Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02702245 2010-04-29
CRITICAL e EST RESULT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND MET'
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION
[00011 This application is a continuation in part of United States Patent
Application
number 12,009,515, which was filed on January 16, 2008, which should be
incorporated by
reference in the present application.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[00011 The present invention generally relates to an automated information
delivery
and management system and method. More par ticularly, the present invention,,
relates to
delivery of critical information, such as test results to an interested
recipient it a timely
manner and the management of the information before and after receipt. An
examp e
application of the present invention is in the heaithcare industry.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In many industries timely delivery of critical information is
paramount.
Particularly, in all healthcare environments, when diagnosing and planning a
patient's care
plan, timing is critical. Thus, the availability of patient data is essential
to ai the appropriate
caregivers, including, but not limited to, physicians, nurses, technologists
and even
administrators. In modern day health systems, the caregivers nave an
increasing amount of
information available to help them make available better care for their
patients. This
abundance of patient data can also become a burden, especially when trying to
timely
manage the data.
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CA 02702245 2010-04-29
[0003] Every healthcare environment struggles to deliver critical result
notifications to
the appropriate caregivers. Critical results warrant rapid communication.
Timely delivery is
vitally important. Quick and efficient communication of critical results can
mean the
difference between successful treatment and a disastrous outcome or simple,
life or death.
Poor, slow or inefficient communication of the critical results can lead to
legal troubles and
difficulty meeting regulatory challenges. Lack of effective and efficient
communication can
create frustration among patients and families and increases their fear and
anxiety when they
are already under a great deal of stress. Poor communication between the
caregiver and the
patient has a tendency to erode the trust in the caregivers, as well as the
health care
organization and thereby reduces patient satisfaction.
[0004] it is therefore desirable to have a system and method in place to
improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of the communication of critical test results
among the caregivers
and to more easily manage data, provide better care, and avoid :ega; and
regulatory
predicaments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present
invention,
wherein in one aspect a system and method are provided that in some
embodiments
messages regarding critical test results for a test subject to an interested
recipient are
delivered in a timely manner, and the information is managed before and after
receipt.
[0005] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a critical
test
results management system for capturing test data from a test results
providing program and
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delivering messages to interested recipients includes a database for contact
information, a
computer, linked to the database, having, a communication device for receiving
test data from
the test results provding program and sending messages, an internal data
transfer !ire
connecting the components of the computer and transferring the test data
between the
components, a processor, connected to the internal data transfer line, for
receiving test data,
searching the test data for keywords or values, and for generating anad
sending messages to
the communication device, and a receiving device for receiving messages from
the
communication device.
[0007] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a
critical test
results management method for capturing test data from a test results
providing program and
delivering messages to interested recipients, involves receiving test data,
parsing information
from the test data, storing the parsed information in a database, analyzing
the test data to
generate a message, searching for recipient information for where to send the
message,
seeding the message, and
confirming acknowledgement of receipt of the message within a set time period.
[00081 There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of
the
invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better
understood, and
in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
There are, of
course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below
and which will
form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
[0009] In this respect, before explaining at !east one embodiment of the
invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited
in its application to
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the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set
forth in the
following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable
of embodiments
in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in
various ways. Also, it
is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as
well as the
abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as
limiting.
[0010] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception
upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the
designing of
other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of
the present
invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as incuding
such ecuiva!ent
constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the
present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a critical test results
management system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of alert creation and alert tracking in the
critical test results management method according to an embodiment of the
present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of alert acknowledgment in the critical
test results management method according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[00141 FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of alert acknowledgment via callback Jr
the critical test results management method according to an embodiment of the
present
iinvention;
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[0015] FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of ale, L acknowledgment via login in the
critical test results management method according to an embodiment of the
present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of alert acknowledgment via telephony
and voice translation in the critical test results management method according
to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of alert escalation in the critical test
results management method according to an embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0018] FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of contact management in the critical test
results management method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein;
however,
it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative
of the invention
that may be embodied in various forms. In addition, each of the examples giver
in connection
with the various embodiments of the invention are intended to be illustrative,
and not
restrictive. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features
may 13e
exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific
structural and
functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but
merely as a
representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ
the present
invention.
