WO2001015010A2

WO2001015010A2 - Search tool, system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2001015010A2
Application number: PCT/EP2000/008303
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ingo Elfering
Original assignee: Medical Data Services Gmbh
Priority date: 1999-08-26
Filing date: 2000-08-24
Publication date: 2001-03-01
Also published as: WO2001015010A3; GB9920279D0

Abstract

A search tool for a medical application is configured to be operable on a computer system including a display and to provide access to a management system including at least one case file. The search tool displays a search selector on the display. It includes a search definition generator operable to respond to user selection of the search selector in association with a case file to compile a search definition for transmission to a remote search engine, the search definition comprising a set of selected information from the case file. By automatically incorporating case related information, more highly targeted information can be returned for a given query increasing the effectiveness of the search tool. The search engine is able to process the information to generate targeted queries based on the information supplied. The information can be packaged in XML format, providing for easy transport and processing, using a wide variety of platforms and browsers.

Description

SEARCH TOOL, SYSTEM AND METHOD

The present invention relates to search tools, and to systems and methods for enabling a user to search for desired information.

Various general interest search engines are available on the Internet. Such general interest search engines enable searches to be conducted with a more or less complex query. The query is used to search an indexed data warehouse that the search engine provider maintains. Examples of such general interest search engines are the Yahoo and Altavista search engines.

Special interest search engines are now becoming available for specific areas of technology. Such special interest search engines aim to address the problem that general search engines typically deliver too many hits if the searcher has a special area of interest. As an example, such special interest engines are provided that are dedicated to software development. Some special interest search engines are provided to operate within a specific database, for example the Medline search engine.

Search engines and tools currently allow the user to query the search engine based on a text only search. For example, if a physician/medical practitioner and has a diabetic patient with a High Hblac (this is a lab value related to diabetes), the physician can search for "+diabetics +young +man". In Altavista, this will currently generate 68 hits, including links to diabetes cookery books for example. Simply the time it takes to formulate a meaningful query and to type this into a conventional search tool will typically exceed the average time a physician would spend on using a tool. Given also that the results returned by conventional search engines are not well targeted and need to be ranked manually by the user, it can be understood why a medical practitioners, including physicians, typically not use such tools in their day-to-day practice. Similar comments also apply to the searching of medical databases that would be used in clinical trials and for research work.

An aim of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a better tool, system and method for enabling a medical practitioner such as a physician to more readily conduct a search of medical databases and medical information to assist in diagnosis and treatment in his or her day-to-day practice.

Particular and preferred aspects of the invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Combinations of features from the dependent claims may be combined with features of the independent claims as appropriate and not merely as explicitly set out in the claims.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a search tool for a medical application, the search tool being configured to be operable on a computer system including a display and to have access to a management system including at least one case file, the search tool comprising: a module operable to define a search selector to be displayed on the display; and a search definition generator operable to respond to user selection of the search selector in association with a case file to compile a search definition for transmission to a remote search engine, the search definition comprising a set of selected information from the case file.

An embodiment of the invention can enable a physician to be provided with less, but more highly targeted information for a given case and a query is generated based on case related information. Moreover, an embodiment of the invention can be incorporated into a physician's normal work environment, for example in a practice management system

By automatically selecting information from a case file, the system is able to provide searches which will typically provide enough data to fulfill adequately the physician's queries, without swamping him or her with hits.

In an embodiment of the invention, a search definition comprises a text file and is provided in the form of a binary large object (blob), e.g., an XML document.

The search tool can be configured automatically to select information from the case file for inclusion. A selection of search parameters is possible, possibly in response to user definition. As well as patient-related information, a set of information may include medical practitioner-related information.

The search results can be displayed on a computer display.

A computer program product can be provided that includes a search tool as set out above. The computer program product could be provided on a carrier medium, for example a storage medium or a transmission medium.

A client computer can be provided that includes a processor, storage, at least one user input device, a display and a search tool or computer program product as set out above, the computer program product being stored in the storage and being operable, in use, to control operation of the processor.

