Methods and systems for converting unstructured data into an encoded, structured representation
Inventors
Sutters, Steven • Prakash, Era • Duka, Entela
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Publication Number
US-12340878-B2
Publication Date
2025-06-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for computationally converting unstructured data into an encoded, structured representation. Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for patient recruitment for clinical trials.
Core Innovation
The invention addresses recruiting and matching patients to clinical trials by converting unstructured inclusion/exclusion criteria and patient information into encoded, structured protocol and query data structures. A healthcare request is received, patient data is determined, and trial-specific encoding and formatting rules are applied to the trial criteria. Values are represented and processed in portions as encoded data values and formatted data values.
Encoded data values and formatted data values are concatenated according to a structure rule associated with the clinical trial to generate a clinical trial protocol data structure. The clinical trial protocol data structure is stored in at least one database accessible by a service provider computing device. A patient query data structure associated with a patient is received, where the patient query data structure includes attributes that are encoded according to the encoding rule and formatted according to the formatting rule.
The service provider computing device compares or determines whether the patient query data structure matches the clinical trial protocol data structure stored in the database. Based on the matching, a notification is caused to be sent to a device associated with the patient. The system also includes prescriber and patient support service center hub workflows, and the service provider incorporates prescription processing communications, including prescription requests and responses, with the notification workflow.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are directed to generating and storing a clinical trial protocol data structure from unstructured criteria and then matching a patient query data structure against the stored protocol to cause notifications, with additional system-level and workflow-level features. Across the independent claims, the main inventive theme is trial-specific encoding and formatting of values by data value type and concatenation into a structured protocol representation for subsequent matching, followed by notifications and, in some cases, prescription request and response integration.
Trial-specific encoding, formatting, and concatenation into a clinical trial protocol data structure for matching
Receiving unstructured criteria data associated with a clinical trial expressed as a plurality of values each associated with a data value type; determining based on the clinical trial an encoding rule and a formatting rule; encoding a first portion as encoded data values and formatting a second portion as formatted data values based on the encoding rule and corresponding data value type and the formatting rule and corresponding data value type; concatenating based on a structure rule associated with the clinical trial the encoded data values and the formatted data values to generate a clinical trial protocol data structure; storing the clinical trial protocol data structure in at least one database accessible by at least one service provider computing device; receiving a patient query data structure associated with a patient whose plurality of attributes are encoded according to the encoding rule associated with the clinical trial and formatted according to the formatting rule associated with the clinical trial; determining that the patient query data structure matches the clinical trial protocol data structure; and based on the matching causing a notification to be sent to a device associated with the patient.
Healthcare request to determine patient candidacy, integrate prescription processing, and send notification with prescription response
Receiving unstructured criteria data associated with a clinical trial expressed as a plurality of values each associated with a data value type; determining based on the clinical trial an encoding rule and a formatting rule; encoding a first portion as encoded data values and formatting a second portion as formatted data values based on the encoding rule and corresponding data value type and the formatting rule and corresponding data value type; concatenating based on a structure rule associated with the clinical trial the encoded data values and formatted data values to generate a clinical trial protocol data structure; storing the clinical trial protocol data structure in at least one database accessible by at least one service provider computing device; receiving from the healthcare provider computing device a healthcare request associated with a patient; sending based on the healthcare request a prescription request to at least one pharmacy computing device for processing; determining based on the patient data and the clinical trial protocol data structure stored in the database that the patient may be a candidate for participation in the clinical trial; receiving based on the prescription request a prescription response; and sending a notification indicating that the patient has been identified for participation in the clinical trial and the prescription response.
System for protocol and query matching using healthcare-provider and pharmacy claims processor workflow and notifications
A system comprising at least one healthcare provider computing device associated with a prescriber configured to receive unstructured criteria data associated with a clinical trial expressed as a plurality of values each associated with a data value type; determine based on the clinical trial an encoding rule and a formatting rule; encode a first portion as encoded data values and format a second portion as formatted data values based on the encoding rule and formatting rule and corresponding data value type; concatenate based on a structure rule associated with the clinical trial the encoded data values and formatted data values to generate a clinical trial protocol data structure; send a healthcare request to a service provider computing device; and store in at least one database the clinical trial protocol data structure accessible by the service provider computing device; the at least one service provider computing device configured to receive the healthcare request, determine based on the healthcare request patient data associated with a patient, determine based on the patient data and the clinical trial protocol data structure stored in the database that the patient may be a candidate for participation in the clinical trial, and send based on the healthcare request a prescription request to at least one pharmacy claims processor computing device for processing; the at least one pharmacy claims processor computing device configured to receive the prescription request and send a prescription response to the service provider computing device; and wherein the at least one service provider computing device is further configured to receive the prescription response and send a notification and the prescription response to the at least one healthcare provider computing device, the notification indicating that the patient has been identified for participation in the clinical trial.
Across the independent claims, the claims cover forming a clinical trial protocol data structure by encoding and formatting unstructured clinical trial criteria values according to trial-specific encoding and formatting rules by data value type and concatenating them according to a structure rule, storing the protocol structure in a database accessible to a service provider, and then determining whether a patient query data structure matches that stored protocol to cause notifications. The system-level independent claim further integrates a healthcare request workflow with prescription request and response processing through pharmacy claims processor components and delivers notifications that indicate patient identification for clinical trial participation.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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