Paperless chain of custody evidence for lab samples
First Claim
1. A diagnostic specimen container comprising a biomedical specimen collection vessel and a wireless electronic memory tag for non-contact storage and retrieval of information.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A paperless system for identifying and controlling biomedical specimens and managing essential information associated with such specimens. The invention provides a diagnostic or toxicology specimen container having an electronic memory tag for remote non-contact recording and reading of data stored therein. The invention also provides improved methods for controlling the identity of such specimens, coordinating the relay of such specimens between remote specimen collection sites and reference laboratories, and managing essential information associated with such specimens by using the electronic memory tags.
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Citations
37 Claims
- 1. A diagnostic specimen container comprising a biomedical specimen collection vessel and a wireless electronic memory tag for non-contact storage and retrieval of information.
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8. A diagnostic specimen container comprising:
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a collection vessel and a wireless electronic memory tag including a radio frequency transponder for non-contact storage and retrieval of information;
data stored on the electronic memory tag including an identification code for the container, the identity of the supplier of the container and product information about the container, identifying information about a specimen contained in the vessel and about the specimen donor, and definition of the analytical tests to be performed on the specimen in the vessel; and
a label imprinted with an identifying bar code.
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- 9. A toxicology specimen container comprising a collection vessel configured to receive and contain a toxicology specimen and a wireless electronic memory tag for noncontact storage and retrieval of information.
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17. A toxicology specimen container comprising:
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a biomedical specimen collection vessel and a wireless electronic memory tag including a radio frequency transponder for non-contact storage and retrieval of information;
data stored on the electronic memory tag including an identification code for the container, the identity of the supplier of the container and product information about the container, identifying information about a specimen contained in the vessel and about the specimen donor, definition of the analytical tests to be performed on the specimen in the vessel, and an encoded electronic signature of the donor of the toxicology specimen in the vessel; and
a label imprinted with an identifying bar code.
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18. A method for electronically storing information on a diagnostic or toxicology specimen container and remotely reading information from the container comprising:
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providing a biomedical specimen container having a wireless electronic memory tag;
electronically storing data on the electronic memory tag; and
reading the stored information from the electronic memory tag with a non-contact electronic reader or scanner.
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19. A method for recording information about a diagnostic or toxicology specimen on a diagnostic or toxicology specimen container comprising:
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providing a biomedical specimen container having a wireless electronic memory tag;
collecting a specimen from a donor in the specimen container; and
electronically storing information about the specimen, donor, and/or tests to be performed on the specimen on the electronic memory tag.
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22. A method for managing the gathering of diagnostic and/or toxicology specimens from multiple specimen collection sites and the delivery of the collected specimens to a reference laboratory comprising:
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collecting identity and test data for specimens and specimen donors at multiple collection sites;
entering the collected data into collection site computer databases;
transmitting the collected data from the collection site computer databases to a computer at a reference laboratory by internet connections;
compiling and processing the transmitted data with the laboratory computer to generate a schedule and route for gathering the specimens from the specimen collection sites; and
gathering the specimens from the specimen collection sites according to the schedule and route and delivering the specimens to the reference laboratory. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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27. A method for controlling the receipt, routing, and testing of diagnostic or toxicology specimens at an automated reference laboratory comprising:
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delivering diagnostic and/or toxicology specimens to the automated reference laboratory which are contained in specimen containers having specimen and testing information stored on radio frequency memory tags affixed to the specimen containers;
scanning and reading the specimen and testing information from the electronic memory tags on the specimen containers with electronic scanners or readers and transmitting the information to a microprocessor for controlling the automated laboratory equipment; and
processing the read information with the microprocessor and using the processed information to control the sorting, routing, and analytical testing of the specimens by the automated laboratory equipment.
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32. A method for managing the collection, control, and testing of diagnostic and/or toxicology specimens and for managing the specimen and testing information associated with such specimens comprising:
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providing encoded specimen containers having electronic memory tags with electronic specimen identification codes stored therein and having bar code labels imprinted with identifying bar codes;
correlating the electronic specimen identification code and identifying bar code for each encoded specimen container and storing the correlated codes on a central computer database;
supplying the encoded specimen containers to multiple specimen collection sites;
collecting specimens from specimen donors and placing the specimens in the encoded specimen containers at the specimen collection sites;
gathering data about the collected specimens, specimen donors, and prescribed specimen tests at the specimen collection sites, correlating the gathered data with the identifying bar codes on the corresponding specimen containers, and entering the gathered and correlated data into the central computer database;
transmitting the gathered and stored specimen, donor, and testing data and correlated identity codes from the central computer database to a laboratory computer database at an automated reference laboratory by an internet connection;
processing the received data at the reference laboratory and defining a queue of specimens awaiting collection for delivery to the automated reference laboratory;
using the queue to define a schedule and route for collecting the specimens from the specimen collection sites for delivery to the automated reference laboratory;
gathering the specimens from the specimen collection sites according to the schedule and route and delivering the collected specimens to the automated reference laboratory;
electronically interrogating the electronic memory tags on the delivered specimen containers to detect the associated electronic identity codes and correlating the read data with the specimen data previously transmitted to the laboratory computer database;
automatically sorting the specimens for testing and establishing testing schedules using the correlated specimen and testing data in the laboratory computer database;
automatically routing and testing the specimens through the automated reference laboratory using the correlated specimen and testing data in the laboratory computer database;
electronically recording the test results on the laboratory computer database and correlating the results with the previously recorded specimen data; and
transmitting the recorded and correlated test result data to remote locations. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification