DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to an application filed on 06/09/2025. Claims 30-59 are currently pending and have been examined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 44 recites the limitation "the first electronic device" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 30-59 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e. a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea), and does not include additional elements that either: 1) integrate the abstract idea into a practical application, or 2) that provide an inventive concept — i.e. element that amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. The Claims are directed to an abstract idea because, when considered as a whole, the plain focus of the claims is on an abstract idea.
STEP 1
The claims are directed to a non-transitory computer-readable medium, method, and device which is included in the statutory categories of invention.
STEP 2A PRONG ONE
The claims recite the abstract idea (based on claim 44) of:
A method, comprising: displaying configured in one of a patient configuration, a medical- professional configuration, or a friends-and-family configuration, icons that correspond to the configuration and that are each related to respective data regarding a patient at a medical facility, one of the icons related to data regarding the patient relative to a surgery; receiving a status of the patient relative to the surgery; and displaying the received status of the patient relative to the surgery.
The claims, as illustrated by the limitations of Claim 44 above, recite an abstract idea within the “certain methods of organizing human activity” grouping — managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions.
The claims recite receiving and displaying a patient surgery status. Receiving and displaying a patient surgery status is a process that merely organizes human activity, as it involves configuring a display to a configuration, receiving patient surgery status, and displaying patient surgery status,. As such, the claims recite an abstract idea within the category of mathematical concepts.
The dependent claims 31-34, 41-43, 45-47, 49-51, 55 and 57-59 recite further abstract ideas within the category of mathematical concepts, such as 31 to receive the status of the surgery by receiving an alert including the status of the surgery; and to display the received status of the surgery by displaying the received alert; 32 to display the received status of the surgery in response to a user selecting the related one of the displayed icons; 33 to display the received status of the surgery in response to a user touching the displayed related one of the icons; 34 to display the received status of the surgery in response to a user touching a region of a display on which the related one of the icons is displayed; 41 to display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status of the surgery at a second frequency if configured in the medical-professional configuration; 42 to display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status of the surgery at a second, slower frequency if configured in the medical-professional configuration; 43 to display the received status of the surgery configured in the medical- professional configuration only if the status includes an indication that a medical professional has commenced performing surgery on the patient or that the patient is out of surgery; 45 the receiving the status of the patient relative to the surgery includes receiving an alert including the status of the patient relative to the surgery; and the displaying the received status of the patient relative to the surgery includes displaying the received alert; 46 the displaying the received status of the patient relative to the surgery includes displaying the received status of the surgery in response to a user selecting the related one of the displayed icons; 47 displaying the received status of the patient relative to the surgery includes displaying the received status of the patient relative to the surgery in response to a user touching the related one of the displayed icons; 49 displaying the received status of the surgery comprises: displaying the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and displaying the received status a second frequency if configured in the medical- professional configuration; 50 displaying the received status of the surgery comprises: displaying the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and displaying the received status of the surgery at a second, slower frequency if configured in the medical-professional configuration; 51, displaying the received status of the surgery comprises displaying the received status of the surgery configured in the medical- professional configuration only if the status indicates that a medical professional has commenced performing surgery on the patient or that the patient is out of surgery; 55 configuring in one of the patient configuration, the medical-professional configuration, or the friends-and- family configuration; 57 display the received status of the surgical procedure in response to a user touching a region of the display on which the related one of the icons is displayed; 58 display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status a second frequency if configured in the medical-professional configuration; 59 display the received status of the surgery while configured in the medical-professional configuration only if the status indicates that a medical professional has commenced performing surgery on the patient or that the patient is out of surgery.
