QUESTIONNAIRE STAMP

Abstract

A questionnaire stamp is disclosed which has: a question item indicating section that indicates at least one question item concerning a predetermined symptom that a patient may have; a check result entry section in which a check result as to whether the question item is applicable to the patient can be recorded; and an applicable item counting section in which the total number of applicable question items is entered, wherein the questionnaire stamp is affixed to a given location of the patient's medical record or an auxiliary record form of the medical record.

Claims

1. A questionnaire stamp comprising: a question item indicating section that indicates at least one question item concerning a predetermined symptom that a patient may have; a check result entry section in which a check result as to whether the question item is applicable to the patient can be recorded; and an applicable item counting section in which a total number of applicable question items is entered, wherein the questionnaire stamp is affixed to a given location of a medical record of the patient or an auxiliary record form of the medical record.

2. The questionnaire stamp according to claim 1, wherein the question item indicating section indicates the question item in a simplified manner by using a character contained in a word that represents the question item.

3. The questionnaire stamp according to claim 2, wherein the question item indicating section indicates four question items in a simplified manner such that each question item is indicated by a character that represents the question item.

4. The questionnaire stamp according to claim 3, wherein the question item indicating section indicates four letters of S, T, O and P, in this order.

5. The questionnaire stamp according to claim 4, wherein the check result entry section is provided adjacent to each item in the question item indicating section.

6. A medical record to which a questionnaire stamp according to claim 1 is affixed.

7. A stamper having a rubber stamp formed as a questionnaire stamp according to claim 1.

8. The questionnaire stamp according to claim 1 which is electronically provided at a given location of an electronic medical record of the patient or an auxiliary electronic record form of the electronic medical record.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration showing an example of a stamper for affixing a questionnaire stamp.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a questionnaire stamp.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings, elements given the same reference sign have the same or similar configurations.

[0024] A questionnaire stamp according to the present embodiment is a mark which is stamped at a given location of a medical record 100 with a stamper 10 so as to help a medical interview. Such questionnaire stamp may serve as a device assisting in recording subjective and objective changes in the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The questionnaire stamp may be designed, for example, to have a question item indicating section 1, a check result entry section 2, and an applicable item counting section 3.

[0025] The stamper 10 includes, for example, a porous rubber stamping part which is impregnated with ink so as to make it possible to repeatedly put a stamp without applying ink to the stamping part each time of stamping. A known stamping device can be used for the stamper 10. A questionnaire stamp is formed on the rubber stamping part.

[0026] By way of example, the questionnaire stamp (hereinafter, also referred to as a STOP stamp) is a stamp having a width of 70 mm and a length of 15 mm and affixed at a given location of the medical record 100 with the stamper 10. The width and the length of the stamp can be changed as necessary. Such STOP stamp SS can be used, for example, by doctors (e.g., dentists) in the following manner: using a STOP stamp SS affixed on the patient's medical record 100 with the stamper 10, questioning the patient concerning each item indicated in the question item indicating section 1; checking the + mark in the check result entry section 2 if the patient responds in the positive regarding the item, and checking the mark if the patient responds in the negative; and then entering the total number of the checked + marks in the applicable item counting section 3 so as to provide the score of the patient.

[0027] The question items in the present embodiment are as follows, although such items are not specifically limited. That is, in order for the STOP stamp SS to serve as a simple questionnaire for discovering possible obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in the patient, the question item indicating section 1 indicates four itemssnoring (S), tiredness (T), observed apnea (O), and high blood pressure (P), simply by four letters S, T, O and P that represent the respective four items (see, for example, Chung F, Yegneswaran B, Liao P, Chung S A, Vairavanathan S, Islam S, Khajehdehi A, Shapiro CM, STOP questionnaire: a tool to screen patients for obstructive sleep apnea, Anesthesiology 2008 May; 108(5):812-21). Letters other than the above may also be used as desired. The important thing is to adopt a simplified, space-saving indication using a representative letter, such as an initial letter, for each item. Provided adjacent to each item in the question item indicating section 1 is the check result entry section 2 comprised of the + and marks. Further, the applicable item counting section 3 in which the total number of the checked + marks is entered as a STOP score is provided on the right end of the STOP stamp SS.

