Patient identification system and method for preventing wrong site procedure

• US 20060027240A1
• Filed: 08/03/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Original Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Inventors: Chole, Richard Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 7,540,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines

Abstract

A patient equipped with a device in a first mode is scheduled for a procedure in a procedure room at a facility with pre-procedure rules (e.g., requiring procedure site marking). Only a surgeon or other authorized individual is permitted to change the first mode to a second mode after complying with the rules (e.g., marking a site on the patient'"'"'s body). A detector is located at or near the entrance of the procedure room for detecting devices having the first mode. If the first mode is detected, an alarm is provided indicating that the rule may not have been followed.

Claims

1. A method for use with a patient scheduled to have a procedure at a particular site on the patient'"'"'s body, said method for assisting in preventing the procedure being performed at a site on the patient'"'"'s body other than the particular site, said method comprising:

applying an enabled device to the patient;

marking the particular site on the patient'"'"'s body after applying the enabled device to the patient'"'"'s body;

disabling the device applied to the patient after marking the particular site;

sensing for an enabled device associated with the patient prior to performing the procedure on the patient'"'"'s body; and

providing an alarm when an enabled device is detected prior to performing the procedure on the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the procedure will be performed in a procedure room and wherein the sensing occurs in a proximity of at least one of the following locations:

the entrance of the procedure room before the patient enters the procedure room;

the entrance of the procedure room as the patient enters the procedure room; and

the interior of the procedure room.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the procedure room is part of a facility, said facility being a hospital and/or clinic, and wherein a rule requiring marking of the particular site on the patient'"'"'s body prior to the procedure is implemented.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the rule requires that only an authorized individual performing the procedure is permitted to mark the particular site on the patient'"'"'s body, and only the authorized individual is permitted to disable the applied device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is an RF tag.

6. A method for use with a patient scheduled to have a procedure at a particular site on the patient'"'"'s body, said method for monitoring the patient'"'"'s status to determine whether the particular site has been marked before the procedure is performed, said method comprising:

applying a device in a first mode to or near the patient'"'"'s body;

marking the particular site on the patient'"'"'s body;

changing the mode of the device from the first mode to a second mode after marking the particular site; and

providing an alarm when a device in the first mode is detected prior to the procedure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the procedure will be performed in a procedure room and wherein providing further comprises detecting the first mode of the device in a proximity of at least one of the following locations:

the entrance of the procedure room before the patient enters the procedure room;

the entrance of the procedure room as the patient enters the procedure room; and

the interior of the procedure room.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the procedure room is part of a facility, said facility being a hospital and/or clinic, and wherein a rule requiring marking of the particular site prior to the procedure is implemented.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the rule requires that only an authorized individual performing the procedure is permitted to mark the particular site, and/or change the mode of the applied device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the device is an RF tag.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the first mode corresponds to transmitting a first signal and wherein the second mode corresponds to transmitting a second signal, different from the first signal.

12. A method for use with a plurality of patients, each particular patient scheduled to have a particular procedure at a particular site on the body of the particular patient, said method for assisting in preventing the particular procedure being performed at a site on each patient'"'"'s body other than the particular site, said method comprising:

associating a device in a first mode with each of the plurality of patients;

changing the mode of the device associated with a particular patient from the first mode to a second mode after marking the particular site of the particular patient; and

providing an alarm when one of the devices in the first mode is detected prior to or immediately before performing a procedure.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the procedures will be performed in a plurality of procedure rooms and wherein the providing further comprises detecting the first mode of one of the devices in proximity of at least one of the following locations:

the entrance of the procedure rooms before the patients enter the procedure rooms;

the entrance of the procedure rooms as the patients enter the procedure rooms; and

the interior of the procedure rooms.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the procedure rooms is within a facility, said facility being a hospital and/or clinic, and wherein a rule requiring marking of each of the particular sites prior to the procedures is implemented.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the rule requires that only an authorized individual performing the particular procedure for the particular patient is permitted to mark the particular site, and/or change the mode of one of the devices.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the devices is an RF tag.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein associating comprises applying one of the devices to or near each of the plurality of patients.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first mode corresponds to transmitting a first signal and wherein the second mode corresponds to transmitting a second signal, different from the first signal.

19. A system for use with a patient scheduled to have a particular procedure at a particular site on the patient'"'"'s body, said procedure to be performed in a procedure room, said system for monitoring the patient'"'"'s status to determine whether the particular site has been marked before the procedure is performed, said system comprising:

a device having a first mode and adapted to be applied to or near the patient'"'"'s body prior to the procedure;

a modifying device for modifying the first mode to a second mode of the device, the second mode being different from the first mode, said modifying device adapted for use after the particular site has been marked on the patient'"'"'s body;

a detector located near or in the procedure room to detect the device having the first mode; and

an alarm responsive to the detector for providing an indication that a device having the first mode and not having the second mode has been detected.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the procedure will be performed in a procedure room and wherein the detector is located in a proximity of at least one of the following locations:

the entrance of the procedure room; and

the interior of the procedure room.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the procedure room is part of a facility, said facility being a hospital and/or clinic, and wherein a rule requiring marking of the particular site prior to the procedure is implemented.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the device is an RF tag.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the modifying device is an RF deactivator.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the detector is an RF detector.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the modifying device provides a visual or an audio indication of modification of modes.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the device transmits a first signal in the first mode and wherein the device and/or any additions thereto transmit a second signal in the second mode, different from the signal of the first mode.

