System state driven display for medical procedures

1. A method of performing a multi-step medical procedure requiring the operation of a plurality of separate computer systems, each accepting inputs and providing a visual display, the method comprising:

displaying the displays from the separate computer systems on a composite display; and

based in part from information from one of the separate computer systems, automatically selecting the next step from a plurality of possible next steps in which one or more of the separate computer systems are to be operated, and displaying a prompt for the automatically selected next step, and automatically reconfiguring the composite display for the automatically selected next step.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of automatically reconfiguring the composite display comprises displaying the display from a separate computer system involved in the automatically selected next step.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of automatically reconfiguring the composite display comprises highlighting the display from a separate computer system involved in the automatically selected next step.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the step of highlighting the display from a separate computer system involved in the automatically selected next step comprises changing the position of the display from the involved separate computer system on the composite display.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein the step of highlighting the display from a separate computer system involved in the automatically selected next step comprises resizing the display from the involved separate computer system on the composite display.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of displaying prompts for at least the current step of the multi-step medical procedure comprises displaying prompts for several successive steps including the current step.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of displaying prompts for at least the current step of the multi-step medical procedure comprises displaying prompts for several successive steps including the current step, and indicating the current step.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of displaying prompts for at least the current step of the multi-step medical procedure comprises displaying prompts for all of the successive steps, and indicating the current step.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of displaying prompts for all of the successive steps comprises displaying the prompts on a scrollable list.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the operator may jump to any of the steps in the list by directly selecting the step.

11. A method of performing a multi-step medical procedure requiring the operation of a plurality of separate computer systems, each accepting inputs and providing a visual display, the method comprising:

displaying the displays from the separate computer systems on a composite display;

displaying prompts for at least the current step of the multi-step medical procedure; and

in response to user action and based in part from information from one of the separate computer systems, automatically selecting the next step from a plurality of possible next steps in which one or more of the separate computer systems are to be operated, and displaying a prompt for the automatically selected next step, and automatically reconfiguring the composite display for the automatically selected next step.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of automatically reconfiguring the composite display comprises displaying the display from a separate computer system involved in the automatically selected next step.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of automatically reconfiguring the composite display comprises highlighting the display from a separate computer system involved in the automatically selected next step.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the step of highlighting the display from a separate computer system involved in the automatically selected next step comprises changing the position of the display from the involved separate computer system on the composite display.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of highlighting the display from a separate computer system involved in the automatically selected next step comprises resizing the display from the involved separate computer system on the composite display.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of displaying prompts for at least the current step of the multi-step medical procedure comprises displaying prompts for several successive steps including the current step.

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of displaying prompts for at least the current step of the multi-step medical procedure comprises displaying prompts for several successive steps including the current step, and indicating the current step.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of displaying prompts for at least the current step of the multi-step medical procedure comprises displaying prompts for all of the successive steps, and indicating the current step.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of displaying prompts for all of the successive steps comprises displaying the prompts on a scrollable list.

20. A method of performing a multi-step medical procedure requiring the operation of a plurality of separate computer systems, each accepting inputs and providing a visual display, the method comprising:

displaying the displays from the separate computer systems on a composite display, each of the separate computer systems accepting inputs via the composite display; and

automatically reconfiguring the composite display in response to information received from one of the separate computer systems.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the step of automatically reconfiguring the composite display comprises changing the display to one of a plurality of predetermined configurations.