Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of healthcare, and more particularly, to a system and
a method for automated detection of round visits by doctors.
Background of the Invention
Due to prevailing health disorders, serious illness, accidents or other healthcare associated
reasons, people end up in hospitals for availing medical assistance. They are then treated in
hospitals to stabilize their health. During their stay in hospitals, patients are kept under
observation of doctors who regularly visit the patients during their round visits.
During round visits, doctors perform a routine check-up of the health parameters of patients,
while the patients consult the doctors about their health issues. Patient consultation is a
critical component of medical care that allows doctors to follow-up on patients’ recovery.
Because of such a huge importance of round visits, attendants generally want to remain
present with patients during round visits by doctors.
Currently, in the art, there does not exist an automated method, where patients or attendants
get to know whether a doctor is on a round visit or not. Therefore, it is an object of the
present invention to provide a method to categorize a doctor visit as a round visit and send a
message to concerned patient in response to said categorization.
Summary of the Invention
In a first aspect of the present invention, a method for categorizing a doctor visit as a round
visit is provided. The method comprises: receiving a current time of visit of a doctor from an
electronic device disposed in the vicinity of a patient; calculating a time difference between
the current time of visit and a past time of visit; comparing the time difference thus obtained
with a threshold time value; and categorizing a doctor’s visit as a round visit in case the time
difference exceeds the threshold time value.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for determining a doctor
visit as a round visit. The method comprises: receiving by an electronic device, disposed in
vicinity of a patient, a current time of visit of a doctor; calculating, by the electronic device, a
time difference between the current time of visit and a past time of visit; comparing, by the
electronic device, the time difference thus obtained with a threshold time value; and
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categorizing, by the electronic device, a doctor’s visit as a round visit in case the time
difference exceeds the threshold time value.
In a third aspect of the present invention, a system for categorizing a doctor visit is provided.
The system comprises: a receiver, being in operational interconnection with an electronic
device disposed in vicinity of a patient, for receiving a current time of visit of a doctor; a
calculating means for calculating a time difference between the current time of visit and a
past time of visit; a comparator for comparing the time difference thus obtained with a
threshold time value; and a processor for categorizing a doctor’s visit as a round visit in case
the time difference exceeds the threshold time value.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a system for categorizing a doctor visit is
provided. The system comprises: an input for receiving a current time of visit of a doctor; a
calculating means for calculating a time difference between the current time of visit and a
past time of visit; a comparator means for comparing the time difference thus obtained with a
threshold time value; and a processor means for categorizing a doctor’s visit as a round visit
in case the time difference exceeds the threshold time value.
These and other aspects as well as advantages will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and
claims.
Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawings
To further clarify various aspects of the invention, a more particular description of the
invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated
in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical
embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The
invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the
accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for categorizing a doctor visit, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method of categorizing a doctor visit, in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
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FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary system for categorizing a doctor’s visit, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the components of an exemplary system, in accordance
with another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5A and 5B are the views of a dashboard illustrating a doubt panel, in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6A, 6B and 6C are the views of a display of an electronic device illustrating login by a
doctor, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
It may be noted that to the extent possible, like reference numerals have been used to
represent like elements in the drawings. Further, those of ordinary skill in the art will
appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been
necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the
drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of
aspects of the invention. Furthermore, the one or more elements may have been represented
in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific
details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the invention so as not to
obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art having benefit of the description herein.
Detailed Description of the Invention
It should be understood at the outset that although illustrative implementations of the
embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated below, the present invention may be
implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or in existence. The
present disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings,
and techniques illustrated below, including the exemplary design and implementation
illustrated and described herein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended
claims along with their full scope of equivalents.
The term “some” as used herein is defined as “none, or one, or more than one, or all.”
Accordingly, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all”
would all fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no
embodiments or to one embodiment or to several embodiments or to all embodiments.
Accordingly, the term “some embodiments” is defined as meaning “no embodiment, or one
embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”
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The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching and illuminating
some embodiments and their specific features and elements and does not limit, restrict or
reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents.
More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,” “comprises,”
“has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do NOT specify an exact limitation or
restriction and certainly do NOT exclude the possible addition of one or more features or
elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must NOT be taken to exclude the
possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated
with the limiting language “MUST comprise” or “NEEDS TO include.”
Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way it
may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one
feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at
least one” feature or element do NOT preclude there being none of that feature or element,
unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there NEEDS to be one or more . . .
” or “one or more element is REQUIRED.”
Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used
herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having an
ordinary skill in the art.
Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an
embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements
presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of
illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements
of the attached claims fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility and non-obviousness.
Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a further
embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple
embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”,
“furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily
refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features
and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one
embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all
embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or
5
elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively
in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all
embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any
appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in
the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the
context of a single embodiment.
Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments
and therefore should NOT be necessarily taken as limiting factors to the attached claims. The
attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized in the context of embodiments
other than the ones used as illustrative examples in the description below.
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for categorizing a doctor visit in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Beginning at state 102, a current time of a visit of a doctor is received from an electronic
device by a server. The electronic device may be placed in the vicinity of a patient. When the
doctor visits the patient, the time of the visit can be recorded by the electronic device. The
current time of visit of the doctor can be determined by the electronic device in a variety of
manners. One instance of determining the current time of visit is by using a QR (quick
response) card, where the QR card authenticates the doctor. The time of punching the quick
response card is considered as the current time of visit. In another instance, the doctor needs
to login the electronic device using a user identifying credentials. The doctor is allocated with
unique login credentials. When the doctor enters these unique login credentials, the time of
entering these login credentials is considered as the current time of visit.
Advancing to state 104, a time difference between the current time of visit and a past time of
visit of the doctor is calculated. After receiving the current time of visit by the server, the
server calculates the time difference between the current time of visit and the past time of
visit. The past time of visit of the doctor is the time of last visit of the doctor to the patient.
The past time of visit of the doctor is received from the electronic device. The past time of
visit is automatically populated to the server.
Advancing to state 106, the time difference between the current time of visit and the past time
of visit, as derived in state 104, is compared with a threshold time value. The threshold time
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value is a predetermined value. The threshold time value is determined on the basis of one or
more factors. The factors for the determination of threshold time value include but are not
limited to the current time of visit, details of the doctor, details of the patient allocated to the
doctor, specialization of doctor, etc. For instance, a senior doctor may come twice a day for
the round visit, whereas a physician may come four times in a day for the round visit.
Therefore, the threshold time value for the senior doctor and the physician will be different.
In one implementation, an average time interval between different round visits for a day is
calculated for a doctor. For instance, if a paediatric comes for a round visit three times a day,
then the average time interval between the first and the second round visit can be calculated.
Similarly, the average time interval between the second and the third round visit can be
calculated. In this case, the average time interval between the first and the second round visit
of the paediatric can be used to determine the threshold time value for the second round visit
of the paediatric.
Proceeding at a decision state 108, categorization of a doctor visit is done. After comparing
the time difference between the current time of visit and the past time of visit with the
threshold time value, a determination is made by the server in regard to the doctor visit. If the
time difference exceeds the threshold value, then the server categorized the doctor visit as the
round visit. If the time difference between the current time of visit and the past time of visit is
less than the threshold time value, then the doctor visit is considered as non-round visit.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, once the doctor visit is categorized as the
round visit, the server sends a message to at least one further patient in a group of patients.
The group of patients include those patients who are to be visited by the doctor during his
current round visit. On receiving the message, the patient gets a notification on the electronic
device that a new message is received. The patient can open the message by tapping the
notification and the notification window will open up the profile of the doctor who is on the
round visit.
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method of categorising a doctor visit in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Beginning at state 202, an
electronic device is provided that receives a current time of a visit of a doctor. The electronic
device may be placed in the vicinity of a patient. The doctor logs in the device every time he
visits the patient. The doctor can login the electronic device either by using quick response
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card, smart card, biometric data, or through login credentials. The login time of the doctor is
considered as the current time of the visit. The electronic device can be a communication
device having a wired or wireless connectivity. The examples of electronic device include but
are not limited to a tablet, iPad, tablet, smartphones, personal digital assistant, and the like.
Proceeding to state 204, the electronic device calculates a time difference between the current
time of visit and a past time of visit. The past time of visit is the time of last visit of the
doctor to the patient. The electronic device keeps a record of the times for all visits of the
patient and retrieves the past time of visit from the record.
Proceeding to state 206, the electronic device compares the time difference between the
current time of visit and the past time of visit with a threshold time value. The threshold time
value is a predetermined value. The threshold time value varies from doctor to doctor and is
determined on the basis of one or more factors. The factors for the determination of threshold
time value include but are not limited to the current time of visit, details of the doctor and
details of the patient allocated to the doctor.
