ELECTRONIC CLINICAL CASE REPORTING

Abstract

A handheld device that has a user interface equipped at least with a display. The device provides a user with a home screen on a display of the handheld device by presenting one or more electronic case reporting questionnaires or links to one or more electronic case reporting questionnaires. The device starts an allowable interfacing application if not running already. The device provides the allowable interfacing application with such limited access to the user interface that a return key is reserved to be unusable by the allowable interfacing application and again provides the user with the home screen on the display of the handheld device in response to meeting one or more return conditions.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a handheld device that comprises a user interface equipped at least with a display, the method comprising: causing the handheld device to provide a user with a home screen on a display of the handheld device; and performing a process comprising: causing the handheld device to start an allowable interfacing application if not running already; causing the handheld device to provide the allowable interfacing application with such limited access to the user interface that a return key is reserved to be unusable by the allowable interfacing application, and causing the handheld device to again provide the user with the home screen on the display of the handheld device in response to meeting one or more return conditions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: launching in the handheld device a kiosk program; and performing the process by the kiosk program.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the process further comprises allowing launching one or more other programs while the allowable interfacing application is running and controlling the rights of said one or more other programs.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the process further comprises allowing from the one or more other programs, when launched, access to the user interface except for a reserved portion of the user interface, which is kept reserved for the kiosk program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises identifying the allowable interfacing application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises receiving an identification of the allowable interfacing application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the user with the home screen comprising presenting one or more electronic case reporting questionnaires or links to one or more electronic case reporting questionnaires;

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more return conditions comprise detecting that the user has used the return key.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more return conditions comprise that a timer has expired.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more return conditions comprise that a remote command has been received by the handheld device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more return conditions comprise that the allowable interfacing application has ceased to use the display.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more return conditions comprises that a remote command has been received by the handheld device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises causing the handheld device to close or restart the allowable interfacing application.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the allowable interfacing application is configured to interface with external equipment.

15. A method for digital case reporting, comprising: performing the method of claim 1; and transferring data reported by the allowable interfacing application from a respective first back-end data storage to a second back-end data storage that differs from the first back-end storage.

16. A handheld device comprising at least one processor and a memory that comprises the computer executable program code which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the handheld device to perform the method of claim 1.

17. The handheld device of claim 16, wherein the handheld device is further configured to provide a soft key for resuming the display to the kiosk program.

18. The handheld device of claim 16, wherein the soft key is independent of any return function control of an operating system of the handheld device.

19. The handheld device of claim 16, wherein the handheld device is a smart phone.

20. The handheld device of claim 16, wherein the allowable interfacing application is configured to interface with external equipment.

21. The handheld device of claim 20, wherein the external equipment comprises a blood sugar tester or a glucometer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Some example embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a server according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a terminal of FIG. 1;

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a simplified block diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0057] FIG. 5 shows a simplified view of a user terminal of an embodiment; and

[0058] FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] In the following description, like reference signs denote like elements or steps.

[0060] FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The system comprises a plurality of user terminals 110; optionally a plurality of external equipment 120 of various types and implementations located at different user terminals 110; a first back end 130; and a second back end 140. The first and second back ends 130, 140 may comprise respective data storages. The user terminals 110 have data connectivity, e.g. through the Internet, to the first and second back ends 130, 140. The back ends have data connectivity also between each other, either directly or via one or more proxies. Either or both of the back ends 130 first and second back ends 130, 140 can be implemented using one or more central or distributed servers, computer clouds, virtualization and/or cluster computing.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a server 200 according to an embodiment of the invention, suited for implementing the first and/or second back end 130, 140. The server comprises one or more processors 210; a persistent data storage 220; a work memory 230; and a communication interface 240. The persistent data storage comprises computer program code 242, such as code for implementing an operating system and various applications.

[0062] The persistent data storage 220 comprises, e.g., one or more hard drives; optical storages; tape drives; solid state drives; USB memories; and/or any other elements. The persistent data storage 220 is in an embodiment configured to maintain data over periods longer than six months or for more than one hour without power supply.

[0063] The work memory may comprise one or more random access memories, such as one or more random access memory circuitries.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the terminal 110. The terminal 110 comprises a processor 310; a persistent data storage 320 comprising computer program code 322; a work memory 330; a communication interface 340; and a user interface 350. The processor may be implemented using similar or same parts as explained for the processor 210 of the server. Also the persistent memory 320 and work memory 330 may be implemented using same or similar parts as explained for corresponding elements of the server 200.

