Document creation and management systems and methods

Abstract

Systems and methods for document creation and management to facilitate creation of documents. An example document creation and management system is configured with an input component, a processing component, and a document creation component. A document creation and management systems can allow input of data in a customizable manner via talking (or recording), touching, typing, and/or clicking. A document creation and management system may use customizable templates, so that a user, for example a physician, may more efficiently enter and review data, such as data related to a patient encounter. A navigator may import information, such as formatting and structure information, from a template to guide a user as to the input to be provided to generate a document according to the template. Document entries may be automatically sent for processing, which may include editing, transcription, encryption, etc, in a parallel or serial fashion. For example, dictation information may be automatically transcribed and/or processed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A document creation and management system comprising:
 an input subsystem to generate content of a document, the input subsystem including a graphical user interface to receive input via one or more input devices and compose data provided by the input as a discrete entry of the content of the document, the input subsystem comprising:
 a composer configured to launch in response to activation of a type input control and present a composer user interface to receive input via a plurality of methods to compile a set of data to compose into a single discrete entry, the plurality of input methods including typing text into the set of data and auto-inserting preconfigured data into the set of data, wherein the preconfigured data is defined by and configurable by modifying a predefined template that is customizable by a user of the document creation and management system ; and 
 a template editor to enable user creation and customization of the template to guide creation of content of a document, wherein the template defines preconfigured data to be auto-inserted by the composer; 
   a document creation subsystem configured to generate the document using entries composed by the input subsystem; and   a document storage subsystem configured to store the document on a computer readable storage medium.   
     
     
         2 . The document creation and management system of  claim 1 , wherein the composer, upon launch, provides preconfigured data into the set of data, wherein the preconfigured data and composer user interface guide generation of input, 
     
     
         3 . The document creation and management system of  claim 1 , wherein the composer user interface presents an input control that is actuatable to activate an auto-insertion component configured to auto-insert preconfigured data into the set of data. 
     
     
         4 . The document creation and management system of  claim 3 , wherein the input control is a click input control. 
     
     
         5 . The document creation and management system of  claim 3 , wherein the input control is a touch input control. 
     
     
         6 . The document creation and management system of  claim 1 , wherein the composer further comprises a natural language composer configured to systematically guide construction of a sentence of text input, the natural language composer configured to present a plurality of preconfigured text input options that each include punctuation controls to simultaneously input the text option and appropriate punctuation to generate a flowing, natural, and grammatically correct sentence, wherein the plurality of preconfigured text input options are defined by the predefined template. 
     
     
         7 . The document creation and management system of  claim 1 , wherein the composer user interface presents a record input control that is actuatable to activate a recorder to record input into the set of data. 
     
     
         8 . The document creation and management system of  claim 7 , wherein the recorder records audio; 
     
     
         9 . The document creation and management system of  claim 7 , wherein the recorder records video. 
     
     
         10 . The document creation and management system of  claim 7 , wherein the recorder records output of a monitoring system. 
     
     
         11 . The document creation and management system of  claim 1 , wherein the input subsystem further comprises a navigator component to present, on the graphical user interface of the input subsystem, prompts and corresponding input controls according to the template in which the preconfigured data of the composer is defined,
 wherein the prompts and corresponding input controls guide collection of input and guide composing of the one or more discrete entries of the content of the document,   wherein the corresponding input controls include a type input control to launch the composer.   
     
     
         12 . The document creation and management system of  claim 1 , wherein the template comprises formatting rules of the document, including an arrangement of the entries of the content of the document, wherein the arrangement of the entries comprises one or more of ordering and formatting. 
     
     
         13 . The document creation and management system of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface of the input subsystem further comprises a viewer to display in real-time the contents of the document according to formatting as an output document. 
     
     
         14 . A document creation and management system comprising:
 an input subsystem to generate content of a document, the input subsystem including a graphical user interface to receive input via one or more input devices and compose data provided by the input as a discrete entry of the content of the document, the input subsystem comprising:
 a template editor to present input controls to enable user customization of a template that specifies input to be gathered to generate the document, template editor enabling a user to define in the template formatting rules for the document and preconfigured data to be auto-inserted to compose a discrete entry of content of the document; and 
 a composer to present a composer user interface configured to receive input to compose into an entry, the composer user interface comprising a click input control configured to, upon activation, auto-insert preconfigured data to compose into an entry, wherein the preconfigured data is defined in the template; and 
   a document creation subsystem configured to generate the document using entries composed by the input subsystem; and   a document storage subsystem configured to store the document on a computer readable storage medium.   
     
     
         15 . The document creation and management system of  claim 14 , wherein the formatting rules include organizational information specifying:
 organization of the discrete entries of the content; and   an order in which prompts for input for the discrete entries are presented to a user.   
     
     
         16 . The document creation and management system of  claim 15 , wherein the organizational information comprises a tree structure including categories and sub-elements that define the discrete entries to be composed, wherein the template editor is configured to enable user creation of the tree structure. 
     
     
         17 . The document creation and management system of  claim 16 , wherein the template editor is configured to enable a user to specify preconfigured data for at least one sub-element of the tree structure. 
     
     
         18 . The document creation and management system of  claim 16 , wherein the template editor is configured to enable mapping of the categories and sub-elements of the tree structure to a logical system of permanent labels. 
     
     
         19 . The document creation and management system of  claim 18 , wherein the logical system of permanent labels comprises elements of an electronic medical record (EMR) system in order to map the entries of the content of the document to the EMR system. 
     
     
         20 . The document creation and management system of  claim 14 , wherein the input subsystem further comprises a navigator component to present, on the graphical user interface of the input subsystem, prompts and corresponding input controls to guide collection of input and guide composing of the one or more discrete entries to create the content of the document,
 wherein the prompts and corresponding input controls of the navigator component are organized according to the template in which the preconfigured data of the composer is defined, wherein the corresponding input controls of the navigator component include a type input control to launch the composer.   
     
     
         21 . A method of document creation and management comprising:
 presenting a template editor interface configured to enable a user to customize a template that specifies input to be gathered to generate content of a document,   receiving input via the template editor interface specifying formatting rules for content of the document,   receiving input via the template editor interface specifying preconfigured data to be auto-inserted, upon activation of a click input control, to compose a discrete entry of the content of the document;   presenting a composer interface to receive input via a plurality of methods to compile a set of data to compose into a single discrete entry of the content, the plurality of input methods including typing text into the set of data and auto-insert the preconfigured data into the set of data;   receiving input activating the click input control;   auto-inserting the preconfigured data, in response to activation of the click input control;   composing a discrete entry of content of the document, including the auto-inserted preconfigured data; and   storing the document as an association of discretely stored entries.