Proceeding to a decision state 208, a categorization of a doctor visit is performed. If on
comparison in state 206, if it is determined that the time difference between the current time
of visit and the past time of visit exceeds the threshold time value, then the doctor visit is
categorized as the round visit. If the time difference is less than the threshold time value, then
the doctor visit is categorized as a non-round visit.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device may be in
communication with a server. When the doctor visit is categorized as the round visit, the
electronic device sends a message to the server, informing the server that the doctor is on the
round visit. The electronic device further sends the message to at least one further electronic
device. On receiving the message, the patient gets a notification on the electronic device that
a new message has been received. The patient can open the message by tapping the
notification and the notification window will open up the profile of the doctor who is on the
round visit.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device has a query dashboard
where the patient can write a query or a doubt for the doctor. When the electronic device
categorizes the doctor visit as the round visit, the electronic device displays the query of the
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patient and prompts the doctor to respond the query. The query of the patient is displayed in a
pop-up window when the doctor logs in to the electronic device.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary system for categorizing a doctor’s visit in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The system 300 comprises a
receiver 306, a comparator 308, a calculating means 310, and a processor 312. The receiver
306 is in direct communication with a plurality of electronic devices 304, 318, and 322. The
system 300 is located in a server. The receiver 306 receives a current time of visit of a doctor
from an electronic device 304. When the doctor visit a patient 302, the doctor logs in the
electronic device 304 placed in the vicinity of the patient 302. The time of log in the
electronic device 304 is the current time of visit of the doctor.
The calculating means 310 in the system 300 is connected to the receiver 306, and calculates
a time difference between the current time of visit and a past time of visit. The past time of
visit is the time when the doctor has last visited the patient 302. The past time of visit can be
stored either in the electronic device 304 or in the server.
The comparator 308 compares the time difference calculated by the calculating means 310,
with a threshold time value. The threshold time value is a predetermined value and varies
from doctor to doctor. The threshold time value is dependent on various factors that may
include but are not limited to a current time of a day, details of the doctor, the details of the
patients allocated to the doctor and the specialization of the doctor.
When the comparator 308 has compared the time difference with the threshold time value,
the processor 312 categorizes the doctor visit as a round visit or a non-round visit. The
processor 312 is in direct communication with the receiver 306, the calculating means 310,
and the comparator 308. The processor 312 receives the data from the receiver 306, the
calculating means 310 and the comparator 308. If on comparison by the comparator 308, the
time difference between the current time of visit and the past time of visit exceeds the
threshold time value, then the processor 312 categorizes the doctor visit as the round visit. If
the time difference calculated by the calculating means 310 is less than the threshold time
value, then the processor 312 determines the doctor visit as a non-round visit.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the system 300 further comprises a message
generation unit 314 and a transmitter 316. The message generation unit 314 is in
9
communication with the processor 312. When the processor 312 determines the doctor visit
as the round visit, the message generation unit 314 of the system 300 generates a message
that the doctor is on the round visit. The message generation unit 314 informs the processor
312 that the message has been generated. The processor 312 instructs the transmitter 316 to
further transmit the message to further electronic devices.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the components of an exemplary system in accordance
with another embodiment of the present invention. The system is an electronic device 400
that is placed near the vicinity of a first patient 402. The electronic device 400 comprises an
input means 404, a comparator 406, a calculating means 408 and a processor 410. When a
doctor visits the patient 402, the doctor authenticates himself by logging into the electronic
device 400. The doctor login through the input means 404. The input means 404 can be a
biometric means, a sensor or an authorizing means. The input means 404 records a current
time of visit of the doctor. The time of login of the doctor is recorded as the current time of
visit of the doctor. The input means 404 sends the current time of visit to the calculating
means 408. The calculating means 408 calculates a time difference between the current time
of visit and a past time of visit. The past time of visit is the time of last visit of the doctor to
the patient 402. The past time of visit is populated automatically by the electronic device 400.
In one instance, the electronic device 400 records the time of each visit of the doctor and
maintain it in a repository. When the calculating means 408 requires the past time of visit, the
processor 410 fetches the past time of visit to the calculating means 408.
After the time difference between the current time of visit and the past time of visit is
calculated by the calculating means 408, the processor 410 instructs the comparator 406 to
compare the calculated time difference with a threshold time value. The threshold time value
is a predetermined value for the doctor. The comparator 406 compares the time difference
between the current time of visit and the past time of visit with the threshold time value and
fetches the result to the processor 410. The processor 410 is configured to categorize a doctor
visit as a round visit or a non-round visit. If the comparator 406 decides that the time
difference between the current time of visit and the past time of visit exceeds the threshold
time value, then the processor categorizes the doctor visit as the round visit.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device 400 further comprises
a message generation unit 412 and a transmitter 414. The message generation unit 412 and
the transmitter 414 are in communication with the processor 410. When the doctor visit is
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categorized as the round visit, the message generation unit 412 generates a message
informing that the doctor is on the round visit. After the generation of the message, the
processor 410 instructs the transmitter 414 to transmit the message to at least a further
recipient.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device 400 is in operational
communication with a server. The transmitter 414 transmits the message generated by the
message generation unit 412 to the server, in response to the categorization of the doctor visit
as the round visit. In one instance the server is connected to further electronic devices. On
receipt of the message by the transmitter 414, the server sends the message to further
electronic devices of the patients that are to be visited by the doctor during the round visit. In
another embodiment, the server may sends a SMS to a nurse, hospital staff and an attendant
of the patient, in response to the message transmitted by the transmitter 414 to the server.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the transmitter 414 sends the message
generated by the message generation unit 412 to further electronic devices. In this case, the
message is transmitted to all the electronic devices in the hospital.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device 400 further comprises
a means to allow the patient to post a doubt or a query to the doctor. The doubt or the query
of the patient is posted in the doubt panel. The patient can assign a doctor for whom the doubt
or the query is written. When the doctor logs in the electronic device 400, the doctor is able to
see the doubt or the query posted by the patient.
