Abstract:
A data processing system includes: means for accessing a medical case database; means for entering case-related data in the case database; means for accessing a medical specialty questions database; means for generating a query for the specialty questions database with the help of the case-related data; means for displaying a specialty question obtained by the query; means for entering an answer to the specialty question; and means for evaluating an answer.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a data processing system, a method for computer-assisted learning as well as a corresponding computer program product. 
         [0002]    From the state of the art, various computer-based learning and teaching methods are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,415 discloses a method of this type, in which the efficiency of individual learning is supposed to be improved by monitoring the learning progress in that the course material is paced to the abilities of the student. For this, interactive multimedia technology is combined with courseware development in order to provide a flexible teaching tool. 
         [0003]    Another computer-based learning system is known from DE 697 17 659 T2, which analyzes test results in an effort to identify corresponding skills gaps and based thereon create a personalized syllabus. 
         [0004]    Continuous on-the-job training and continuing education are gaining increasing importance in various fields. Particularly in the medical profession, continuing medical education (CME) is an indispensable part of the professional core values and as such is included even in the Model Professional Code of Conduct of the Federal German Medical Profession. With the Health System Modernization Act (GMG), which took effect on Jan. 1, 2004, the continuing education of employees in the medical field, which used to be voluntary in the German Federal Republic, has become mandatory. For physicians in private practices it is provided that they must offer proof to the Medical Insurance Association every five years of having complied with their continuing education obligation over the preceding five-year period. If this proof of continuing education is not provided, or not fully provided, sanctions are imposed ranging from cuts in fees to the petition for revocation of the authorization to practice medicine. 
         [0005]    A corresponding continuing education obligation also exists for specialty physicians working in hospitals. There, a committee is commissioned with taking quality assurance measures in the hospitals, including those of a continuing education obligation that the specialty physician must comply with in five-year intervals. Hospitals, which are not able to prove that their physicians complied with this continuing education obligation, run the risk of losing their care provision agreements. 
         [0006]    The medical associations issue a continuing education certificate if within a period of three years 150 continuing education credits have been acquired and documented. One continuing education credit generally corresponds to one academic hour and can be acquired through events certified by the regional medical association. The continuing education certificate offers proof of the statutory continuing education. 
         [0007]    One problem associated with continuing education events of this type is that they cannot be targeted to individual skill gaps and the respective concrete fields of the physicians and therefore are relatively inefficient. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is therefore the object of the invention to create a data processing system, a method for computer-assisted learning as well as a corresponding computer program product, which is suited for on-the-job continuing education in the medical field. 
         [0009]    The invention provides a data processing system with means for accessing a medical case database, means for entering case-related data in the case database, means for accessing a medical specialty questions database, means for generating a query for the specialty questions database with the help of the case-related data, means for releasing a specialty question obtained through a query, means for entering an answer to the specialty questions and means for evaluating the answer. 
         [0010]    According to the invention, therefore, the case-related data, which a physician enters, for example, during or following the treatment of a patient, is used for selecting a specialty question from a specialty questions database. This offers the advantage that the treating physician is faced with specialty questions that relate to the medical cases he treats and/or that are relevant for the medical field he covers. 
         [0011]    In addition to specialty questions, the specialty questions database may also be used to store continuing education units. Each continuing education unit is then typically associated with several specialty questions. According to one embodiment of the invention, the physician must first process the continuing education unit that is associated with a specialty question before the data processing system will release the specialty question to the physician for answering. The continuing education unit can include, for example, text and/or multimedia and/or interactive training materials for the continuing education of physicians. 
         [0012]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the case-related data is encoded. The case-related data can be, for example, diagnostic data and/or service data for service tracking and billing to the health insurance companies. Every possible diagnosis and/or every possible service that a physician may provide is associated with a unique code. The diagnosis and/or the service are entered by storing the corresponding code. 
         [0013]    Every specialty question that is stored in the specialty questions database is associated with at least one of these codes. This code association is used to associate the specialty question with the diagnosis and/or service associated with the code. The search for specialty questions in the specialty questions database can then be carried out such that following the input of the encoded diagnosis and/or service, the code associated with the diagnosis and/or service is used as a search criterion for a query of the specialty questions database. As a result, specialty questions are determined, which are relevant for the previously recorded diagnosis and/or service. 
         [0014]    The release of a specialty question selected with the help of the case-related data can occur, for example, directly after the case-related data has been entered. For example, the physician can answer this specialty question between two patient appointments. Consequently, the continuing education of physicians becomes an integral part of the process of the practice or clinic. 
         [0015]    Alternatively, however, the selected specialty questions can also be stored for answering later on. For example, the specialty questions can be exported via an interface to a portable electronic device, for example to a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a mobile phone, particularly a UMTS phone, a laptop or the like, so that the physician can process these specialty questions for example in the evening or on the weekend outside of work. Alternatively or additionally, the specialty questions are stored on an Internet portal and associated there with the respective physician. When the physician logs in, he is granted access to the specialty questions stored for him to process and can download them and then process them locally or process the questions directly via the Internet browser. 
         [0016]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the data processing system is integrated in the practice IT system of a physician&#39;s practice or in an electronic management system of a hospital. The data of each patient is captured in a virtual file card. On the occasion of a patient consultation and/or a physician&#39;s ward round, the virtual file card of the patient is opened, allowing the additional case-related data of the patient gained from the consultation and/or the ward round to be entered in the virtual file card. This data includes, for example, anamnesis, diagnostic, therapeutic and/or prescription data. 
         [0017]    According to one embodiment of the invention, a query of the specialty questions database is carried out after closing the virtual file card, meaning after storing the supplemental case-related data, wherein one or more case-related pieces of data stored in the virtual file card are used as search terms for searching for a suitable specialty question. 
         [0018]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the service tracking function initiates a query in the specialty questions database. During service tracking, codes associated with the individual physician services are stored. These codes are used as search criteria for the query of the specialty questions database. 
         [0019]    According to one embodiment of the invention, every specialty question in the specialty questions database is associated with a clear identification. If the treating physician prefers not to respond to the specialty question right away, but rather at a later time, the corresponding specialty question identification is stored separately. As a result, a list of specialty question identifications is created, which the physician must process either at regular or irregular intervals. 
         [0020]    According to one embodiment of the invention, the specialty questions database includes for each specialty question a reference to a file with a learning module, which relates to the subject of the specialty question. If a specialty question is answered incorrectly, the treating physician is offered the appropriate learning module for immediate review or for review later on. 
         [0021]    The specialty questions can also be broken down into different categories. Each category of specialty questions is then associated with one or more learning modules. When the physician in a certain category does not achieve a certain minimum percentage of correctly answered questions, he will be offered one or more of these learning modules associated with the respective category of specialty questions for immediate review or for review later on. 
         [0022]    In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for computer-assisted learning. The method comprises the following steps: entering of case-related data in a case database, use of one or several case-related pieces of data for querying a specialty questions database, releasing the specialty question obtained from the query of the specialty questions database, and evaluating a response entered for the specialty question. 
         [0023]    In another aspect, the invention relates to a computer program product, particularly a digital storage medium, for implementing such a method. A corresponding computer program can be implemented, for example, on a personal computer or a portable electronic device. It can also be implemented in a network environment, such as a client-server architecture for example. Furthermore, it is also possible to implement it as a distributed data processing system, for example including public networks, such as the Internet. The specialty questions database and/or the learning modules can be made available via one or more web services, for example. 
         [0024]    Furthermore it is possible to link medical devices to the inventive data processing system. The case-related data supplied by medical devices of this type can be included in the selection of the specialty questions. 
         [0025]    Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the description herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained hereinafter in more detail with reference to the drawings. Shown are: 
           [0027]      FIG. 1 : a block diagram of a first embodiment of a data processing system according to the invention, 
           [0028]      FIG. 2 : a flow chart of one embodiment of a method according to the invention, 
           [0029]      FIG. 3 : a virtual patient file card for entering case-related data, 
           [0030]      FIG. 4 : a window of a graphic user interface for releasing a case-related question and for entering an answer to the multiple-choice question, and 
           [0031]      FIG. 5 : a flow chart of another embodiment of a method according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]      FIG. 1  shows a data processing system  100  with a server computer  102 . In the server computer  102  a case database  104  is stored. The case database  104  comprises case-related data for every stored medical case and a unique identification for the respective medical case, referred to as the case ID. A medical case here is, for example, a sequence of connected medical measures within the framework of the outpatient and/or inpatient care of a patient, the virtual file card of a patient with the medical data and/or the complete electronic patient file. 
         [0033]    Instead of on the server computer  102 , the case database  104  can also be stored entirely or partially on one or more external computers  106 , which the server computer  102  can access via the network  108 , for example the Internet. 
         [0034]    Furthermore, a specialty questions database  110  can be stored on the server computer  102 . The specialty questions database contains various specialty questions and continuing education units that are associated with the specialty questions. The specialty questions can be categorized and/or indexed. The key words may optionally be stored in the specialty questions database  110  as search terms for selecting specialty questions. Alternatively or in addition to the indexing of specialty questions, the specialty questions may be associated with service and/or diagnostic codes. The database query can then be carried out with the help of a service and/or diagnostic code. 
         [0035]    Each of the specialty questions is associated with a unique identification, meaning a question ID. When using a multiple-choice method, several answers are stored for each specialty question, of which answers one or more are correct. Furthermore, each specialty question is associated with a point value, which is awarded to the processing person when the question is answered correctly. Furthermore, each specialty question is associated with a pointer for a learning module containing material relating to the subject of the specialty question. 
         [0036]    The specialty questions database  110  can also be stored entirely or partially on one of the external computers  106 . 
         [0037]    Furthermore, a user database  112  can be stored on the server computer  102 . The user database  112  comprises a clear identification for each registered user, meaning a user ID. Every user ID can be associated with one or more question IDs, which identify open specialty questions of the specialty questions database  110  that the respective user still has to process. Furthermore, each user ID can be associated with one or more pointers for learning modules, which the respective user still has to process. Furthermore, every user ID can be associated with a cumulative point value, which was awarded based on correct answers to specialty questions and/or the processing of learning modules. Also the user database  112  can be stored entirely or partially on one of the computers  106 . 
         [0038]    The same applies for the learning modules that can be stored locally in a memory  114  of the server computer  112  or entirely or partially on one of the external computers  106 . The learning modules can be text documents or multimedia and/or interactive materials. 
         [0039]    Furthermore, the server computer  102  comprises at least one processor  116  for executing a program  118 . 
         [0040]    A client computer  120  can be connected to the server computer  102  via a network  122 , for example an Ethernet. One or more medical devices  124  can also be connected via the same network  122  to the server computer  102  and/or the client computer  120 . Typically several client computers  120  for the various workstations, for example of a joint practice, a hospital or another medical facility, can be connected via the network  122  to the server computer  102  and/or at least one medical device  124 . 
         [0041]    The server computer  120  comprises at least one processor  126  for executing a program  128 . The client computer  120  may furthermore comprise an interface  130  for exchanging data with a portable electronic device, for example a PDA  132 , which is provided with an appropriate interface  134 . The interfaces  130 ,  134  can be configured for conventional or wireless communication. The interfaces  130 ,  134  can be Bluetooth interfaces or the like, for example. 
         [0042]    During operation, the user of the client computer  120  initially logs in with the user ID as the identification. The user can be, for example, the treating physician of a patient. 
         [0043]    On the occasion of a patient&#39;s treatment appointment, the treating physician opens the virtual patient file card containing the corresponding case-related data from the case database  104  of the patient by entering the patient identification, meaning the case ID. Then, the physician may store additional case-related patient data gained during the treatment appointment by means of the program  128  by manually entering it in the case database  104  and/or he may load the supplemental case-related data via the network  122  into the case database  104  by directly transmitting it from the medical device  124 . The medical device  124  can be, for example, an imaging device, which produces DICOM files, containing text information in addition to the image data. During or following the treatment appointment, the medical services provided by the physician are recorded by entering one or more corresponding service codes. 
         [0044]    The program  118  uses the case-related data received from the client computer  120  and/or the case-related data received from the medical device  124  and/or the case-related data previously stored in the case database  104  for the respective patient and/or the service codes entered within the framework of service tracking in order to generate a search query for the specialty questions database  110 . For this, the program  118  may select one or more case-related pieces of data randomly or based on predefined rules in order to search the questions that are stored in the specialty questions database  110  or to search the key words of the specialty questions. This search can be implemented as a search in structured data sets or as a search in non-structured data sort of like a search engine. The search for suitable specialty questions can also occur exclusively with the help of the service codes. 
         [0045]    The network  122  transmits a specialty question obtained by the program  118  from the specialty questions database  110  based on the search query to the client computer  120 , where the program  128  displays this question. Furthermore, also the multiple-choice answers associated with the specialty question are displayed. 
         [0046]    The treating physician is then able to respond directly to the question. If the question is answered correctly, the point value stored for the physician in the user database  112  is increased by the point value associated with the question that is stored in the specialty questions database  110 . However, if the question is answered incorrectly, the treating physician may be offered a learning module, specifically for immediate processing or for processing later on. If the physician opts to process the question later, a pointer for the learning module to be processed is stored in the user database  112  of the treating physician. The treating physician may also opt to answer the specialty question not directly following the treatment appointment, but at a later time. In this case, the question ID of the specialty question to be answered is stored in the user database  112  of the respective physician. 
         [0047]    Alternatively, it is also possible to configure the data processing system  100  such that the physician first has to process a continuing education unit, which is associated with the specialty question determined by the query of the specialty questions database  110 , before the data processing system  100  releases the specialty question to the physician for answering. 
         [0048]    For example, at the end of a workday or before the weekend the treating physician can synchronize his PDA  132  with the entries stored for him in the user database  112  via the interfaces  130 ,  134 . The specialty questions identified as a result of the open question IDs in the user database  112  and their multiple choice answers, for example, and/or the learning modules identified in the user database  112  by the pointers for the open learning modules, are transferred to the PDA  132 . Alternatively, it is also possible to only store the open question IDs and/or the pointers for the opening learning modules on the PDA  132 . 
         [0049]    If the physician would like to process an open question or an open learning module at a later time, the PDA  132  transmits an HTTP command, for example to the server computer  102  or one of the computers  106 , wherein the command comprises at least one question ID of an open question and/or a pointer, such as a URL, for an open learning module. 
         [0050]    Thereafter, the requested data is transmitted to the PDA  132 , so that the physician can process the open question and/or the open learning module. After the physician has returned to the workplace, another synchronization step with the PDA  132  can be carried out. The information as to which of the open questions have been answered correctly and which incorrectly and/or which open learning modules have been processed is transmitted via the interfaces  130 ,  134  from the PDA  132  to the client computer  120  and via the network  122  to the server computer  102 . Based on this information, the user database  112  is updated, meaning the open question IDs of the questions that have been answered in the meantime and/or the pointers for the open learning modules that have been processed in the meantime are deleted and the cumulative point value is increased accordingly. If the physician has answered questions incorrectly, the corresponding pointers are added to the learning modules requiring processing. 
         [0051]    The program  118  may have different operating modes, which the user can set from his client computer  120  as user settings with the help of the program  128 . The user settings can be used, for example, to establish that a specialty question is determined and displayed for answering every time a virtual patient file card is closed. This means that, between two treatment appointments, the treating physician will be asked one or more specialty questions relating to the previous treatment appointment. Alternatively, via the user settings it may be defined that the specialty questions are not asked between the treatment appointments every time a virtual patient file card is closed, but rather that the open questions are first collected in the user database  112  so that the respective physician can process them at a later time. The same applies for the learning modules. 
         [0052]      FIG. 2  shows a corresponding flow chart. In step  200 , case-related data, for example that of a patient, is entered in a practice IT system and/or in an electronic management system of a hospital or another medical facility. Alternatively or additionally, the case-related data is entered directly by a medical device, which was used for examining the respective patient. 
         [0053]    In step  202 , the case-related data is used as a search criterion for selecting a specialty question from the specialty questions database. For example, the type of data provided by the medical device and/or the diagnostic and/or therapeutic information that was entered by the treating physician can serve as a search criterion. 
         [0054]    In step  204 , the specialty question that was determined based on the search is released from the specialty questions database and displayed for answering. In step  206 , an answer is entered for the specialty question. This can occur, for example, with a multiple-choice method or by answering the specialty question in text form. The answer may be entered via the keyboard, a mouse click or voice input. 
         [0055]    In step  208 , the answer is evaluated and a decision is made as to whether the answer is correct or incorrect. If the answer is correct, in step  210  the point value stored for the respective user is increased by the point value associated with the specialty question in the specialty questions database. However, if the specialty question is answered incorrectly, in step  212  the learning module associated with the incorrectly answered specialty question is displayed and offered to the respective user for processing. Following processing of the learning module, the sequence control moves to step  210 , where the point value is increased accordingly. 
         [0056]    After reaching a predefined minimum point value of  150  continuing education credits, for example, a certificate may be printed automatically, serving as proof of having carried out the mandatory continuing education. 
         [0057]    The certificate may be imprinted, for example, with the title of the successfully completed continuing education unit, a code identifying the continuing education unit, the point value that was achieved, the personal data of the physician having completed the continuing education unit and/or further information. The imprint may be done in plain text and/or in encoded, machine-readable form, for example in the form of barcodes and/or 2D barcodes. 
         [0058]    The certificate may be printed locally as a preliminary certificate on the printer of the client computer  120 . The preliminary certificate then has to be transmitted, for example electronically or by mail, to an authorized institute, for example a continuing education service provider, an authority, an insurance company or medical association. There, the certificate is recorded electronically and on the basis of the recorded data a final certificate will be issued, which will be forwarded to the physician. The data recorded by the institute may be forwarded electronically to other institutes for whom the data is relevant. 
         [0059]      FIG. 3  shows an input window  136 , as it may be used in the data processing system  100  for entering case-related data. The input window  136  comprises an input field  138  for entering of data identifying the patient, such as the patient name and/or the patient&#39;s case ID, meaning a patient identification, an input field  140  for entering anamnesis data, an input field  142  for entering diagnostic data, an input field  144  for entering therapeutic data and an input field  146  for entering prescription data. Alternatively or additionally, the input window  136  comprises an input field for entering a service code for recording the service provided by the physician. After the user has entered this case-related data in the input window  136 , the session is terminated by clicking on the virtual control  148  of the input window  136 , meaning the input window  136  is closed and the case-related data entered previously in the input window  136  is stored in the case database. 
         [0060]    Thereafter, a specialty question is determined from the specialty questions database by means of a search query with the help of the previously entered specialty-related data. This question and the associated multiple-choice answers are displayed on an output window  150 . In the exemplary case described here, the specialty question is associated with three possible answers A, B, C, which can be selected as the correct answers by clicking one or more check boxes  152 . After selecting the correct answer or answers, the user can click on the virtual control  154 , thus entering the answer to the specialty question in the data processing system. Alternatively, the user can click on the virtual control  156  in order to answer the posed specialty question at a later time. 
         [0061]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the method according to the invention. In step  500 , the electronic file card of a patient to be treated is opened. In step  502 , supplemental case-related data obtained for example from the examination of the patient, such as diagnostic, therapeutic, prescription and/or billing data, for example service codes, is entered in the electronic file card. In step  504 , the electronic file card is closed upon completion of the treatment appointment. 
         [0062]    Thereafter, in step  506  a specialty question is displayed, which was selected based on the previously entered case-related data. In step  508 , it is determined whether the user desires to answer the specialty question at that time or not. If the user desires to answer the question at a later time, the identification of the specialty question, meaning the question ID, is stored in step  510 . However if the specialty question is answered, it is examined in step  512  whether the answer is correct. If this is not the case, in step  514  a pointer is stored for the learning module associated with the specialty question. 
         [0063]    If the answer was correct, in step  516  the point value associated with the respective user is increased by the point value associated with the question. In step  518 , a certificate is printed when the cumulative point value associated with the user has reached or exceeded a minimum value. 
         [0064]    The question IDs and/or pointers for learning modules stored in steps  510  and  514  may be recalled at a later time, allowing the user to process the open questions and/or open learning modules for example in his spare time or on the weekend. 
         [0065]    Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           100  Data Processing System 
           102  Server Computer 
           104  Case Database 
           106  Computer 
           108  Network 
           110  Specialty Questions Database 
           112  User Database 
           114  Memory 
           116  Processor 
           118  Program 
           120  Client Computer 
           122  Network 
           124  Medical Device 
           126  Processor 
           128  Program 
           130  Interface 
           132  PDA 
           134  Interface 
           136  Input Window 
           138  Input Field 
           140  Input Field 
           142  Input Field 
           144  Input Field 
           146  Input Field 
           148  Control 
           150  Output Window 
           152  Check Box 
           154  Control