[0028] As a result of questioning the patient using the STOP stamp SS, if, for example, the patient has positive results under two items, in other words, the STOP score of the patient is two or more, the development of OSAS can be suspected. If an MAD is properly adjusted for the patient, the patient's STOP score is expected to decrease as compared to the start of the treatment. Furthermore, if the patient's compliance with the device is favorably maintained and if the patient's STOP score shows no change, the patient's MAD can be considered to have been sufficiently adjusted, and this works as the grounds for deciding to take an overnight polysomnograph to assess the effect of treatment by the MAD. In other words, the above STOP stamp SS, which has been invented as a stamp that can assist in recording the STOP score in the treatment of OSAS, and the use of such stamp SS to record the varying STOP scores, are effective for evaluating an improvement of OSAS and determining the timing of assessing the effect of MAD treatment through overnight polysomnography.

[0029] Such STOP stamp SS is affixed to the medical record 100 by the dental staff, or by the dentist him/herself, before starting the care each time, and accordingly, it is possible to help the dentist to remember to ask the prescribed questions to the patient when the dentist sees the medical record 100. Moreover, even if the dentist forgets to ask such questions, the STOP stamp SS affixed to the medical record 100 is easy to notice, which enables dental staffs to find that the dentist has not filled in the question items. In addition, such STOP stamp method is easy, requires no complicated medical or dental knowledge, enables changes of the STOP score with time to be readily observed on the medical record 100, and facilitates the sharing of such information by the dentist staff. In addition, the use of the STOP stamp SS also allows the patient to visually understand the change of his/her STOP score with time, and accordingly, such use can be expected to be effective in further motivating the patient to use an MAD.

[0030] Owing to the configuration described above, the STOP score decreased (31.fwdarw.11, p<0.01) in a STOP group (a group using the STOP stamps SS) before and after the use of an MAD, and the AHI value decreased in both the STOP group (1710/hr.fwdarw.44/hr, p<0.01) and the control group (2112/hr.fwdarw.88/hr, p<0.01). The median [25-75%] period taken from the start of MAD treatment until the overnight polysomnography was performed with the MAD fitted on the patient was longer in the STOP group (147 [115-215] days) than in the control group (a group without using the STOP stamp SS) (113 [70-198] days) (p<0.01), but the successful rate of treatment was higher in the STOP group (64%) than in the control group (41%) (p<0.01).

[0031] As described above, using the STOP stamp SS to record a STOP score that changes with time and find a decrease of the score can be said to be a simple and effective index for presuming improvement of OSAS and determining the timing of conducting overnight polysomnography to assess the effect of MAD treatment. Information provided by such use of the STOP stamp SS can be considered useful for both patients and dentists. Furthermore, the method using the STOP stamp SS is easy and inexpensive, and can also be used for OSAS treatment other than treatment with an MAD (e.g., nCPAP treatment practiced by a physician).

[0032] The above-described embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present disclosure; however, the present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. For example, the STOP stamp SS described in the above embodiments is just an example, and the shape, design, characters, size, color of ink, and the like are not limited to those described above. Furthermore, each of the question item indicating section 1, the check result entry section 2, and the applicable item counting section 3 of the STOP stamp SS is not limited to the above, and the shape, design, characters, size, color and layout thereof are not limited to those described above.

[0033] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments describe the case in which the STOP stamp SS is used by dentists or dental staffs, physicians can obviously use a questionnaire stamp, like the STOP stamp SS, to question the patient.

[0034] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments describe the case where the STOP stamp (questionnaire stamp) is applied to the medical record 100, this is just a preferred example and the STOP stamp (questionnaire stamp) can obviously be applied to other kinds of forms used in the care of the patient, such as an auxiliary record form of the medical record.

[0035] Moreover, in a recent electronic health record system in which doctor's findings, etc., are input to each electronic health record on a computer, a template of S+T+O+P+, like the above-described STOP stamp SS, may be electronically added to an electronic health record, so as to delete either the + or the mark, which is not applicable to the patient, and to count the total number of remaining + marks to thereby obtain a STOP score in the same way as in the process of using the stamper 10. Alternatively, a S T O P template may be used so as to input a + mark for any applicable items and count the total number of + marks input to thereby obtain a STOP score. Examples of the electronic health record include a patient's electronic medical record and an auxiliary electronic record form for such electronic medical record.

[0036] The present disclosure is suited for use in assisting the recording of subjective and objective changes of symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

[0037] According to the present disclosure, a simple and cost-saving method can be provided that facilitates the discovery of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and further facilitates the evaluation of the effect of treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) by an MAD.