User Interface for Patient Risk Analysis System

Abstract

A graphical user interface provides a system and method for representing patient risks and other clinical information. The risks correspond to the probabilities that the patient exhibits particular conditions and respective etiologies. In addition the graphical user interface provides a method for representing the utility of different possibly harmful modes of physiologic monitoring in estimating these risks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating, to a user, patient risks for an individual patient, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a device, data relating to a plurality of possible clinical patient states in which the patient may be classified;   causing the display, on a display device, of a plurality of graphical indicators, each of the plurality of graphical indicators corresponding to one of the plurality of possible clinical patient states, each of the plurality of graphical indicators graphically identifying the probability that the patient is in a corresponding clinical patient state at a given point in a range of time, the plurality of graphical indicators configured to indicate a hazard level; and   causing the display, on the display device, of a timeline controller configured to allow a user to dynamically select a plurality of points in time over the range of time, the graphical indicators changing dynamically in response to a specification by the user of one of the plurality of points in time to display the evolution of the plurality of possible patient states over the range of time.   
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of graphical indicators are arranged on the display device segregated by hazard level so as to indicate a hazard level for each of the graphical indicators. 
     
     
         3 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 1 , wherein the color of each of the plurality of graphical indicators indicates the hazard level associated with each such graphical indicator. 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 1 , wherein receiving, from a device, data relating to a plurality of possible clinical patient states in which the patient may be classified, comprises:
 receiving data identifying the plurality of possible clinical patient states in which the patient may be classified, and for each of the plurality of possible clinical patient states, further comprises:   receiving data identifying the probability that the patient is in each of the possible patient states over the range of time; and   receiving data identifying a hazard level into which each of the possible patient states is categorized.   
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the display of graphical indicators on the display device comprises a bar chart having a plurality of bars, each bar associated with one of a plurality of hazard levels; and   each of the plurality of graphical indicators comprises a bar in the bar chart.   
     
     
         6 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 5 , wherein a bar within the bar chart may comprise a plurality of graphical indicators within a single hazard level. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the bars has a length corresponding to the probability that the patient is in the corresponding clinical patient state at a given point in time. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 5 , wherein the hazard level of each of the graphical indicators is expressed by the color of said graphical indicator. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the display device comprises a touch screen; and   the dynamic controller is a slider displayed on the touch screen.   
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 1 , further comprising a graphical indicator configured to represent the utility of an invasive measurement, the utility of an invasive measurement expressing a divergence between:
 a first patient state distribution associated with the plurality of possible clinical patient states based on a plurality of internal state variables associated with a time interval, the plurality of internal state variables including an internal state variable resulting from the invasive measurement; and   a simulated patient state distribution associated with the plurality of possible clinical patient states based on the same plurality of internal state variables associate with the same time interval, but excluding the internal state variable resulting from the invasive measurement.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 10 , wherein the first patient state distribution is weighted by hazard level. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a state variable data control feature that, when activated by the user, causes the display device to display internal state variables on which the patient states are based.   
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a tag creation feature that, when activated by the user, causes the display device to display a tag mark associated with the timeline controller at a selected point within the range of time.   
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method of graphically communicating patient risks to a user according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 displaying a tag note creation field configured to permit annotation, by the user, of information associated with the tag.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transient computer readable medium having computer-executable code for graphically communicating, to a user, patient risks for an individual patient, the computer-executable code comprising:
 code for receiving, from a device, data relating to a plurality of possible clinical patient states in which the patient may be classified;   code for causing the display, on a display device, of a plurality of graphical indicators, each of the plurality of graphical indicators corresponding to one of the plurality of possible clinical patient states, each of the plurality of graphical indicators graphically identifying the probability that the patient is in a corresponding clinical patient state at a given point in a range of time, the plurality of graphical indicators configured to indicate a hazard level; and   code for causing the display, on the display device, of a timeline controller configured to allow a user to dynamically select a plurality of points in time over the range of time, the graphical indicators changing dynamically in response to a specification by the user of one of the plurality of points in time to display the evolution of the plurality of patient states over the range of time.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of graphical indicators are arranged on the display device segregated by hazard level so as to indicate a hazard level for each of the graphical indicators. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the color of each of the plurality of graphical indicators indicates the hazard level associated with each such graphical indicator. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein code for receiving, from a device, data relating to a plurality of possible clinical patient states in which the patient may be classified, comprises:
 code for receiving data identifying the plurality of possible clinical patient states in which the patient may be classified, and further comprises:   code for receiving data identifying, for each of the plurality of possible clinical patient states, the probability that the patient is in each of the possible patient states over the range of time; and   code for receiving data identifying, for each of the plurality of possible clinical patient states, a hazard level into which each of the possible patient states is categorized.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the arrangement of graphical indicators on the display device comprises a bar chart having a plurality of bars, each bar associated with one of a plurality of hazard levels; and   each of the plurality of graphical indicators comprises a bar in the bar chart.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein a bar within the bar chart may comprise a plurality of graphical indicators within a single hazard level. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein each of the bars has a length corresponding to the probability that the patient is in the corresponding clinical patient state at a given point in time. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the hazard level of each of the graphical indicators is expressed by the color of said graphical indicator. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the display device comprises a touch screen; and   the dynamic controller is a slider displayed on the touch screen.   
     
     
         24 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising code for displaying a graphical indicator configured to represent the utility of an invasive measurement, the utility of an invasive measurement expressing a divergence between:
 a first patient state distribution associated with the plurality of possible clinical patient states based on a plurality of internal state variables associated with a time interval, the plurality of internal state variables including an internal state variable resulting from the invasive measurement; and   a simulated patient state distribution associated with the plurality of possible clinical patient states based on the same plurality of internal state variables associate with the same time interval, but excluding the internal state variable resulting from the invasive measurement.   
     
     
         25 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the first patient state distribution is weighted by hazard level. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 code for displaying a state variable data control feature that, when activated by the user, causes the display device to display internal state variables on which the patient states are based.   
     
     
         27 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 code for displaying a tag creation feature that, when activated by the user, causes the display device to display a tag mark associated with the timeline controller at a selected point within the range of time.   
     
     
         28 . The non-transient computer readable medium of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 code for displaying a tag note creation field configured to permit annotation, by the user, of information associated with the tag.   
     
     
         29 . A system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient, the system comprising:
 a display device;   a computer processor configured to display a graphical user interface on the display device, the graphical user interface comprising:
 a plurality of graphical indicators, each of the plurality of graphical indicators corresponding to one of a plurality of possible clinical patient states for the patient, and identifying the probability that the patient is in a corresponding clinical patient state at a given point in a range of time, the plurality of graphical indicators configured to indicate a hazard level; and 
 a timeline controller configured to allow the user to dynamically select a plurality of points in time over the range of time, the graphical indicators changing dynamically in response to a specification by the user of one of the plurality of points in time to display the evolution of the plurality of patient states over the range of time 
   
     
     
         30 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of graphical indicators are arranged on the display device segregated by hazard level so as to indicate a hazard level for each of the graphical indicators. 
     
     
         31 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 29 , wherein the color of each of the plurality of graphical indicators indicates the hazard level associated with each such graphical indicator. 
     
     
         32 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 the arrangement of graphical indicators on the display device comprises a bar chart having a plurality of bars, each bar associated with one of a plurality of hazard levels; and   each of the plurality of graphical indicators comprises a bar in the bar chart.   
     
     
         33 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 32 , wherein a bar within the bar chart may comprise a plurality of graphical indicators within a single hazard level. 
     
     
         34 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 32 , wherein each of the bars has a length corresponding to the probability that the patient is in the corresponding clinical patient state at a given point in time. 
     
     
         35 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 32 , wherein the hazard level of each of the graphical indicators is expressed by the color of said graphical indicator. 
     
     
         36 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 the display device comprises a touch screen; and   the dynamic controller is a slider displayed on the touch screen.   
     
     
         37 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 29 , further comprising a graphical indicator configured to represent the utility of an invasive measurement, the utility of an invasive measurement expressing a divergence between:
 a first patient state distribution associated with the plurality of possible clinical patient states based on a plurality of internal state variables associated with a time interval, the plurality of internal state variables including an internal state variable resulting from the invasive measurement; and   a simulated patient state distribution associated with the plurality of possible clinical patient states based on the same plurality of internal state variables associate with the same time interval, but excluding the internal state variable resulting from the invasive measurement.   
     
     
         38 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 37 , wherein the first patient state distribution is weighted by hazard level. 
     
     
         39 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 29 , the graphical user interface further comprising:
 a state variable data control feature that, when activated by the user, causes the display device to display internal state variables on which the patient states are based.   
     
     
         40 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 29 , the graphical user interface further comprising:
 a tag creation feature that, when activated by the user, causes the display device to display a tag mark associated with the timeline controller at a selected point within the range of time.   
     
     
         41 . The system for communicating, to a user, patient risks associated with a specific patient according to  claim 40 , the graphical user interface further comprising:
 a tag note creation field configured to permit annotation, by the user, of information associated with the tag.