Abstract: In a system for distributed computing in a health care environment in which multiple different applications are in use connected on a common computer network, the improvement comprising at least one clinical exchange server on the network, the clinical exchange server including memory, the clinical exchange server programmed to perform the steps of (i) maintaining a separate patient record for each of a plurality of patients wherein each patient record includes an event registry including separate event data subsets for each event recorded by any of the different applications where each event data subset indicates the application that recorded the event and event summary data wherein the event summary data is less than all of the data recorded by the application that recorded the event, (ii) receiving a first query from the first application for patient information associated with a first patient where the first query includes information usable to identify an event in the event registry, (iii) using the info

Abstract: In a system for distributed computing in a health care environment in which multiple different applications are in use connected on a common computer network, the improvement comprising at least one clinical exchange server on the network, the clinical exchange server including memory, the clinical exchange server programmed to perform the steps of (i) maintaining a separate patient record for each of a plurality of patients wherein each patient record includes an event registry including separate event data subsets for each event recorded by any of the different applications where each event data subset indicates the application that recorded the event and event summary data wherein the event summary data is less than all of the data recorded by the application that recorded the event, (ii) receiving a first query from the first application for patient information associated with a first patient where the first query includes information usable to identify an event in the event registry, (iii) using the info

Abstract: A method and system for sharing charts associated with a first patient among system entities within a networked system wherein different entities maintain different charts for the first patient, the method comprising the steps of at each of at least a subset of the entities and for the first patient, when a chart is generated, generating a release authorization (RA) token for the chart, maintaining an RA token list including all of tokens received for the first patient from any other system entities, when a token is received from another entity, using the received token to access a chart associated with the received token that is stored at another entity and when a requesting entity requests a chart associated with the first patient, providing the chart along with the RA token list associated with the first patient to the requesting entity.

Abstract: A system for distributed computing in a health care environment includes at least one clinical exchange server programmed to maintain a separate patient record for each patient. Each patient record includes an event registry indicating the application that recorded the event and event summary data. When a query is received including information usable to identify an event in the event registry, the query and the event registry are used to identify the event and an application that recorded the event. A second query is generated that specifies the identified event, and the second query is transmitted to the identified application.

Abstract: An interface for a medical record database allows multiple different applications to be opened accessing the records of a common and/or different patients. For those applications accessing the records of a common patient, a visual indication is provided indicating whether or not records of the same patient are being accessed to prevent the user from mistakenly comparing the records of different patients.

Abstract: A method of sharing patient information including creating a release authorization containing sufficient information to identify a patient and information authorized for transmission, which is a subset of information stored by an electronic health record (EHR) entity for that patient; the release authorization associated with a patient or a person acting as a proxy for the patient; receiving a request from a recipient entity for information; identifying the subset of information associated with the release authorization to be transmitted from the EHR entity to the recipient entity; and transmitting the subset of information from the EHR entity to the recipient entity.

Abstract: A method and system for sharing charts associated with a first patient among system entities within a networked system wherein different entities maintain different charts for the first patient, the method comprising the steps of at each of at least a subset of the entities and for the first patient, when a chart is generated, generating a release authorization (RA) token for the chart, maintaining an RA token list including all of tokens received for the first patient from any other system entities, when a token is received from another entity, using the received token to access a chart associated with the received token that is stored at another entity and when a requesting entity requests a chart associated with the first patient, providing the chart along with the RA token list associated with the first patient to the requesting entity.

Abstract: An interface for a medical record database allows multiple different applications to be opened accessing the records of a common and/or different patients. For those applications accessing the records of a common patient, a visual indication is provided indicating whether or not records of the same patient are being accessed to prevent the user from mistakenly comparing the records of different patients.

Abstract: A computer-based system for recording, storing, and accessing clinical documentation in an acute care setting is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, a single electronic database or repository for storing clinical patient notes, provides multiple points of read/write access via a user interface operating on one or more client computers that are in real-time communication with the repository.

Abstract: An electronic health care system includes a modular framework and a display in communication with the modular framework for providing a graphical user interface to a system user. The modular framework includes a plurality of activities, each activity providing an aspect of patient care, where the framework is adaptable for accepting additional activities forming a single integrated system. The graphical user interface is adaptable for displaying information corresponding to one or more of the activities, and includes a common menu format for communicating available operations in the graphical user interface, and common visual components for displaying information to a system user.

