Joining patient EHR data with community patient data

A method executed by a processor of a computing device while the processor executes electronic healthcare record (EHR) software, wherein the computing device is operated by a healthcare provider, the method comprising:

• responsive to receiving an identifier for a patient as input from the healthcare provider, retrieving, by the EHR software and by way of a network, EHR data for the patient from an EHR database comprising EHR data for a first plurality of patients, wherein the EHR data for the patient is formatted in a first data structure that has first fields;
• subsequent to retrieving the EHR data for the patient from the EHR database, retrieving, by the EHR software and by way of the network and based upon the identifier for the patient, community patient data for the patient from a community database comprising community patient data for a second plurality of patients, wherein the community patient data for the patient is formatted in a second data structure that has second fields;
• converting, by the EHR software, the community patient data from being formatted in the second data structure to being formatted in the first data structure based upon field mappings that map the second fields of the second data structure to the first fields of the first data structure;
• subsequent to converting the community patient data for the patient, combining, by the EHR software, the EHR data for the patient and the community patient data for the patient to form combined data, wherein the combining occurs without importing the community patient data for the patient into the EHR database, wherein each element in the combined data is assigned to the patient;
• receiving, by the EHR software, a selection of a button in a graphical user interface (GUI) of the EHR software, wherein the GUI is shown on a display, and further wherein the button corresponds to a healthcare workflow for the patient;
• and
• responsive to receiving the selection of the button, presenting the combined data within the GUI of the EHR software to facilitate performance of the healthcare workflow, wherein the EHR data for the patient in the combined data is visually distinguished from the community patient data for the patient in the combined data within the GUI of the EHR software.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising electronic healthcare record (EHR) software that, when executed by a processor of a computing device operated by a healthcare provider, causes the processor to perform acts comprising:

• responsive to receiving an identifier for a patient as input from the healthcare provider, retrieving, by the EHR software and by way of a network, EHR data for the patient from an EHR database comprising EHR data for a first plurality of patients, wherein the EHR data for the patient is formatted in a first data structure that has first fields;
• subsequent to retrieving the EHR data for the patient from the EHR database, retrieving, by the EHR software and by way of the network and based upon the identifier for the patient, community patient data for the patient from a community database comprising community patient data for a second plurality of patients, wherein the community patient data for the patient is formatted in a second data structure that has second fields;
• converting, by the EHR software, the community patient data for the patient from being formatted in the second data structure to being formatted in the first data structure based upon field mappings that map the second fields of the second data structure to the first fields of the first data structure;
• subsequent to converting the community patient data for the patient, combining, by the EHR software, the EHR data for the patient and the community patient data for the patient to form combined data, wherein the combining occurs without importing the community patient data for the patient into the EHR database, wherein each element in the combined data is assigned to the patient;
• receiving, by the EHR software, a selection of a button in a graphical user interface (GUI) of the EHR software, wherein the GUI is shown on a display, and further wherein the button corresponds to a healthcare workflow for the patient;
• and
• responsive to receiving the selection of the button, presenting the combined data within the GUI of the EHR software to facilitate performance of the healthcare workflow, wherein the EHR data for the patient in the combined data is visually distinguished from the community patient data for the patient in the combined data within the GUI of the EHR software.