MOBILE DEVICE ACCESS FOR MEDICAL DEVICES

• US 20130312066A1
• Filed: 05/18/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: SUAREZ, David Eduardo, SUAREZ, Waldemar Roberto
• Granted Patent: US 9,996,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Methods for controlling a medical device using a software application on a mobile device are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request from the software application on the mobile device to open a communications channel for at least one of audio communication or text-based communication, and sending from the server an instruction to the medical device based on the request. The method also includes providing to the software application on the mobile device for display a result of the instruction. Systems, graphical user interfaces, and machine-readable media are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a medical device using a software application on a mobile device, the system comprising:

a memory comprising instructions;

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

receive, at a server and from a user of a software application on a mobile device, a request for at least one of controlling another user'"'"'s access to a medical device, configuring the medical device, or a status of the medical device;

send an instruction from the server to the medical device based on the request; and

provide to the software application on the mobile device for display a result of the instruction.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

receive at the server and from the medical device an outcome of the instruction,

wherein the result of the instruction comprises information on the outcome of the instruction.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the memory further comprises a database for tracking the medical device, and wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to update the database based on at least one of the request received from the mobile device or the outcome of the request received from the medical device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the request from the software application on the mobile device is to query multiple medical devices, wherein at least two of the medical devices are located in different geographical locations.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a smartphone or tablet computer, and wherein the software application is specific to usage on the mobile device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

receive a request from the software application on the mobile device for authorization to instruct the medical device and comprising user identification data;

determine whether to authorize the software application on the mobile device based on the user identification data; and

send an authorization outcome to the software application on the mobile device based on the determination.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the request for authorization further comprises mobile device location data, and wherein the determination of whether to authorize the software application on the mobile device is further based on a proximity of the mobile device location to a location of the medical device or to a location of the server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the request for the status of the medical device comprises a request for notifications specific to the medical device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the status of the medical device comprises information indicative of an inventory of the medical device, or information indicative of an infusion status of the medical device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the request for configuring the medical device comprises a request to change information indicative of an inventory of the medical device, or to change information indicative of an infusion configuration of the medical device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the request to change the information indicative of an inventory of the medical device comprises a confirmation that a medical item has been added or removed from the medical device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the request for controlling the other user'"'"'s access to the medical device comprises a request for a current authorized user list for the medical device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the request for configuring the medical device comprises at least one of a request for a name of the medical device, a request for a location of the medical device, a request to configure an authorization process for the medical device, or a request to configure an availability of the medical device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

receive a request from the software application on the mobile device to open a communications channel for at least one of audio communication or text-based communication;

open the communications channel; and

send information on the open communications channel to the software application on the mobile device.

16. A method for controlling a medical device using a software application on a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server and from a user of a software application on a mobile device, a request for at least one of controlling another user'"'"'s access to a medical device, configuring the medical device, or a status of the medical device;

sending from the server an instruction to the medical device based on the request; and

providing to the software application on the mobile device for display a result of the instruction.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving at the server and from the medical device an outcome of the instruction,

wherein the result of the instruction comprises information on the outcome of the instruction.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

updating a database for tracking the medical device based on at least one of the request received from the mobile device or the outcome of the request received from the medical device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the request from the software application on the mobile device is to query multiple medical devices, wherein at least two of the medical devices are located in different geographical locations.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the medical device comprises a dispensing machine, respirator, or an infusion device.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the mobile device comprises a smartphone or tablet computer, and wherein the software application is specific to usage on the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a request from the software application on the mobile device for authorization to instruct the medical device and comprising user identification data;

determining whether to authorize the software application on the mobile device based on the user identification data; and

sending an authorization outcome to the software application on the mobile device based on the determination.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the request for authorization further comprises mobile device location data, and wherein the determination of whether to authorize the software application on the mobile device is further based on a proximity of the mobile device location to a location of the medical device or a location of the server.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the request for the status of the medical device comprises a request for notifications specific to the medical device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the status of the medical device comprises information indicative of an inventory of the medical device, or information indicative of an infusion status of the medical device.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the request for configuring the medical device comprises a request to change information indicative of an inventory of the medical device, or to change information indicative of an infusion configuration of the medical device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the request to change the information indicative of an inventory of the medical device comprises a confirmation that a medical item has been added or removed from the medical device.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the request for controlling the other user'"'"'s access to the medical device comprises a request for a current authorized user list for the medical device.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the request for configuring the medical device comprises at least one of a request for a name of the medical device, a request for a location of the medical device, a request to configure an authorization process for the medical device, or a request to configure an availability of the medical device.

30. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a request from the software application on the mobile device to open a communications channel for at least one of audio communication or text-based communication;

opening the communications channel; and

sending information on the open communications channel to the software application on the mobile device.

31. A machine-readable storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions for causing a processor to execute a method for controlling a medical device using a software application on a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server and from a user of a software application on a mobile device, a request for at least one of controlling another user'"'"'s access to a medical device, configuring the medical device, or a status of the medical device a request from a software application on a mobile device to query a medical device;

sending from the server an instruction to the medical device based on the query; and

providing to the software application on the mobile device for display a result of the instruction.