Documentation through a remote presence robot
A robotic system that is used in a tele-presence session. For example, the system can be used by medical personnel to examine, diagnose and prescribe medical treatment in the session. The system includes a robot that has a camera and is controlled by a remote station. The system further includes a storage device that stores session content data regarding the session. The data may include a video/audio taping of the session by the robot. The session content data may also include time stamps that allow a user to determine the times that events occurred during the session. The session content data may be stored on a server that accessible by multiple users. Billing information may be automatically generated using the session content data.
1. A medical telepresence system, comprising:
a telepresence device in the vicinity of a patient, said telepresence device has a patient camera, a patient monitor, a patient microphone, and a patient speaker;
a remote station that has a station camera, a station monitor, a station microphone, and a station speaker, said remote station and said telepresence device are configured to establish a telepresence session during which:
said station monitor is coupled to said patient camera and configured to display a patient video captured by said patient camera,
said patient monitor is coupled said station camera and configured to display a station video captured by said station camera,
said station speaker is coupled to said patient microphone and said patient speaker is coupled to said station microphone to enable two-way audio communication between said telepresence device and said remote station, and
said remote station is configured to control said telepresence device,
wherein said telepresence session results in session content data that includes at least a portion of both the audio captured by the patient microphone and the video captured by the patient camera and at least one of a physician note, a diagnosis, and a prescription information; and,
a records server configured to store said session content data in association with a unique identifier and provide said stored session content data to a terminal via a network after said telepresence session is concluded, wherein said terminal is configured to reproduce said session content data, including the session audio and video.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said session content data is entered by an operator at the remote station.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said session content data is correlated with a movement of said telepresence device.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said session content data is searchable.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said session content data includes at least one time stamp.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said remote station provides a graphical user interface that displays said time stamp and said session content data.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein said session content data is entered by an operator at said remote station.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein said time stamp is automatically generated when said session content data is entered by the operator.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a billing server that generates a bill with said session content data.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a bill that is based on an action of said session content data.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein said session content data is structured into a plurality of data types and is searchable across said data types.
12. A method for conducting a medical tele-presence session, comprising:
controlling a telepresence device in the vicinity of a patient through control of a remote station, the telepresence device has a patient camera, a patient monitor, a patient speaker, and a patient microphone, the remote station includes a station camera, a station monitor, a station speaker, and a station microphone;
establishing a telepresence session during which the station monitor is coupled to the patient camera and displays a patient video captured by the patient camera, said patient monitor is coupled to the station camera and displays station video captured by the station camera, the station speaker is coupled to the patient microphone, and the patient speaker is coupled to the station microphone to enable two-way audio communication between said telepresence device and the remote station;
generating session content data that includes session audio captured by the patient microphone, session video captured by the patient camera, and at least one of a physician note, a diagnosis, and a prescription information;
storing the session content data generated during the telepresence session in a records server in association with a unique identifier;
accessing and reproducing said session content data, including the session audio and video, stored in the server at a terminal via a network after said telepresence session is concluded.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the session content data is searchable.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising generating at least one time stamp for the session content data.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising displaying the time stamp and the session content data.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the session content data is entered by an operator at the remote station.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the time stamp is automatically generated when the session content data is entered by the operator.
18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising transmitting a video image of a user at the control station to a monitor of the robot.
19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising automatically generating a bill with the session content data.
20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising structuring the session content data into a plurality of data types and searching the session content data across the data types.