Abstract: A computer-based system for recording, storing, and accessing clinical documentation in an acute care setting is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, a single electronic database or repository for storing clinical patient notes, provides multiple points of read/write access via a user interface operating on one or more client computers that are in real-time communication with the repository.

Abstract: A method of constructing a Boolean expression in a clinical setting, including identifying at least a first and a second data assertion to add to the Boolean expression, adding at least one Boolean logical operator to the Boolean expression, determining an order of evaluation for the first and second data assertions, and visually depicting the first and second data assertions and the Boolean logical operator in a hierarchal display.

Abstract: A method of determining and displaying a plurality of tasks to a user in a healthcare environment is provide that includes receiving an order associated with a patient, determining a type of the order, and identifying a task template associated with the order. The method further includes determining if an overriding template exists for the order, linking one of the task template or the overriding template to the order, and associating one or more task records with the linked template. The method also includes determining a plurality of tasks corresponding to the task records, adding the plurality of tasks to a work list, filtering the plurality of tasks on the work list for a patient list based on an attribute of the user and displaying the filtered list to the user.

Abstract: A method of responding to an order placed in a patient's electronic medical record including receiving the order associated with the patient, determining a type of the order, identifying a task template associated with the order, and linking the task template to the order. The method also includes determining if an overriding template exists for the order, linking the overriding template to the order if the overriding template exists, and reacting to the order with a response, wherein the response is one of the following responses: scheduling a task on a work list, adding a row to a flowsheet, adding an educational topic to an educational record associated with the patient, adding a care plan intervention to the patient's electronic medical record, sending a notification, executing a custom programming, or adding a group of text to a discharge instruction associated with the patient.

Abstract: Modern healthcare enterprises often support complex computer networks for the many functions of the enterprise, and the networks are often running multiple incompatible application programs. Described here is a clinical server exchange device for such a complex network. The clinical exchange server maintains a master table of applications on the network and the patient identification used by each of the applications for each patient. The clinical exchange server can then serve as a sort of interpreter to allow each application to communicate through the clinical exchange server to obtain information from another application about the patient. To facilitate that exchange, each application sends to the clinical exchange server an abstract of any events involving the patient. The clinical exchange server system also envisions a protocol for information exchange, preferably through the clinical exchange server.

Abstract: A method of creating a shift report for a healthcare provider in a hospital environment including creating an electronic shift note for a hospital patient, wherein creating the electronic shift note includes providing a content for the electronic shift note, saving the electronic shift note as a saved shift note, linking the saved shift note to an electronic medical record for the patient, and displaying the saved shift note to the healthcare provider via a user interface. Creating the shift report also includes creating a patient list based on a set of criteria, building the shift report based on the patient list, for each patient on the shift report having a saved shift note, adding the saved shift note to the shift report, and displaying the shift report including the added shift notes to the healthcare provider.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying patient and administrative information in a health care environment comprising the steps of obtaining records, obtaining rules governing the display of information, applying the rules to the records to determine what information is to be displayed, and displaying the information gathered and processed in accordance with the rules. The system also allows users to select records and reports, altering the displayed information while maintaining compliance with the rules.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a patient-centered integrated health care record is provided including information related to health care delivery for a patient, and information related to health care delivery management for the patient. The integrated health care record may be used with a health care system to facilitate management of and to provide health care for patients. The health care delivery information and the health care delivery management information for patients may be stored within the UPR as patient records, with one patient record per patient. The information may be stored as formatted data, links to formatted data, or as selections from a list. In one embodiment, audit functionality is provided, where contact with data records is recorded as an audit trail. In another embodiment, security functionality is provided, controlling access to the integrated health care record. In another embodiment, a lock manager is provided, controlling write access to the integrated health care record.

Abstract: An electronic health care system includes a modular framework and a display in communication with the modular framework for providing a graphical user interface to a system user. The modular framework includes a plurality of activities, each activity providing an aspect of patient care, where the framework is adaptable for accepting additional activities forming a single integrated system. The graphical user interface is adaptable for displaying information corresponding to one or more of the activities, and includes a common menu format for communicating available operations in the graphical user interface, and common visual components for displaying information to a system user.

Abstract: A computer-based system for recording, storing, and accessing clinical documentation in an acute care setting is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, a single electronic database or repository for storing clinical patient notes, provides multiple points of read/write access via a user interface operating on one or more client computers that are in real-time communication with the repository.