System and method for collecting, organizing, and presenting research-oriented medical information

Abstract

A method and computer program manages medical research study information and laboratory test result information. The program generates an interactive user interface with elements for setting up a study ( 702 ), managing study member information ( 704 ), managing patient information ( 706 ), receiving and displaying comments ( 708 ), and configuring data to be stored in a database associated with the research study ( 710 ). The program also receives medical event information from a user and laboratory test result information from a laboratory information system ( 20 d ), and generates a chart ( 934 ) that correlates the test results and the medical events. The program also receives a normal range pertaining to a test result from the laboratory information system ( 20 d ) and provides a normal range indicator ( 952 ) for the test result.

1 . A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for organizing and presenting patient and research information, the computer program comprising:
 a study setup code segment for presenting a user interface that receives new study information from a user and sets up a new study;   a study comments code segment for receiving comments from members of the study, storing the comments, editing the comments, and presenting the comments for review;   a view user studies code segment for determining a current program user, presenting for review a list of all studies of which the user is a member, and presenting detailed information relating to a study selected by the user from the list of studies;   an events code segment for receiving event information from the user, wherein the event information includes a date of the event;   a laboratory communications code segment for maintaining a communications link with a laboratory information system and for electronically receiving a laboratory test result from the laboratory information system, wherein the test result includes a date of the test and a value of the result; and   a chart code segment for creating a laboratory test results chart, wherein the chart includes a visual indication of the value of the test result and a visual indication of the date of the event relative to the date of the test.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the laboratory communications code segment electronically receives from the laboratory information system a normal range value pertaining to the test result, and the chart code segment creates the laboratory test results chart to present a visual indication of the normal range concurrently with the visual indicator of the value of the test result. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the chart code segment selectively presents a textual description of the event. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the event is a medical complication. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the event is a medical procedure. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the program further comprises a members code segment for adding members to the study, removing members from the study, and indicating a role for each member. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the program further comprises a patients code segment for adding new patients to the study, presenting study patient overview information for review, removing patients from the study, and indicating a status of each patient. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the program further comprises a study parameters code segment for configuring data to be stored in a database associated with the research study. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the program further comprises a view all studies code segment for presenting for review a list of all studies maintained by the program. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for organizing and presenting patient and research information, the computer program comprising:
 an events code segment for receiving information from a user relating to a plurality of medical complications and a plurality of medical procedures, wherein the information includes a date and a description of each complication and each procedure;   a laboratory communications code segment for maintaining a communications link with a laboratory information system and for electronically receiving a plurality of laboratory test results from the laboratory information system, wherein each of the test results includes a plurality of values each taken at a different time; and   a chart code segment for creating a laboratory test results chart including a timeline, a graph for each laboratory test result, and a milestone indicator for each complication and each procedure, wherein each graph is plotted so that it corresponds to the timeline and each milestone indicator is placed to correspond to a time of the timeline, and wherein the description of each complication and each procedure is selectively visible and is associated with the milestone corresponding to the complication or procedure.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the program further comprises:
 a study setup code segment for presenting a user interface that receives new study information from a user and sets up a new study;   a study comments code segment for receiving comments from members of the study, storing the comments, editing the comments, and presenting the comments for review; and   a view user studies code segment for determining a current program user, presenting for review a list of all studies of which the user is a member, and presenting detailed information relating to a study selected by the user from the list of studies.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the program further comprises a members code segment for adding members to the study, removing members from the study, and indicating a role for each member. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the program further comprises a patients code segment for adding new patients to the study, presenting study patient overview information for review, removing patients from the study, and indicating a status of each patient. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the program further comprises a study parameters code segment for configuring data to be stored in a database associated with the research study. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the program further comprises a view all studies code segment for presenting for review a list of all studies maintained by the program. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for organizing and presenting patient and research information, the computer program comprising:
 a study setup code segment for presenting a user interface that receives new study information from a user and sets up a new study;   a study comments code segment for receiving comments from members of the study, storing the comments, editing the comments, and presenting the comments for review;   a study parameters code segment for configuring data to be stored in a database associated with the research study;   a view user studies code segment for determining a current program user, presenting for review a list of all studies of which the user is a member, and presenting detailed information relating to a study selected by the user from the list of studies;   a members code segment for adding members to the study, removing members from the study, and indicating a role for each member; and   a patients code segment for adding new patients to the study, presenting study patient overview information for review, removing patients from the study, and indicating a status of each patient.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the program further comprises a view all studies code segment for presenting for review a list of all studies maintained by the program. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the program further comprises an events code segment for receiving event information from the user, wherein the event information includes a date of the event; 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the program further comprises a laboratory communications code segment for maintaining a communications link with a laboratory information system and for electronically receiving a plurality of laboratory test results from the laboratory information system, wherein each of the test results includes a plurality of values each taken at a different time. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the program further comprises a chart code segment for creating a laboratory test results chart, wherein the chart includes a visual indication of the value of the test result and a visual indication of the date of the event relative to the date of the test.