Image Computing Systems Laboratory

Introduction

A major challenge that patients face in health care today is the lack of access to their complete health information. Ideally, patients will have a comprehensive and updated version of their health information, which can be made available to any provider that they wish to see. As individuals move, travel, switch health insurance carriers and get their care from different providers, their medical records are distributed across multiple sites where they have received care. These records are generally not exchanged and updated unless the sites are part of a network of providers that share common information systems. Past medical records are an important input in clinical decision-making, and without the consolidation of all relevant medical information, there is a substantial risk of medical errors, delays in diagnosis, and inefficient treatment.

Another major challenge in healthcare delivery today is efficiently coordinating the needs and expectations of the patient with the abilities and schedules of the healthcare provider. This matchmaking process is currently attempted through many forms that lack efficiency and effectiveness: (1) the patient calls a physician's office with a complaint -- so little information is shared; the chances of the right 'match' are low or (2) the patient's primary care physician does a rapid assessment of the patient's problem and then asks the staff to schedule an appointment with a specialist; the chances of the right 'match' are only slightly better.

With the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, we have developed a system for patients to store their complete lifelong personal health record and linked it with a referral system where patients can request consultations. Patients can be accurately matched with suitable specialists based on their stored medical history and their reason for seeking a consultation. Specialists can review new patients' information before clinical visits so that the time during the visit can be used more effectively. The system is currently in use at the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.

Screenshots

	Patients' medical information Patients can manage their general information (i.e., date of birth, address, emergency contact), insurance, primary care physician's contact information, family health history, past surgeries, allergies, medications, laboratory tests, and social history (e.g., occupation, number of people in their household).
	Patients' present condition or illness Patients can a record description of the problem, how and when it started, whether it is getting better or worse, and interventions that have been tried and their effects. This information along with the information above can be used to request a consultation.
	Providers' referral management view The consulting physician's office sees a list of pending referrals and can communicate with the patient to schedule an appointment, request additional information, and answer questions.
	Messaging This is an example of a message sent from the consulting physician's office to a patient after reviewing her referral request.

Publications