A computer system could include such a client computer and a practice management system for a medical practice, the practice management system including a practice management database providing a repository for case files including patient information and medical practitioner information.

Where the computer system is arranged as a network, a practice management database may be held on a practice server.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a search engine for a medical application, the search engine being configured to be operable on a server computer system, the search engine comprising a query generator responsive to search definition comprising a set of selected information relating to a case file from a search tool as set out above, the query generator being responsive to the set of information to derive case-related search arguments, and a response generator responsive to results of a search to define a response definition for return to the search tool.

A search engine server computer can be provided with a processor, storage and a search engine as set out above. Where the search engine server is provided as a computer program product, the computer program product can be stored in the storage and be operable, in use, to control operation of the processor.

A multi-computer computer system can include a client computer as set out above and a search engine server computer as also set out above.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer- implemented method of searching for a medical application, the method including: a user initiating a search by at a client computer by selection of a search selector displayed on a computer display of the client computer; a search definition generator compiling a search definition for transmission to a remote search engine, the search definition comprising a set of selected information from the case file; and transmitting the search definition to the remote search engine.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference signs relate to like elements and in which:

Figure 1 is an overview of a network incorporating one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is an example of a network forming a source station of the network of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of a computer;

Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of a software configuration of a client station of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram of a software configuration of a server station of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is flow diagram illustrating operations for creating query request at a source station of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 7 is flow diagram illustrating the processing of a query request a server station of Figure 1.

An embodiment of the invention seeks to make a search query aware, automatically, of a case that a user is actively working on with a minimum of inconvenience to the user. As a result, an embodiment of the invention can provide the significant technical advantage of facilitating the availability of computer based information to a user, without the user having to invest significant time and effort to achieve this.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, for use in providing automated search facilities for a medical practitioner such as a physician, the embodiment is implemented as part of, or makes use of a practice management system for a medical practice. In particular, in this embodiment of the invention, patient, and preferably also medical practitioner data, held in the practice management system is used automatically to generate a query file, which query file is then sent to a search engine to form the basis of a database search.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a network-based system in which the present invention may be implemented. As shown in Figure 1, a plurality of stations, 20, 30, 40 are connected via a network 10, which could, for example, be the Internet or an intranet. The station 20 could, for example, be a computer in a medical practice, or a computer network or cluster at a medical practice. The station 20 is connected to the network 10 via a link 12. Similarly, the station 30 could be a computer in another medical practice, or a computer forming part of a computer network or cluster at another medical practice. The station 30 is connected to the network 10 by a link 13. The station 40 could be a server comprising one or more computers and forming a search engine for processing search queries.

It will be appreciated that Figure 1 provides a greatly simplified overview of an example of a network environment in which the present invention may be implemented. In practice, they will typically be many medical practice stations 20, 30, all requiring access to one or more servers such as the server 40.

Figure 2 is a schematic overview of a possible configuration of a local network for forming the station 20 or 30. This network can be the practice network for a medical practice. As shown in Figure 2, a number of computers are interconnected via a local network 28, for example an Ethernet. The individual computers can be computers located on the desk of physicians or other medical practitioners (e.g., 24, 26) and a network server 22 connected to the link 12 to the external network 10 of Figure 1. As indicated above, however, the station 20 could alternatively comprise a single, standalone, computer.