[0020] The critical test results management system and method can he
CA 02702245 2010-04-29
configured such that it functions within the systems of a number of
industries, for example,
the healthcare field. The healthcare field will be used as an exemplary
application for the
critical test results management system and method, but it should be
understood that this
example is not limiting. The critical test results management system and
method is
configurable in order to integrate into any existing application, requiring
the purchase of a
specific vendor's remote installation services, picture archiving
communication system, Lab,
Pharmacy, Cardiology or other ancillary system. Further, the system and method
is
configurable to be compatible with Health Level 7 (HL7) standards. HL7 was
founded, in 1987
to produce a standard for hospital information systems and is accredited by
the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI). HL7 is one of several American National
Standards
Institute (ANSI) accredited Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs)
operating in the
healthcare arena. Most SDOs produce standards (sometimes called specifications
or protocols)
for a particular healthcare domain such as pharmacy, medical devices, imaging
or insurance
(claims processing) transactions. Health Level Seven's particular domain is
clinical and
administrative data, however, the critical test results management system and
method is not
tied to any specific department or application vendor and can be used across
clinical areas
throughout the enter ,:,rise.
[0021] The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing
figures,
in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment
of the of the
present invention, a critical test results management system 10 for capturing
test data from a
test results providing program and delivering messages to interested
recipients is illustrated in
FIG. 1. Included in the critical test results management system 13 are a
computing device 12
CA 02702245 2010-04-29
and a receiving device 30. The computing device 12 and receiving device 30 are
capable of
executing the test results management method explained below. Each of the
computing
device'-2 and receiving device 30 may have a processor 14, 32, a memory 16,
34, a data ink
18, 36, a communication device 20, 38, an input 22, 40, and a display 24, 42.
The computing
device 12 and receiving device 30 can be a generai computer, such as a
personal computer
(PC), a Multi-Touch screen personal computing device, a UNIX or Solaris
workstation, a
server, a mainframe computer, a cloud computer, a personal digital assistant
(PDA), a
smartphone, or some combination of these. A smartphore.
[0022] In an alternate embodiment, the test data can be any time criticai data
in
another. For example, an embodiment may be deployed in the financial industry
to trigger an
alert when a stock obtains a certain price level.
10023] A smartphone is a mobile phone offering advanced capabilities, often
with
PC-like functionality (PC-mobile handset convergence). There is no industry
standard
definition of a smartphone, but there is a general consensus that a smartphone
is a phone
that runs an operating system software providing a standardized interface and
piatfor..
These features include, bu t should not be limited to e-mail, Internet, e-book
reader
capabilities, Wi--i, and/or a built-in full keyboard or externa USB keyboard
and VGA
connector. In other words, it is a miniature computer that has phone
capability.
[0024] Alternatively, the computing device 12 and receiving device 30 can be a
specialized computing device. Another alternative allows the receiving device
30 to be a land
line telephone, a voice over Internet protocol (voip) telephone, cellular
telephone or any voice
communications link. Other components can include programming code, such as
source
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CA 02702245 2010-04-29
code, object code or executable code, stored on a computer-readable medium
that can be
loaded into the memory 16, 34 and processed by the processor 14, 32 in order
to perform the
desired functions of the critical test results management system 10. The data
link 18, 36
connects and allows of communication between all the components of the
computing device
and the receiving device 30.
0025 A database 44 for storing information may also be included in the
critical
test results management system 10. The database 44 can contact information for
contact
persons who are to receive alerts from the critical test results management
system '0. The
database 44 may include information such as a contact person identifier,
specified receiving
devices 30 to receive averts, times o` the day and days of the week for which
the contact
person can be reached on each receiving device 30. The database 44 and the
computing
device 12 are connected in a way that they can communicate with each other,
possibly over a
communication network 46.
10026] jr various embodiments, the computing device 12, the receiving device
30, and the database 44 can be communicate over a communication network 46,
which can
include any viable combination of devices and systems capable of linking
computer-based
systems, such as the Internet; an Intranet or extranet; a local area network
(LAN); a wide
area network (WAN); a direct cable connection; a private network; a public
network; an
Ethernet-based system; a token ring; a value-added network; a telephony-based
system,
including, for example, Ti or E1 devices; an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)
netwwwork; a
wired system; a wireless system; an optical system; a combination of any
number of
distributed processing networks or systems or the like.
