Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F21/60—Protecting data
  • G06F21/62—Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
  • G06F21/6218—Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
  • G06F21/6245—Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
  • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
  • G16H10/00—ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of patient-related medical or healthcare data
  • G16H10/60—ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of patient-related medical or healthcare data for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
  • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
  • G16H70/00—ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references
  • G16H70/60—ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references relating to pathologies
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
  • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
  • G16H40/00—ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or operation of medical equipment or devices
  • G16H40/60—ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or operation of medical equipment or devices for the operation of medical equipment or devices
  • G16H40/67—ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or operation of medical equipment or devices for the operation of medical equipment or devices for remote operation
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
  • H04L63/10—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for controlling access to devices or network resources
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S707/00—Data processing: database and file management or data structures
  • Y10S707/99931—Database or file accessing
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S707/00—Data processing: database and file management or data structures
  • Y10S707/99931—Database or file accessing
  • Y10S707/99932—Access augmentation or optimizing
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S707/00—Data processing: database and file management or data structures
  • Y10S707/99941—Database schema or data structure
  • Y10S707/99944—Object-oriented database structure
  • Y10S707/99945—Object-oriented database structure processing

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an information management system, and in particular to medical information management, each information item relating to a first entity, the system comprising:
• At least one interrogation station comprising means of access to the or each database for consulting said information.
• This information may for example be medical information concerning a patient.
• This medical information is generated by one or more medical practitioners subject to ethical obligations. In particular, these ethical obligations require practitioners to respect professional secrecy, so that practitioners are prohibited from making this information accessible without the authorization of the patient concerned and the patient must be able to access information concerning him.
• the object of the invention is an information management system making it possible to make useful information accessible, even when the person concerned by his information is not aware, while ensuring compliance with the ethical obligations.
• the subject of the invention is an information management system of the aforementioned type, characterized in that it comprises:
• said access means comprise means for entering the emergency access code and means for, upon entry of the emergency access code associated with the identifier of a first entity, make available the alert information concerning the first entity associated with the emergency access code, without the identifier of the first entity being made available.
• the information management system includes one or more of the following characteristics:
• • means for integrating into the elementary data corresponding to the event containing said information, the alert indicator representative of the definition of the information; and • means for integrating into the elementary data corresponding to the event containing said information, the alert indicator, and said means for making available the alert information include means for analyzing the indicator d alert contained in each event containing the identifier of the first entity associated with the emergency access code, and the means for making available the alert information are suitable for making available the or each item of information contained in the event, if analysis of the alert indicator shows that the or each item of information is alert information;
• the system comprises means for integrating into each elementary data item corresponding to an event an identifier of a second entity having generated said information;
• said means for associating an emergency access code with alert information concerning the same first entity comprising a database establishing a correspondence between each emergency access code and an identifier of a first entity;
• the system includes means for random generation of an emergency access code for each new identifier of a first entity.
• the invention also relates to a method for managing information, each information item relating to a first entity in a system comprising:
• At least one interrogation station comprising means of access to the or each database for consulting said information
• FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an information management system according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the format of an elementary data used by the information management system of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the main algorithm implemented in the system.
• FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the emergency consultation algorithm of the system according to the invention.
• the information management system 10 is illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 1. This comprises, on the one hand, a set of user stations designated by the general reference 12, each connected to a collective network 14 of transmission of information such as the Internet network and, on the other hand, a center 16 for storage and management of information.
• the information management system 10 is intended, in the example considered, for the management of medical information relating to identified patients. This information is generated by medical practitioners such as doctors, radiologists or biologists in charge of an analysis laboratory.
• the management system is adapted to allow the final storage of information in the storage center 16, without this information being able to be subsequently modified.
• it is consents, associated with this information, at least one identifier of the patient concerned, as well as an identifier of the practitioner who generated the information.
• the system makes it possible to give access to information stored from the patient identifier only to the patient concerned and to the practitioner who generated the information, as well as, possibly, after agreement of the patient, to other practitioners.
• the system allows access to certain stored information about a patient by people with an emergency access code. The information is then made available in a reduced number, and without the identifier of the patient concerned by this information being made available.
• Each entity involved in the system whether a patient or a practitioner, is equipped with or has access to a user station 12.
• a first user station 12A equips the general practitioner's office and a user station 12B equips a patient's home.
• a medical imaging laboratory is equipped with a user station 12C.