The station 40 that forms, or includes, a search engine could also be configured as a local area network or cluster, or alternatively as one or more stand-alone computers, such as computer workstations, mainframe computers, etc. Figure 3 is schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a computer 50 for forming, or for use in a network at, one of the stations 20, 30 or 40. As shown in Figure 3, the computer 50 includes a bus 52 to which a number of units are connected. A microprocessor (CPU) 54 is connected to the bus 50. Read only memory 56 and random access memory 57 are also connected to the bus 54. A storage interface 58 provides an interface to further storage 59 (e.g., one or more disk drives, tape drives, solid state storage devices, etc.). A display interface 60 connects a display 62 to the bus 52. An input device interface 64 connects one or more input devices, for example a keyboard 66 and a mouse 68, to the bus 52. A printer interface 17 connects a printer device 72 to the bus 52. A card read/write device 74, with an appropriate interface as required, can also be connected to the bus 50 for reading and/or writing chip cards 76, or other writeable or rewriteable media. Also shown in Figure 3 is an interface 78 for connection to an external telephone line 80 (e.g., a conventional telephone line, an ISDN line, optical line, wireless link, etc.) to an external network, for example of the external network 10 of Figure 1. A further interface 82 is provided for connection to a line 84 to a local network (e.g., the local network 28 of Figure 2). It will be appreciated that a computer structure as illustrated in Figure 3 could form the basis of a stand-alone computer to use at one of the stations 20, 30 or 40, or could alternatively formed the basis of a server, or a client within a network of the station 20, 30 or 40. One or more of the components illustrated in Figure 3 may be omitted and/or additional components may be provided, as required for a particular implementation.

Figure 4 is a schematic overview of software 90 operable at the station 20 forming a medical practice computer system. As shown in Figure 4, a practice management system (PMS) 92 co-operates with a PMS database 94 to carry out practice management software tasks relating to operation of the medical practice. The practice management system 90 further co-operates with a web browser mechanism 96 for interfacing with the world- wide- web. In an embodiment of the invention, the PMS 92 is operable to compile an XML binary large object (blob), or XML document, 94 that is sent by the web browser mechanism to a search engine server 40 as a query request. XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a subset of Standard General Markup Language (SGML) which is a form of hypertext markup language. XML is a data standard intended to be an universal platform independent data standard to express in a standardised format data. More information about XML can be found on the Internet at www.w3c.org.

Figure 5 is a schematic overview of software 110 operable at a server forming the station 40 of Figure 1. A large indexed database 112, as is typically provided for a search engine, holds the indexed information needed to answer a search query. The database 112 can be configured in a manner conventional for a large indexed database for a search engine. A communications gateway 114 connects the server to the network 10 of Figure 1 via the connection 14. Query requests received at the server are processed by a query generator 116 to form individual queries for the search engine 118. The query generator 116 is operable to parse a query blob received via the communications gateway 114, for example using so called ASP (Active Server Page)-technology on a Microsoft NT IIS System, to generate one or more queries against the database by combining the different information from the XML blob. ASP is one possible way to implement server-side programs. Other well known alternatives exist and may be used instead. The search engine 118 is then operable to query the database 112 in a conventional manner using the queries output by the query generator 116. A resulting query response 119 is then supplied to the communications interface 114 for return to the requester shown in Figure 4.

The software elements shown in Figures 4 and 5 could be operable on a single machine, if the station 20/30/40 concerned is configured as a single stand-alone computer, or could alternatively be implemented on one or more computers within a network, if the station 20/30/40 concerned is configured as a network. Thus, for example, the various elements shown in Figures 4 and 5, respectively, need not be configured within one computer but may be distributed as required between computers over a network. For example, a practice management system could be held in storage on a network server and could provide practice management tasks for the clients on the network.

There now follows a description with reference to Figure 6 and 7 of the use of the system described above to provide automated and targeted search queries.

Figure 6 is a flow diagram illustrating steps performed by the software 90 operable at a client station, for example one of the stations 20 or 30 of Figure 1.

In step S10, the PMS is responsive to conventional data entry by a user, typically a medical practitioner, to receive data for a patient of the medical practitioner. Data entry operations may be performed using computer input devices, for example a mouse or keyboard, or to voice commands, where suitable voice recognition software/logic is provided. The entered data can be displayed on a display screen of the user's computer in a conventional manner. The format of the displayed information can take any appropriate format, depending on the desired complexity of presentation of the data.

