US6071236A
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Method of determining mental health status in a computerized medical diagnostic system
Assignee: Clinical Decision Support LLC
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Filing: 1998-06-02
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Granted: 2000-06-06
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Expires: 2018-06-02
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for providing computerized, knowledge-based medical diagnostic and treatment advice. The medical advice is provided to the general public over a telephone network. Two new authoring languages, interactive voice response and speech recognition are used to enable expert and general practitioner knowledge to be encoded for access by the public. "Metal" functions for time-density analysis of a number of factors regarding the number of medical complaints per unit of time are an integral part of the system. A semantic discrepancy evaluator routine along with a mental status examination are used to detect the consciousness level of a user of the system. A re-enter feature monitors the user's changing condition over time. A symptom severity analysis helps to respond to the changing conditions. System sensitivity factors may be changed at a global level or other levels to adjust the system advice as necessary.
Inventors
- 👤 Edwin C. Iliff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 21:12
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/487; H04M3/493; G; G16; G16H; G16H50/00; G16H50/20; G16H10/00; G16H10/20; G16H10/60; G16H15/00; G16H20/00; G16H20/70; G16H40/00; G16H40/60; G16H40/67; G16H70/00; G16H70/20; G16H70/60; A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/0002; A61B5/40; A61B5/4076; A61B5/4094; G16H20/10; G16H40/63; H04M2201/00; H04M2201/40; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/35; H04M2203/355; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/92; Y10S128/925; Y10S706/00; Y10S706/902; Y10S706/924
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of mental status examination, using an automated medical advice or diagnostic system including a computer and input and output devices, the method comprising: a) prestoring, a plurality of questions and corresponding expected answers in a computer memory; b) automatically asking a patient a one of the plurality of prestored questions; c) the computer executes instructions to process the answer so as to automatically receive the answer; d) automatically comparing the answer to a corresponding prestored expected answer; e) automatically ascribing a score to a result of the comparison; f) automatically comparing the score to a predetermined threshold value; and g) continuing an automated process of diagnosing a medical problem if the threshold value is achieved.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of mental status examination, using an automated medical advice or diagnostic system including a computer and input and output devices, the method comprising: a) prestoring, a plurality of questions and corresponding expected answers in a computer memory; b) automatically asking a patient a one of the plurality of prestored questions; c) the computer executes instructions to process the answer so as to automatically receive the answer; d) automatically comparing the answer to a corresponding prestored expected answer; e) automatically ascribing a score to a result of the comparison; f) automatically comparing the score to a predetermined threshold value; and g) continuing an automated process of diagnosing a medical problem if the threshold value is achieved.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the mental status examination takes place during a telephone consultation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method defined in claim 2, additionally comprising transferring the telephone consultation with the patient to a medical staff person if the threshold value is not achieved and an assistant for the patient is not available.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 1, additionally comprising providing situation specific advice to the patient if the threshold value is not achieved.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of mental status examination, using an automated medical advice or diagnostic system including a computer and input and output devices the method comprising: a) asking a patient a prestored question from a plurality of questions prestored in the computer; b) receiving an answer to the question from the patient; c) comparing the answer to at least one of a plurality of prestored expected answers corresponding to the prestored questions in the computer; d) ascribing a score to the result of the comparison; e) comparing the score to a predetermined threshold value, wherein the threshold value is indicative of mental status; and f) repeating a) through d) a plurality of times, wherein the score accumulates after each repeating sequence.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of mental status examination, using an automated medical advice or diagnostic system including a computer and input and output devices the method comprising: a) asking a patient a prestored question from a plurality of questions prestored in the computer; b) receiving an answer to the question from the patient; c) comparing the answer to at least one of a plurality of prestored expected answers corresponding to the prestored questions in the computer; d) ascribing a score to the result of the comparison; e) comparing the score to a predetermined threshold value, wherein the threshold value is indicative of mental status; and f) repeating a) through d) a plurality of times, wherein the score accumulates after each repeating sequence.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method defined in claim 5, wherein the asking and receiving are conducted remotely from the patient by a telephone connection to the computer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method defined in claim 6, wherein taking action appropriate to the mental status of the patient comprises transferring the telephone connection with the patient to a medical staff person.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method defined in claim 5, wherein taking action appropriate to the mental status of the patient comprises providing situation specific advice to the patient.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method defined in claim 5, additionally comprising providing patient specific advice to the patient based on the mental status of the patient as determined by the result of the score comparison.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method defined in claim 5, additionally comprising continuing a process of diagnosing a medical problem of the patient based on the mental status of the patient as determined by the result of the score comparison.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 5, additionally comprising collecting medical information from the patient.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method defined in claim 11, wherein taking action appropriate to the mental status of the patient comprises storing the collected medical information for the patient in a pending file for off-line verification by a staff person.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method defined in claim 5, wherein the question and the answer relate to a well-known fact.