Method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure by selecting a concept object stored in the multi-level data structure, displaying a first image representing the selected concept object, displaying one or more second images generally above the first image, and displaying a first connector connecting each second image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more child concept objects, one or more third images are displayed generally below the first image, and a second connector is displayed connecting each third image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, one or more fourth images are displayed generally on one or both sides of the first image, and a third connector is displayed connecting each fourth image to the first image.

1 .- 30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . A computer-implemented method for adding customized terms to a predefined medical taxonomy, comprising:
 providing a fixed medical taxonomy in a computer database comprising root concepts ordered according to a predefined hierarchy;   displaying one or more root concepts on a display device;   receiving a selection of a root concept;   receiving a customized term;   creating an association between the customized term and the selected root concept in the computer database;   storing the association in the computer database; and   displaying the association between the customized term and the selected root concept on a display device.   
   
   
       32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31 , further comprising: receiving the customized term in a search query interface; and conducting a search for root concepts associated with the customized term. 
   
   
       33 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31 , wherein the fixed medical taxonomy comprises at least one of: Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Reference Terminology (SNOMED RT); Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System 2000; International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10); International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision Australian Modification (ICD-10 AM); Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology (CPT); and International Classification of Diseases: 9th Revision-Clinical Modification (ICD-9 CM). 
   
   
       34 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 33 , wherein the customized term comprises a non-medical term. 
   
   
       35 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 34 , wherein the non-medical term comprises a consumer term. 
   
   
       36 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 33 , wherein the customized term comprises at least one of a synonym; a consumer term; a grammatical variant; an abbreviation; a misspelling; a short phrase; a medium phrase; a long phrase; and a coding modifier. 
   
   
       37 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31 , wherein the display device comprises a computer display screen. 
   
   
       38 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31 , wherein displaying the association between the customized term and the selected root concept on a display device comprises displaying the selected root concept as alphanumeric text in a first window on the display device and displaying the customized term as alphanumeric text in a second window on the display device. 
   
   
       39 . A computer-implemented method for creating new associations between two medical taxonomies, comprising:
 providing a first fixed medical taxonomy in a computer database comprising root concepts ordered according to a first predefined hierarchy;   providing a second fixed medical taxonomy in a computer database comprising root concepts ordered according to a second predefined hierarchy;   displaying a first root concept from the first fixed medical taxonomy and a second root concept from the second medical taxonomy on a display device;   receiving input to define a new relationship between first and second root concepts;   creating an association between the first and second root concepts based on the input;   storing the association in the computer database; and   displaying the association between the selected root concepts on a display device.   
   
   
       40 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , further comprising: receiving a input related to the new relationship in a search query interface; and conducting a search for root concepts associated with the input. 
   
   
       41 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 40 , further comprising displaying the first and second root concepts on the display device in accordance with the new relationship. 
   
   
       42 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein the first and second fixed medical taxonomies comprise at least one of: Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Reference Terminology (SNOMED RT); Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System 2000; International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10); International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision Australian Modification (ICD-10 AM); Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology (CPT); and International Classification of Diseases: 9th Revision-Clinical Modification (ICD-9 CM). 
   
   
       43 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 42 , wherein the first medical taxonomy comprises a computer file relating to medical nomenclature and the second medical taxonomy comprises a computer file related to healthcare codes for billing. 
   
   
       44 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 41 , wherein the display device comprises a computer display screen. 
   
   
       45 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 41 , wherein displaying the association between the selected root concepts on a display device comprises displaying the selected first root concept as alphanumeric text in a first window on the display device and displaying the selected second root concepts as alphanumeric text in a second window on the display device. 
   
   
       46 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for adding customized terms to a predefined medical taxonomy, said method comprising:
 providing a fixed medical taxonomy in a computer database comprising root concepts ordered according to a predefined hierarchy;   displaying one or more root concepts on a display device;   receiving a selection of a root concept;   receiving a customized term;   creating an association between the customized term and the selected root concept in the computer database;   storing the association in the computer database; and   displaying the association between the customized term and the selected root concept on a display device.   
   
   
       47 . The computer program product of  claim 46 , wherein the method further comprises receiving the customized term in a search query interface; and conducting a search for root concepts associated with the customized term. 
   
   
       48 . The computer program product of  claim 46 , wherein the fixed medical taxonomy comprises at least one of: Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Reference Terminology (SNOMED RT); Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System 2000; International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10); International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision Australian Modification (ICD-10 AM); Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology (CPT); and International Classification of Diseases: 9th Revision-Clinical Modification (ICD-9 CM). 
   
   
       49 . The computer program product of  claim 46 , wherein the customized term comprises a non-medical term. 
   
   
       50 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 46 , wherein the customized term comprises at least one of a synonym; a consumer term; a grammatical variant; an abbreviation; a misspelling; a short phrase; a medium phrase; a long phrase; and a coding modifier.