In step SI 2, it is assumed that the user has decided to perform a query for information relating to the case he is handling. The patient's file for that case will typically already be open on his computer in a conventional manner. The PMS includes a module configured to cause the display a computer generated button for requesting, or selecting, a query. The button can be displayed on the computer display in a conventional manner. In step SI 2, the PMS respond to the selection of the button by the user when a patient file is active to initiate a query, or search, and to associate the query with the open case file. As an alternative to the selection of a button, a command could, for example, be entered on a keyboard (for example by pressing a particular combination of keys). In step S14, additional search arguments can also be specified. For example, a window can optionally be displayed on the computer screen, within which window the user can optionally enter one or more words or other search arguments of particular interest. The window is associated with a computer-generated confirm button, which can then be activated by the user to set the search in motion, with or without any specific search arguments. In a medical application, the user may, for example, wish to enter a search argument where the diagnosis is clear and may wish not to enter a search argument where the diagnosis is unclear.

As an alternative to, or in addition to, the use of a window, other techniques can be used for customising a query. For example, the PMS can be arranged to respond to a word, sentence, or category of information (for example) that had be highlighted on the displayed patient case file prior to the selection of the button in step S12. For example, if a diagnosis field is highlighted (this can be done using conventional mouse operations), the PMS can be informed of a type of query to be performed.

In step SI 6, the PMS is now operable to collect relevant patient information from the patient case file in the PMS database, which case file is now associated with the query by the initial selection operation, to produce a query text file in accordance with the XML data format. The additional search arguments, if provided in step SI 4, are also used in producing the query text file. The selection of the data from the patient case file can be predetermined, or can be arranged to be adaptive depending on the contents of the case file and/or the user's details and/or the user's additional search arguments.

The PMS can be provided with one or more information groupings for generating appropriate queries. The information groupings identify the data types, fields or items in the patent case file that need to be selected to form the query text file. The information groupings can be held respective tables accessed in response to the selection of the button in step S12 according to the specification, or not, of further search arguments in a window or by highlighting, for example, as described above. As an alternative to the provision of tables, the information groupings could be specified by program code responsive to the basic query request and additional arguments, if provided, as inputs. The program code could be defined, for example as objects where an object-based language is used. Other conventional programming techniques, for example linked lists, relational databases, hypertext links, etc. could be used instead.

The resulting query text file will include appropriate information in order to conduct a suitable search. Such information can include, for example, the sex and age of the patent as well as information relating to the symptoms, history and relevant prior treatment information for the case at hand. In addition, information from the PMS relating to the user can automatically be included to refine the search further. The data is collected to form an XML document, for example in a format illustrated later with reference to Table 1.

In step SI 8, the operation of the confirm button causes a web browser to be started, which web browser displays the search information from the blob as a web page. The web browser also transmits the XML document to the search engine server 40 of Figure 1. Where user data is also captured, this can be used, for example, to target the search engine to be used for the search. Accordingly, a query for a physician might use a different search engine that one for a research worker.

An example of an XML document for forming a search query for transmission to the server is set out in Table 1 below. Prior to transmission, the PMS can be operable to URL-encode the XML document, with spaces replaced etc., and optionally to encrypt the XML document, if required

In step S20, the web browser waits for the response from the server, which should typically be rapid, and then displays the results of the search on the computer display. In step S22, the user is able to browse further on the basis of the hits displayed, to further refine the search. As the user will know up front that the presented information is highly relevant for his current case, as a result of the information sent for the initial search query, the user feels encouraged to use this tool.

Using the approach described above, patient information which is potentially relevant for a query can be transmitted automatically as part of a query using an XML format, with any user information specifically entered being specified using XML tags that are populated by the PMS software. This means that the PMS system fills information like patent name and gender into the XML document by using the information together with a mark up (XML tags). This allows a system to take data from a PMS system and to store it independent from the PMS system's own data standards directly in the XML document.

If required, PICS labels could be used to digital sign the content by the author so that only attested medical information which has not been altered is displayed. PICS labels are a standard related to restricting information that could only be viewed within attested documents. The PICS label defines a class of document and carries a signature, saying that this kind of document belongs to a special given kind of class of documents. Also, a PICS label includes a signature for the file content and by verifying that signature it can be proofed that the file has not been altered. Therefore, no false information can be displayed.

Figure 7 is a flow diagram illustrating steps performed by the software 110 operable at the server station 40 of Figure 1.