FIG. 5A and 5B are the views of a dashboard illustrating a doubt panel in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5A, the dashboard contains a section
502 for displaying the name or image of the doctors. The section 502 allows a patient to
select a doctor for which the patient wants to post a query or a doubt. A detailed profile of the
selected doctor is displayed on a section 504. The detailed profile shows the details of doctor
such as the specialization of the doctor, qualification, designation, speciality and experience
of the selected doctor. The section 504 of the dashboard also contains a button 506 for
posting doubt for the selected doctor. When the button 506 is clicked on, it will open a
window 508, as shown in FIG. 5B, in which the patient can post his doubt for the selected
doctor. The doubts are posted either to the nursing staff or to the doctor, when they are not
11
present. The doubts can be written in the window 508 by using S-pen attached to the patient
tablet.
FIG. 6A, 6B and 6C are the views of a display of an electronic device illustrating login by a
doctor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. When a doctor visits a
patient, an electronic device placed in the vicinity of the patient, displays a section 602 that
prompts the doctor to log-in the electronic device using a QR card, as shown in FIG. 6A.
After the doctor login the electronic device, the doctor is able to see a doubts page 604
consisting of doubts posted by the patient to him, as shown in FIG. 6B. The doctor on round
is displayed in window 606 of the electronic device, as shown in FIG. 6C.
While certain present preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and
described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Clearly, the
invention may be otherwise variously embodied, and practiced within the scope of the
following claims.

WE CLAIMS:-
1. A method comprising:
receiving a current time of visit of a doctor from an electronic device disposed in
vicinity of a patient;
calculating a time difference between the current time of visit and a past time of visit;
comparing the time difference thus obtained with a threshold time value; and
categorizing a doctor’s visit as a round visit in case the time difference exceeds the
threshold time value.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the past time of visit is received from the electronic
device disposed in the vicinity of the patient.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the past time of visit is automatically
populated.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threshold time value is a
predetermined value.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the predetermined value is dependent
upon one or more of: (a) a current time; (b) details of the doctor; (c) details the
patients allocated to the doctor.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: sending a message to at least
one further patient, in response to categorizing a doctor’s visit as a round visit.
7. A method comprising:
receiving, by an electronic device disposed in vicinity of a patient, a current time of
visit of a doctor;
calculating, by the electronic device, a time difference between the current time of
visit and a past time of visit;
comparing, by the electronic device, the time difference thus obtained with a
threshold time value; and
categorizing, by the electronic device, a doctor’s visit as a round visit in case the time
difference exceeds the threshold time value.
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8. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising: sending a message to a server
device informing about the doctor’s visit and indicating the visit as a round visit.
9. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising: sending a message so as to be
receivable by at least one further patient, in response to categorizing a doctor’s visit as
a round visit.
10. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising: providing a means in the
electronic device that allows the patient to post a query.
11. The method as claimed in claim 7 and 10 further comprising: displaying the query of
the patient in response to receiving the current time of visit of the doctor and
prompting the doctor to respond to said queries.
12. A system comprising:
a receiver, being in operational interconnection with an electronic device disposed in
vicinity of a patient, for receiving a current time of visit of a doctor;
a calculating means for calculating a time difference between the current time of visit
and a past time of visit;
a comparator for comparing the time difference thus obtained with a threshold time
value; and
a processor for categorizing a doctor’s visit as a round visit in case the time difference
exceeds the threshold time value.
13. The system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: a message generation unit for
generating a message and a transmitting means for sending the message to at least one
further patient, in response to categorizing a doctor’s visit as a round visit.
14. A system comprising:
an input unit for receiving a current time of visit of a doctor;
a calculating means for calculating a time difference between the current time of visit
and a past time of visit;
a comparator means for comparing the time difference thus obtained with a threshold
time value; and
a processor means for categorizing a doctor’s visit as a round visit in case the time
difference exceeds the threshold time value.
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15. The system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:
a message generation unit for generating a message informing about the doctor’s visit
and indicating the visit as a round visit;
and a transmitter being in operational communication with a server device for sending
the message.
16. The system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:
a message generation unit for generating a message informing about the doctor’s visit
and indicating the visit as a round visit;
and a transmitter for sending the message so as to be receivable by at least one further
patient.