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[00271 The computing device 12 and the receiving device 30 can be coupled to
the communication network 46 by way of a communication device 20, 38, which in
various
embodiments can incorporate any combination of devices as well as any
associated software
or firmware configured to couple processor based systems, such as modems,
network
interface cards, serial buses, paral!e; buses, LAN or WAN interfaces, wireless
or optical
interfaces and the like, along with any associated transmission pretocos, as
may be desired
or required by the design.
[0028] Additionally, ar embodiment of the critical test results management
system 10
can use a display 24,42 to communicate information to a user, or contact
person, and request
input by way of an interactive, menu-driven, visual display-based user
interface, or graphica`
user 'nterface (GUI). The user interface can be executed, for example, or a
personal
computer (PC) with an input 22, 40, such as a mouse and keyboard, with which
the user may
interactively input information using direct manipulation of the GUI. Direct
manipuiation can
include the use of an input 22, 40, pointing device, such as a mouse or a
stylus, to select
from a variety of selectable fields, including selectable menus, drop-down
menus, tabs,
buttons, bullets, checkboxes, text boxes, and the like. Nevertheless, various
embodiments of
the invention may incorporate any number of additional functional user
interface schemes in
place of this interface scheme, with or without the use of a mouse or buttons
or keys,
including for example, a trackball, a touch screen, telephone dial, or a voice-
activated system.
1700291 Another embodiment of the present invention is a critical test results
management method. Referring now to FIG. 2, the critical test results
management method
includes an alert creation and alert tracking routine 50. A first embodiment
of this routine
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includes receiving data from a system (step 52). The data could be formatted
in compliance
with HL7 standards. For example the data may include such HL7 data such as
Admission,
Discharge and Transfer (ADT) data., ORder Message (ORM) data, Observatior.al
Report -
Unsolicited (ORU) data. The current invention can capture ADT data for the
purpose of
populating its database 44 with the required patient and visit information.
ORM data can be
captured and mapped for the purpose of populating the database 44 with the
required exam,
test, order information and/or updates. The O RU data can be captured and
mapped for the
purpose of populating the database 44 with the required results information.
Following the
receipt of the data, the method continues by searching and identifying
keywords and values
within the data (step 54).
[0030] The alert creation and alert tracking routine 50 determines if there is
any
pertinent information found in at data (step 56). If no pertinent information
is fourd, the
a!ert creation and alert tracking routine 50 ends (step 70). However, if a
pertinent keyword
or vaue is discovered, then the method will apply a configurable set of
criteria to the
incoming data, automatically determining a level of severity and if there is a
contact person.
in this example, the healthcare provider is correlated with the alert at step
60. The database
44 may also contain more than just one contact. For example, the database 44
can contain
the healthcare provider and the patient's medical proxy as contacts for this
level of alert. The
database 44 can also specify the receiving device 30, such as an email capable
device, a
Multi-Touch screen personal computing device, a pager, a telephone, and SMS
Text Message
capable device, a fax and/or printer. Additionally, embodiments can include
more than one
CA 02702245 2010-04-29
receiving device 30 per alert. For example, the present embodiments can send
an alert to a
healthcare provider's Ipad , Blackberry and laptop computer.
Furthermore, the healthcare provider or the contact entity may also have
backup contacts
listed in the database 44 in case of the primary contacts absence. As a
failsafe, a default
notification method can be listed to ensure an alert is acted upon. in event
the
acknowledgement by the contact was not received, the alert system could notify
a doctor's
answering service alerting the service that an alert needs to be acted upon.
[0031] The alert creation and alert tracking routine 50 uses the severity
level to match
it with a contact in the database 44 (step 62). if a contact person is
identified, the method
starts the escalation routine 300 from FIG 7 at step 64 of FIG 2. If no
contact person is
identified, or if the contact information is missing for the person from the
database 44, then
an alert is sent to an exceptions worklist (step 66). Whether the escalation
routine 300 is
stared (step 64) or an alert is sent to an exceptions worklist (step 66), the
next step is to
check for a further contact person (step 68). If no other contact person is
specified, then. the
alert creation and alert tracking routine 50 ends (step 70). If a further
contact person is
specified, the contact person is searched for in the database 44 (step 62),
and the alert
creation and alert tracking routine 50 proceeds as above.