In step S30, a XML document query (i.e. an XML document containing the information from the search query file) is received by the communications interface 114. In step S32, the XML document query is then processed by a server side page that extracts the information content of the XML document and combines that information into one or more queries using an appropriate algorithm. For example, an initial query could be derived by initially combining the information for all XML tags, for example, information like patient gender, year of birth, diagnosis codes etc. In the XML tags form the query by combining all of them into one large search string. This would be a relatively easy search approach. A more intelligent process could make use of the information in the XML tags in a more detailed way to perform the search.

In step S34, the database could then be queried by the search engine using an initial query generated by the query generator.

In step S36, the potential results of the query could be assessed automatically (e.g., as to the number of hits) and a decision be made automatically whether to redefine the query. For example if there are no hits on a search query, control could pass back to step S32 where the query generator could generate a new query in accordance with the algorithm to be used, for example by using a subset, only, of the initially used XML tags.

If the search results are considered acceptable in step S34, in accordance with a given criterion or given criteria (e.g., a number of hits falling within a predetermined range), then in step S38, the results of the search could be returned to the requesting client in a query response. The response can be returned in any suitable format for display by the web browser mechanism 96 of the station 20.

Different algorithms could be used in step S32 for generating successive queries. For example, where an initial query is derived by combining the information for all XML tags, successive subsequent queries could be generated by successively reducing the selection of tags until hits are encountered. Appropriate logic can generate NLP- queries (natural language processing queries), which is a feature of the Microsoft product MS SQL 7. The queries could be build based on the XML tags in a meaningful way, e.g., by translating a specific age parameter (<age>) into a value and into phrases such as "older than", "younger than", etc. The content might also be tagged in a manner that assigns values to several search tags and thereby permits even more targeted searching.

The queries could be defined against real productive population databases, where normally such content would be medical publications, and knowledge databases.

As a part of the search process at the search engine, targeted advertising information could be returned with the search results in a manner that is becoming common-place on many search engines, allowing companies to advertise directly based on the query.

Similarly, material for patients or physicians related to the current query or queries could also be returned, for example items for purchase such as relevant books, etc., and links to guidelines, experts, etc., as is also becoming commonplace with current search engines.

Table 1 below gives an example of an XML document that could be used in an embodiment of the present invention.

TABLE 1

</diag> <rxs>

<rx>

<name>Asperin</name> <ATC>123</ATC> </rx> </rxs> <data>

<zx:pzn>l 2345</rx:pzn> </data> </patient> <search> <keyword>Diabetes</keyword>

<keyword op="AND">HBlac< keyword> </search> </medsearch>

The various tags identified in Table 1 are explained in the following:

<medsearch> is the container and v is the version. The use of a version identifier facilitates flexible or application modification of the XML format. <physician> contains a number code of the speciality (one or more) of the current user.

<language> contains one or more languages the physician accepts as preferred answer languages.

<patient> contains several attribute values for the given patient, for example weigh, gender, age, etc. This list can be expanded if changes are required.

<diagnosis> contains information about the patient's diagnosis, where code selects a coding schema such as ICD, Read etc., date specifies a date of "occurrence" (for time calculations) and one or more <diagnosis> tags are allowed with <diag> being a tag for surrounding the <diagnosis> tags.

<rx> defines prescriptions the patient has had; each containing the most relevant information. One or more <rx> tags are allowed with <rxs> being a tag for surrounding the <rx> tags.

<data> is a tag used to transmit additional data organized within the tag using namespaces dedicated for the application using the data.

<search> defines the optional search parameters that the physician may optionally have selected. Several keywords can be listed and liked via operational attributes to allow possible complex queries. This could be merged with the query language proposals.

This approach allows to information based on several items such as patient information, the speciality of the physician etc.

The XML block is implemented by building an ASCII/Unicode text blob. This can be effected irrespective of the data standards, programming languages and operating systems used. It is merely necessary to enter data in XML format in the PMS system, a specific knowledge of XML formatting is not required. Launching a service can even be achieved with a DOS-based system by issuing a Shell-Command with the query as a URL-Link such as www.medicalsearcher.com?<xml-blob>, where medicalsearcher.com is the search engine server address. This would result (even for a DOS application running in a Windows-DOS box) in the default browser being started and the search to be performed. This allows, DOS and Windows-based systems to use such a server. UNIX, Mac and other platforms can also use this approach as they can be arranged to launch a browser with the correct target URL.