[0065] The user interface 350 comprises, for example, any one or more of: a display 352; a touch screen 354, e.g., on the display 352 and/or around the display 352; a speaker 356; a microphone 358; and one or more physical keys 359 that may be implemented, e.g., as push buttons; rotatable keys; sliding keys; rocker keys; touch keys.

[0066] The terminal 110 may be capable of speech recognition, e.g., using the processor 310 and suitable speech recognition software stored in the persistent data storage 320.

[0067] The computer program code 322 defines an operating system. Based on the operating system, the terminal 110 is capable of running one or more programs. In an embodiment, the terminal is configured to first launch a control program referred to herein as a KIOSK program through which one or more other programs can be launched and their rights can be controlled, e.g. access rights to the user interface. The one or more other programs may be launched while an allowable interfacing application is running.

[0068] In an example embodiment, the control program allows a third party program to be launched and to access the user interface except for a reserved portion of the user interface, which is kept for the purpose of the control program. Such a reserved portion may comprise, for example, a portion of the display 352 (either entirely or overlay something by the control program onto underlying third party content) and a user input control (e.g., touch screen portion matching with the portion of the display of the reserved portion; an adjacent hard key; and/or a speech recognition command).

[0069] FIG. 4 shows a simplified block diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention. The method causes a handheld device that comprises a user interface equipped at least with a display, to perform one or more of:

[0070] 410. provide a user with a home screen on a display of the handheld device; the providing of the user with the home screen comprising in an embodiment presenting one or more electronic case reporting questionnaires or links to one or more electronic case reporting questionnaires;

[0071] 420. identify or receive an identification of an allowable interfacing application or receive the allowable interfacing application;

[0072] 430. start the allowable interfacing application if not running already;

[0073] 440. provide the allowable interfacing application with such limited access to the user interface that a return key is reserved to be unusable by the allowable interfacing application; and

[0074] 450. again provide the user with the home screen on the display of the handheld device in response to meeting one or more return conditions.

[0075] In an embodiment, the method of FIG. 4 is caused to be performed by the control program.

[0076] The identifying of an allowable interfacing application may be based on receiving the identification of the allowable interfacing application, for example, from an external entity. In an embodiment, the identification comprises particulars, such as download link and/or credentials, for obtaining the allowable interfacing application. In an embodiment, the allowable interface application is stored in a mounting packet and installable by the handheld device.

[0077] In an example embodiment, the method further comprises receiving the allowable application from an external entity.

[0078] In an embodiment, the external entity is hosted by an organization in charge of the electronic clinical case reporting for which the handheld device is used. In an embodiment, the external entity is a discreet server. In an embodiment, the external entity is a distributed server. In an embodiment, the external entity comprises virtualized or cloud-based functions.

[0079] In an embodiment, the one or more return conditions comprise any one or more of: detecting that the user has used the return key; a timer has expired; a remote command has been received by the handheld device; the allowable interfacing application has ceased to use the display; the allowable interfacing application has stopped sending data, operating, has lost connection to the handheld device; an external device communicating with the allowable interfacing application has ceased communicating properly with the handheld device.

[0080] In an embodiment, the return key comprises any one or more of: a soft key; a legend shown by the display; a touch screen region or a hard key associated with the legend. In an embodiment, the return key is a hard key. In an embodiment, the return key is independent of any return function control of an operating system of the handheld device. The return key can be actuated by an audio command.

[0081] In an embodiment, the handheld device is a smart phone or a tablet computer.

[0082] In an embodiment, the handheld device is provisioned with the allowable interfacing application over the air.

[0083] The allowable interfacing application may be configured to interface with the user.

[0084] In an embodiment, the allowable interfacing application is configured to interface with external equipment. In an embodiment, the external equipment is connected by wires and/or wirelessly with the handheld device.

[0085] In an embodiment, the external equipment 120 comprises measuring equipment, including any one or more of: a blood sugar tester or a glucometer that may be a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device; a pulse sensor; a blood pressure sensor; a thermometer; an inertia sensor; one or more ambulatory electrocardiographs; an accelerometer a gyroscope an internal, e.g., ingestible, pH monitor; an ambulatory blood pressure monitor; heart rate monitor; an instrumented walkway; a medication adherence monitor; a geolocation monitor, e.g., a satellite position sensor. In an embodiment, the measuring equipment comprises one or more wearable sensors. In an embodiment, the measuring equipment comprises one or more implantable sensors. In an embodiment, the measuring equipment is connectable to the user terminal 110 wirelessly, e.g., using Bluetooth or wireless LAN (e.g., any IEEE 802.11b compatible version) and/or by wired connection, such as universal serial bus (USB), RS-232, and/or IEEE-1394. In an embodiment, the measuring equipment is autonomously operable, whereas in another embodiment, the measuring equipment requires access to one or more components of the user terminal 110 to operate. For example, the measuring equipment may employ the processor 310 and/or memory 330 of the user terminal 110.

[0086] In an embodiment, the handheld device receives and buffers information from the measurement equipment. In an embodiment, the handheld device transmits (e.g., wirelessly) information received from the measurement information to the second back end 140 or to the first back end 130. Any one or more of the first and second back end may comprise one or more servers or be implemented by cloud computing. Alternatively, the allowable interfacing application may be configured to receive information from the measurement equipment. In an embodiment, the allowable interfacing application is configured to cause sending (e.g., wirelessly) the received information to the second back end 140.

[0087] In an embodiment, the external equipment 120 comprises an actuation controller. The actuation controller may control producing of action that is capable of triggering a physical response in a person. The external equipment may comprise a medical dispenser. In an embodiment, the external equipment comprises any one or more of: a cardiac device; a nerve signal stimulating device; and/or a cardioverter defibrillator.

[0088] In an embodiment, the handheld device closes the allowable interfacing application and/or to restarts the allowable interfacing application.

[0089] In an embodiment, the transferring of data between the first and second back-end storages is implemented using a server integration.

[0090] In an embodiment, the operation of the handheld device is monitored by the second back-end, e.g. by commanding the handheld device to cause starting or stopping the allowable interfacing application.

[0091] A skilled person appreciates that in addition to the elements shown in FIG. 2 or 3, the server 200 and/or the user terminal 110 may comprise other elements, such as microphones, displays, as well as additional circuitry such as input/output (I/O) circuitry, memory chips, application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), processing circuitry for specific purposes such as source coding/decoding circuitry, channel coding/decoding circuitry, ciphering/deciphering circuitry, and the like.

[0092] FIG. 5 shows a simplified view of a user terminal of an embodiment. The display 352 presents an app switch button 510 provided by the control program for switching to a third party application (the allowable interfacing application) and another button 520 for resuming the display to the control program. FIG. 5 further presents a physical key 359 that in one embodiment is entirely disabled.

[0093] FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of an embodiment. The flow chart begins from step A 605 in which the control program is running. A command for app switch is detected 610 (e.g., by user using the app switch button 510) or, e.g., from a remote command. The application is switched 620 (e.g., allowable interfacing application is given rights to use most of the display 352). In an embodiment, a timer is also started on switching the application. The switched application is then operated 625 until a command is detected for returning to the control program in 630 or the timer runs out at timeout check 635. If a command for returning to the control program is detected in 630, then the process continues to step 640 in which the control program operations are resumed and then the process resumes to step A 605. On the other hand, if the operation of the switched application ends to timeout of the timer, a timeout is detected 635 and the process continues to step 645 in which return to the control program is enforced and then the process continues to steps 640 and back to A 605.

[0094] Any processor referred to by this document may be, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array, a microcontroller or a combination of such elements. Any processor may employ plural discrete parts, comprising any one or more of those listed in the previous sentence.

[0095] Various embodiments have been presented. It should be appreciated that in this document, words comprise, include and contain are each used as open-ended expressions with no intended exclusivity.

[0096] The foregoing description has provided by way of non-limiting examples of particular implementations and embodiments of the invention a full and informative description of the best mode presently contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the invention. It is however clear to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted to details of the embodiments presented in the foregoing, but that it can be implemented in other embodiments using equivalent means or in different combinations of embodiments without deviating from the characteristics of the invention. The abstract is incorporated by reference as an example embodiment.

[0097] Furthermore, some of the features of the afore-disclosed embodiments of this invention may be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other features. As such, the foregoing description shall be considered as merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention, and not in limitation thereof. Hence, the scope of the invention is only restricted by the appended patent claims.