[0032) In another embodiment of the alert creation and alert tracking routine
50, the
first step may be manually creating an alert (step 58). After creation of the
alert, the alert
creation and alert tracking routine 50 continues as above from step 60 onward.
[0033] Referring now to FIG. 3, a further embodiment of the critical test
results
management method includes an alert acknowledgment routine 100. The alert
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acknowledgment routine 100 begins when the alert is sent to the contact
person(s) intended
to receive the alert on the intended receiving device (step 102). Once receipt
is confirmed, a
timer for each contact person for the alert begins at step 104. During the
time for which the
timer runs for this alert, the avert acknowledgment routine 100 will receive
an update from the
contact person that the alert is acknowledged (step 106). Once receiving the
update of
acknowledgement, the timer that contact person for the alert ends (step 108).
At the same
time the alert acknowledgment routine 100 checks to see if there were other
contacts for the
alert (step 110). If there were no other contacts, the alert acknowledgment
routine 100
continues to the stop timer step (step 108). If there is another contact for
the alert, the alert
acknowledgment routine 100 waits for acknowledgement update (step 106) and
contirues as
above. From the stop timer step (step 108) the alert acknowledgment routine
100 ends (step
112).
[0034] There are a number of ways the contact person can send an alert
acknowedgement update. In one embodiment of the critical test results
management
method, referring now to FIG. 4, the contact person can initiate the alert
acknowledgment via
callback routine 150. The first steps are the contact person receiving a sent
alert at the
intended destination via the receiving device 30 (step 102). This starts a
timer for the contact
person for the alert (step 104) as discussed above in the alert acknowledgment
routine 100.
The alert received by the contact person contains a callback number and an
alert key. The
contact person calls the callback number (step 152) using a telephony device,
such as a
telephone or a cellular telephone. The call is received by designated callback
personnel, and
the contact person provides the designated callback personnel with the alert
key (step 154).
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The designated callback personnel locates the alert using the alert key (step
156) and mar<s
the alert acknowledged (step '-D-8). The contact person then dictates notes to
the designated
callback personnel (step 160) and the designated callback personnel records
the notes (step
160). The designated callback personnel confirms acknowledgement of the alert
by recording
the contact person's information and submitting a status update (step 164),
and then ends
the alert acknowledgment via callback routine 150 (step ). In an alternative
embodiment, the
designated callback personnell can send a confirmation back to the contact
person to their
receiving device 30.
[0035] in some embodiments, the designated callback personnel may otherwise be
an
automated system configured to do the functions of the designated callback
personnel in the
alert acknowledgment via callback routine 150.
[0036] In another embodiment of the critical test results management method,
referring now to FIG. 5, the contact person can initiate the alert
acknowledgment via login
routine 200. The first steps are the contact person receiving a sent alert at
the intended
destination (step 102) and starting a timer for the contact person for the
alert (step 104) as
discussed above in the alert acknowledgment routine 100. The alert received by
the contact
person contains an alert key. The contact person logs into the critical test
results
management system 10 (step 202) via some computing device, for example a
personal
computer, a laptop, an Ipad or a smartphone. The contact person finds the
alert in the
critical test results management system 10 by matching the alert key (step
204). To match
the alert key, the contact person might search manually through a lisp of
alerts to f ir:d the
alert correlated, with the alert key, or he may enter the alert key and allow
the critical test
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results management system 10 to automatically search for the appropriate
alert. The contact
person then records that he acknowledges receipt of the alert (step 206) and
further records
rotes for the alert (step 208). The contact person submits the acknowledgement
and notes
(step 210) and ends the alert acknowledgment via login routine 200 (step 212).