In order to compress the data, the XML document can be a base64 encoded string derived from a ZIP encoding of an original XML string. This compression facilitates transmission via a URL. Additionally, a ZIP password can be used to control access to the information to be transmitted. A service provider is then able to permit access to selected users only by providing responses to queries only when a password match is found.

As no patient information needs to be transported, privacy should not be an issue. However, if a service provider wishes to increase the level of technical security, it would be possible to encrypt the XML document with a public key for the server or a password determined by the user. Public key encryption introduces the need for the client to also have a public key certificate and software to handle keys on his or her machine. Password encryption will typically be a better proposition in most implementations, if enhanced technical security is required at all. A disadvantage of increased security is an increased difficulty of integration at a client station. One approach to attending to this would be to provide a helper application that takes an XML document and then provides security encoding and program launching.

As further enhancement, an XML definition that forms part of a document could be used to describe the document in meaningful terms, for example by using a predefined encoding of treatments, etc.

Such XML definitions could then be used with a correct PICS label in a document and a conventional search engine such as Altavista to get query results from such documents via the world wide web, and thus provide a sort of meta-search engine.

Thus, there has been described a search tool for a medical application configured to be operable on a computer system including a display and to provide access to a management system including at least one case file. The search tool includes means for defining a search selector to be displayed on the display. It also includes means for responding to user selection of the search selector in association with a case file to compile a search definition for transmission to a remote search engine, the search definition comprising a set of selected information from the case file. By automatically incorporating case related information, more highly targeted information can be returned for a given query increasing the effectiveness of the search tool. The search engine is able to process the information to generate targeted queries based on the information supplied. The information can be packaged in XML format, providing for easy transport and processing, using a wide variety of platforms and browsers.

Various aspects of the aforementioned system relate to computer program products for implementing the form handling system and the source, destination and repository stations. Such computer program products can be provided on a suitable carrier medium, for example a data storage medium such as an optical, magnetic or electro-optical disk or tape, or solid state memory, or also on a transmission medium such as, for example, an electrical or optical telephone line, or a wireless transmission signal.

It will be appreciated that although particular embodiments of the invention have been described, many modifications/additions and/or substitutions may be made within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the particular example described is intended to be illustrative only, and not limitative.

For example, although the present embodiment has been described employing XML, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto, and other suitable formats and languages may be used in other embodiments of the invention. For example, an alternative embodiment could be based on an alternative Markup language or indeed in any other suitable format.

Claims

1. A search tool for a medical application, the search tool being configured to be operable on a computer system including a display and to have access to a management system including at least one case file, the search tool comprising a module operable to define a search selector to be displayed on the display; and a search definition generator operable to respond to user selection of the search selector in association with a case file to compile a search definition for transmission to a remote search engine, the search definition comprising a set of selected information from the case file.

2. A search tool according to claim 1, wherein the search definition comprises a text file.

3. A search tool according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the search definition comprises a binary large object (blob).

4. A search tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the search definition generator is operable automatically to select information for inclusion in the set of information.

5. A search tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the search initiator is operable to enable user selection of search parameters.

6. A search tool according to claim 5, wherein the search definition generator is operable to select information for inclusion in the set of information including user defined parameters.

7. A search tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the set of information includes patient-related information.

8. A search tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the set of information includes medical practitioner-related information.

9. A search tool according to any preceding claim, further comprising a result display mechanism.

10. A computer program product comprising a search tool according to any preceding claim.

11. A computer program product according to claim 10 on a carrier medium.

12. A computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the carrier medium is a storage medium.

13. A computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the carrier medium is a transmission medium.

14. A client computer comprising a processor, storage, at least one user input device, a display and a search tool according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

15. A client computer comprising a processor, storage, at least one user input device, a display and a computer program product according to claim 10, the computer program product being stored in the storage and being operable, in use, to control operation of the processor.

