Automated Clinical Documentation System and Method

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and computing system for automating an intake process is executed on a computing device and includes prompting a patient to provide encounter information via a virtual assistant during a pre-visit portion of a patient encounter. Encounter information is obtained from the patient in response to the prompting by the virtual assistant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for automating an intake process, executed on a computing device, comprising:
 prompting, audibly, a patient to provide encounter information via a virtual assistant during a patient encounter;   obtaining, audibly, encounter information from the patient in response to the audible prompting by the virtual assistant, wherein the encounter information is obtained by the virtual assistant using a machine vision system, wherein the encounter information is obtained from a first client electronic device, and an audio recording system, wherein the encounter information is obtained from a second client electronic device, wherein each of the first client electronic device and the second client electronic device is capable of obtaining the audio encounter information and the machine vision encounter information;   processing the encounter information to transcribe an encounter transcript of the encounter information, including the encounter information audibly obtained from the patient via the audible prompting by the virtual assistant;   determining that the encounter information from the patient is indicative of a potential medical situation; and   initiating an inquiry concerning the potential medical situation by providing a notification to a medical professional.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the patient is prompted to provide the encounter information via the virtual assistant during a pre-visit portion of the patient encounter. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 processing at least a portion of the encounter transcript to populate at least a portion of a medical record associated with the patient encounter. 
 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the pre-visit portion of the patient encounter is in a check-in area of a physical monitored space. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first client electronic device and the second client electronic device is an automated clinical documentation (ACD) client electronic device. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the encounter information includes one or more of:
 patient background information; 
 patient current-prescription information; 
 patient insurance information; and 
 patient symptom information. 
 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the pre-visit portion of the patient encounter includes:
 a patient intake portion of the patient encounter. 
 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 prompting, audibly, a patient to provide encounter information via a virtual assistant during a patient encounter;   obtaining, audibly, encounter information from the patient in response to the audible prompting by the virtual assistant, wherein the encounter information is obtained by the virtual assistant using a machine vision system, wherein the encounter information is obtained from a first client electronic device, and an audio recording system, wherein the encounter information is obtained from a second client electronic device, wherein each of the first client electronic device and the second client electronic device is capable of obtaining the audio encounter information and the machine vision encounter information;   processing the encounter information to transcribe an encounter transcript of the encounter information, including the encounter information audibly obtained from the patient via the audible prompting by the virtual assistant;   determining that the encounter information from the patient is indicative of a potential medical situation; and   initiating an inquiry concerning the potential medical situation by providing a notification to a medical professional.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the patient is prompted to provide the encounter information via the virtual assistant during a pre-visit portion of the patient encounter. 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8  further comprising:
 processing at least a portion of the encounter transcript to populate at least a portion of a medical record associated with the patient encounter. 
 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein the pre-visit portion of the patient encounter is in a check-in area of a physical monitored space. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein at least one of the first client electronic device and the second client electronic device is an automated clinical documentation (ACD) client electronic device. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the encounter information includes one or more of:
 patient background information; 
 patient current-prescription information; 
 patient insurance information; and 
 patient symptom information. 
 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein the pre-visit portion of the patient encounter includes:
 a patient intake portion of the patient encounter. 
 
     
     
         15 . A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising:
 prompting, audibly, a patient to provide encounter information via a virtual assistant during a patient encounter;   obtaining, audibly, encounter information from the patient in response to the audible prompting by the virtual assistant, wherein the encounter information is obtained by the virtual assistant using a machine vision system, wherein the encounter information is obtained from a first client electronic device, and an audio recording system, wherein the encounter information is obtained from a second client electronic device, wherein each of the first client electronic device and the second client electronic device is capable of obtaining the audio encounter information and the machine vision encounter information;   processing the encounter information to transcribe an encounter transcript of the encounter information, including the encounter information audibly obtained from the patient via the audible prompting by the virtual assistant;   determining that the encounter information from the patient is indicative of a potential medical situation; and   initiating an inquiry concerning the potential medical situation by providing a notification to a medical professional.   
     
     
         16 . The computing system of  claim 15  wherein the patient is prompted to provide the encounter information via the virtual assistant during a pre-visit portion of the patient encounter. 
     
     
         17 . The computing system of  claim 15  further comprising:
 processing at least a portion of the encounter transcript to populate at least a portion of a medical record associated with the patient encounter. 
 
     
     
         18 . The computing system of  claim 16  wherein the pre-visit portion of the patient encounter is in a check-in area of a physical monitored space. 
     
     
         19 . The computing system of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the first client electronic device and the second client electronic device is an automated clinical documentation (ACD) client electronic device. 
     
     
         20 . The computing system of  claim 15  wherein the encounter information includes one or more of:
 patient background information; 
 patient current-prescription information; 
 patient insurance information; and 
 patient symptom information. 
 
     
     
         21 . The computing system of  claim 16  wherein the pre-visit portion of the patient encounter includes:
 a patient intake portion of the patient encounter.