STEP 2A PRONG TWO
The claims recite additional elements beyond those that encompass the abstract idea above including:
Independent claim 30:
A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit: to be configured in
from a second computing circuit remote from the first computing circuit
Dependent claim 31:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit:
Dependent claim 32:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit
Dependent claim 33:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit
Dependent claim 34:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit
screen
Dependent claim 35:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium
Dependent claim 36:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium
Dependent claim 37:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium
Dependent claim 38:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium
Dependent claim 39:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium
Dependent claim 40:
The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium
Dependent claim 41:
The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit
the first computing circuit, circuit, or device is
Dependent claim 42:
The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit
the first computing circuit, circuit, or device is
Dependent claim 43:
The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit
the first computing circuit, circuit, or device is
Independent claim 44:
with the first electronic device
with the first electronic device from a second electronic device remote from the first electronic device
with the first electronic device
Dependent claim 45:
with the first device
Dependent claim 46:
with the first device
Dependent claim 47:
with the first device
Dependent claim 49:
the first device is
Dependent claim 50:
the first device is
Dependent claim 51:
for the first device
Dependent claim 55:
the first electronic device
Independent claim 56:
A first electronic device, comprising: a display screen; and a computing circuit coupled to the display screen, and configured: to cause the display screen to
from a second electronic device remote from the first electronic device
screen
Dependent claim 57:
the computer circuit is configured to cause the display screen to
screen
Dependent claim 58:
the computing circuit is configured: to
the computing circuit is
Dependent claim 59:
the computing circuit is configured: to
However, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application of that idea in accordance with considerations laid out by the Supreme Court or the Federal Circuit. (see MPEP 2106.05 a-c and e) The additional elements integrate the abstract idea into a practical application when they: improve the functioning of a computer or improving any other technology, apply or use a judicial exception to effect a particular treatment or prophylaxis for a disease or medical condition, apply the judicial exception with, or by use of, a particular machine, effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing, or apply or use the judicial exception in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception. The additional limitations do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application when they merely serve to link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use — i.e. merely uses the computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea; or recite insignificant extra-solution activity (see MPEP 2106.05 f - h).
The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, computing circuits, devices, and display screen are recited at a high level of generality such that it amounts to no more than instructions to apply the abstract idea using generic computer components. These elements merely add instructions to implement the abstract idea on a computer, and generally link the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Nothing in the claim recites specific limitations directed to an improved tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, computing circuits, devices, and display screen. Similarly, the specification is silent with respect to these kinds of improvements. A general purpose computer that applies a judicial exception to computer functions, as is the case here, does not qualify as a particular machine, nor does the recitation of a basic computer impose meaningful limits in the claimed process. (see Ultramercial, Inc. v. Hulu, LLC, 772 F.3d 709, 716-17 (Fed. Cir. 2014)). As such, the additional elements recited in the claims do not integrate the abstract surgery status update process into a practical application of that process.
STEP 2B
The additional elements identified above do not amount to significantly more than the abstract surgery status update process. The additional structural elements or combination of elements in the claims, other than the abstract idea per se, amount to no more than a recitation of generic computer structure. Because the specification describes these additional elements in general terms, without describing particulars, Examiner concludes that the claim limitations may be broadly, but reasonably construed, as reciting basic computer components and techniques. The specification describes the elements in a manner that indicates that they are sufficiently straightforward such that the specification does not need to describe the particulars in order to satisfy U.S.C. 112. Considered as an ordered combination, the limitations recited in the claims add nothing that is not already present when the steps are considered individually.
The limitations recited in the dependent claims, in combination with those recited in the independent claims add nothing that integrates the abstract idea into a practical application, or that amounts to significantly more. For example, dependent claim limitations 31 to receive the status of the surgery by receiving an alert including the status of the surgery; and to display the received status of the surgery by displaying the received alert; 32 to display the received status of the surgery in response to a user selecting the related one of the displayed icons; 33 to display the received status of the surgery in response to a user touching the displayed related one of the icons; 34 to display the received status of the surgery in response to a user touching a region of a display on which the related one of the icons is displayed; 41 to display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status of the surgery at a second frequency if configured in the medical-professional configuration; 42 to display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status of the surgery at a second, slower frequency if configured in the medical-professional configuration; 43 to display the received status of the surgery configured in the medical- professional configuration only if the status includes an indication that a medical professional has commenced performing surgery on the patient or that the patient is out of surgery; 45 the receiving the status of the patient relative to the surgery includes receiving an alert including the status of the patient relative to the surgery; and the displaying the received status of the patient relative to the surgery includes displaying the received alert; 46 the displaying the received status of the patient relative to the surgery includes displaying the received status of the surgery in response to a user selecting the related one of the displayed icons; 47 displaying the received status of the patient relative to the surgery includes displaying the received status of the patient relative to the surgery in response to a user touching the related one of the displayed icons; 49 displaying the received status of the surgery comprises: displaying the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and displaying the received status a second frequency if configured in the medical- professional configuration; 50 displaying the received status of the surgery comprises: displaying the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and displaying the received status of the surgery at a second, slower frequency if configured in the medical-professional configuration; 51, displaying the received status of the surgery comprises displaying the received status of the surgery configured in the medical- professional configuration only if the status indicates that a medical professional has commenced performing surgery on the patient or that the patient is out of surgery; 55 configuring in one of the patient configuration, the medical-professional configuration, or the friends-and- family configuration; 57 display the received status of the surgical procedure in response to a user touching a region of the display on which the related one of the icons is displayed; 58 display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status a second frequency if configured in the medical-professional configuration; 59 display the received status of the surgery while configured in the medical-professional configuration only if the status indicates that a medical professional has commenced performing surgery on the patient or that the patient is out of surgery are directed to the abstract idea of certain methods of organizing human activity without integrating into a practical application or amounting to significantly more. Dependent claim limitations 35 the status of the surgery includes an indication that a surgeon has commenced performing the surgery on the patient; 36 the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient is in surgery; 37 the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient is still in surgery; 38 the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient is out of surgery; 39 the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient is in post-surgery recovery; 40 the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient can have a visitor; 48 the status of the patient relative to the surgery includes an indication that a medical professional has commenced performing the surgery on the patient; 52 the status of the patient relative to the surgery includes an indication that the patient is in surgery; 53 the status of the patient relative to the surgery includes an indication that the patient is in post-surgical recovery; 54 the status of the patient relative to the surgery includes an indication that the patient is able to have visitors merely serve to further narrow the abstract idea above. Therefore, the claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 30-40, 42, 44-48, 50, and 52-57 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clark, et al. (US 2017/0308648 A1) in view of Weiss, et al. (US 2009/0319298 A1).
