Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – Automated electrical financial or business practice or... – Health care management
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-23
2001-08-28
Trammell, James P. (Department: 2761)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
Automated electrical financial or business practice or...
Health care management
C705S003000, C600S407000, C600S425000, C714S046000, C208S162000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282513
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method capable of producing findings which monitor the productivity of an x-ray machine and its operator. The skill and performance of the operator of the x-ray machine during an examination or procedure, is also monitored.
The Radiology department of a hospital may have many machines such as X-ray machines, C.T. scanners, MRI scanners, etc. Also, a Radiology department is similar to a fee for service type of business. That is, when the department provides some type of service such as taking an x-ray picture of a particular body part, and then charge a fee for that service. A Radiology department may perform many different types of examinations, many times daily. These exams generate large sums of expenses as well as revenue. Keeping track of the who, what and why's about an expense and revenue could be helpful in making good business decisions.
Basically, a patient is charged a fee for every x-ray picture (radiograph) taken. The fee normally has several different items of cost involved in its total. Each exposure of an x-ray picture reduces the life of the x-ray tube and possibly some other parts of the machine, hence a fee is charged to cover this expense. Also, every time an x-ray exposure is delivered to a patient the X-ray Technologist (operator) performs several different tasks. The basic task or steps performed by the operator for each exposure delivered are: 1) the operator takes time and formulate how much radiation will produce a good x-ray image of the body part under investigation, 2) the operator sets the parameter control dials of the machine to the right levels for the exposure, 3) at some point in time prior to the actual deliverance of the exposure, the operator must physically position the body part to the correct position, 4) the operator places or replaces an x-ray film in proper alignment with the exposure, and 5) the operator must finally press the exposure or release button to deliver the exposure. These basic steps are an operator's standard duties and are considered an expense and part of the total fee charged to the patient for the service of producing an x-ray picture. Other expenses considered in the total charge of the fee may include such items or services as: the cost of the x-ray film, the cost to develop the film, the cost to interpret the x-ray film by a doctor, etc. Also, there is generally some sort of profit included. The above basic efforts of an operator are repeated many times a day in an active x-ray department (room). Having a record of the process that surrounds the production of each x-ray picture during an examination can be very useful when trying to determine such things as: total revenues and expenses for the examination, operator skill and performance levels for the examination, operator and machine daily productivity and much more.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The word “examination” refers to all steps and procedures for taking the desired number of x-rays or pictures of a part of a human body, animal or other object.
An X-ray machine, C.T. scanner and/or MRI scanner of an institution, for example, may be called upon to make pictures of hundreds of body parts. For each one of these numerous body parts this invention contemplates that at least one standard protocol be developed and stored in the memory of a computer used with the machine. At least one standard protocol program for each particular type of examination or body part may be provided in the form of software sold to the hospital by a supplier, or composed by the hospital. In general, a standard protocol program describes a particular type of pattern, sequence, cost, etc. that describes how to take a picture of a body part or perform an examination. That is to say, a standard protocol may outline the normal sequence in taking the desired number of x-rays of a body part. A standard protocol may outline the normal time frame for each position to be performed during the examination. A standard protocol may also list the cost (revenues and expenses) of each item used by an operator to perform the examination. A standard protocol may list the normal steps an operator should follow in performing the examination. There are many different types of standard protocol programs that can be created surrounding the machine, an operator and/or the examination being performed. Each standard protocol is designed to produce and record a different type of data than that of another standard protocol. Each standard protocol is designed to produce a different result or finding than that of another protocol created about the same examination. That's because each standard protocol is made up of a different type of data than that of another protocol. A standard protocol normally includes a statement of the different views that the x-ray technologist normally takes of that body part (such as AP view, oblique view, etc.). A standard protocol may also include typical settings of the input parameters of the machine for each such view.
The above input parameters of the machine, for a given view would include for example, the voltage, the current (MA) and the duration of the exposure.
In addition to a listing of the different views and the input parameters, the standard protocol can include the time duration normally required for taking each view, the size of the x-ray film that would normally be used for each such view, etc.
In addition to technical data described above a standard protocol may include pricing data, such as the cost (to the patient) of the x-ray films of different sizes, the cost (to the hospital) of the x-ray films of different sizes, the hourly rate of the technologist to be charged to the patient (dollars per hour or per examination), the hourly rate of the technologist to be charged to the hospital (dollars per hour), any contrast agents used to visualize certain structures, any drugs used to comfort the patient during the examination, any other materials used to perform (complete) the examination, and any added expenses that must be absorbed by the hospital, etc.
When the technologist takes the actual x-rays of any given body part of an actual patient, he or she enters in the computer all data on the actual x-rays taken (except for standard costs such as the cost of film, hourly rates, cost of contrast agents, cost of medications, cost of materials, etc.).
The computer will compare the data entered relating to the actual x-rays taken, with a standard protocol. This comparison may fix the blame for any costs set forth in the actual x-ray data that are not found in the standard protocol. This comparison may show that the examination was performed exactly as set forth in a standard protocol. The computer will also compute the total costs to be charged to the patient as well as any expenses that the institutions must also absorb for an examination.
In the preferred form of the invention, the x-ray technologist operates the keyboard of a computer and the computer automatically sets the input controls of the x-ray machine or other machines. It is, however, within the broadest aspects of the invention, for the computer to be free of connections to the x-ray machine, in which case the input data is separately entered into the x-ray machine and the computer.
If the hospital has a number of X-ray machines, C.T. scanners and/or MRI scanners, all of the computers for the various machines may be in a network that also includes the computer of the supervisor or manager. The supervisor's computer may develop any available information, pricing data etc. that is stored in any computer in the network. Such information includes the hourly rate of the technologist to be charged to the patient (dollars per hour), the fee for a time duration for taking each view, the cost (to the patient) of additional x-ray films of different sizes, the cost (to the patient) of contrast agents, the cost (to the patient) of medications, the cost (to the patient) of materials used, etc.
When the technologist takes the actual
Hall William D.
Trammell James P.
Tran Tongoc
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