Injected drug identification and fail-safe system

• US 20060287887A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ward, Russel Craig, Sandy, Neal Joseph, Makin, Ronald Peter, Hutchinson, George Martin, Sutherland, William Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,991,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/60 with identification means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/168 Means for controlling media flow to the body or for metering media to the body, e.g. drip meters, counters ; Monitoring media flow to the body flow control in general G05D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/35 using infrared light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method of pre-delivery drug identification. The system and method is implemented where drugs are being administered, such as in a hospital or clinic, and identifies the drug being administered to the patient before the drug reaches the patient. The system and method may utilize a sensor used for other physiologic monitoring to identify the drug. After identification, the system and method is configured to cross-reference the identified drug with the patient'"'"'s prescription and allergy information, and to prevent delivery to the patient, if necessary. The system and method also utilizes data collected from the patient with a physiological monitor or a ventilator sensor to further determine whether the drug is appropriate for the patient. The method and system may also include an override system for medical personnel. The method described may be carried out by a software application.

Claims

1. A method of pre-delivery drug identification, the method comprising:

receiving a drug sample from a drug source into a drug identification unit;

identifying the drug sample with the drug identification unit;

collecting a set of patient physiological data with a monitoring device

cross-referencing the identified drug sample with the set of physiological data such that the set of physiological data confirms the identified drug sample when the identified drug sample is safe for the patient; and

preventing the identified drug sample from being administered to a patient with a delivery prevention unit when the set of physiological data does not confirm the identified drug sample is safe for the patient.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising cross-referencing the identified drug sample with a set of databases, such that the set of databases are configured to confirm the identified drug sample.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drug sample corresponds to a prescription for the patient.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying step further includes identifying the components, the concentration and the dosage of the drug sample.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising activating an alarm when the identified drug is prevented from being administered wherein the alarm is any of the following:

an audible alarm;

a visual alarm; and

a remote alarm.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising overriding the preventing step when the alarm is activated and the identified drug is prevented from being administered to the patient.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising confirming the identifying step with an RFID tag and an RFID reader.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drug identification unit is an IR detection system.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is any of the following:

a physiological monitor; and

a ventilator sensor.

10. A system for pre-delivery drug identification, the system comprising:

a drug identification unit configured to receive a drug sample from a drug source, wherein the drug identification unit identifies the drug sample;

a monitoring device configured to collect a set of patient physiological data from a patient, the monitoring device further configured to allow the drug identification unit to cross-reference the identified drug sample with the set of physiological data; and

a delivery prevention unit coupled to the drug identification unit, the delivery prevention unit configured to prevent the drug sample from being administered to the patient when the set of physiological data does not confirm the drug sample is safe for the patient.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising a set of databases coupled to the drug identification unit, configured to allow the drug identification unit to cross-reference the identified drug sample with the set of databases, and wherein the delivery prevention unit is configured to prevent the drug sample from being administered to the patient when the set of database does not confirm the drug sample.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the drug sample corresponds to a prescription for the patient.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the drug identification unit is configured to identify the components, the concentration and the dosage of the drug sample.

14. The system according to claim 10, further comprising an alarm that is activated when the identified drug is prevented from being administered wherein the alarm is any of the following:

an audible alarm;

a visual alarm; and

a remote alarm.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein a physician may override the delivery prevention unit when the alarm is activated and the identified drug is prevented from being administered to the patient.

16. The system according to claim 10, further comprising an RFID tag and an RFID reader configured to confirm the identification of the drug sample.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein the drug identification unit is an IR detection system.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein the monitoring device is any of the following:

a physiological monitor; and

a ventilator sensor.

19. A system for pre-delivery drug identification, the system comprising:

a drug identification unit configured to receive a drug sample from a drug source, wherein the drug identification unit identifies the drug sample;

a monitoring device configured to collect a set of patient physiological data from a patient;

a delivery prevention unit coupled to the drug identification unit;

a storage media for storing a computer application; and

a processing unit coupled to the drug identification unit, the monitoring device and the delivery prevention unit, and configured to receive the drug sample identification from the drug identification unit,

wherein when the computer application is executed, the identified drug sample is cross-referenced with the set of physiological data, and the delivery prevention unit is instructed to prevent the drug sample from being administered to the patient when the set of physiological data does not confirm the drug sample is safe for the patient.