• Each user station 12A, 12B, 12C comprises a microcomputer 20 equipped with a suitable Internet browser. It is connected by an interface adapted to the network 14.
• Each user station includes means 22 for collecting input data such as a keyboard or a data conversion module. From the keyboard, medical information can be entered, an identifier of a patient such as his name, as well as an identifier of the practitioner who produced the information.
• Each user station 12 is adapted to implement, from information processing means 24, software means of access to the center 16 for storage and management of information.
• each user station 12A, 12B, 12C comprises software means for creating an event grouping inseparably in the same elementary data, information collected concerning a patient, an identifier of the patient and an identifier of the practitioner.
• These means of creating an event are advantageously downloaded from the center 16 and for example consist of a page from the center 16 and for example consist of a page in HTML format (Hyper Text Markup Language) forming a dialogue interface.
• HTML format Hyper Text Markup Language
• Some of these user stations comprise, in addition to the microcomputer 20, an interface 30 for connecting the microcomputer to an installation 32 for medical imaging or for collecting medical information capable of producing digital images or information in a predefined format such as the DICOM Hprim HL7 format.
• this digital image or information includes an identifier of the patient concerned.
• the user station also implements a software module 34 capable of analyzing the digital image produced by the installation 32 and of extracting therefrom an identifier of the patient concerned.
• the system includes interrogation stations 36 connected to the center 16 for storing and managing information through the network 14.
• Each interrogation station 36 is constituted by any microcomputer 20 equipped with a adapted internet browser. These interrogation stations do not have to be identified initially by the information storage and management center 16.
• Each interrogation station 36 includes means for entering an emergency access code, such as a keyboard 37, or a smart card reader 38, as well as a device for providing information. such as a screen or printer 39.
• the information storage and management center 16 includes a set of servers 40 for managing access to the center 16.
• This set of servers 40 notably includes an authentication server 40A suitable, as known per se, for identifying the origin of a request addressed to the server center. It further comprises one or more servers 40B suitable for managing the exchange of executable files and HTML pages according to the HTTP protocol between the storage and management center 16 and the user stations.
• the or each server 40B comprises a software module suitable for downloading in each user station requesting HTML pages constituting user interfaces allowing access to the stored information, as well as the saving of new information.
• This set of servers 40 is connected di- directly to network 14 through a first security barrier 42 (firewalls).
• the set of access management servers 40 is further connected to a set of event management servers 44 through a second security barrier 46 (firewalls).
• the set of servers 44 is suitable for implementing a software module 44A for transcribing digital images received in different formats, in particular in DICOM format, into the same format, for example the XML format.
• the set of servers 44 is further capable of implementing a software module 44B for managing the storage of events in a storage unit 48 and for managing access to these events.
• This storage unit 48 is intended for the permanent storage of one or more databases, the elementary data of which consist of events defined by the user stations and comprising in particular the information to be saved.
• an additional storage unit 49 is connected to the set of servers 44.
• This storage unit is intended for the permanent storage of a database in which is stored, for each identifier of a patient affected by information, an associated emergency access code.
• the emergency access code is randomly defined by the management module 44B for each new patient managed by the system.
• the code is different from the patient's identifier such as his name.
• the emergency access code is written on a card given to the patient.
• This card also contains the IP address of the information storage and management center 16.
• the emergency access code is stored in a memory card which can be read in a card reader of a computer.
• This card also carries the IP address of the center 16.
• FIG. 2 is shown schematically the structure of an elementary data item stored in the database 48. This corresponds to an event.
• Each event includes at least one piece of information proper 52.
• This information is made up, for example, of digital data corresponding to the result of an analysis or of a text corresponding to the opinion of a practitioner on the clinical state of a patient.
• Information can also consist of a file linked to the event such as a document in HTML format or an image file in DIBCOM format or an attachment in an office format.
• each event includes an identifier 54 of a first entity. This identifier designates the patient concerned by the information 52. Likewise, the event includes an identifier 56 of a second entity. This identifier designates the practitioner who produced the information.
• each event includes a list 58 of the identifiers of additional entities that can have access to the information.
• each event includes an alert indicator consisting of a Boulean indicator indicating in its first (valid) state that the information contained in the event constitutes alert information that can be communicated in the event of an emergency, and in its second state (not valid), that the information contained in the event must not be communicated in an emergency.
• alert indicator consisting of a Boulean indicator indicating in its first (valid) state that the information contained in the event constitutes alert information that can be communicated in the event of an emergency, and in its second state (not valid), that the information contained in the event must not be communicated in an emergency.
• the algorithm of Figure 3 is then implemented.
• the user station 12 can consist, for the simplest operations, only of a microcomputer connected to the Internet network to using a browser of any suitable type.
• the set of servers 40 of the storage center 16 After connection of the user station, in step 100, the set of servers 40 of the storage center 16 returns a dialog interface in HTML format to the user station 12, in step 102.
• the center 16 proceeds through the dialogue interface implemented by the user station to authenticate the user. Depending on the identifier entered by the user, checks of the actions authorized for this are carried out, in step 106, and a check of the user's access rights is carried out, in step 108 .
• the user is then free to carry out several operations according to the actions authorized to him. It proceeds, from the interface made available to it, in step 110, to the choice of an operation to be carried out.
• the practitioner user can also modify the rights of access to the information stored by authorizing a new practitioner to access information concerning a patient.
• the branch 110C of the organization chart is then implemented.
• the user can also take cognizance only of information stored in the storage center by implementing branch 110E of the flowchart.
• the algorithm differs according to whether the medical information which the practitioner wishes to enter can be automatically associated with a patient constituting a first entity, or whether the connection to the patient must be carried out manually . This choice is made in step 111.
• the information is entered by the practitioner, for example on the keyboard, in step 112.
• An identification of the patient concerned is entered, in step 114, in particular by selecting a patient identifier from a list of patient identifiers or by typing on the keyboard.
• step 122 the information containing the identifier of the patient concerned is entered, in step 122, for example through the interface 30.
• This information is for example made up of a medical image in DICOM format.
• the software module 36 performs an analysis of the image and a recognition of the patient's identifier in the transmitted image.
• step 130 the practitioner defines the list of identifiers of the additional entities authorized to access the information contained in the event. This step consists in defining the list 58 of the identifiers of the practitioners authorized to access.
• step 131 the practitioner defines the alert indicator by specifying whether or not the information contained in the event can be made accessible in the event of an emergency according to a procedure described in the following description.
• step 132 the practitioner validates, by entering a signature code, all of the elements constituting the event, namely the medical information proper, the identifier of the patient concerned, his own identifier .the list of identifiers of additional entities authorized to access, and the alert indicator.
• the elements constituting the event can no longer be modified and the event can only be completed.
• the user station 12 ensures the creation of an elementary data item taking up the different elements of the event.
• This elementary data is encrypted by any suitable method and is addressed by the dialogue interface to the center 16 for storing and managing information.
• the elementary data is processed by the event management servers 44, in step 136. If the elementary data contains digital images in formats different from the XML format, these images are automatically converted to XML format, in step 138, and the elementary data is supplemented by image data in XML format in addition to the image data in another format.
• the elementary data thus reprocessed is permanently saved in the storage unit 48, in step 140.
• step 110B When the user wishes to complete an event by adding additional information, the steps of the branch 110B are implemented after step 110.
• step 150 the event to be completed is selected.
• the elementary data corresponding to the selected event is transmitted by the center 16 to the user station, in step 152.
• the elementary data is only transmitted if the identifier of the user is included in the event in question, either the patient concerned, the practitioner providing the information or an additional practitioner whose identifier appears in list 58.
• the additional information is entered in step 154, either manually from the keyboard or by resuming an already existing file. In the latter case, the additional information constitutes a new attached file.
• step 156 the user validates the addition of the information by entering a signature code.
• the additional information is added in step 158 to form new elementary data constituting the modified event.
• the date and the identifier of the user who added the information, as well as a link to the information are added to the basic data to track changes.
• the new elementary data thus constituted is then processed in accordance with steps 136 and following.
• the event whose accesses are at complete is selected in step 200.
• the elementary data corresponding to the selected event is then transmitted to the user station in step 202.
• the elementary data is only transmitted if the identifier of the user is included in the event in question, whether it be the patient concerned, the practitioner providing the information or an additional practitioner whose identifier appears in the list 58.
• step 204 the user selects or enters one or more additional identifiers of users authorized to access the information, then validates, in step 206, the new identifiers.
• the additional identifiers are added to the elementary data constituting the event in step 208.