[0037) Now referring to FIG. 6, in another embodiment of the critical test
results
management method the contact person can initiate the alert acknowledgment via
telephony
and voice translation routine 250. The first steps are the contact person
receiving a sent alert
at the intended destination (step 102) and starting a timer for the contact
person for the alert
(step 104) as discussed above in the alert acknowledgment routine 100. The
alert received
by the contact person contains a callback number and alert key. The contact
person calls the
callback number (step 252) using a telephony device, such as a telephone or a
cellular
telephone. The callback number, for example, can be a which can be a to!l free
number or a
toll number. An automated system, such as a telephony system, prompts the
contact person
to enter the alert key (step 254). The telephony system maybe an integrated
element of the
critical 'Lest results management system 10. The contact person then enters
the ale: key
(step 256). The alert key may be entered using, for example, telephone touch
keys or a
touch screen equivalent, and the contact person may signal the end of the
alert key by
sending a designated signal, such as by pressing the pound key (m), also krown
as the hash
key. The telephony system then records an acknowledgement of the test results
related to
the alert (step 258).
[0038] After recording the acknowledgement (step 258) the contact person is
then given the option to listen to the alert (steps 260). If the contact
Person declines to lister
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the alert acknowledgment via telephony and voice translation routine 250 ends
(step 284). If
the contact person agrees to listening to the alert the telephony system
instructs the contact
person to indicate when he is done listening (step 262). The contact person
may indicate he
is done listening, for example, by sending a designated signal, such as by
pressing pound key
(#), also known as the hash key. The telephony system then communicates the
text of the
test results related to the alert in an audible format (step 264) and the
contact per son
indicated that he is done listening (step 266). The contact person may also
listen to any
notes already recorded, either textually or audibly, for the alert. The
contact person then is
instructed to acknowledge the alert (step 268) and may do so, for example, by
sending a
designated signal, such as by pressing the "2" key.
[0039] The present embodiment will then instruct the contact person to
acknowledge the alert (step 268), the telephony system checks to see if the
contact person
acknowledges the alert (step 270). If the contact person does not acknowledge
the alert,
then the alert acknowledgment via telephony and voice translation routine 250
ends (step
284). If the contact person does acknowledge the alert (step 272), then the
te'epho.ny
system gives the contact person the option to chose to enter notes, or
acknowledge and
disconnect (step 274). The contact person may chose one of the option, for
example, by
sending a designated signal, such as by pressing the "3" key to enter notes
and pressing the
"4" key to acknowledge and disconnect.
[0040] The telephony system checks to see what the contact person selects
(step
276). If the contact person decides to enter notes, he makes the indication to
enter notes
and records his notes (step 278). The telephony system then gives the contact
person a
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CA 02702245 2010-04-29
confirmation of the acknowledgement (step 280) and ends the alert
acknowledgment via
telephony and voice translation routine 250 (step 284). If the contact person
decides to
acknowledge and disconnect, he makes the indication to acknowledge and
disconnect (step
282), the telephony system then gives the contact person a confirmation of the
acknowledgement (step 280), and ends the aiert acknowledgment via telephony
and voice
translation routine 250 (step 284).
[0041] An embodiment of the alert acknowledgment via telephony and voice
translation routine 250 allows the critical test results management system 10
to track how
much of the result is reviewed and how many times the result is reviewed.
[0042] In still yet another embodiment, an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
technology is deployed allowing critical test results management system to do
both detect
voice and dual tone multi-frequency signaling (DTMF) keypad inputs. It w'll
allows users tc
access a critical test results management system database v?a a telephone
keypaa or by
speech recognition, after which they can service their own i:hquries by
following the
instructions. IVR systems can respond with pre-recorded or dynamically
generated audio to
further direct users on how to proceed. IVR systems can be used to control
almost any
function where the interface can be broken down into a series of simple menu
choices.
[0043) In yet another embodiment of the critical test results management
method,
any of the alert acknowledgment via callback routine 1.50, the alert
acknowledgment via login
routine 200, or the alert acknowledgment via telephony and voice translation
250 could be
repeated from the point after the contact person initiates a response to an
alert (i.e. step 152,
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CA 02702245 2010-04-29
step 202, and step 252) prior to ending any of the routines 150, 200, 250
(~.e. step 168, step
212, and step 284).
