METHOD OF PROVIDING CARE TO A PATIENT
First Claim
1. A patient care system comprising:
- a patient care device including a memory for storing a plurality of configuration databases, each of said configuration databases comprising a plurality of device operating parameters;
a network communicating with said device, said network including at least one database comprising patient-specific information; and
means for activating a configuration database from said plurality of configuration databases based at least in part on said patient-specific information communicated to the care device, wherein the patient care device operates in accordance with at least one of said plurality of groups of operating parameters of the activated configuration database.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing care to a patient, comprising a patient care device having a number of configuration databases stored in a memory in the device. Each configuration database preferably includes protocols, operating limits, rule sets and/or operating features that collectively define an operating environment, or personality, of the device. Selection of a specific configuration database preferably is based at least in part upon patient-specific information obtained from any location in a distributed hospital network. Examples of such patient-specific information include patient age or size, patient medical characteristics, a location of the patient or a location of the care device. In a preferred embodiment, programming a patient care device to deliver a drug to a patient entails activating a configuration database and scanning a machine-readable drug label identifying a particular protocol stored in the activated database. The selected protocol includes default parameters for delivering the drug, and the label optionally includes instructions for deviating from the default protocol.
44 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A patient care system comprising:
- a patient care device including a memory for storing a plurality of configuration databases, each of said configuration databases comprising a plurality of device operating parameters;
a network communicating with said device, said network including at least one database comprising patient-specific information; and
means for activating a configuration database from said plurality of configuration databases based at least in part on said patient-specific information communicated to the care device, wherein the patient care device operates in accordance with at least one of said plurality of groups of operating parameters of the activated configuration database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- a patient care device including a memory for storing a plurality of configuration databases, each of said configuration databases comprising a plurality of device operating parameters;
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19. A patient care system comprising:
- a patient care device comprising a processor and a memory, said memory storing a plurality of configuration databases, said patient care device capable of providing patient therapies or monitoring the condition of a patient in accordance with operating parameters defined by a configuration database selected from said plurality of configuration databases; and
an input device communicating with said patient care device, said input device adapted to enter patient-specific information into the patient care device, wherein the processor selects the first configuration database from said plurality of configuration databases in response to the patient-specific information entered into the patient care device through the input device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
- a patient care device comprising a processor and a memory, said memory storing a plurality of configuration databases, said patient care device capable of providing patient therapies or monitoring the condition of a patient in accordance with operating parameters defined by a configuration database selected from said plurality of configuration databases; and
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31. A patient care system, comprising:
- an interface unit comprising a processor and a memory, said memory storing a plurality of configuration databases;
an input device communicating with said interface unit, said input device adapted to enter patient-specific information into the interface unit;
a functional unit removably connected to the interface unit and communicating therewith, said functional unit capable of providing patient therapies or monitoring the condition of a patient in accordance with a configuration database selected from the plurality of configuration databases; and
a network communicating with said interface unit, said network including at least one database comprising the patient-specific information and communicating with said interface unit via manual interaction or automated interaction, wherein the processor selects the configuration database from said plurality of configuration databases in response to the patient-specific information entered into said interface unit through said input device, and said functional unit provides a patient therapy or monitors the condition of the patient in accordance with the selected configuration database. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
- an interface unit comprising a processor and a memory, said memory storing a plurality of configuration databases;
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36-58. -58. (canceled)
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59. A method of delivering a drug or fluid to a patient, comprising:
- obtaining patient-specific information front a database in a hospital network;
transferring the patient-specific information to a patient care device using an input device in communication with said patient care device, said interface unit comprising a memory storing a plurality of configuration databases for configuring the care device to provide care to a patient;
activating a configuration database from the plurality of configuration databases in response to said patient-specific information, the activated configuration database including a plurality of protocols;
selecting a protocol from said plurality of protocols, said protocol including at least one parameter for programming the care device to deliver a drug or fluid to the patient;
programming said device to deliver the drug or fluid to the patient in accordance with the selected protocol; and
delivering the drug or fluid to the patient in accordance with the selected protocol - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
- obtaining patient-specific information front a database in a hospital network;
Specification