System and Method for Acquiring Images of Medication Preparations

• US 20110267465A1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Alexander, Emily H., Welch, Jerimiah G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,930,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/96 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A system for holding a camera for acquiring images of preparations includes a rail that can be mounted above a preparation surface. A camera carrier couples a camera with the rail such that the camera is movable relative to the rail and such that the camera can acquire images of preparations on the preparation surface.

Claims

1. A system for holding a camera for acquiring images of preparations, comprising:

a rail configured for mounting above a preparation surface; and

a camera carrier configured to couple the camera with the rail such that the camera is movable relative to the rail and such that the camera is configurable to acquire images of preparations on at least a portion of the preparation surface.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a camera case configured to at least partially house the camera and at least partially protect the camera during cleaning

3. The system of claim 2, wherein camera case comprises at least one seal to inhibit fluids outside the camera case from reaching the camera.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a camera case configured to at least partially house the camera and at least partially protect the camera during wipe-down with a cleaning solution.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera case is configured to receive an application of a cleaning fluid, wherein camera case is configured to at least partially protect the camera when the cleaning fluid is applied to the camera case.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmission system configured to transmit power or data to the camera.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the transmission system comprises one or more electrical conductors in the rail configured to transmit power or data to the camera,

wherein the carrier comprises at least one pickup contact configurable to electrically couple with at least one of the one or more electrical conductors in the rail and configurable to transmit power or data to the camera.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more barriers for inhibiting contamination of the preparation surface; and

an inductive coupling device configured to transfer power or data through at least one of the barriers.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one wireless device configured to transmit data in at least one direction between the camera and one or more computer systems.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hood configured to inhibit contamination of preparations on the preparation surface and to maintain a sterile environment at the preparation surface, wherein the rail is configured to mount to a side or a ceiling of the hood.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the carrier is configured to slide on the rail such that a target zone of the camera moves from one location to another on the preparation surface.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more target indicating devices coupled to the carrier, wherein the target indicating devices are configurable to project one or more indicators onto the preparation surface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the indicators move on the preparation surface as the camera moves relative to the rail.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the target indicating devices is adjustable to control the direction the indicating target device projects at least one indicator relative to the camera.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more triggers coupled to the carrier, wherein the at least one of the triggers is operable by a user to control at least one function of the camera.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the triggers operable by the user is outside of a clean zone in which preparations are carried out.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the triggers operable by the user is a foot pedal.

18. A system for holding a camera for acquiring images of preparations, comprising:

a camera carrier configurable to hold the camera above a preparation surface;

a camera case configured to at least partially house the camera and at least partially protect the camera during cleaning of the workstation; and

a wireless device configured to transmit information in at least one direction between the camera and one or more computer systems.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the wireless device is configurable to transmit image data from the camera to at least one of the one or more computer systems.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the wireless device is in the camera.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the wireless device is external to the camera and configured to electrically couple with the camera.

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising one or more user-operated triggers coupled to the camera case and operable by a user to control one or more functions of the camera.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the user-operated triggers is configurable to trigger the camera to capture at least one image.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the user-operated triggers is a foot pedal.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein capturing of at least one image can be triggered by either the user-operated trigger or by operating an input device coupled to the computer system.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the wireless device is configured to pass a trigger signal from the at least one user-operated trigger to at least one of the computer systems when the at least one user-operated trigger has been operated, wherein the at least one computer system in configured to control the camera to capture an image based on either the trigger signal from the at least one user-operated trigger or a signal from the input device coupled to the computer system.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the user-operated triggers is configurable to turn the camera on or off.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the user-operated triggers is configurable to send one or more images to a pharmacist over a network.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is configured to provide image data over a computer network to a pharmacist, wherein the system is configured to transmit approval data from the pharmacist over the network.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein camera case comprises at least one seal to inhibit fluids outside the camera case from reaching the camera.

31. The system of claim 18, further comprising a rail configured for mounting above the preparation surface.

32. The system of claim 18, further comprising a power delivery system comprising one or more electrical conductors in the rail configured to transmit power to the camera,

wherein the carrier comprises at least one pickup contact configurable to electrically couple with at least one of the one or more electrical conductors in the rail and configurable to transmit power to the camera.

33. A method of acquiring images of preparations, comprising:

capturing, with an image capture device, one or more images of at least one stage of a first preparation at a first zone;

sliding the image capturing device along a rail such that the image capture device points at a second zone; and

capturing, with the image capture device, one or more images of at least one stage of a second preparation at the second zone.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising transmitting data for at least one of the images to at least one computer system over a wireless connection.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein capturing at least one of the images comprises operating a user-operated trigger coupled to the image capture device.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein capturing at least one of the images comprises operating a trigger located outside of a clean zone in which the preparations are being carried out.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein capturing at least one of the images comprises operating a trigger using a foot pedal.

38. A method of acquiring images of preparations, comprising:

capturing one or more images of a first preparation, wherein a first identifier code is visible in at least one of the captured images of the first preparation;

capturing one or more images of one or more other preparations;

automatically reading the first identifier code from at least one of the captured images of the first preparation;

evaluating one or more stages of the first preparation based on at least one of the captured images of the first preparation; and

evaluating one or more stages of at least one of the other preparations based on at least one captured image of the at least one other preparation,

wherein at least one of the stages of the first preparation and at least one of the stages of the at least one other preparation are evaluated in a different order than the images of the stages were captured, wherein the order of evaluation is based at least in part on the first identifier code read from the at least one captured image of the first preparation.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the first identifier code corresponds to a semacode for a medication.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising allowing an evaluator to select an order of evaluation that is different than the order in which the images were captured.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the first preparation has a higher priority than the at least one other preparation, further comprising identifying the higher priority of the first preparation to an evaluator based on at least one of the first identifier code.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein capturing one or more images of a first preparation comprises capturing images of two or more stages of the first preparation, wherein the first identifier code is visible in at least two of the captured images of the two or more stages of the first preparation, the method further comprising associating the at least two captured images of the stages of the first preparation with one another.

43. A method of making a preparation, comprising:

placing a preparation identifier code and one or more ingredient identifier codes in a work area, wherein the preparation identifier code is associated with a preparation to be made in the work area or a patient who is to receive the preparation, wherein the one or more ingredient identifier codes are associated with ingredients that are in the work area;

capturing an image of at least a portion of the work area in at least one stage of a preparation, wherein the portion includes the preparation identifier code and at least one of the ingredient identifier codes;

automatically extracting identifier information from the preparation identifier code and the at least one ingredient identifier code;

automatically comparing ingredient information associated with the preparation identifier code with ingredient information associated with the at least one ingredient identifier code;

determining, based on the comparison, whether ingredient information associated with the preparation identifier code matches ingredient information associated with the at least one ingredient identifier code; and

determining whether the correct ingredients are being used for the preparation, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on whether ingredient information associated with the preparation identifier code matches ingredient information associated with the at least one ingredient identifier code.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the preparation identifier code comprises a barcode.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein at least one of the ingredient identifier codes comprises a barcode.

46. The method of claim 43, further comprising sending a warning if a mismatch is identified between ingredient information associated with the preparation identifier code and the ingredient information associated with the at least one ingredient identifier code.