PATIENT-SPECIFIC BIN SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES

• US 20080319579A1
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Inventors: Vahlberg, John, Cohen, Dan, Cartright, Jennifer, Blank, Jeff, Caldwell, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/242
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices are described related to the assignment and management of patient-specific bins. A dispensing device at a healthcare facility includes a number of bins for storage of medical supplies, with some of the bins designated as patient-specific bins allocated to be assigned to patients for storage of their medications or certain other supplies. A central server computer system, in communication with a computer of the dispensing device, may monitor and assign current and future patient-specific use of the bins for the dispensing device. The assignment and management of patient-specific bins may be performed by devices distributed through the system.

Claims

1. A system of dispensing devices, the system comprising:

a dispensing device comprising one of a plurality of dispensing devices for dispensing medications at a healthcare facility, and configured with;

one or more patient-specific bins assigned for exclusive use to a patient; and

one or more item-specific bins each allocated for assignment to an item to be available for use by a plurality of patients; and

a central server computer system, communicatively coupled to the dispensing device, and configured to;

analyze a medication order for the patient to identify a first set of medications from the medication order as medications stored in the one or more item-specific bins;

analyze the medication order to identify a second set of medications from the medication order as medications to be stored for the patient in the one or more patient-specific bins; and

associate at least a subset of the second set of medications with a selected one of the one or more patient-specific bins.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

automatically identify the selected patient-specific bin for storage of the subset of the first set of medications; and

automatically identify a selected one of the one or more item-specific bins for storage of a plurality of additional units of the item to be available to supply the plurality of patients.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the dispensing device is further configured to transmit an identifier of a medication stocked or removed at the selected patient-specific bin;

and

the central server computer system is further configured to;

receive the transmitted identifier; and

track inventory at the selected patient-specific bin based at least in part on the received identifier.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the central server computer system is further configured to:

access the medication order for the patient; and

identify the second set of medications based on comparing the accessed medication order to a listing of items stocked in the one or more item-specific bins at the dispensing device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the central server computer system is further configured to:

track inventory at the selected patient-specific bin; and

transmit information identifying items to be restocked in the selected patient-specific bin based at least in part on the tracked inventory.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a central dispensing unit configured to;

receive the transmitted information identifying the items to be restocked at the selected patient-specific bin; and

process the received information to identify items available at the central dispensing unit of the items to be placed in the selected patient-specific bin.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing device is a mobile dispensing device configured to communicate wirelessly.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a stationary dispensing device of the plurality of dispensing devices, the stationary dispensing device including a second patient-specific bin assigned to the patient,

wherein the central server computer system is further configured to identify medications to be transferred from the second patient-specific bin to the selected patient-specific bin.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the dispensing device comprises a cabinet;

and

the selected patient-specific bin comprises a container, mechanism, location, zone, or any combination thereof

10. A dispensing device for dispensing medical supplies at a healthcare facility, the dispensing device comprising:

a plurality of patient-specific bins each assigned for exclusive use to a patient;

a plurality of item-specific bins each allocated for assignment to an item to be available for use by a plurality of patients; and

a computer communicatively coupled with the plurality of patient-specific bins and the plurality of item-specific bins, and configured to;

identify a first set of medications from a medication order for the patient as medications stored in the plurality of item-specific bins;

identify a second set of medications from the medication order as medications to be stored for the patient in the plurality of patient-specific bins, the second set exclusive of the first set; and

associate at least a subset the second set of medications with a selected one of the plurality of patient-specific bins.

11. The dispensing device of claim 10, wherein the computer is further configured to receive information from a remote location identifying items to be restocked in the patient-specific bin based at least in part on inventory in the selected patient-specific bin tracked from the remote location.

12. The dispensing device of claim 11, further comprising:

a reader, communicatively coupled with the computer, and configured to read an identifier of a medication for the selected patient-specific bin; and

a transmitting unit, communicatively coupled with the computer, and configured to transmit the identifiers directed at the remote location.

13. The dispensing device of claim 10, wherein the computer is further configured to:

receive data directing the assignment of the plurality of patient-specific bins to the patient.

14. The dispensing device of claim 10, wherein,

the computer is further configured to:

assign the selected patient-specific bin to the patient after the medication order is generated;

track inventory at the selected patient-specific bin; and

transmit information identifying items to be restocked in the selected patient-specific bin based at least in part on the tracked inventory.

15. The dispensing device of claim 10, wherein the dispensing device is a mobile dispensing device configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote central server computer system.

16. The dispensing device of claim 10, wherein,

the dispensing device comprises a stationary cabinet;

the selected patient-specific bin holds a plurality of medications for the patient; and

the selected patient-specific bin comprises a container, mechanism, location, or zone within the dispensing device.

17. A method of dispensing medical supplies, the method comprising:

allocating a plurality of bins at a dispensing device associated with a patient as patient-specific bins each available for assignment to a selected one of a plurality of patients for exclusive use;

allocating a plurality of bins at the dispensing device as item-specific bins each available for assignment to an item, each item-specific bin available to a hold a plurality of units of a particular item for use by the plurality of patients;

analyzing a medication order for a patient to identify a first set of medications from the medication order as medications stored in the plurality of item-specific bins;

analyzing the medication order to identify a second set of medications from the medication order as medications to be stored for the patient in the plurality of patient-specific bins, the second set exclusive of the first set; and

associating at least a subset the second set of medications with a selected one of the plurality of patient-specific bins.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining the subset of the second set of medications to be placed in the selected patient-specific bin for the patient; and

transmitting data identifying the subset.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving an updated medication order for the patient;

tracking inventory in the selected patient-specific bin based at least in part on inputs received from a user of the dispensing device; and

determining whether the subset of the second set of medications placed in the selected patient-specific bin is to be restocked or removed based on the updated medication order and the tracked inventory.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving data from a central server computer system identifying items to be placed in the selected patient-specific bin; and

wirelessly transmitting data identifying items removed from the selected patient-specific bin.

21. A method of associating patient-specific bins with item groups, the method comprising:

assigning a patient-specific bin at a dispensing device to a patient for exclusive use by the patient;

associating an item group with the patient-specific bin, the item group including a selection of medications; and

preventing medications to be used by the patient and not included in the selection of medications from being stored in the assigned patient-specific bin.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

associating a user with the item group; and

permitting the user access to the assigned patient-specific bin based on the association between the user and the item group.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

denying a user access to the assigned patient-specific bin because the user is not associated with the item group.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

associating a range of control levels with the assigned patient-specific bin; and

preventing medications to be used by the patient and not included in the range of control levels from being stored in the assigned patient-specific bin.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the item group comprises a class of medications selected from the group consisting of respiratory medications, refrigerated medications, and ambulance medications.