Pathology, radiology and other medical or surgical specialties quality assurance

Abstract

Current Electronic Health Systems and Government sponsored International Classification of Diseases (IDC-10) do not have the flexibility to describe diagnoses that are not clearly benign or cancerous and cannot relay recommendations from pathologist, radiologist, or other specialist. Software codes enable any specialty to efficiently communicate additional recommendations with time metrics to their referring sources. A Quality Assurance Module interface provides for communication with patients, physicians, referring specialist, etc. Default time metrics may be used with the QAM. Enhancing communication of recommendations and assuring all parties involved with patient care, improves safety and patients outcomes.

1 . A computer-implemented method of pathological quality assurance comprising:
 (a) generating a label for a specimen including patient demographics and a proposed diagnosis;   (b) electronically sending with network communication hardware the patient demographics and the proposed diagnosis to a quality assurance module;   (c) providing a lab receiving the specimen with access to the quality assurance module;   (d) receiving a pathologist diagnosis and a recommendation code from the lab and importing the pathologist diagnosis and the recommendation code to the quality assurance module, wherein the recommendation code identifies any additional procedures needed and time parameters for completion; and   (e) the quality assurance module identifying time metrics for follow-up activity based on the pathologist diagnosis and the recommendation code.   
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (a) is practiced by generating a machine-readable code. 
     
     
         3 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recommendation code in step (d) identifies additional procedures including at least one of re-testing the patient, expanding a scope of testing, recommending patient follow-up visits, and recommending a referral to another specialist. 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 3 , wherein the recommendation code in step (d) further identifies the time parameters for the recommended additional procedures. 
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 1 , wherein the proposed diagnosis is a melanoma, and wherein the recommendation code in step
 (d) identifies additional procedures including at least one of re-excision of a lesion, excision of the lesion with a specific margin of skin, recommending patient follow-up visits, and recommending a referral to another specialist.   
     
     
         6 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (f) monitoring the follow-up activity and corresponding time metrics; and   (g) automatically sending alerts when the follow-up activity does not take place according to the time metrics.   
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 6 , wherein step (g) is practiced by first sending an email communication to the patient's care provider, then sending an email communication to the pathologist, then sending an email to the patient. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 7 , wherein when the patient does not respond to the email communication within a preset time period, the method comprises generating a closed diagnosis letter to the patient. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 1 , wherein the quality assurance module communicates information relating to the specimen and a status of the pathologist diagnosis to the patient. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 9 , wherein the information relating to the specimen comprises a date that the specimen was sent to the lab, a location of the lab, arrival date at the lab, arrival date for the pathologist diagnosis at the patient's care provider, date of patient notification of the pathologist diagnosis, additional recommendations or treatments, dates of future procedures, and dates of communications sent to the patient. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 1 , wherein the specimen comprises an x-ray. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 1 , further comprising identifying with the quality assurance module referral recommendations and time metrics. 
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recommendation code comprises default coding sequences that reflect individual physician, practice group, medical society and national preferences. 
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method of pathological quality assurance for a specimen sent from a care provider office of a patient to a lab, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving a pathologist diagnosis and a recommendation code from the lab and importing the pathologist diagnosis and the recommendation code to a quality assurance module, wherein the recommendation code identifies any additional procedures needed and time parameters for completion; and   (b) the quality assurance module identifying time metrics for follow-up activity based on the pathologist diagnosis and the recommendation code.   
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 (c) monitoring the follow-up activity and corresponding time metrics; and   (d) automatically sending alerts when the follow-up activity does not take place according to the time metrics.   
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 15 , wherein step (d) is practiced by first sending an email communication to the patient's care provider, then sending an email communication to the pathologist, then sending an email to the patient. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 16 , wherein when the patient does not respond to the email communication within a preset time period, the method comprises generating a closed diagnosis letter to the patient. 
     
     
         18 . A system for providing pathological quality assurance, the system comprising:
 a computer processor generating a label for a specimen including patient demographics and a proposed diagnosis;   a quality assurance module defined by software executed by the computer processor that stores time metrics for follow-up activities according to a pathologist diagnosis and a recommendation code;   network communication hardware communicating with the computer processor and sending the patient demographics and the proposed diagnosis to the quality assurance module; and   a user computer communicating with the computer processor over a global network, the user computer uploading the pathologist diagnosis and the recommendation code to the quality assurance module, wherein the recommendation code identifies any additional procedures needed and time parameters for completion,   wherein the quality assurance module identifies time metrics for follow-up activity based on the pathologist diagnosis and the recommendation code.   
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 18 , wherein the quality assurance module is programmed to monitor the follow-up activity and corresponding time metrics and to automatically send alerts when the follow-up activity does not take place according to the time metrics.