Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Distributed data processing – Client/server
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-01
2004-05-18
Harvey, Jack B. (Department: 2142)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Distributed data processing
Client/server
C600S300000, C345S581000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06738798
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to centralized generation of reports which compile and/or summarize operational data from remotely located user-operated electronic devices, for example, imaging devices used for medical diagnosis.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Diagnostic imaging systems are ubiquitous in modern health care facilities. Such systems provide invaluable tools for identifying, diagnosing and treating physical conditions and greatly reduce the need for surgical diagnostic intervention. In many instances, final diagnosis and treatment proceed only after an attending physician or radiologist has complemented conventional examinations with detailed images of relevant areas and tissues via one or more imaging modalities.
Currently, a number of modalities exist for medical diagnostic imaging systems. These include computed tomography (CT) systems, x-ray systems (including both conventional and digital or digitized imaging systems), magnetic resonance (MR) systems, positron emission tomography (PET) systems, ultrasound systems, nuclear medicine systems, etc. In many instances, these modalities complement one another and offer the physician a range of techniques for imaging particular types of tissue, organs, physiological systems, etc. Health care institutions often arrange several such imaging systems at a single facility or at multiple facilities, permitting its physicians to draw upon such resources as required by particular patient needs.
Modern medical diagnostic imaging systems typically include circuitry for acquiring image data and for transforming the data into a useable form, which is then processed to create a reconstructed image of features of interest within the patient. The image data acquisition and processing circuitry is referred to as a “scanner” regardless of the modality if physical or electronic scanning occurs as part of the imaging process. The particular components of the system and related circuitry, of course, differ greatly between modalities due to their different physics and data processing requirements. The terms “scanner”, “medical imaging device” and “diagnostic imaging device” will be used interchangeably herein.
Medical diagnostic systems of the type described above are often called upon to produce reliable and understandable images within demanding schedules and over a considerable useful life. To ensure proper operation, the systems are serviced regularly by highly trained personnel who address imaging problems, configure and calibrate the systems, and perform periodic system checks and software updates. Moreover, service offerings have been supplemented in recent years by service centers capable of contacting scanners at subscribing institutions directly without the need for intervention on the part of the institution personnel. Such centralized servicing is intended to maintain the diagnostic systems in good operational order without necessitating the attention of physicians or radiologists, and is often quite transparent to the institution.
In certain centralized servicing systems, a computerized service center will contact a scanner via a network to check system configurations and operational states, to collect data for report generation, and to perform other useful service functions. Such contacts can be made periodically, such as during system “sweeps”, in which a variety of system performance data is collected and stored with historical data for the particular scanner. The data can then be used to evaluate system performance, propose or schedule visits by service personnel, and the like.
While such service techniques have proven extremely valuable in maintaining diagnostic systems, further improvements are still needed. Although the transparency of interactions between scanners and service centers avoids distracting medical personnel with service updates unnecessarily, some degree of interaction between service centers and institutions is highly desirable. In particular, an interactive service system facilitates valuable exchanges of information, including reports of system performance, feedback on particular incidents requiring attention, updates of system licenses, software, imaging protocols, etc. Currently available service systems permit such interactive exchanges. In particular, a platform has been developed that serves as a base for the interactive servicing needs of different modalities. This platform allows a central service center to exchange information on possible service problems with remotely located scanners, and to retrieve information or data log files from scanners for the purpose of servicing those scanners. One known platform provides a uniform interface permitting clinicians and radiologists to operate a variety of scanners in different modalities, and to report service issues for the scanners, via a uniform, intuitive format.
The known integrated user-interactive platform for servicing diagnostic equipment at remote locations may be configured in software, hardware, or firmware at the scanner or may be installed in a central operator's station linking several scanners in a medical facility. The user interface permits service requests to be generated prior to, during or subsequent to examinations executed on the diagnostic equipment. The user interface also permits service messaging, report generation and retrieval, etc. The user interface is preferably configured as a network browser, which also facilitates linking the scanner or the central facility control station to a network such as an intranet or internet. The same user interface may be integrated into scanners of different modalities, thereby further facilitating service requests and the like by operations personnel, without requiring the personnel to become reacquainted with diverse interfaces in a facility.
In particular, the existing user-interactive platform provides the system user with the capability to request scanner utilization reports from a central service center based on the operational history of scanners at a remote facility. In order to provide such utilization reports, it is necessary to regularly collect operational data from these scanners. In accordance with an existing system, a scanner can be programmed to collect its own operational data in computer memory and then proactively transmit that data to a central facility in accordance with a preprogrammed schedule input to the scanner by the central facility. Only scanners covered by a service contract which provides for data logging and report generation will transmit logged operational data to the central facility. After the central facility has collected and processed the log files of operational data from all scanners covered by contracts, scanner utilization reports can be generated. In particular, a hospital administrator can at any time request, via a wide-area network or the Internet, a utilization report compiling and/or summarizing collected operational data for medical imaging devices (i.e., scanners) under contract at that hospital.
If the operational data collected and stored at the central service facility is incomplete, any report requested by a customer having results dependent on that incomplete data will naturally be inaccurate and possibly misleading. Thus there is a need for a systematic method whereby the data collection can be automatically monitored and corrective action can be taken if data has not been properly collected from the medical imaging devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a method and a system for monitoring the regular collection of operational data from a multiplicity of remotely located medical imaging systems by a central service facility, and starting a corrective action process if the collection of operational data deviates from a historical norm based on the frequency of reception and the volume of the data received from the data source. The system automatically determines, on a per scanner basis, when either the amount of data in the most recent reception or the time between the two most re
Ploetz Lawrence E.
Robinson Naja S.
GE Medical Technology Services, Inc.
Harvey Jack B.
Ostrager Chong & Flaherty LLP
Vu Thong
LandOfFree
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