SECURE MEDICATION TRANSPORT AND ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM

• US 20090108016A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Cardinal Health 303 Incorporated (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Veach, Duane E., DeFreece, James David, Brown, Barry Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 9,355,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0069 Trays for holding or distributing medicines display trays A47F3/14; serving trays A47G23/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2645 Vending, distribute drinks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A portable medication dispensing system is described. In some embodiments, the system includes a portable medication tote comprising a securable compartment configured to hold medication, and a controller, responsive to access information, configured to assign a patient to the securable compartment such that medications for the patient are authorized for placement into the securable compartment. The controller is also configured to selectively permit a user access to the medications for the patient in the securable compartment when the access information indicates the user has access to the securable compartment, and restrict access to retrieval of the medications for the patient in the securable compartment when the access information indicates the user does not have access to the securable compartment. The system also includes an information output module configured to output usage information regarding access to the securable compartment.

Claims

1. A portable medication dispensing system comprising:

a portable medication tote, configured to be carried by a user, comprising at least one securable compartment configured to hold medication;

a controller, responsive to access information, configured to;

assign a patient to the at least one securable compartment such that medications for the patient are authorized for placement into the at least one securable compartment;

selectively permit the user access to the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment when the access information indicates the user has access to the at least one securable compartment; and

restrict access to retrieval of the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment when the access information indicates the user does not have access to the at least one securable compartment; and

an information output module configured to;

output usage information regarding access to the at least one securable compartment.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication module configured to transmit the usage information to an information storage device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication module configured to communicate with an information storage device.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an information storage device configured to store the usage information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the usage information comprises at least one of a time value, a communication status, a user identification, a patient identification, an information storage device identification, a medication data, a current status, a usage history, or a configuration.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information output module is further configured to provide information regarding the location of the portable medication tote.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the input device comprises at least one of a barcode reader, a keyboard, a touch-screen display, a mouse, a microphone, a magnetic card reader, a biometric reader-sensor, a proximity reader, a radio frequency identification reader, or a symbology reader.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an output device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the output device comprises at least one of an audio speaker, a light emitting diode, a cathode ray tube display, a vacuum fluorescent display, a light emitting diode display, a plasma display panel, a liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode, or a surface-conduction electron-emitter display.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the output device is configured to indicate a status of at least one of the controller and the information output module.

12. The system of claim 1,

wherein the at least one securable compartment comprises:

a receptacle having a top adapted for movement between an open position and a closed position; and

a latch, in association with the top, adapted to be actuated by the controller;

wherein selectively permitting the user access to the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment comprises the controller opening the top by actuating the latch when the access information indicates the user has access to the at least one securable compartment.

13. A method, for patient-specific medication dispensing, comprising:

assigning a patient to at least one securable compartment in a portable medication tote, the tote configured to be carried by a user, the at least one securable compartment configured to store medications for the patient;

selectively permitting the user access to store the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment when access information indicates the user has storage access to the at least one securable compartment;

comparing a bedside identification of the user and a bedside identification of the patient to the access information to determine whether the user has access to dispense to the patient the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment;

selectively permitting the user access to dispense to the patient the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment using the determination; and

outputting usage information regarding the user access to at least one of the assignment, access, and the determination made regarding the at least one securable compartment.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising restricting access to the user to store the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment when the access information indicates the user does not have storage access to the at least one securable compartment.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising restricting access to the user to dispense the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment when the access information indicates the user does not have access to dispense the medications in the at least one securable compartment to the patient.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising recording the output usage information in an information storage device.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising docking the portable medication tote to a medication storage device storing the medications for the patient before assigning the patient to the at least one securable compartment.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the identification information comprises a barcode, magnetic strip, or radio frequency identification.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a processor to execute instructions to control a portable medication dispensing system by performing steps comprising:

assigning a patient to at least one securable compartment in a portable medication tote, the tote configured to be carried by a user, the at least one securable compartment configured to store medications for the patient;

selectively permitting the user access to store the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment when access information indicates the user has storage access to the at least one securable compartment;

comparing a bedside identification of the user and a bedside identification of the patient to the access information to determine whether the user has access to dispense to the patient the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment;

selectively permitting the user access to dispense to the patient the medications for the patient in the at least one securable compartment using the determination; and

outputting usage information regarding the user access to the assignment, access, and/or determination made regarding the at least one securable compartment.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of recording the output usage information in an information storage device.

21. A portable dispensing system comprising:

a portable item tote, configured to be carried by a user, comprising at least one securable compartment configured to hold items;

a controller, responsive to access information, configured to;

assign an assignee to the at least one securable compartment such that items for the assignee are authorized for placement into the at least one securable compartment;

selectively permit the user access to the items for the assignee in the at least one securable compartment when the access information indicates the user has access to the at least one securable compartment; and

restrict access to retrieval of the items for the assignee in the at least one securable compartment when the access information indicates the user does not have access to the at least one securable compartment; and

an information output module configured to;

output usage information regarding access to the at least one securable compartment.