With regards to claim 30, Clarke teaches a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit (see at least ¶ 0025): to be configured in one of a patient configuration, …or a friends-and-family configuration (see at least ¶ 0029, friends and family configuration; ¶ 0047, patient can receive updates regarding himself or herself [patient configuration]); to display icons that correspond to the configuration and that are each related to respective data regarding a patient at a medical facility, one of the icons related to data regarding a surgery of the patient (see at least figure 5A, ¶ 0047, patient progress bar includes sections [icons] regarding progress of a patient through a medical facility, including a section related to surgery progress); to receive, from a second computing circuit remote from the first computing circuit, a status of the surgery (see at least figure 1, ¶ 0021-0024, system receives status updates regarding current stage of a patient procedure); and to display the received status of the surgery (see at least figure 5A).
Clarke does not explicitly teach …a medical-professional configuration. Weiss teaches …a medical-professional configuration (see at least ¶ 0014, user receives patient status updates; ¶ 0016, user receives updates through communication device, user includes healthcare professional). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the healthcare professional update configuration of Weiss with the patient status update system of Clarke with the motivation of optimization of status updates (Weiss, ¶ 0006-0013).
Claims 44, 55 and 56 recites similar limitations and are rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 31, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit: to receive the status of the surgery by receiving an alert including the status of the surgery; and to display the received status of the surgery by displaying the received alert (see at least figure 5A (530)).
Claim 45 recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 32, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit, to display the received status of the surgery in response to a user selecting the related one of the displayed icons (see at least figures 4, 5A, ¶ 0045, 0047, healthcare provider drags and drops patient icon to change stage to “In Surgery” and system communicates change to patient progress bar that patient is in surgery).
Claim 46 recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 33, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit, to display the received status of the surgery in response to a user touching the displayed related one of the icons (see at least figures 4, 5A, ¶ 0045, 0047, healthcare provider drags and drops [user touching] patient icon to change stage to “In Surgery” and system communicates change to patient progress bar that patient is in surgery).
Claim 47 recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 34, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit, to display the received status of the surgery in response to a user touching a region of a display screen on which the related one of the icons is displayed (see at least figures 4, 5A, ¶ 0045, 0047, healthcare provider drags and drops [user touching] patient icon to change stage to “In Surgery” [a region] and system communicates change to patient progress bar that patient is in surgery).
Claim 57 recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 35, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the status of the surgery includes an indication that a surgeon has commenced performing the surgery on the patient (see at least figure 5A (520, 530), display indicates patient has gone from pre-op to in surgery [an indication that a surgeon has commenced performing the surgery on the patient]).
Claim 48 recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 36, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient is in surgery (see at least figure 5A (520, 530), display indicates patient has gone from pre-op to in surgery).
Claim 52 recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 37, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient is still in surgery (see at least figure 5A, ¶ 0048, when in surgery stage on progress bar says “current”, is highlighted, or has increased brightness, patient is still in surgery).
With regards to claim 38, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient is out of surgery (see at least figure 5A (530), ¶ 0048, when surgery stage on progress bar says ”completed”, patient is out of surgery).
With regards to claim 39, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient is in post-surgery recovery (see at least figure 5A (540)).
Claim 53 recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 40, Clarke teaches the tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the status of the surgery includes an indication that the patient can have a visitor (see at least ¶ 0045, indication can be made when the patient is ready for visitors).
