Safety net for bar-coded documents
View Patent ↗A method and system for generating and processing barcoded documents such that a safety net may be implemented to catch barcode errors. Barcodes may be generated for placement on the first and last page of documents. Each barcode may be associated with a document. During processing of barcoded documents, if a barcode is missing or misread, the safety net will catch the error and mark the affected pages for further review.
1. A method of creating a barcoded document, the barcoded document having a first page associated with a beginning of the barcoded document, a final page associated with an end of the barcoded document, and at least one intermediate page between the first page and the final page, the method comprising acts of:
creating a document record in an electronic medical record system based, at least in part, on document characteristics and a client identification number identifying a healthcare provider associated with the electronic medical record system, the act of creating performed by at least one processor;
generating a first barcode associated with the first page of the barcoded document, wherein the first barcode is generated based, at least in part, on length information associated with a length of the barcoded document and the client identification number, and at least a portion of the first barcode indicates that the barcoded document comprises multiple pages; and
generating a second barcode associated with the final page of the barcoded document,
wherein none of the at least one intermediate page is associated with a barcode generated based, at least in part, on the length information.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising acts of:
printing the first barcode;
attaching the first barcode to the first page of the barcoded document;
printing the second barcode; and
attaching the second barcode to the final page of the barcoded document.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the act of attaching the first barcode occurs at the same time as the printing of the first barcode.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the document record comprises a document number and the act of generating the first barcode is based on the document number.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of generating the second barcode is based on the client identification number.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of generating the second barcode is based on the length information.
7. An apparatus for creating a barcoded document, the barcoded document having a first page associated with a beginning of the barcoded document, a final page associated with an end of the barcoded document, and at least one intermediate page between the first page and the final page, the apparatus comprising:
a records module for creating a document record in an electronic medical record system based, at least in part, on information related to the barcoded document and a client identification number identifying a healthcare provider associated with the electronic medical record system;
a barcode module for:
generating a first barcode to be included on the first page of the barcoded document, wherein the first barcode is generated based, at least in part, on length information associated with a length of the barcoded document and the client identification number, and at least a portion of the barcode indicates that the barcoded document comprises multiple pages; and
generating a second barcode to be included on the final page of the barcoded document,
wherein none of the at least one intermediate page is associated with a barcode generated based, at least in part, on the length information.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a printing module for printing the first barcode and the second barcode.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the document record comprises a document number; and
the barcode module uses the document number to generate the first barcode.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:
the barcode module uses the client identification number to generate the second barcode.
11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the barcode module uses the length information to generate the second barcode.
12. A non-transitory computer readable medium, encoded with a series of instructions, that when executed on a computer, perform a method of creating a barcoded document, the barcoded document having a first page associated with a beginning of the barcoded document, a final page associated with an end of the barcoded document, and at least one intermediate page between the first page and the final page, the method comprising acts of:
creating a document record in an electronic medical record system based, at least in part, on at least a portion of document characteristics and a client identification number identifying a healthcare provider associated with the electronic medical record system, the act of creating performed by at least one processor;
generating a first barcode associated with the first page of the barcoded document, wherein the first barcode is generated based, at least in part, on length information associated with a length of the barcoded document and the client identification number, and at least a portion of the first barcode indicates that the barcoded document comprises multiple pages; and
generating a second barcode associated with the final page of the barcoded document,
wherein none of the at least one intermediate page is associated with a barcode generated based, at least in part, on the length information.
13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
printing the first barcode;
attaching the first barcode to the first page of the barcoded document;
printing the second barcode; and
attaching the second barcode to the final page of the barcoded document.
14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the act of attaching the first barcode occurs at the same time as the printing of the first barcode.
15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the document record comprises a document number and the act of generating the first barcode is based on the document number.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the act of generating the second barcode is based on the client identification number.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the act of generating the second barcode is based on the length information.