• the date and the identifier of the user who added the new identifiers, as well as a link with the new identifiers are added in the elementary data to ensure a follow-up of the modifications. Steps 136 and following are then again implemented.
• step 110D of the algorithm is implemented.
• step 210 the event whose alert indicator is to be modified is selected.
• the elementary data corresponding to the selected event is transmitted to the user station 12 in step 212, provided that the user identifier is included in the event in question because it is the patient concerned, the practitioner providing the information or an additional practitioner whose identifier appears in list 58.
• step 214 the user changes the state of the alert indicator, for example by validation on the screen of a predefined area. If the practitioner wishes to make this information accessible in an emergency, he ensures that the information itself does not contain data allowing the patient to be identified as his name. The modified event is then validated then in step 216.
• the new value of the alert indicator is added to the elementary data constituting the event in step 218.
• the date and the identifier of the user who modified the alert indicator are added to the basic data to follow up on the modifications.
• Steps 136 and following are then again implemented.
• the steps of the branch 110E are implemented.
• step 250 a request is formulated by the user from the user station. This is taken into account by the event management servers 44, in step 252. Depending on the access rights contained in the event in question in the request, and according to the rights of the user, the content of the elementary data is transmitted from the storage center 16 to the user station 12, in step 254.
• the elementary data is only transmitted if the identifier of the user is included in the event at issue in the request, ie whether it is the patient concerned, the practitioner at the origin information or an additional practitioner whose identifier appears in list 58.
• the information is then made available to the user in step 256, for example by display, or else by saving the content of the elementary data on the hard disk of the user station.
• an access log is updated in the center 16 to record the user identifier, the nature of the information made available, the access date provided by the system and any other useful information.
• the patient whose information is stored in the system, carries the card on which appears the IP address of the center 16 for managing and storing information on the network 14, as well as the emergency access code associated with the patient.
• the algorithm of FIG. 4 is implemented.
• the patient can provide any interlocutor with the card he is carrying to enable his interlocutor to '' access certain alert information that the patient has previously selected by placing or placing the alert indicators associated with this information in a valid predetermined state.
• the emergency services can seize the card carried by the patient and carry out themselves the collection of emergency information.
• the emergency service connects to the information storage and management center 16 using the IP address mentioned on the card carried by the patient.
• This connection can be made from any computer connected to the network 14 and having a suitable internet browser. This computer then forms an interrogation station 36.
• the center 16 After connection, the center 16 ensures in step 404 the loading into the interrogation station 36 of a user interface.
• the emergency service is invited to enter the patient's own emergency access code. This emergency access code being completely independent of the patient identifier, the patient identifier is not necessary for entering the alert code.
• the software module 44B for managing access to stored events determines in step 408 whether or not the emergency access code is associated with a known identifier, by interrogating the database hosted in the storage unit 49 .
• step 406 is again implemented.
• the information storage and management center 16 determines in step 410 the identifier of the patient concerned.
• the software module 44B for managing events searches, among the stored events, for events containing the identifier of the first entity. Among these events found, it analyzes in step 414 the alert indicator associated with each event. It selects among the events those whose alert indicators are in a valid state indicating that the information contained in the event can be communicated in the event of an emergency.
• step 416 the center 16 ensures the transmission, without encryption of the information contained in each of the only events of the base 48 whose alert indicator is valid, and whose identifier of the first entity is the identifier associated with the alert access code in the base 49.
• the information transmitted is communicated without the identifier of the first entity being transmitted.
• step 418 the information transmitted is made available to the emergency service, for example by displaying this information on the screen of the interrogation station 36.
• step 420 the access log is set to update in the center 16 by recording the nature of the information made available, the date of access provided by the system or any other useful information.

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=29595353

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Families Citing this family (9)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2002
  • 2002-06-18 FR FR0207499A patent/FR2841073B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
  • 2003-06-03 CA CA002489317A patent/CA2489317C/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-06-03 MX MXPA04012499A patent/MXPA04012499A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2003-06-03 EP EP03759996A patent/EP1530751A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-06-03 IL IL16560703A patent/IL165607A0/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2003-06-03 WO PCT/FR2003/001665 patent/WO2003107150A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2003-06-03 CN CNB038141000A patent/CN100377023C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-06-03 AU AU2003251109A patent/AU2003251109B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2003-06-09 US US10/456,561 patent/US7587384B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events