SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTHORIZED MEDICATION DELIVERY

• US 20100174229A1
• Filed: 01/05/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hospira Incorporated (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, Todd A., Wehba, Steven R., Hsu, Kenneth A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,777,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/66
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/609 Biometric patient identification means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps

Abstract

A system and method for verifying identification of an authorized person by biometrics prior to a patient controlled analgesic medication delivery to the patient and for monitoring the delivery of medication to a patient is disclosed, along with a monitoring system and method for controlling medication delivery based on at least one monitored patient condition.

Claims

1. A method of verifying identification of an authorized person prior to a medication delivery to a patient using a medication delivery device, comprising steps of:

receiving a biometric identification signal from a biometric receiver in communication with a processor, representing a biometric identifier of a person;

retrieving at least one stored biometric identifier from a memory in communication with the processor, representing at least one person that is authorized to initiate medication delivery to the patient using the medication delivery device; and

,

determining whether the received biometric identifier matches the at least one stored biometric identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric receiver is in communication with the medication delivery device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric receiver is integrated into the medication delivery device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the medication delivery is a patient controlled analgesic medication delivery, and wherein the at least one stored biometric identifier represents at least one person that is authorized to actuate a patient controlled analgesia (PCA) request device for the patient.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the PCA request device is integrated into the medication delivery device.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

receiving a medication request signal from the PCA request device, representing that the PCA request device has been actuated.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

preventing delivery of the patient controlled analgesic medication delivery to the patient if the received biometric identifier does not match the at least one stored biometric identifier.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

transmitting an alarm signal for alarming an audible alarm device.

9. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a delivery signal for patient controlled analgesic medication delivery if the received biometric identifier matches the at least one stored biometric identifier.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric receiver is a finger print reader.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the patient is an authorized person, and wherein the biometric identifier is a digital representation of a fingerprint of the patient.

12. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of receiving the medication request signal from the PCA request device triggers the processor to transmit a biometric scan request signal, and thereafter performing the step of receiving the biometric identification signal from the biometric receiver.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises programming code for execution by the processor, and wherein the programming code is adapted to perform the step of determining whether the received biometric identifier matches the at least one stored biometric identifier.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the processor is located remotely from the medication delivery device.

15. The method of claim 4 wherein the at least one stored biometric identifier is stored in a remote memory located remotely from the PCA request device and biometric receiver, wherein the at least one stored biometric identifier is retrieved from the remote memory.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the processor receives the at least one stored biometric identifier from the remote memory, and performs the step of determining whether the received biometric identifier matches the at least one stored biometric identifier.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the received biometric identifier to a remote computer;

receiving at the remote computer the at least one stored biometric identifier from the remote memory;

determining at the remote computer whether the received biometric identifier matches the at least one stored biometric identifier, thereby generating a match result; and

,

preventing delivery of the PCA medication delivery to the patient if the match result represents that received biometric identifier does not match the at least one stored biometric identifier.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of:

transmitting a match result signal to the processor, representing the match result, wherein the processor is integral with the medication delivery device and the processor performs the step of preventing delivery of the PCA medication delivery to the patient if the match result represents that the received biometric identifier does not match the at least one stored biometric identifier.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the match result signal comprises a command for preventing the delivery of the PCA medication delivery.

20. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an initial biometric signal from a biometric receiver, representing an initial biometric identifier of a person;

receiving associated identification information for the person;

associating the associated identification information with the initial biometric identifier;

storing the initial biometric identifier to create the stored biometric identifier; and

storing the associated identification information in the memory.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of:

associating the initial biometric identifier for the person with the patient information, for designating the person as authorized to actuate the PCA request device for the patient.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the biometric receiver which transmits the initial biometric signal is the same receiver as the biometric receiver that transmits the biometric identification signal.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the biometric receiver which transmits the initial biometric signal is a first biometric receiver, wherein the biometric receiver that transmits the biometric identification signal is a second biometric receiver.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the first biometric receiver is located remotely from the PCA request device and the second biometric receiver.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the first biometric receiver is in communication with a communications network interface, and wherein the communications network is in communication with a central care system comprising the memory for storing the initial biometric identifier and the associated identification information.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the associated identification information comprises at least one of a name, personal ID number, an address, a driver'"'"'s license number, room number, hair color, eye color, a social security number, a username, a password, and/or a photograph of the person.

27. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an initial biometric signal from the biometric receiver, representing an initial biometric identifier of a person;

receiving a medication delivery device identification signal representing a medication delivery device ID;

associating the medication delivery device ID with the initial biometric identifier;

storing the initial biometric identifier to create the stored biometric identifier; and

storing the association between the stored biometric identifier and the medication delivery device ID.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric receiver comprises a means for attaching the biometric receiver to the patient or an article worn by the patient.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the means for attaching the biometric receiver to the patient comprises at least one of a clip, a strap, a clamp, a fastener, clasp, pin, tie, buckle, and/or hook.

