System, method, and computer program product for reducing the burden on scheduling systems by forecasting a demand for medical resources

Abstract

The present invention generates a forecast factor indicating an anticipated demand for a medical resource in a medical facility during a selected time period. The invention generates the forecast factor using billing data retrieved from one or more billing data systems wherein the retrieved billing data is from a prior time period that is comparable to the selected time period. The invention may also generate a schedule of the medical resource using the determined forecast factor such that the generated schedule may substantially correspond to the anticipated demand for the medical resource during the selected time period. In addition, the invention may also generate one or more displays of the determined forecast factor to a user and may also receive a user input for selecting and/or modifying the protocol used to determine the forecast factor.

1 . A system for optimizing a schedule of at least one medical resource in at least one medical facility using a supply data set, the system comprising:
 a supply system comprising the supply data corresponding to at least one medical procedure being performed using the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during a first time period, the data within the supply data set being indicative of a utilization of the at least one medical resource during the first time period; and   a forecasting module in communication with said supply system, wherein said forecasting module:
 retrieves the supply data set from the supply system; 
 converts data within the supply data set into a utilization data set corresponding to a historical demand for the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during the first time period; 
 determines a forecast factor using data within the utilization data set, the forecast factor corresponding to an expected demand for the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during a second time period, the second time period being subsequent to the first time period; and 
 generates a schedule for the at least one medical resource based on the determined forecast factor indicating when during the second time period the at least one medical resource is expected to be utilized. 
   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said forecasting module transfers the generated schedule to a scheduling calendar. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said forecasting module comprises a memory device for storing the retrieved supply data set. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface for displaying the forecast factor to a user. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 4 , wherein said user interface is configured to receive a user input comprising a selection of the forecast factor. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data within the supply data set comprises at least one of:
 an identification code for identifying a type of the at least one medical procedure;   a time of the at least one medical procedure;   a duration of the at least one medical procedure;   a location of the at least one medical facility;   a personnel identification code for identifying a clinician performing the at least one medical procedure; and   combinations thereof.   
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the forecast factor comprises at least one of:
 a percentage of time the at least one medical facility is in use during the first time period;   a number of clinicians required to staff the at least one medical procedure;   a qualification of a clinician required to staff the at least one medical procedure;   a number of concurrent medical procedures occurring in the at least one medical facility during the first time period;   and a percentage of time that a selected number of concurrent medical procedures are occurring in the at least one medical facility during the first time period.   
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second time periods are comparable time periods of substantially equivalent duration comprising at least one of:
 a day; 
 a week; 
 a month; and 
 a year. 
 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conversion module comprising data and corresponding utilization information, and wherein said forecasting module interrogates said conversion module so as to convert the data within the medical process data set into a utilization data set comprising the utilization information corresponding to a historical demand for the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during the first time period. 
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 4 , wherein said forecast module displays the forecast factor to the user via said user interface in at least one of:
 a chart of substantially concurrent medical procedures in the at least one medical facility during the first time period;   a chart of a quantity of the at least one medical procedure in the at least one medical facility during the first time period; and   a Gantt chart of the at least one medical procedure during the first time period.   
     
     
         11 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one medical resource is at least one of:
 a clinician; and   a medical procedure room within the at least one medical facility.   
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one medical resource comprises a plurality of like medical resources each being interchangeable with one another such that a first of the plurality functions similarly to a second of the plurality;   wherein the forecast factor corresponds to an expected demand for the plurality of like medical resources, the forecast factor comprising a number of concurrent medical procedures occurring in the at least one medical facility during the first time period; and   wherein the forecast factor is configured such that the plurality of like medical resources can be scheduled for efficient utilization of each of the plurality during the second time period.   
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 12 , wherein said forecasting module generates the schedule of the at least one medical resource such that the schedule corresponds to the determined forecast factor during the second time period, the plurality of like medical resources each being scheduled for efficient utilization of each of the plurality during the second time period. 
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the forecasting module generates the schedule for the at least one medical resource based on the determined forecast factor indicating at least a date and time during the second time period when the at least one medical resource is expected to be utilized. 
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the forecasting module generates the schedule for the at least one medical resource based on the determined forecast factor indicating at least a time interval during the second time period when the at least one medical resource is expected to be utilized. 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the forecasting module generates the schedule for the at least one medical resource based on the determined forecast factor indicating at least a date range during the second time period when the at least one medical resource is expected to be utilized. 
     
     
         17 . A method for optimizing a schedule of at least one medical resource in at least one medical facility using a supply data set from a supply system, the supply data set corresponding to at least one medical procedure being performed using the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during a first time period, the data within the supply data set being indicative of a utilization of the at least one medical resource during the first time period, the method comprising:
 retrieving the supply data set from the supply system using a processing element;   converting data within the supply data set into a utilization data set corresponding to a historical demand for the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during the first time period using a processing element;   determining a forecast factor using data within the utilization data set, the forecast factor corresponding to an expected demand for the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during a second time period, the second time period being subsequent to the first time period using a processing element; and   generating a schedule for the at least one medical resource based on the determined forecast factor indicating when during the second time period the at least one medical resource is expected to be utilized using a processing element.   
     
     
         18 . A computer program product for optimizing a schedule of at least one medical resource in at least one medical facility by retrieving a supply data set from a supply system, the supply data set corresponding to at least one medical procedure being performed using the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during a first time period, the data within the supply data set being indicative of a utilization of the at least one medical resource during the first time period, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code instructions stored therein comprising:
 first computer instruction means for retrieving the supply data set from the supply system;   second computer instruction means for converting data within the supply data set into a utilization data set corresponding to a historical demand for the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during the first time period;   third computer instruction means for determining a forecast factor using data within the utilization data set, the forecast factor corresponding to an expected demand for the at least one medical resource in the at least one medical facility during a second time period, the second time period being subsequent to the first time period; and   fourth computer instruction means for generating a schedule for the at least one medical resource based on the determined forecast factor indicating at least a date and time during the second time period when the at least one medical resource is expected to be utilized using a processing element.