Centralized medication management system

• US 20050171815A1
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Vanderveen, Timothy W.
• Application Number:
  US10/750,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20050171815A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring, managing and controlling medication delivery from a central location is provided. A central computer displays medication orders and ongoing medication administrations for a health care facility. The central computer checks medication delivery against a database of medication administration guidelines, including guidelines for medication interactions with other medications and with patient conditions and provides an indication of any detected incompatibilities. A clinician at the central location may adjust the medication administration parameters in response to detected incompatibilities and communicate with a caregiver at the point of care to provide decision support. In one embodiment, the central location is a pharmacy at the healthcare facility.

Claims

1. A patient care system, comprising:

a plurality of medication administration devices for delivering medication to a plurality of patients;

a memory associated with each medication administration device for storing medication administration information associated with the medication delivered to each patient, the medication administration information including a plurality of medication administration parameters and a parameter value associated with each medication administration parameter;

a central processor configured to receive medication administration information from each of the medication administration devices;

a database operatively connected to the central processor for storing medication administration guidelines representing acceptable values for the medication administration parameters; and

means for communicating medication administration information from each of the medication administration devices to the central processor;

wherein the central processor is further configured to compare the parameter values to the acceptable values for the parameters in the medication administration guidelines.

2. The patient care system of claim 1, further comprising a central computer display operatively connected to the central processor and wherein the central processor is further configured to display the medication administration information on the central computer display.

3. The patient care system of claim 2, wherein the central processor is further configured to provide a visual indication on the central computer display if one of the parameter values does not fall within the acceptable values for the parameter in the corresponding medication administration guideline.

4. The patient care system of claim 2, wherein the central computer display is located in a pharmacy.

5. The patient care system of claim 3, further comprising:

means for a clinician to adjust the medication administration parameter values in response to the visual indication.

6. The patient care system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for the clinician to report to a caregiver at the point of care the adjusted medication administration parameter values.

7. The patient care system of claim 1, wherein the central processor is further configured to automatically adjust the medication administration parameter values in response to an indication that one of the parameter values does not fall within the acceptable values for the parameter in the corresponding medication administration guideline.

8. The patient care system of claim 1, wherein the central processor periodically compares the parameter values to the acceptable values for the parameters in the medication administration guidelines throughout the administration of the medication.

9. The patient care system of claim 2, further comprising:

means for communication between a caregiver located at one of the medication administration devices and a clinician located at the central computer display.

10. The patient care system of claim 1, wherein the medication administration parameters include current medication administration device operating parameters.

11. The patient care system of claim 1, wherein the medication administration guidelines include the acceptable values for the medication administration parameters based on patient condition data.

12. The patient care system of claim 11, further comprising:

a memory operatively connected to the central processor for storing patient condition data associated with each patient;

wherein the processor is further configured to compare the parameter values to the acceptable values for the parameters in the medication administration guidelines corresponding to the stored patient condition data associated with each patient.

13. The patient care system of claim 12, wherein the patient condition data for each patient includes current physiological status.

14. The patient care system of claim 1, wherein the medication administration guidelines include the acceptable values for the medication administration parameters based on medication indication data.

15. The patient care system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory in which is stored medication order information for a plurality of patients, the medication order information including a plurality of prescribed medication administration parameters for delivering medication to each patient and a parameter value associated with each prescribed medication administration parameter; and

wherein the processor is further configured to compare the parameter values of the prescribed medication administration parameters to the acceptable values for the medication administration parameters in the medication administration guidelines.

16. The patient care system of claim 15, further comprising a central computer display operatively connected to the central processor and wherein the central processor is further configured to display the medication order information and the medication administration information on the central computer display.

17. A method for centralized monitoring of medication administration for a plurality of patients, comprising:

monitoring medication administration information associated with medication delivered to each patient, the medication administration information including a plurality of medication administration parameters and a parameter value associated with each medication administration parameter;

storing a database of medication administration guidelines representing acceptable values for the medication administration parameters;

communicating the medication administration information and the medication administration guidelines to a central location;

comparing the parameter values to the acceptable values for the parameters in the medication administration guidelines; and

providing an indication at the central location if one of the parameter values does not fall within the acceptable values for the parameter in the corresponding medication administration guideline.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying the medication administration information on a computer display at the central location.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing an indication at the central location includes displaying an alert on the computer display.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

adjusting the medication administration parameter values from the central location in response to the indication.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

communicating information from the central location to a care-giver located at the point of care.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

periodically comparing the parameter values to the acceptable values for the parameters in the medication administration guidelines throughout the administration.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the medication administration guidelines include the acceptable values for the medication administration parameters based on patient condition data.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the medication administration guidelines include the acceptable values for the medication administration parameters based on medication indication data.