Computer display system and method for facilitating access to patient data records in a medical information system

A computer display system for facilitating access to patient information in a medical information system for a health care facility, the medical information system including a database containing a data file of a plurality of data records for at least one patient staying in the health care facility, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor for storing display data;
• a video display coupled to the processor;
• an input unit coupled to the processor, at least for providing signals indicative of a desired cursor location on the video display;
• the processor including:
• means, responsive to a signal from the input unit, for identifying a data file for a patient whose data records are to be accessed;
• means for displaying on the video display a line having a length and being representative of a duration of a stay in the health care facility of the patient whose data records are to be accessed;
• means, responsive to signals from the input unit, for positioning a cursor on the video display and for selecting a data record from the data file according to a position of the cursor on the displayed line;
• and
• means, responsive to a selection of one of said data records, for accessing and displaying on the video display the selected data record from the data file for the identified patient.

A computer-implemented process for facilitating access to patient information in a medical information system for a health care facility which includes a computer having an input unit, a video display and a database containing a data file of a plurality of data records for at least one patient staying in the health care facility, the process, implemented in the computer, comprising the steps of:

• identifying a data file for a patient whose data records are to be accessed;
• determining, on the basis of data records in the identified data file, a duration of a stay in the health care facility of the patient whose data records are to be accessed;
• displaying on the video display a representation of the determined duration;
• positioning a cursor on the displayed representation in response to a signal from the input unit;
• accessing, in response to a signal from the input unit, a data record from the identified data file according to a position of the cursor on the displayed representation;
• and
• displaying the data record.

A data processing system for facilitating access to patient information in a medical information system for a health care facility, the medical information system including a database containing a data file of a plurality of data records for at least one patient staying in the health care facility, the data processing system comprising:

• a video display;
• an input unit, at least for providing signals indicative of a desired cursor location on the video display;
• a length of stay time line generator connected to the display for generating and displaying on the video display a line having a length and being representative of the duration of the stay in the health care facility of a patient whose data records are to be accessed;
• an application task manager connected between the input unit and the patient data select and display task manager and responsive to the signal from the input unit for identifying a data file for a patient whose data records are to be accessed;
• and
• a patient data select and display task manager connected to the length of stay time line generator, the video display and the application task manager and responsive to the signal from the input device to correlate a position of the cursor on the displayed line with one of said data records and for accessing the data record.

A computer-implemented method for facilitating access to patient information in a medical information system for a health care facility, the medical information system including a computer with an input unit, a video display and a database containing a data file of a plurality of data records for at least one patient staying in the health care facility, the method comprising the steps of:

• displaying on the video display a graphical representation of the duration of a stay of the patient;
• receiving a signal indicative of a position on the displayed graphical representation;
• correlating the position on the displayed graphical representation to a data record in the data file for the patient;
• and
• accessing one of said data records correlated to the position.