RFID tracking of patient specimen samples
First Claim
1. A method for tracking patient specimens using RFID tags, readers and hand-held devices, comprising:
- placing an RFID tag on a specimen vessel at a point of collection for patient specimens, the RFID tag being passive and having a transmit range of at least about one meter,associating the specimen vessel via the RFID tag with a patient the specimen is taken from, in a database, including reading the RFID tag via an RFID reader and inputting the read data from the tag into the database along with information identifying the patient,assembling a plurality of such specimen vessels, and using a hand-held device that includes a data storage and a link to said database, sending data from the database to the hand-held device,delivering the specimen vessels in a container to a laboratory, accompanied by the hand-held device with data storage, andat the laboratory, reading the RFID tags of all specimen vessels from the container and downloading data from the data storage to a laboratory processor/database, and verifying that all specimens listed in the data storage have arrived and are present.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Miniature RFID tags are used in a system for identifying, locating, tracking and inventorying patient specimens pursuant to medical testing. The RFID tags are attached to specimen vessels, and at a point of collection for patient specimens each RFID tag of a vessel is associated with patient and test data, in a collection site database. When a series of vessels are to go to a laboratory, a hand-held device receives all data on the specimens via download from the collection site PC/database. A courier picks up a container with the specimen vessels and delivers it to the laboratory, along with the hand-held device. At the lab a reader reads all specimen tags, and the data stored in the hand-held device is downloaded to a lab processor/database to verify all specimens are present. Location of specimens can be done by reading or powering up different zones, and the hand-held device can have a power node for selectively powering one or several specimen tags for identification or location of specific specimens.
40 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for tracking patient specimens using RFID tags, readers and hand-held devices, comprising:
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placing an RFID tag on a specimen vessel at a point of collection for patient specimens, the RFID tag being passive and having a transmit range of at least about one meter, associating the specimen vessel via the RFID tag with a patient the specimen is taken from, in a database, including reading the RFID tag via an RFID reader and inputting the read data from the tag into the database along with information identifying the patient, assembling a plurality of such specimen vessels, and using a hand-held device that includes a data storage and a link to said database, sending data from the database to the hand-held device, delivering the specimen vessels in a container to a laboratory, accompanied by the hand-held device with data storage, and at the laboratory, reading the RFID tags of all specimen vessels from the container and downloading data from the data storage to a laboratory processor/database, and verifying that all specimens listed in the data storage have arrived and are present. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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9. The method of clam 6, wherein the temperature-indicating RFID tag is an active tag with a battery.
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18. A method for tracking patient specimens using RFID tags, readers and hand-held devices, comprising:
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placing an RFID tag on a specimen vessel at a point of collection for patient specimens, associating the specimen vessel via the RFID tag with a patient the specimen is taken from, in a database, including reading the RFID tag via an RFID reader and inputting the read data identifying the tag into the database along with information identifying the patient, assembling a plurality of such specimen vessels, and transferring data from all read tags to a data storage in a hand-held device, delivering the specimen vessels in a container to a laboratory, accompanied by the hand-held device, at the laboratory, reading the RFID tags of all specimen vessels from the container and downloading data from the data storage of the hand-held device to a laboratory processor/database, and verifying that all specimens listed in the data storage have arrived and are present, and at the laboratory, locating specimen vessels via a series of power nodes placed at different locations among the specimen vessels, and one or more RFID readers near the specimen vessels, each power node having limited range, by selectively activating power nodes to isolate the location from which one or more responding signals are received at a reader or readers. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification