Patent ID: 7890349

Claim:
A method for processing location related information for use in facilitating movement of a patient in a healthcare enterprise, comprising the steps of: establishing a profile comprising information enabling a search to identify a plurality of locations available for use by a patient for different purposes and including rooms supporting patient treatment and patient stay, said profile identifies a hierarchical organization of locations within a healthcare enterprise for at least one of (a) hosting a patient encounter with a healthcare enterprise involving patient and healthcare enterprise interaction, and (b) accommodating a patient for a variable duration; storing said profile and an associated date of validity of said profile; incorporating in said profile attributes including, a location type identifier, and a location characteristic of clinical significance influencing availability of a particular location to a patient having a particular medical condition and identifying a level of care indicative of frequency of clinician intervention in patient care supported by a location including rooms supporting patient treatment and patient stay suitable for a patient having said particular medical condition; and employing said profile in providing a user with an indication of location availability in response to user command.