitted, decoded and matched using medication list generator  250 . Medication  1  and related information is maintained in list manager  260  along with being tagged with information regarding when the medication was scanned. Below, is an example of medication  1  being added to a medication list using medication list manager  260 . 
       Jean Doe Medication List 
     Medication  1   
       [0072]    Medication and Strength: Amoxicillin 500 mg capsule
 
Route: By mouth
 
Frequency: 3 times daily
 
Length: 10 days starting on April 5
 
Next in the example, medication  2  is scanned, decoded, matched using medication list generator  250  and is added to a medication list using medication list manager  260 .
 
       Jean Doe Medication List 
     Medication  2   
     Medication and Strength: Fluticasone Propinoate Nasal Spray 50 mcg 
     Route: Nasal 
       [0073]    Frequency: 1 time daily
 
Length: As needed
 
         [0074]    The list manager  260  continuously populates the medication list using barcode information or photograph information received from consumer manager  210  using device  205 . The medication list  282  for a patient can be viewed by a clinician via an interface  280  displayed by the medication list manager  260  on using clinician interface  264  the clinician&#39;s computing device. The medication list  282  can also be presented to the consumer using consumer medication information access  224 . 
         [0075]    The medication list  282  maintained for the patient in list manager  262  can be annotated by the medication catalog  258  and list manager  260  in a variety of ways before presentation to a clinician and/or the consumer. For example, if certain information for the medication was missing from the information decoded and/or parsed from photograph this would be noted on the medication list and highlighted for the clinician when he/she is reviewing the patient&#39;s medication list  282 . In another embodiment, if a new black box warning or drug adverse reaction has newly added medication catalog this may be highlighted for the viewing of the clinician and/or consumer. 
         [0076]    In embodiments, the list of medications  282  maintained by the list manager  260  and displayed on clinician interface  264  to clinician  280 , is a preliminary list that may require additional inputs and verification by the clinician. For example if there is an omission or discrepancy to the preliminary list, this can be input and/or edited by the clinician via clinician interface  264 . Once the clinician has made any necessary edits/inputs to the preliminary medication list  282 , the clinician verified, finalized and/or approved medication list for the patient for that visit is stored in the patient&#39;s electronic medical record  270 . Additionally, the verified medication list may be communicated to third party  290 , such as an insurance payor, audit agency or application, government entities requiring the information and pharmacies that may need and have permission to access the medication list. 
       Electronic Medical Record Database 
       [0077]    Electronic Medical Record Database  270  is computer store containing healthcare information for individual patients. EMR  270  includes an electronic version of patient records including information for the patient, such as medication and infusion orders, tasks, images, examination reports, testing and lab results, medical history, etc. EMR  270  contains the standard medical and clinical data gathered in a provider&#39;s office. An EMR  270  is a digital or computerized version of a paper chart that contains all of a patient&#39;s medical history. In the embodiments of the present invention, the patient identifier  228  and patient device identifier  226  are stored in the EMR for the individual patient. Additional, medication names and medication lists  282  may also stored in the patient&#39;s EMR. 
         [0078]    System Flow 
         [0079]    The medication list generator system acts as a clearinghouse for all medications for patient to provide a clinician with a quick and accurate picture of the medications for an individual patient. The system maintains a real-time interface with the a consumer and a clinician including processing medications, recording medications, generating medication lists for access by a clinician and user and generating alerts and action items for both the clinician and consumer. The transaction flow for the clinician is directly related to the structure of the underlying database. 
         [0080]    Consumer activates link to consumer manager which in turn activates and registers consumer and consumer&#39;s device with the medication list generator and patient&#39;s EMR. This activation is typically accomplished by logging into consumer manager by the consumer. 
         [0081]    Consumer scans a bar code of a medication using consumer device. The bar code may be on a prescription medication or an over the counter medication. The consumer manager transmits the scanned bar code information to medication list generator at step  505  of  FIG. 5  such that the information from the barcode can be translated into a medication for the patient&#39;s medication list. 
         [0082]    Consumer takes a photograph of a medication label using the consumer device. The medication label may be a prescription label or an over the counter label. The consumer manager transmits the photograph to the medication list generator at step  510  such that the information from the photograph can be parsed and translated into medication information for the patient&#39;s medication list. 
         [0083]    At step  515 , the barcode decoder or photograph decoder perform any necessary translation or parsing and text recognition to determine the medication list to populate to the patient&#39;s medication list. 
         [0084]    At step  520 , the medication information, including name, route, dosage, frequency and instructions, are pre-populated to a running medication list for the patient. 
         [0085]    Upon the completion of the translation of the first medication scanned and/or photographed at  525  if there are additional medications for the patient being scanned or photographed, steps  505 - 520  are completed for each of the additional medications. 
         [0086]    At step  530 , for each medication pre-populated to the medication list, the medication list generator determines any omissions or discrepancies for each medication and makes note of these on the list. For example, if route or duration is missing, these may be highlighted at  535  for the clinician in the clinician interface for the clinician to ask about the missing route or duration for a medication. 
         [0087]    The pre-population medication list for an individual patient is presented in to the graphical user interface of the clinician along with any alerts or highlighted omissions or discrepancies. The clinician makes any changes or additions to the pre-populated medication list and verifies or signs the pre-populated list with any changes or additions at  550 . At  555 , the finalized list is stored in the in the patient&#39;s EMR for that patient visit. 
         [0088]    As discussed above, a pre-populated medication list can be provided for the patient to a clinician before each visit for the patient as the medications on the patient&#39;s list may change from visit to visit. Additionally, the previous medication list can be provided as a template for a clinician, if no new medication has been scanned or photographed by the consumer device since the previous visit. In addition, the verified medication list of current medication can be used to reconcile with newly prescribed medications and utilized to make clinical decisions. 
         [0089]    The present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments, which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Further, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.