[0044] The critcal test results management method may further include a alert
escalation routine 300. In the context of the present application, escalation
is the process of
sending an alert to a destination. Once initiating the alert escalation
routine 300 the first step
is to determine if the timer, or escalation timer, started in step 104, has
expired (step 302).
If the timer has not expired, then the alert escalation routine 300 ends (step
316). f the
timer has expired, then it is determined if intra-contact escalation is
available (step 304).
Intra-contact escalation will be described in more detail below. If intra-
contact escalation is
not available, then an alert is sent as defined in the default notification
method (step 310). If
intra-contact escalation is available, intra-contact escalation is initiated
(step 305). Much like
the escalation process, there is a timer for intra-contact escalated alerts,
and it is determined
if the contact person for the intra-contact alert was responded to before the
intra-cortact
timer expired (step 308). If the intra-contact alert timer does not expire
before a response,
then the alert escalation routine 300 ends (step 316). if the intra-contact
alert timer does
expire before a response, then an alert is sent as defined in the default
notification method
(step 310).
[0045] The a default notification is a last measure of safety to ensure action
in
response to the alert. Such a notification may be an alert sent to a contact
person who, at
the time, is in a position to attend to the alert. An example of such a
contact person may be
an attending physician who is known to be at a hospital, or the nurses working
at a nursing
station in a hospital. After an alert is sent as defined in the default
notification method (step
17
CA 02702245 2010-04-29
310), it is determined if any action was taken in response to the default
notification (step
312). If action was taken in response to the default notification, then the
alert escalation
routine 300 ends (step 316). If no action was taken in response to the default
noLfication,
then the test result providers are alerted and the alert is added to the
exceptions worklist
(step 314), and the alert escalation routine 300 ends (step 316).
[0046] The critical test results management method makes use contact person
profiles. The critical test results management method allows for creation and
modification of
the contact person profiles. Some information that the critical test results
management
method uses from the contact person profiles might include the device or
contact method
used to send an alert to the contact person depending on the day of the week
or time of the
day. The profiles might also be populated or modified by information imported
from a source
outside of the critical test results management system. For example, a medical
practice could
upload a schedule of which care provider is on call and the modes to contact
that care
provider.
[0047] Now referring to FIG. 8, the contact management routine 350 may be
included
in an embodiment of the critical test results management method. The first
step in the
contact management routine 350 may be to check for a profile of a contact
Gerson that
comports with the temporal situation at the time of sending an alert (step
352). 1t is
determined if there is a valid profile for the temporal situation (step 354).
if there is not a
valid profile for the temporal situation, then the alert t is sent to the
exceptions worklist (step
370) and the contact management routine 350 ends (step 37?). if there is a
valid profile for
the tempora situation, then the next level of intra-contact devices is sought
(step 356) and an
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CA 02702245 2010-04-29
alert is sent to the device for the approriate level in the profile (step
358). It is then
determined if another device was specified for the level (step 360). If
another device was
specified an alert is sent to the device (step 358), otherwise the escalation
timer is
commenced (step 360). A determination is then made on whether there was
response to the
alert (step 364). If there was a response, then the contact management routine
350 ends
(step 372). If no response was made, a determination is made in whether the
intra-contact
timer expired (step 366). If the intra-contact timer expired, then the contact
management
routine 350 ends (step 372), otherwise a check is made to determine if the
profile for the
contact person is still valid in the temporal situation. If the profile for
the contact person is
still valid, then the contact management routine 350 returns to step 356,
otherwise a search
for a valid profile is made (step 352).
[0048] In an additional embodiment, a manner of auditing changes to the
contact
person proffes may be provided. For example, such auditing may include use of
the critical
test results management system 10 and method. For example, the changes may
include the
modification of patient data, the order for the test, the result of the
ordered test, and the avert
data. Additionally, the modifications and deletions to the contact profile may
not have been
implemented by the user who implemented them. Therefore it is imperative that
all changes
to all databases in all embodiments have the date and time and the
identification of the
person implementing the original' as an option.
[0049] The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the
detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to -
over all such
features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and
scope of the
19
CA 02702245 2010-04-29
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily
occur to those
skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact
construction and operation
illustrated and described, and accord'ngly, all suitable modifications and
equivalents may be
resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
