System and method to manage a workflow in delivering healthcare

Abstract

An example system to allocate a resource to a plurality of patients includes a first agent to track a first property associated with a first patient to obtain first tracking data and a second agent to track a second property associated with a second patient to obtain second tracking data. The example system includes a bidding engine to receive the first tracking data from the first agent and the second tracking data the second agent. In the example system, the bidding agent to dynamically generate a first bid associated with the first patient based on the first tracking data and a second bid associated with the second patient based on the second tracking data. The example system includes a broker to assign the resource to one of the first patient or the second patient. In the example system, the broker is to dynamically communicate with the bidding engine to assign the resource based on at least one of the first bid, the second bid, or a property associated with the resource.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system to allocate a resource to a plurality of patients, the system comprising:
 a first agent to track a first property associated with a first patient to obtain first tracking data and a second agent to track a second property associated with a second patient to obtain second tracking data;   a bidding engine to receive the first tracking data from the first agent and the second tracking data from the second agent, the bidding agent to dynamically generate a first bid associated with the first patient based on the first tracking data and a second bid associated with the second patient based on the second tracking data; and   a broker to assign the resource to one of the first patient or the second patient, wherein the broker is to dynamically communicate with the bidding engine to assign the resource based on at least one of the first bid, the second bid, or a property associated with the resource.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the broker is to optimize at least one of a wait time of one the first patient or the second patient for access the resource, a progression of the first patient or the second patient through a respective workflow, or a utilization of the resource based on the assignment of the resource. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bidding engine is to calculate a first value for the first bid and a second value for the second bid and the broker is to weigh the first bid and the second bid to assign the resource. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the bidding engine is to dynamically update the first value based on a change in the first tracking data and the broker is to assign the first patient to the resource based on a change in the first value relative to the second value. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the bidding engine is to dynamically update the first value as the first patient progresses through a workflow and the broker is to adjust the workflow of the first patient and a workflow of the second patient by assigning the resource to the first patient. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein one of the bidding engine or the broker is to stimulate a third value for the first bid and the broker is to compare a progression of the first patient through a workflow based the first value to the progression of the first patient through the workflow based on the third value. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bidding engine and the broker are to negotiate an assignment of the first patient to the resource based on a change in the first property of the first patient relative to an assignment of the second patient to the resource prior to the change. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the broker is to assign one of the first patient or the second patient to a first scheduling slot of the resource and one of the other of the first patient or the second patient to a second scheduling slot of the resource or a second resource. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first agent and the second agent are to track one or more of physiological property, a wait time, a clinical threshold, or a criticality level associated with the first patient and the second patient, respectively. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the property associated with the resource is at least one of an availability status or an operational condition. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an interface to display a first patient identifier associated with the first patient and a second patient identifier associated with the second patient, wherein the display of the first patient identifier and the second patient identifier is associated with the first bid and the second bid. 
     
     
         12 . A method to allocate a resource to a plurality of patients, the method comprising:
 tracking a first property associated with a first patient to obtain first tracking data and a second property associated with a second patient to obtain second tracking data;   dynamically generating a first bid associated with the first patient based on the first tracking data and a second bid associated with the second patient based on the second tracking data; and   assigning the resource to one of the first patient or the second patient based on at least one of the first bid, the second bid, or a property associated with the resource.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 calculating a first value for the first bid and a second value for the second bid and wherein the broker is to weigh the first bid and the second bid to assign the resource; and   weighing the first bid and the second bid to assign the resource.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 dynamically updating the first value based on a change in the first tracking data; and   assigning the first patient to the resource based on a change in the first value relative to the second value.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 dynamically updating the first value as the first patient progresses through a workflow; and   adjusting the workflow of the first patient and a workflow of the second patient by assigning the first patient to the resource.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising displaying a first patient identifier associated with the first patient and a second patient identifier associated with the second patient, wherein displaying the first patient identifier and the second patient identifier is based on the first bid and the second bid. 
     
     
         17 . A machine readable storage device or disc, containing instructions thereon, which when read cause a machine to at least:
 track a first property associated with a first patient to obtain first tracking data and a second property associated with a second patient to obtain second tracking data;   dynamically generate a first bid associated with the first patient based on the first tracking data and a second bid associated with the second patient based on the second tracking data; and   assign the resource to one of the first patient or the second patient based on at least one of the first bid, the second bid, or a property associated with the resource.   
     
     
         18 . The machine readable storage device or storage disc of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to:
 calculate a first value for the first bid and a second value for the second bid and wherein the broker is to weigh the first bid and the second bid to assign the resource; and   weigh the first bid and the second bid to assign the resource   
     
     
         19 . The machine readable storage device or storage disc of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to:
 dynamically update the first value based on a change in the first tracking data; and   assign the first patient to the resource based on a change in the first value relative to the second value.   
     
     
         20 . The machine readable storage device or storage disc of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to display a first patient identifier associated with the first patient and a second patient identifier associated with the second patient, wherein the instructions cause the machine to display of the first patient identifier and the second patient identifier based on the first bid and the second bid