URGENT ACCESS MEDICATION DISPENSING STATION

• US 20110030034A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Cardinal Health 303 Incorporated (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: ROSS, Graham
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A medical supply station is disclosed. The medical supply station includes a securable compartment configured to hold medical supplies, and a controller. The controller is responsive to access information and is configured to selectively permit access to the securable compartment when the access information indicates the securable compartment is authorized for access, and restrict access to the securable compartment when the access information indicates the securable compartment is not authorized for access. The medical supply station also includes a critical access module configured to, upon actuation, bypass the access information required by the controller and permit substantially immediate access to the securable compartment. The medical supply station further includes an image capturing device, coupled to the critical access module, configured to capture at least one image of an area proximal to the medical supply station in response to actuation of the critical access module.

Claims

1. A medical supply station comprising:

at least one securable compartment configured to hold medical supplies;

a controller, responsive to access information, configured to;

selectively permit access to the at least one securable compartment when the access information indicates the at least one securable compartment is authorized for access; and

restrict access to the at least one securable compartment when the access information indicates the at least one securable compartment is not authorized for access;

a critical access module configured to, upon actuation, bypass the access information required by the controller and permit substantially immediate access to the at least one securable compartment; and

an image capturing device, coupled to the critical access module, and configured to capture at least one image of an area proximal to the medical supply station in response to actuation of the critical access module.

2. The station of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of securable compartments, and wherein the substantially immediate access permitted by the critical access module is limited to the at least one securable compartment.

3. The station of claim 1, wherein the at least one securable compartment comprises an indicator coupled to the critical access module, and wherein the indicator is activated upon actuation of the critical access module to indicate the at least one securable compartment.

4. The station of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device comprises a camera.

5. The station of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device comprises a video camera.

6. The station of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device outputs the at least one image to a remote location.

7. The station of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device includes a field of view that includes at least one of an expected position of a user actuating the critical access module, an area surrounding the medical supply station, and the at least one securable compartment.

8. The station of claim 1, wherein the critical access module comprises a switch.

9. The station of claim 1, wherein the critical access module comprises a biometric device.

10. The station of claim 9, wherein the critical access module stores an identity of a user attempting to actuate the critical access module.

11. The station of claim 1, wherein the critical access module is responsive to second access information configured to be input into to the critical access module substantially immediately.

12. The station of claim 10, wherein the second access information comprises biometric input.

13. The station of claim 10, wherein the second access information comprises magnetic input.

14. The station of claim 10, wherein the second access information comprises information received from a real time locating system.

15. The station of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to restrict access to the at least one securable compartment by the critical access module after a predetermined number of actuations of the critical access module.

16. The station of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver configured to transmit, to a remote location, a signal indicating actuation of the critical access module.

17. A medical supply station comprising:

at least one securable compartment configured to hold medical supplies;

a critical access module configured to, upon actuation by a user, permit substantially immediate access to the at least one securable compartment; and

a transceiver configured to provide identification information of the user to an item dispensing device.

18. The station of claim 17, further comprising an image capturing device, coupled to the critical access module, and configured to capture at least one image of an area proximal to the medical supply station in response to actuation of the critical access module.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising activating an indicator configured to indicate the at least one securable compartment upon actuation of the critical access module.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising outputting the at least one image to a remote location.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein access information required by the controller is bypassed if both the critical access module is actuated and second access information is provided to the critical access module.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising restricting access to the at least one securable compartment after a predetermined number of actuations of the critical access module.

19. A method, for urgent medical supply dispensing, comprising:

determining if a critical access module of a medical supply station is actuated;

if the critical access module is actuated, bypassing access information required by a controller, configured to restrict access to at least one securable compartment configured to hold medical supplies, in order to permit substantially immediate access to the at least one securable compartment; and

capturing at least one image of an area proximal to the medical supply station in response to actuation of the critical access module.

24. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a processor to execute instructions to control a medical supply station by performing steps comprising:

determining if a critical access module of a medical supply station is actuated;

if the critical access module is actuated, bypassing access information required by a controller, configured to restrict access to at least one securable compartment configured to hold medical supplies, in order to permit substantially immediate access to the at least one securable compartment; and

capturing at least one image of an area proximal to the medical supply station in response to actuation of the critical access module.