DISPENSING MEDICATION AND VERIFYING PROPER MEDICATION USE
First Claim
1. At a healthcare facility, a method for dispensing and verifying use of medication, the method comprising the acts of:
- dispensing medication for a patient into an individualized patient medication dispensing cup, the medication purported to be a specified dosage and type of medication, the individualized patient medication dispensing cup including a bar code and an embedded uniquely identifiable wireless transmitter, the bar code and a unique wireless signature corresponding to a patient ID for a patient that is designated to be receiving dispensed medication;
placing the individualized patient medication dispensing cup on a network connected scale, the network scale including visual indicators for indicating whether it is appropriate to administer a dispensed medication to a designated patient,receiving a visual indication from the network connected scale indicating that it is appropriate to administer the dispensed medication to the designated patient, the visual indication indicative of network connected scale having verified whether the dispensed medication is the specified dosage of the specified all type of medication through reference to a medication database and whether the patient identified by the patient ID has been prescribed the specified dosage of the specified type of medication through reference to a patient profile database;
securely transporting the medication to the designated patient'"'"'s location on a network connected mobile medication dispensing cart, the network connected mobile medication dispensing cart configured with shielded portions to block wireless transmissions; and
verifying the medication is administered to the designated patient.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, computer program products, and data structures are used for dispensing medication and verifying proper medication use. Medication of a purported type and dosage is dispensed into an individualized patient medication dispensing cup. The cup includes a bar code that associates a designated patient with the dispensed medication. The cup is placed on a network connected scale. Through network communication the scale accesses medication and patient information. From the accessed information (e.g., medication weight data), the scale determines if it is appropriate to administer the dispensed medication to the designated patient and visual indicates the determination. When it is appropriate to administer the medication, it is transported on a secure cart to a patient location. Sensors (e.g., RFID or ultrasound) detect if the dispensed medication is prescribed for the patient at the patient location. When a medication error is detected at any time during dispensing or administration of medication, staff members are alerted.
109 Citations
31 Claims
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1. At a healthcare facility, a method for dispensing and verifying use of medication, the method comprising the acts of:
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dispensing medication for a patient into an individualized patient medication dispensing cup, the medication purported to be a specified dosage and type of medication, the individualized patient medication dispensing cup including a bar code and an embedded uniquely identifiable wireless transmitter, the bar code and a unique wireless signature corresponding to a patient ID for a patient that is designated to be receiving dispensed medication; placing the individualized patient medication dispensing cup on a network connected scale, the network scale including visual indicators for indicating whether it is appropriate to administer a dispensed medication to a designated patient, receiving a visual indication from the network connected scale indicating that it is appropriate to administer the dispensed medication to the designated patient, the visual indication indicative of network connected scale having verified whether the dispensed medication is the specified dosage of the specified all type of medication through reference to a medication database and whether the patient identified by the patient ID has been prescribed the specified dosage of the specified type of medication through reference to a patient profile database; securely transporting the medication to the designated patient'"'"'s location on a network connected mobile medication dispensing cart, the network connected mobile medication dispensing cart configured with shielded portions to block wireless transmissions; and verifying the medication is administered to the designated patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. At a computerized scale for measuring weight, a method for indicating if it is appropriate to administer dispensed medication to a patient, the method comprising the acts of:
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detecting that an individualized patient medication dispensing cup has been placed on the surface of the computerized scale, the individualized patient medication dispensing cup containing dispensed medication; scanning a bar code on the surface of the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; using information contained in the scanned bar code to determine the type and dosage of the dispensed medication that is purported to be contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup and to determine the patient that is designated to received the dispensed medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; calculating the weight of the dispensed medication contained the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; accessing a designated weight for the type of medication from a corresponding medication profile; comparing the measured weight of the dispensed medication to the designated weight for the type of medication; accessing, from among a plurality of patient profiles that differ as between at least some patients at the facility, a patient profile corresponding to the patient; comparing the type and dosage of medication purported to be contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup to profile data in the patient profile determining if the medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup is the type and dosage of medication purported to be contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup based on the weight comparison; determining if the type and dosage of medication has been prescribed for the patient that is designated to receive the dispensed medication based on the profile data comparison; and activating a visual indicator that indicates whether or not dispensing the medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup to the designated patient is appropriate based on the results of the determinations. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer program product for use at a computerized scale, the computer program product for implementing a method for indicating if it is appropriate to administer dispensed medication to a patient, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the computerized scale perform the method, including the following
detect that an individualized patient medication dispensing cup has been placed on the surface of the computerized scale, the individualized patient medication dispensing cup containing dispensed medication; -
scan a bar code on the surface of the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; use information contained in the scanned bar code to determine the type and dosage of the dispensed medication that is purported to be contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup and to determine the patient that is designated to received the dispensed medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; calculate the weight of the dispensed medication contained the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; access a designated weight for the type of medication from a corresponding medication profile; compare the measured weight of the dispensed medication to the designated weight for the type of medication; access, from among a plurality of patient profiles that differ as between at least some patients at the facility, a patient profile corresponding to the patient; compare the type and dosage of medication purported to be contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup to profile data in the patient profile determine if the medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup is the type and dosage of medication purported to be contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup based on the weight comparison; determine if the type and dosage of medication has been prescribed for the patient that is designated to receive the dispensed medication based on the profile data comparison; and activate a visual indicator that indicates whether or not dispensing the medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup to the designated patient is appropriate based on the of the results of the determinations.
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22. At healthcare facility computer system, a method for detecting potential inappropriate administration of medication the method comprising the acts of:
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detecting that an individualized patient medication dispensing cup is within a specified physical proximity of a non-designated patient; identifying the type and dosage of medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; accessing, from among a plurality of patient profiles that differ as between at least some patients at the facility, a patient profile corresponding to the non-designated patient; determining from data in the accessed patient profile that the non-designated patient has not been prescribed the type and dosage of medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; and sending an incorrect medication alert to a mobile staff computer system that is within the vicinity of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computer program product for use at healthcare facility computer system, the computer program product for implementing a method for detecting potential inappropriate administration of medication, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the computerized scale perform the method, including the following:
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detect that an individualized patient medication dispensing cup is within a specified physical proximity of a non-designated patient; identify the type and dosage of medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; access, from among a plurality of patient profiles that differ as between at least some patients at the facility, a patient profile corresponding to the non-designated patient; determine from data in the accessed patient profile that the non-designated patient has not been prescribed the type and dosage of medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; and send an incorrect medication alert to a mobile staff computer system that is within the vicinity of the patient.
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31. A computerized scale for measuring the weight of objects, the computerized scaling including:
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a processor; system memory; and one or more physical storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions representing a verification module, a weight sensor interface, a barcode scanner interface, a network interface, and an LED controller, wherein when the computer-executable instructions are executed at the processor, the verification module, the weight sensor interface, the barcode scanner interface, the network interface, and the LED controller interoperate to determine and indicate if dispensed medication is to be administered to a patient, the weight sensor interface configured to; detect that an individualized patient medication dispensing cup has been placed on the surface of the computerized scale, the individualized patient medication dispensing cup containing dispensed medication; and measure the combined weight of the individualized patient medication dispensing cup and contained dispensed medication the barcode scanner configured to; scan a bar code on the surface of the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; the network interface configured to; access a designated weight for the type of medication from a corresponding medication profile; and access, from among a plurality of patient profiles that differ as between at least some patients at the facility, a patient profile corresponding to the patient; the verification module configured to; use information contained in the scanned bar code to determine the type and dosage of the dispensed medication that is purported to be contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup and to determine the patient that is designated to received the dispensed medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; calculate the weight of the dispensed medication contained the individualized patient medication dispensing cup; compare the measured weight of the dispensed medication to the designated weight for the type of medication; compare the type and dosage of medication purported to be contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup to profile data in the patient profile determine if the medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup is the type and dosage of medication purported to be contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup based on the weight comparison; determine if the type and dosage of medication has been prescribed for the patient that is designated to receive the dispensed medication based on the profile data comparison; and the LED controller configured to; activate a visual indicator that indicates whether or not dispensing the medication contained in the individualized patient medication dispensing cup to the designated patient is appropriate based on the of the results of the determinations.
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Specification