Systems and methods for workflow modification through metric analysis

Abstract

An example system to manage a radiologist workflow includes a first interface to monitor a distribution status of at least one medical exam. The medical exam is to be at least one of automatically allocated or assigned to an examiner work queue based on one or more rules. The example system includes a second interface to view at least one metric associated with distribution of the at least one medical exam and an assignment tool to be displayed via the first interface. The assignment tool is to facilitate assignment of the medical exam to an examiner work queue. The example system includes a rules viewer to be displayed via a third interface. The rules viewer is to facilitate configuration of the one or more rules based on the distribution status, the at least one metric, or the assignment. The rules viewer is to automatically update the one or more rules.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an exam distributor to automatically distribute a first exam to a first examiner and a second exam to a second examiner based on one or more rules;   a first interface, a first user input to be received via the first interface in response to the distribution of the first exam;   a second interface, a second user input to be received via the second interface in response to the distribution of the second exam;   an analyzer to detect (1) a first trend for the first examiner based on the first user input and at least one metric associated with the distribution of the first exam and (2) a second trend for the second examiner based the second user input and on at least one metric associated with the distribution of the second exam; and   a rules viewer to automatically update the one or more rules based on the first trend and the second trend, the exam distributor to automatically distribute a third exam to the first examiner or the second examiner based on the one or more updated rules.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first user input is one of an acceptance of the first exam in an examiner work queue for the first examiner or a rejection of the first exam from the examiner work queue for the first examiner. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second user input is an adjustment to the distribution of the second exam. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer is to perform a comparison of the first trend to the second trend and the rules viewer is to automatically update the one or more rules based on the comparison. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer is to monitor one or more of the distribution of the first exam, the distribution of the second exam, the first input, and the second input, the analyzer to detect the first trend and the second trend based on the monitoring. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer is to update one or more of the first trend or the second trend based on the distribution of the third exam. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one metric associated with the distribution first exam includes one or more of a review time of the first exam by the first examiner, an efficiency rate of a review the first exam by the first examiner, and a difficulty level of the first exam. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 distributing, by executing an instruction with a processor, a first exam to a first examiner and a second exam to a second examiner based on one or more rules;   receiving, via a first interface and by executing an instruction with the processor, a first user input in response to the distribution of the first exam;   receiving, via a second interface and by executing an instruction with the processor, a second user input in response to the distribution of the second exam;   detecting, by executing an instruction with the processor, (1) a first trend for the first examiner based on the first user input and at least one metric associated with the distribution of the first exam and (2) a second trend for the second examiner based the second user input and on at least one metric associated with the distribution of the second exam;   updating, by executing an instruction with the processor, the one or more rules based on the first trend and the second trend; and   distributing, by executing an instruction with the processor, a third exam to the first examiner or the second examiner based on the one or more updated rules.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first user input is one of an acceptance of the first exam in an examiner work queue for the first examiner or a rejection of the first exam from the examiner work queue for the first examiner. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second user input is an adjustment to the distribution of the second exam. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further including:
 performing a comparison of the first trend to the second trend; and   automatically updating the one or more rules based on the comparison.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the detecting of the first trend and the second trend includes monitoring one or more of the distribution of the first exam, the distribution of the second exam, the first input, and the second input. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further including updating one or more of the first trend or the second trend based on the distribution of the third exam. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one metric associated with the distribution first exam includes one or more of a review time of the first exam by the first examiner, an efficiency rate of a review the first exam by the first examiner, and a difficulty level of the first exam. 
     
     
         15 . A machine readable storage device or storage disk, containing instructions thereon, which when read cause a machine to at least:
 distribute a first exam to a first examiner and a second exam to a second examiner based on one or more rules;   receive, via a first interface, a first user input in response to the distribution of the first exam;   receive via a second interface, a second user input in response to the distribution of the second exam;   detect (1) a first trend for the first examiner based on the first user input and at least one metric associated with the distribution of the first exam and (2) a second trend for the second examiner based the second user input and on at least one metric associated with the distribution of the second exam;   update the one or more rules based on the first trend and the second trend; and   distribute a third exam to the first examiner or the second examiner based on the one or more updated rules.   
     
     
         16 . The machine readable storage device or storage disk of  claim 15 , wherein the first user input is one of an acceptance of the first exam in an examiner work queue for the first examiner or a rejection of the first exam from the examiner work queue for the first examiner. 
     
     
         17 . The machine readable storage device or storage disk of  claim 15 , wherein the second user input is an adjustment to the distribution of the second exam. 
     
     
         18 . The machine readable storage device or storage disk of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:
 perform a comparison of the first trend to the second trend; and   automatically update the one or more rules based on the comparison.   
     
     
         19 . The machine readable storage device or storage disk of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to detect of the first trend and the second trend by monitoring one or more of the distribution of the first exam, the distribution of the second exam, the first input, and the second input. 
     
     
         20 . The machine readable storage device or storage disk of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to update one or more of the first trend or the second trend based on the distribution of the third exam.