27. A system for use with a plurality of patients, each particular patient scheduled to have a particular procedure at a particular site on the body of the particular patient, said procedures to be performed in a plurality of procedure rooms, said system for assisting in preventing the particular procedure of each patient being performed at a site on each patient'"'"'s body other than the particular site, said system comprising:

a plurality of devices, each device having a first mode and a second mode, each said device in the first mode adapted to be applied to or near the body of one of the patients prior to the particular procedure for each patient;

a modifying device for changing each of the devices from the first mode to the second mode, said modifying device adapted for use after the particular site has been marked on each patient'"'"'s body;

a plurality of detectors, each detector located near or in one of the plurality of procedure rooms to detect the first mode of each of the plurality of devices; and

a plurality of alarms, each alarm associated with one of the plurality of detectors for providing an indication when its associated detector detects one of the devices having the first mode.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the procedures will be performed in a plurality of procedure rooms and wherein the detectors are located in a proximity of at least one of the following locations:

the entrance of the procedure rooms; and

the interior of the procedure rooms.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the procedure room is within a facility, said facility being a hospital and/or clinic, and wherein a rule requiring marking of each of the particular sites prior to the procedures is implemented.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein each device is an RF tag.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein each detector is an RF detector.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein each modifying device is an RF deactivator.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein each modifying device provides a visual or an audio indication of modification of modes.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the device transmits a first signal in the first mode and wherein the device and/or any additions thereto transmit a second signal in the second mode, different from the first signal of the first mode.

35. A method for use with a patient scheduled to have a procedure at a facility with pre-procedure rules, said method for monitoring the patient'"'"'s status to determine whether the patient has been handled in compliance with the pre-procedure rules prior to performing the procedure on the patient, said method comprising:

associating a device in a first mode with the patient;

changing the mode of the device from the first mode to a second mode after complying with the pre-procedure rules; and

providing an alarm when a device in the first mode is detected prior to performing the procedure on the patient.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the procedure will be performed in a procedure room, and wherein providing further comprises detecting the first mode of the device in proximity of at least one of the following locations:

the entrance of the procedure room before the patient enters the procedure room;

the entrance of the procedure room as the patient enters the procedure room; and

the interior of the procedure room.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the procedure room is part of the facility, said facility being a hospital and/or clinic, and wherein the facility implements at least one of the following pre-procedure rules:

marking of a particular site on the patient'"'"'s body prior to the procedure;

measuring vital signs of the patient prior to the procedure; and

obtaining a consent from the patient prior to the procedure.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the rules require that only an authorized individual is permitted to perform the procedure and/or change the mode.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the device is an RF tag.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein complying with the pre-procedure rules comprises marking on the patient'"'"'s body a particular site, wherein changing the mode comprises changing the mode of the device from the first mode to the second mode after marking, and wherein providing an alarm comprises providing an alarm when the device in the first mode is detected prior to performing the procedure.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein complying with the pre-procedure rules comprises measuring the patient'"'"'s vital signs before the procedure, wherein changing the mode comprises changing the mode of the device from the first mode to the second mode after measuring the patient'"'"'s vital signs, and wherein providing an alarm when the device is in the first mode is detected prior to performing the procedure.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein complying with the pre-procedure rules comprises obtaining a consent from the patient before the procedure, wherein changing the mode comprises changing the mode of the device from the first mode to the second mode after obtaining a consent from the patient, and wherein providing an alarm wherein the device is in the first mode is detected prior to performing the procedure.

43. The method of claim 35, wherein the first mode corresponds to transmitting a first signal and wherein the second mode corresponds to transmitting a second signal, different from the first signal.

44. A system for use with a patient scheduled to have a procedure at a facility with pre-procedure rules, said system for monitoring the patient'"'"'s status to determine whether the patient has been handled in compliance with the pre-procedure rules prior to performing the procedure on the patient, said system comprising:

a device having a mode and adapted to be associated with the patient prior to the procedure;

a modifying device for modifying the mode to another mode of the device, said modifying device adapted for use after a compliance with the pre-procedure rules;

a detector to detect the mode of the device; and

an alarm responsive to the detector for providing an indication that a device has a mode which indicates that the pre-procedure rules have not been complied with.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the procedure is will be performed in a procedure room at the facility and the detector is located in a proximity of at least one of the following locations:

the entrance of the procedure room in the facility; and

the interior of the procedure room in the facility.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the procedure room is part of the facility, said facility being a hospital and/or clinic, and wherein at least one of the following pre-procedure rules is implemented:

marking the particular site on the patient'"'"'s body prior to the procedure;

measuring vital signs of the patient prior to the procedure; and

obtaining a consent from the patient prior to the procedure.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the rules require that only an authorized individual is permitted to perform the pro-procedure and/or change the mode.

48. The system of claim 44, wherein the compliance with the pre-procedure rules includes marking a particular site on the patient'"'"'s body prior to the procedure, wherein the modifying device modifies the mode to the another mode of the device after marking the particular site on the patient'"'"'s body.

49. The system of claim 44, wherein the compliance with the pre-procedure rules includes measuring vital signs of the patient prior to the procedure, wherein the modifying device modifies the mode to the another mode of the device after measuring the vital signs of the patient.

50. The system of claim 44, wherein the compliance with the pre-procedure rules includes obtaining a consent from the patient prior to the procedure, wherein the modifying device modifies the mode to the another mode of the device after obtaining the consent from the patient.

51. The system of claim 44, wherein the device is an RF tag.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the detector is an RF detector.

53. The system of claim 44, wherein the modifying device is an RF deactivator.

54. The system of claim 44, wherein the modifying device provides a visual or an audio indication of modification of modes.

55. The system of claim 44, wherein the device transmits a first signal in the mode and wherein the device and/or any additions thereto transmit a second signal in the another mode, different from the first signal of the mode.