Patent ID: 7707045

Claim:
A method of generating a dimensionally enhanced data grouping, comprising: a) identifying a plurality of medical records as a first dimension of data, wherein each medical record comprises a plurality of data fields; b) storing the first dimension of data in a computer; c) entering into the computer a plurality of matching criteria, wherein each criterion is user-generated or machine-generated; d) the computer analyzing the first dimension of data based on the matching criteria to determine a target number of dimensions of data; e) for each medical record in the first dimension of data, using a computer to: i) identify data in each data field of the medical record being analyzed; ii) compare the data in each data field of the medical record being analyzed with data in each field of the other medical records of the first dimension of data; iii) determine if the comparison of step (ii) above meets at least one of the matching criteria; iv) linking the two medical records together based on the result of step (iii) above; v) storing the linked medical records as a single medical record in a second dimension of data; f) repeating step (e) above on the second dimension of data to create a third dimension of data, and repeating step (e) on subsequently generated dimensions of data until the target number of dimensions of data has been created; g) storing the generated target number of dimensions of data in the computer; h) automatically, with the computer, identifying medical records in the stored dimensions of data as of potential interest; i) automatically, with the computer, generating inferred statements and providing the inferred statements to the user along with the medical records of potential interest as supporting evidence of the inferred statements; j) presenting the stored dimensions of data to the user and allowing the user to perform queries on the stored dimensions of data; k) entering new medical records into the computer; l) identifying the newly entered medical records and the previously generated stored dimensions of data as a newly identified first dimension of data; m) adjusting the machine-generated target number of dimensions based on the newly identified first dimension of data; and n) performing steps (d-j) on the newly identified first dimension of data to generate a dimensionally enhanced data grouping.