30. A medication delivery system for verifying identification of an authorized person prior to a medication delivery to a patient using a medication delivery device, comprising:

a pump drive for delivering a patient controlled analgesic medication to the patient;

a processor;

a biometric receiver configured to transmit a biometric identification signal to the processor, representing a biometric identifier of a person; and

a memory in communication with the processor, wherein the memory comprises programming code for execution by the processor, and wherein the programming code is configured to;

receive the biometric identification signal from the biometric receiver;

retrieve at least one stored biometric identifier from the memory, representing at least one person that is authorized to initiate medication delivery to the patient using the medication delivery device; and

determine whether the received biometric identifier matches the at least one stored biometric identifier.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the processor is integral with the medication delivery device and, and wherein the processor is configured to control the pump drive to provide the medication delivery.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the processor is a central processor.

33. The system of claim 30 further comprising:

a patient controlled analgesia (PCA) request device, in communication with the processor, configured to transmit a medication request signal to the processor, wherein the medication delivery is a patient controlled analgesic medication delivery, and wherein the at least one stored biometric identifier represents at least one person that is authorized to actuate the PCA request device for the patient.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the programming code is further configured to prevent delivery of the patient controlled analgesic medication delivery to the patient if the received biometric identifier does not match the at least one stored biometric identifier

35. The system of claim 34 further comprising:

an audible alarm device, wherein the programming code is further configured to transmit an alarm signal for alarming the audible alarm device if the received biometric identifier does not match the at least one stored biometric identifier.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the programming code is further configured to transmit a delivery signal for patient controlled analgesic medication delivery if the received biometric identifier matches the at least one stored biometric identifier.

37. The system of claim 33 wherein the programming code is further configured to:

receive the medication request signal from the PCA request device; and

transmit a biometric scan request signal in response to receiving the medication request signal.

38. The system of claim 33 further comprising:

a remote memory located remotely from the PCA request device and the biometric receiver, wherein the at least one stored biometric identifier is stored in a remote memory and is retrieved from the remote memory which is in communication with the processor.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein programming code is further configured to:

receive the at least one stored biometric identifier from the remote memory, and

determine whether the received biometric identifier from the remote memory matches the at least one stored biometric identifier.

40. The system of claim 33 further comprising:

a central care computer having a central processor and a central memory, wherein the central care computer is remotely located from the PCA request device,

wherein the programming code is further configured to transmit the received biometric identifier to the central care computer;

wherein the central memory comprises a central programming code configured to;

receive the at least one stored biometric identifier;

determine whether the received biometric identifier matches the at least one stored biometric identifier, thereby generating a match result;

transmit a match result signal to the processor, representing the match result; and

,

wherein the programming code is further configured to prevent delivery of the PCA medication delivery to the patient if the match result represents that received biometric identifier does not match the at least one stored biometric identifier.

41. The system of claim 33 further comprising:

a central care computer having a central processor and a central memory, wherein the central care computer is remotely located from the PCA request device, wherein the central memory comprises a central programming code configured to;

receive an initial biometric signal from the biometric receiver, representing an initial biometric identifier of a person;

receive associated identification information for the person;

associate the associated identification information with the initial biometric identifier;

store the initial biometric identifier to create the stored biometric identifier; and

store the associated identification information in the central memory.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the central programming code is further configured to:

associate the initial biometric identifier for the person with the patient information, for designating the person as authorized to actuate the PCA request device for the patient.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the biometric receiver that is configured to transmit the initial biometric signal is a first biometric receiver, and wherein the biometric receiver that is configured to transmit the biometric identification signal is a second biometric receiver.

44. The system of claim 33 further comprising:

a central care computer having a central processor and a central memory, wherein the central care computer is remotely located from the PCA request device,

wherein the programming code is further configured to transmit the received biometric identifier to the central care computer;

wherein the central memory comprises a central programming code configured to;

receive the at least one stored biometric identifier;

receive a medication delivery device identification signal representing a medication delivery device ID;

associate the medication delivery device ID with the initial biometric identifier;

store the initial biometric identifier to create the stored biometric identifier; and

store the association between the stored biometric identifier and the medication delivery device ID.

45. A patient condition monitoring system for monitoring the delivery of medication to a patient, comprising:

a patient condition monitor having a patient monitoring application configured to receive patient condition signals for monitoring at least one condition of the patient;

a medical pump having a medication delivery application, the medical pump configured to communicate with the patient condition monitor, wherein the medical pump and medication delivery application are configured to receive patient condition information from the patient condition monitor, representing the at least one condition of the patient, wherein the medical pump and medication delivery application are further configured to track and store medication delivery status information representing a status of a medication delivery provided by the medical pump to a patient;

a central computer having a medication management application configured to communicate with the medical pump and receive the patient condition information received from the patient condition monitor; and

,

a caregiving computer having a patient monitoring application, wherein the central computer and medication management application are configured to transmit the patient condition information received from the medical pump to the caregiving computer and patient monitoring application, and wherein the caregiving computer and patient monitoring application are configured to receive and display the patient condition information.

46. A method of monitoring patient conditions during the delivery of medication to a patient, comprising:

receiving patient condition signals at a patient condition monitor for monitoring at least one condition of the patient;

receiving patient condition information at a medical pump from the patient condition monitor, representing the at least one condition of the patient;

tracking and storing medication delivery status information at the medical pump representing a status of a medication delivery provided by the medical pump to a patient;

receiving the patient condition information at a central computer, which was previously received by the patient condition monitor;

transmitting the patient condition information from the central computer to the caregiving computer; and

,

receiving and displaying the patient condition information at the caregiving computer.