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method defined in claim 5, additionally comprising: g) providing the patient with a prestored information item; h) waiting for a predetermined time interval; i) asking the patient for the information item; j) receiving an information response from the patient; k) comparing the information response with the prestored information item to determine if the items match, wherein g) through k) occur prior to a) through f).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method defined in claim 5, additionally comprising: g) asking the patient for an information item; h) receiving a first information response from the patient; i) asking the patient for the information item using different words at a later time; j) receiving a second information response from the patient; k) comparing the first information response with the second information response to ensure consistent mental health, wherein g) through k) occur prior to a) through f).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method defined in claim 5, additionally comprising: asking one or more predetermined questions of the patient; receiving answers to the predetermined questions; ascertaining a chief complaint based on the received answers, wherein the system selectively continues with a) through f) based on the ascertained chief complaint.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method defined in claim 5, additionally comprising: accessing a medical history of the patient; and identifying a chronic condition of the patient, wherein the system selectively continues with a) through f) based on the chronic condition.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 1, additionally comprising collecting medical information from the patient.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined in claim 18, additionally comprising storing the collected medical information for the patient in a pending file for off-line verification by a staff person if the threshold value is not achieved.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method defined in claim 19, wherein the collected medical information for the patient is added to a patient's past medical history file after off-line verification.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein continuing the process of diagnosing the medical problem includes collecting medical information from the patient.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method defined in claim 21, wherein new medical information collected for the patient is added to a patient's past medical history file at the completion of the process of diagnosing.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein continuing the process of diagnosing the medical problem occurs when an assistant for the patient is available and logs into an automated medical advice or diagnostic system.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of mental status examination, using an automated medical advice or diagnostic system including a computer and input and output devices the method comprising: automatically providing a patient an item of information prestored in a computer memory; automatically waiting a predetermined time interval; automatically asking the patient about the item of information; the computer executes instructions to process the answer so as to automatically receive the answer; automatically comparing the answer to a prestored expected answer; and automatically evaluating mental status of a patient based on the comparison.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of mental status examination, using an automated medical advice or diagnostic system including a computer and input and output devices the method comprising: automatically providing a patient an item of information prestored in a computer memory; automatically waiting a predetermined time interval; automatically asking the patient about the item of information; the computer executes instructions to process the answer so as to automatically receive the answer; automatically comparing the answer to a prestored expected answer; and automatically evaluating mental status of a patient based on the comparison.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method defined in claim 24, additionally comprising resuming system operation if the results from the mental status evaluation do match.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined in claim 24, additionally comprising terminating system with the patient taking action based on a mental status of the patient if the results from the mental status evaluation do not match.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of mental status examination, using an automated medical advice or diagnostic system including a computer and input and output devices, the method comprising: automatically asking a patient for an item of information, wherein a first request for the item of information is prestored in a computer memory; the computer executes instructions to process the answer so as to automatically receive a first answer; automatically waiting a predetermined time interval; automatically asking the patient about the item of information in a different manner, wherein a second request for the item of information is prestored in the computer memory; the computer executes instructions to process the answer so as to automatically receive a second answer; automatically comparing the first answer to the second answer; and automatically evaluating mental status of a patient based on the comparison.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of mental status examination, using an automated medical advice or diagnostic system including a computer and input and output devices, the method comprising: automatically asking a patient for an item of information, wherein a first request for the item of information is prestored in a computer memory; the computer executes instructions to process the answer so as to automatically receive a first answer; automatically waiting a predetermined time interval; automatically asking the patient about the item of information in a different manner, wherein a second request for the item of information is prestored in the computer memory; the computer executes instructions to process the answer so as to automatically receive a second answer; automatically comparing the first answer to the second answer; and automatically evaluating mental status of a patient based on the comparison.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method defined in claim 27, additionally comprising resuming system operation if the results from the mental status evaluation are consistent.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method defined in claim 27, additionally comprising terminating system operation with the patient based on a mental status of the patient if the results from the mental status evaluation are not consistent.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 27, wherein the first request and the second request are similar.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 27, wherein the first request and the second request are different.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5441047A
Cited
US5486999A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-06-06 | 2003-12-06 | 2004-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-06-06 | 2007-12-06 | 2008-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-06-06 | 2011-12-06 | 2012-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |