ALGORITHM AND PROGRAM FOR THE HANDLING AND ADMINISTRATION OF RADIOACTIVE PHARMACEUTICALS

• US 20090292156A9
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ec2 Software Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Biodose LLC
• Inventors: Curnutt, Troy, Whittacre, Bretten, Johnson, Jared
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/1
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

An algorithm and associated program for performing method steps in the maintaining of records and generating of reports used in the processing of radioactive pharmaceuticals. The algorithm is used as the basis of a program which can accomplish this method automatically. The method involves the determination of dose, the acquisition of the materials, scheduling for the issuance of doses and for future doses, the actual monitoring and control of material and equipment disposal. The algorithm and method are also adapted for the generation of reports on a periodic basis. In short, the method performed by the algorithm allows for an automation through a computer system and this, in turn, allows for the automatic processing of the steps performed and the controls involved in the dispensing of radioactive pharmaceuticals and automatically allows for the generation of governmental and other reports therefor.

Claims

1. An electronic data processing algorithm for electronically performing a plurality of method activities associated with the administration of radioactive pharmaceuticals, said method comprising:

a) scheduling the administration of a radioactive pharmaceutical to a patient;

b) electronically determining and obtaining in advance but in reasonably close relation to the actual administration the required radioactive pharmaceutical;

c) electronically correlating the patient to the required dose and acquiring a dose of the radioactive pharmaceutical for use with a selected patient;

d) actually administrating the radioactive pharmaceutical to the selected patient; and

e) disposing of the instrumentalities used in the administration of the radioactive pharmaceutical to the patient and electronically tracking information related thereto.

2. The electronic data processing algorithm for performing method activities of claim 1 further characterized in that the method comprises taking the steps set forth in claim 1 for a plurality of patients who may receive different radioactive pharmaceuticals and different amounts thereof.

3. The electronic data processing algorithm for performing method activities of claim 1 further characterized in that said method comprises the step of electronically organizing the data and sorting the data used in the performance of the method in such manner that the data can be organized and used for control of the pharmaceutical by its user.

4. The electronic data processing algorithm for performing method activities of claim 1 further characterized in that said method comprises the step of electronically organizing the data and sorting the data used in the performance of the method in such manner that a governmental report can be generated electronically.

5. The electronic data processing algorithm for performing method activities of claim 1 further characterized in that the step of disposing of certain of the instrumentalities comprises the steps of:

a) packaging of certain of the instrumentalities for delivery to locations having the facilities to handle radioactive contaminated instrumentalities; and

b) measuring the amount of radioactive contamination in instrumentalities and areas in which the instrumentalities having the radioactivity have been used.

6. The electronic data processing algorithm for performing method activities of claim 5 further characterized in that the method comprises calibrating those instrumentalities which require calibration.

7. The electronic data processing algorithm for performing method activities of claim 1 further characterized in that the step of preparing doses of the radioactive pharmaceuticals comprises:

a) ordering the dose of the required radioactive pharmaceutical;

b) calculating the amount of the dose; and

c) preparing an instrumentality of the proper amount of the dose for administration.

8. The electronic data processing algorithm for performing method activities of claim 1 further characterized in that the step of acquiring the dose of the radioactive pharmaceutical comprises physically preparing that dose.

9. The electronic data processing algorithm for performing method activities of claim 1 further characterized in that said step of obtaining the required radioactive pharmaceutical comprises displaying on a monitor certain of the patients, and the date of administration and the required doses in a selected order therefor.

10. The electronic data processing algorithm for performing method activities of claim 1 further characterized in that all of steps a, b, c, and e are performed with electronic intervention such that the algorithm allows the method to be performed with making appointments for the patient electronically in step (a) the pharmaceuticals in step (b) with electronic intervention so that the ordering occurs in timed relation to the scheduling, the appointment, and preparing a dose of the pharmaceutical for administration, by display of information relating to a particular patient and to information about the dose which may be available in an inventory.

11. Electronic data processing program based algorithm for aiding in the administration of radioactive pharmaceuticals to a plurality of patients, said algorithm comprising:

d) transaction generating activities for generating instructions to a user about patients and the dates certain of such patients are to receive radioactive pharmaceuticals and information relating to such pharmaceuticals;

e) provisions for introducing into a first data bank data about patients and introducing into a second bank information about the radioactive pharmaceuticals and introducing into a third data bank information about the doses of selected radioactive pharmaceuticals to patients and introducing into a fourth data bank information about the date of such administrations are to be performed;

f) Steps in said algorithm for automatically assigning to the information introduced a separate one of first codes about each of the patients who are to receive a radioactive pharmaceutical, a separate one of second codes about each of the radioactive pharmaceuticals, separate one of a third code about the doses of radioactive pharmaceuticals which can be administrated and a separate one of fourth codes about dates in which administration may take place;

g) Additional steps in said algorithm for automatically locating information about patients, information about the radioactive pharmaceuticals, information about the doses and information about the dates of activities to determine the radioactive pharmaceutical to be administrated to each patient and the doses thereof and the dates of administration by locating the first, second, third, and fourth codes, and generate a display thereof.

12. The electronic date processing program based algorithm of claim 11 further characterized in that said algorithm comprises a routine for automatically correlating the codes to the information sought so that the patients and the pharmaceuticals and the doses and the dates of activities are in individual data banks and can be automatically retrieved from said data banks by codes assigned thereto, thereby reducing the redundancy of information recorded.

13. The electronic data processing program based algorithm of claim 11 further characterized in that each of the said codes are automatically assigned information which is introduced into an electronic data processing system by the electronic data processing system such that the codes do not have be manually introduced by a user thereof.

14. The electronic date processing program based algorithm of claim 12 further characterized in that the first codes assigned to a patient will always remain the same for that patient, the second code assigned to the radioactive pharmaceutical will always remain the same for that radioactive pharmaceutical regardless of the patient it is administered to and the third code assigned to the dose will always remain the same regardless of the patient in pharmaceutical and the fourth code will always remain the same for such date or dates regardless of the patient, dose and radioactive pharmaceuticals.

15. The electronic date processing program based algorithm of claim 14 further characterized in that the provisional for introducing information provides for information into a fifth data bank about tests to be performed on a patient and a separate one of information fifth codes will be assigned to each of those tests and will always remain the same for such tests regardless of the patients on whom the tests are to be performed.

16. The electronic date processing program based algorithm of claim 15 further characterized in that the provision for introducing information provides for information into a sixth data bank about studies to be performed based on the tests conducted on a patient and a separate one of sixth codes will be assigned to each of those studies and will always remain the same for such studies regardless of the patient on whom the studies are to be performed.

17. The electronic date processing program based algorithm of claim 16 further characterized in that the provision for introducing information into a separate data bank about testing for radioactivity levels and a separate one of seventh codes will be assigned to each of the test for radioactivity levels and the same code will be applied to such test regardless of the radioactivity pharmaceuticals with respect to which the tests are to be performed.

18. A method generating algorithm providing for introduction and processing of data and thereafter determining and generating presentations on a display screen an electronic data processing system for controlling the administration of radioactive pharmaceuticals to patients, said method generating algorithm comprising:

a) a routine for processing data introduced into said electronic processing system relating to a patient to whom the pharmaceutical is to be administrated and to the pharmaceutical itself;

b) presently, on the screen of the electronic data processing system a complete diagram showing all of the essential routines; and

c) said algorithm causing each sequential routine selected by an operator to appear on the screen and enabling the operator to perform each step in that routine and allowing for immediate return back to the main flow diagram for obtaining details on each successive routine so that all routines can be efficiently performed.