Methods and apparatus for clinical data compression
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorWilliam Murray Stoval
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for compressing clinical data includes monitoring a clinical parameter of a patient using a digital electronic monitoring device, wherein the clinical parameter is a function of time. A processor is utilized to locate exceptional values of the clinical parameter in accordance with predetermined criteria. The method further includes electronically encoding and communicating diagnostically significant information concerning the exceptional values of the clinical parameters to a clinical database repository (CDR) and information concerning normal values of the clinical parameters to the CDR, wherein the communicated exceptional values of clinical parameters and the communicated normal values of clinical parameters are encoded using different methods.
Claims20
A method for compressing clinical data, said method comprising:
- monitoring a clinical parameter of a patient using a digital electronic monitoring device, wherein the clinical parameter is a function of time;
- utilizing a processor to locate exceptional values of the clinical parameter in accordance with predetermined criteria;
- and
- electronically encoding and communicating diagnostically significant information concerning the exceptional values of the clinical parameters to a clinical database repository (CDR) and information concerning normal values of the clinical parameters to the CDR, wherein the communicated exceptional values of clinical parameters and the communicated normal values of clinical parameters are encoded using different methods.
A digital electronic monitoring device suitable for generating compressed clinical data and sending the compressed data to a clinical database repository (CDR), said device comprising:
- a sensor configured to monitor a clinical parameter of a patient, wherein the monitored clinical parameter is a function of time;
- a locator module configured to locate exceptional values of the clinical parameter in accordance with predetermined criteria;
- and
- an electronic encoder and communicator module configured to communicate diagnostically significant information concerning the exceptional values of the clinical parameters to the CDR and information concerning normal values of the clinical parameters to the CDR, wherein the communicated exceptional values of clinical parameters and the communicated normal values of clinical parameters are encoded by the electronic encoder and communicator module using different encoding methods.
A method for compressing clinical data, said method comprising:
- monitoring a clinical parameter of a patient using a digital electronic monitoring device, wherein the clinical parameter is a function of time;
- transmitting the clinical values to a clinical database repository (CDR);
- retaining the clinical values in the CDR for a period of time;
- then later,
- locating exceptional values of the clinical parameter in the CDR in accordance with predetermined criteria;
- electronically encoding diagnostically significant information concerning the exceptional values of the clinical parameters and information concerning normal values of the clinical parameters, wherein the exceptional values of clinical parameters and the normal values of clinical parameters are encoded using different methods;
- and replacing the retained clinical values in the CDR with the differently encoded exceptional values of the clinical parameters and the encoded normal values of the clinical parameters to thereby save storage space in the CDR.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.