Claim 54 recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 42, Clarke teaches the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit to display the received status of the surgery for the computing circuit, circuit, or device configured in the medical- professional configuration only if the status includes an indication that a medical professional has commenced performing surgery on the patient or that the patient is out of surgery (see at least figure 4 (440, 450).
Claim 50 recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 41, 43, 49, 51, 58, and 59 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clark, et al. (US 2017/0308648 A1) in view of Weiss, et al. (US 2009/0319298 A1) in further view of Datema, et al. (US 2010/0070299 A1) .
With regards to claim 41, Clarke does not explicitly teach the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit: to display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if the first computing circuit, circuit, or device is configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status of the surgery at a second frequency if the computing circuit, circuit, or device is configured in the medical-professional configuration. Datema teaches the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit: to display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if the first computing circuit, circuit, or device is configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status of the surgery at a second frequency if the computing circuit, circuit, or device is configured in the medical-professional configuration (see at least ¶ 0027-0028, patient and friends and family receive status of procedure at a different frequency than caregiver [medical professional]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the different status frequency update method of Datema with the patient status update system of Clarke with the motivation of keeping various participants in a clinical procedure informed about the progress of the procedure (Datema, ¶ 0007).
Claims 49 and 58 recites similar limitations and are rejected for the same reasons.
With regards to claim 43, Clarke does not explicitly teach the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit: to display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if the first computing circuit, circuit, or device is configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status of the surgery at a second, slower frequency if the computing circuit, circuit, or device is configured in the medical-professional configuration. Datema teaches the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 storing instructions that, when executed by a first computing circuit, cause the first computing circuit, or a circuit or device coupled to or including the first computing circuit: to display the received status of the surgery at a first frequency if the first computing circuit, circuit, or device is configured in the patient or family-and-friends configuration; and to display the received status of the surgery at a second, slower frequency if the computing circuit, circuit, or device is configured in the medical-professional configuration (see at least ¶ 0027-0028, caregiver [medical professional] gets status updates continuously with time remaining making the process go by slower [slower frequency] compared to the friends and family getting intermittent, different updates when the procedure is done or partially done making the process go by faster [first frequency]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the different status frequency update method of Datema with the patient status update system of Clarke with the motivation of keeping various participants in a clinical procedure informed about the progress of the procedure (Datema, ¶ 0007).
Claims 51 and 59 recites similar limitations and are rejected for the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bhimavarapu, et al. (US 2021/0020307 A1) which discloses system for providing healthcare information regarding a patient's hospital visit includes a health information application that operates on a plurality of electronic devices. The application displays first data regarding the patient's visit; processes information indicating a current location of the mobile electronic device; and di splays second data regarding the patient's visit that is delayed until the mobile electronic device crosses a boundary of a geo-fenced area. The electronic device may also communicate with a bed server at the healthcare facility and authorize the bed server to automatically send a notification message to a second mobile electronic device associated with the patient's friend or family member based on the patient's sleep status and/or movement into or out of bed. The application may also gather and process data useful to healthcare administrators, such as HCAHPS survey scores, status data for medical devices, equipment servicing information, and other information.
Simons, et al. (US 20090240521 A1) which discloses a telemonitoring central server 12 supports secure data exchange between a number of users, such as a patient, family and friends, medical personnel, suppliers, and the like. A user authenticator 20 authenticates and authorizes a user to the system. Access control is driven by a number of static or dynamic access profiles that ar assigned to each user. These profiles dictate the data to which the user is allowed access, the computations available to the user, and the manner in which data is displayed to the user. The presentation style is based on access role, user, age, background, result of previous interactions, information content, authentication level, and the like. Third-party services such as advertisements and discounts for "get well soon" items can also be provided to the user.
H. Munro, K. De La Roza, “Surgery App Keeps Families Updated in Real Time (Op-Ed)," in Life Science, November 25, 2014 which discloses now, instead of trying to reassure our patients' families and loved ones with words, we are also doing it with pictures and videos. Using a new app, as one nurse administers anesthesia to a patient in the operating room, another can quietly use a handheld device to snap a photo of the patient. In just seconds, the same nurse can send that image to the patient's family sitting in the waiting room. It's called Electronic Access to Surgical Events (EASE), and is designed to do exactly what its name implies — ease the minds of those who are waiting for and worrying about a child who is undergoing surgery. The new app, which was developed by Orlando Health doctors at The Heart Center of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, in partnership with the EASE team, sends information from the operating room directly to the smartphones of a patient's family and loved ones
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/JOSEPH D BURGESS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3685
