Cloud-based clinical information systems and methods of use

Abstract

Cloud-based clinical information system apparatus and associated methods are disclosed. An example cloud-based clinical information system includes a processor to receive a referral order including trauma case information for a first patient from a first local information system of a first healthcare entity to refer the first patient to a second healthcare entity, the referral order to include a portion of the first patient's information from the first local information system. The cloud-based clinical information system is to notify the second healthcare entity of the referral and provide a second local information system of the second healthcare entity with the referral order. The second local information system of the second healthcare entity is to process the referral order and accept or reject the referral order from the first local information system via the cloud-based clinical information system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a cloud-based clinical information system including a processor to receive a referral order including trauma case information for a first patient from a first local information system of a first healthcare entity to refer the first patient to a second healthcare entity, the referral order to include a portion of the first patient's information from the first local information system,   the cloud-based clinical information system to notify the second healthcare entity of the referral and provide a second local information system of the second healthcare entity with the referral order, facilitated via an edge device, the second local information system of the second healthcare entity to process the referral order and accept or reject the referral order from the first local information system via the cloud-based clinical information system.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first local information system is to store patient information for the patient generated at a first healthcare facility. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the edge device is to upload the trauma case information to at least one of the second local information system or the cloud-based clinical information system based on an affiliation of the first healthcare entity with the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the edge device is to upload the trauma case information to the second location information but not the cloud-based clinical information system when the first healthcare entity is affiliated with the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the edge device is to upload the trauma case information to the second location information but not the cloud-based clinical information system when the first healthcare entity is affiliated with the second healthcare entity and bandwidth usage is limited. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second healthcare entity is to be determined based on an affiliation between the first healthcare entity and the second healthcare entity and a trauma treatment capability of a second healthcare facility of the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based clinical information system is to facilitate a second opinion of the first patient by a clinician of the second healthcare entity by providing the referral order to the second local information system. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first local information system and the second local information system includes a local cloud system to form a hybrid cloud system with the cloud-based clinical information system. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a registration manager to assign first credentials to the first healthcare entity and second credentials to the second healthcare entity, each of the first credentials and the second credentials to be associated with an access right and a sharing right, wherein the first credentials and the second credentials are to relate based on an affiliation of the first healthcare entity with the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further including an agreement manager to store a contractual agreement between the first healthcare entity and the second healthcare entity to define the affiliation, the contractual agreement to include rules defining the access right and the sharing right between the first healthcare entity and the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable storage medium including instructions which, when executed, cause at least one processor to implement at least:
 a cloud-based clinical information system to receive a referral order including trauma case information for a first patient from a first local information system of a first healthcare entity to refer the first patient to a second healthcare entity, the referral order to include a portion of the first patient's information from the first local information system,   the cloud-based clinical information system to notify the second healthcare entity of the referral and provide a second local information system of the second healthcare entity with the referral order, facilitated via an edge device, the second local information system of the second healthcare entity to process the referral order and accept or reject the referral order from the first local information system via the cloud-based clinical information system.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the first local information system is to store patient information for the patient generated at a first healthcare facility. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the edge device is to upload the trauma case information to at least one of the second local information system or the cloud-based clinical information system based on an affiliation of the first healthcare entity with the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the edge device is to upload the trauma case information to the second location information but not the cloud-based clinical information system when the first healthcare entity is affiliated with the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the edge device is to upload the trauma case information to the second location information but not the cloud-based clinical information system when the first healthcare entity is affiliated with the second healthcare entity and bandwidth usage is limited. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the second healthcare entity is to be determined based on an affiliation between the first healthcare entity and the second healthcare entity and a trauma treatment capability of a second healthcare facility of the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the cloud-based clinical information system is to facilitate a second opinion of the first patient by a clinician of the second healthcare entity by providing the referral order to the second local information system. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first local information system and the second local information system includes a local cloud system to form a hybrid cloud system with the cloud-based clinical information system. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to at least implement a registration manager to assign first credentials to the first healthcare entity and second credentials to the second healthcare entity, each of the first credentials and the second credentials to be associated with an access right and a sharing right, wherein the first credentials and the second credentials are to relate based on an affiliation of the first healthcare entity with the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to at least implement an agreement manager to store a contractual agreement between the first healthcare entity and the second healthcare entity to define the affiliation, the contractual agreement to include rules defining the access right and the sharing right between the first healthcare entity and the second healthcare entity.