Patent Document ID: 7937277
Application ID: 12726319
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A system for obtaining and disseminating additional information in connection with the processing of medical image files, comprising: an unscreened medical image files module configured to access unscreened medical image files from one or more databases; a prescreened medical image files module configured to access prescreened medical image files from one or more databases, wherein each prescreened medical image file is associated with a diagnosis that has been previously determined; a selection module comprising a selection processor configured to select medical image files from the unscreened medical image files module and the prescreened medical image files module, and further configured to present medical image files to the user such that the files are viewed by the user in a ratio of unscreened files to prescreened files; an output module configured to allow the user to generate an interpretive output file identifying anatomy or pathology in each medical image file viewed by the user; an output file monitoring module configured to apply a ranking algorithm to at least some of the interpretive output files generated by the user, such that a rank is assigned to each output file and/or to a corresponding medical image file, wherein the algorithm is configured to assign a neutral or negative rank to normal anatomy or pathology, a low rank to normal anatomy or pathology variants, and a high rank to abnormal anatomy or pathology, and further wherein a higher rank is assigned to increasingly severely abnormal or critical anatomy or pathology; a transmission module configured to transmit information to internal or remote users concerning at least one or more of selected medical image files, the corresponding interpretive output file for each medical image file, the rank of the corresponding interpretive output file, and a general notification concerning the interpretive output file, the transmission module being further configured to provide more than one form of communication between users comprising at least one form of electronic communication and one form of voice communication; and a receiving module configured to receive additional information from internal or remote users about at least one or more of the medical image file, the corresponding interpretive output file for the medical image file, the rank of the interpretive output file, and the general notification, and wherein receiving additional information comprises receiving an acknowledgement of receipt of the transmission information; wherein, based on the rank of a prescreened medical image file, the selection module is configured to adjust the ratio of unscreened to prescreened medical image files, wherein, as the rank becomes higher, the ratio of unscreened medical image files to prescreened medical images files becomes lower, and, based on the rank of an unscreened medical image file, the transmission and receiving modules are configured to: automatically transmit to an internal or remote user at least the unscreened medical image file and receive a second interpretive output file relating to the file; or automatically transmit information relating to the unscreened medical image file and receive in real time feedback to assist the user in generating an interpretive output file relating to the unscreened medical image file; or automatically notify an internal or remote user on an urgent basis of the criticality of the interpretive output file relating to the medical image file, and, based on a higher rank of the interpretive output file, require an acknowledgement of receipt of the notification, the system further comprising a timing module configured to automatically watch for the receipt of said acknowledgement and, if not received within a predetermined time, cause the transmission module to automatically re-send the notification by a more direct mode of communication.