16. A computer system comprising a client computer according to 14 or claim 15, the computer system further comprising practice management system for a medical practice, the practice management system including a practice management database providing a repository for case files including patient information and medical practitioner information.

17. A computer system according to claim 16, wherein the computer system comprises a computer according to claim 14 or claim 15 and a practice server computer, a practice management database being held on the practice server.

18. A search engine for a medical application, the search engine being configured to be operable on a server computer system, the search engine comprising a query generator responsive to a search definition comprising a set of selected information relating to a case file from a search tool according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the query generator being responsive to the set of information to derive case-related search arguments, and a response generator responsive to results of a search to define a response definition for return to the search tool.

19. A search engine according to claim 18, wherein the response definition comprises a text file.

20. A search engine according to claim^' 18 or claim 19, wherein the response definition comprises a binary large object (blob).

21. A search engine according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the query generator is operable automatically to derive search arguments.

22. A search engine according to any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the query generator is responsive to patient-related information to derive one or more search queries.

23. A search engine according to any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the query generator is responsive to medical practitioner-related information to derive one or more search queries.

24. A computer program product comprising a search engine according to any one of claims 18 to 23.

5 25. A computer program product according to claim 24 on a carrier medium.

26. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the carrier medium is a storage medium

10 27. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the carrier medium is a transmission medium.

28. A search engine server computer comprising a processor, storage and a search engine according to any one of claims 18 to 23.

15

29. A search engine server computer comprising a processor, storage and a computer program product according to claim 24, the computer program product being stored in the storage and being operable, in use, to control operation of the processor.

20

30. A multi-computer computer system comprising a client computer according to claim 14 or claim 15 and a search engine server computer according to claim 28 or claim 19 interconnected by a network.

25 31. A multi-computer system according to claim 30, wherein the network is the Internet.

32. A computer-implemented method of searching for a medical application, the method including: a user initiating a search by at a client computer by selection

30 of a search selector displayed on a computer display of the client computer; a search definition generator compiling a search definition for transmission to a search engine, the search definition comprising a set of selected information from the case file; and transmitting the search definition to the search engine.

33. A method of claim 32, wherein the search definition comprises a text file.

34. A method according to claim 32 or claim 33, wherein the search definition comprises a binary large object (blob).

35. A method according to any one of claims 32 to 34, wherein the search definition generator is operable automatically to select information for inclusion in the set of information.

36. A method according to any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein the search initiator is operable to enable user selection of search parameters.

37. A method according to 36, wherein the search definition generator is operable to select information for inclusion in the set of information including user defined parameters.

38. A method according to any one of claims 32 to 37, wherein the set of information includes patient-related information.

39. A method according to any one of claims 32 to 38, wherein the set of information includes medical practitioner-related information.

40. A method according to any one of claims 32 to 39, further comprising: on receipt of a search response from the search engine, displaying the search response on the computer display.

41. A method according to any one of claims 32 to 40 further comprising, at the remote search engine: on receipt of the set of selected information relating to a case file, responding to the set of information to derive case-related search arguments and generating a response definition including the search results for return to the client computer.

42. A method of automatically generating a response to a query for a medical application as generated by a method according to any one of claims 32 to 40 comprising, at a remote search engine: on receipt of a set of selected information relating to a case file from a server computer, responding to the set of information to derive case-related search arguments and generating a response definition including the search results for return to a client computer.

43. A method according to claim 41 of claim 42, wherein the response definition comprises a text file.

44. A method according to any one of claims 41 to 43, wherein the response definition comprises a binary large object (blob).

45. A method according to any one of claims 41 to 44, comprising automatically deriving the search arguments.

46. A method according to any one of claims 41 to 45, wherein one or more search queries are derived from patient-related information.

47. A method according to any one of claims 41 to 46, wherein one or more search queries are derived from medical practitioner-related information.

48. A computer-implemented search tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

49. A computer program product substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

50. A computer implemented search method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings .