MEDICAL DEVICE MANAGEMENT USING ASSOCIATIONS

• US 20140222450A1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius KABI USA LLC (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Ivenix, Inc. (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Gray, George W., McQuaid, William C., Ambrosina, Jesse E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,346,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6009 for matching patient with his treatment, e.g. to improve transfusion security
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• 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 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Via communications with an association management resource, an operator of a respective fluid delivery system can associate a medical device (fluid pump) with a particular entity such as a patient, location, one or more other medical devices, the caregiver, etc. Thereafter, the operator of the fluid delivery system is able to better manage use of the fluid delivery system based on relevant medical information, which is accessible as a result of creating the association. For example, the association management resource gathers and stores information associated with the entity prior to the operator providing the input associating the fluid delivery system with the entity. After the operator of the fluid delivery system creates the association, the medical information associated with the entity is immediately available to the fluid delivery system and/or corresponding operator of the fluid delivery system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input over a network, the input associating a fluid delivery system to an entity located in a medical environment in which the fluid delivery system is operated;

recording an association between the fluid delivery system and the entity as indicated by the received input; and

initiating transmission of medical information associated with the entity over the network to the fluid delivery system.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the medical information is associated with the entity prior to receiving the input over the network to associate the fluid delivery system to the entity.

3. The method as in claim 2 further comprising:

receiving the input from the fluid delivery system, the input generated by a caregiver operating the fluid delivery system; and

wherein initiating transmission of the medical information over the network includes communicating the medical information to the fluid delivery system in response to receiving a search query from the caregiver for the medical information associated with the entity.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery system is a first fluid pump;

and

wherein the entity is a second fluid pump.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

initiating communication with a set of one or more medical devices located in a vicinity of the fluid delivery system;

providing notification to an operator of the fluid delivery system, the notification indicating the set of one or more medical devices available in a vicinity of the fluid delivery system for association with the fluid delivery system.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein providing the notification includes:

activating a prompt at each respective medical device in the set, the activated prompt indicating that the respective medical device can be programmed to join a group including the fluid delivery system.

7. The method as in claim 5, wherein providing the notification includes:

initiating display of a message on a display screen of the fluid delivery system, the message notifying the operator of the fluid delivery system of the presence of the one or more medical devices in the set.

8. The method as in claim 5 further comprising:

receiving a command from the operator of the fluid delivery system to associate a given medical device in the set to the fluid delivery system; and

recording an association between the fluid delivery system and the given medical device.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the entity is a patient;

wherein the association indicates that the fluid delivery system is assigned for use by the patient; and

wherein the medical information indicates parameters to be used by the fluid delivery system to deliver the prescribed fluid to the patient.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery system is a first fluid delivery system assigned for use by a patient;

wherein the entity is a second fluid delivery system;

wherein the recorded association indicates that both the second fluid delivery system and the first fluid delivery system are assigned for use by the patient; and

wherein the medical information indicates a prescribed fluid for delivery by the second fluid delivery system to the patient.

11. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

collecting location data indicating where each of multiple patients resides in the medical environment; and

utilizing the location data to associate a respective patient with a corresponding location in the medical environment in which the respective patient resides.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein the entity indicates a physical location in which the fluid delivery system resides;

wherein searching the repository for medical information associated with the entity includes;

i) mapping the location to a set of patients that reside in a vicinity of the location, and ii) producing the medical information to indicate identities of the patients in the set; and

wherein initiating transmission of the medical information over the network includes initiating display of the identities of the patients in the set on a display screen of the fluid delivery system.

13. The method as in claim 12 further comprising:

from an operator of the fluid delivery system, receiving a command to associate the fluid delivery system to a particular patient selected from the set; and

creating an association between the fluid delivery system and the particular patient.

14. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

receiving an inquiry transmitted over the network from an operator of the fluid delivery system, the inquiry requesting medication order drug information assigned to the particular patient;

in response to receiving the inquiry, searching the repository for the medication order drug information assigned to the particular patient; and

transmitting the medication order drug information over the network to the operator of the fluid delivery system.

15. The method as in claim 14 further comprising:

initiating display of the medication order drug information on a display screen of the fluid delivery system.

16. The method as in claim 1, wherein the entity is a particular patient in the medical environment;

and

wherein receiving the input over the network includes;

receiving the input from a mobile device operated by a caregiver, the mobile device disparately located with respect to the fluid delivery system, the caregiver generating the input to indicate that the fluid delivery system is assigned to a particular patient in the medical environment.

17. The method as in claim 1, wherein the entity is a particular patient in the medical environment, the method further comprising:

receiving a first communication from a mobile device operated by a caregiver, the mobile device disparately located with respect to the fluid delivery system, the caregiver generating the first communication to indicate that the particular patient in the medical environment is assigned to the caregiver.

18. The method as in claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a second communication transmitted over the network from the mobile device operated by the caregiver, the second communication requesting a listing of patients assigned to the caregiver;

identifying a set of patients assigned to the caregiver; and

in response to receiving the second communication, transmitting a first reply message over the network to the mobile device operated by the caregiver, the first reply message indicating the set of patients assigned to the caregiver.

19. The method as in claim 18 further comprising:

receiving a third communication transmitted over the network from the mobile device operated by the caregiver, the third communication indicating selection of a particular patient in the set, the third communication requesting a listing of fluid delivery systems assigned to the particular patient; and

in response to receiving the third communication, transmitting a second message over the network to the mobile device operated by the caregiver, the second reply message including the listing of fluid delivery systems assigned to the particular patient.

20. The method as in claim 1, wherein the entity is a patient;

and

wherein the medical information includes at least one fluid-based drug prescribed for delivery to the patient by the fluid delivery system.

21. The method as in claim 20 further comprising:

searching the repository and transmitting the medical information over the network to the fluid delivery system in response to receiving a query from a caregiver of the patient, the query from the caregiver requesting a listing of medicine prescribed to the patient.

22. The method as in claim 21 further comprising:

receiving a communication from the caregiver selecting a particular fluid-based medicine in the listing, the communication indicating that the fluid delivery system has been selected to deliver the particular fluid-based medicine to the patient; and

recording an association indicating that the particular fluid-based medicine has been assigned for delivery using the fluid delivery system.

23. The method as in claim 1, wherein the entity is a patient;

wherein the fluid delivery system is a first fluid delivery system of multiple fluid delivery systems assigned for use by the patient;

wherein the medical information specifies multiple fluid-based drugs prescribed for delivery to the patient, the method further comprising;

in response to detecting that a first fluid-based drug of the multiple fluid-based drugs has been assigned for delivery from the first fluid delivery system, providing notification over the network to a second fluid delivery system assigned for use by the patient, the notification indicating a second fluid-based drug of the multiple fluid-based drugs prescribed for delivery to the patient.

24. The method as in claim 23 further comprising:

receiving a communication over the network from a caregiver operating the second fluid delivery system, the communication indicating that the second fluid delivery system has been assigned to deliver a second fluid based drug to the patient; and

in response to receiving the communication, creating an association indicating that the second fluid-based drug is being administered to the patient using the second fluid delivery system.

25. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

prior to receiving the input, initiating a challenge to a caregiver operating the fluid delivery system to provide appropriate authentication information to operate the fluid delivery system;

in response to the challenge, receiving a communication over the network from the caregiver, the communication including authentication information to operate the fluid delivery system;

verifying the authentication information in the communication received from the caregiver; and

subsequent to verifying the authentication information provided by the caregiver, transmitting a command over the network to the fluid delivery system, the command enabling the caregiver to operate the fluid delivery system deliver fluid to a patient using the fluid delivery system.

38. The computer system as in claim 11, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

from an operator of the fluid delivery system, receiving a command to associate the fluid delivery system to a particular patient selected from the set; and

creating an association between the fluid delivery system and the particular patient.

39. The computer system as in claim 38, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving an inquiry transmitted over the network from an operator of the fluid delivery system, the inquiry requesting medication order drug information assigned to the particular patient;

in response to receiving the inquiry, searching the repository for the medication order drug information assigned to the particular patient; and

transmitting the medication order drug information over the network to the operator of the fluid delivery system.

40. The computer system as in claim 39, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

initiating display of the medication order drug information on a display screen of the fluid delivery system.

26. A computer system comprising:

computer processor hardware; and

a hardware storage resource coupled to the computer processor hardware, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of;

receiving input over a network, the input associating a fluid delivery system to an entity located in a medical environment in which the fluid delivery system is operated;

recording an association between the fluid delivery system and the entity as indicated by the received input; and

initiating transmission of medical information associated with the entity over the network to the fluid delivery system.

27. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

associating the medical information with the entity prior to receiving the input over the network to associate the fluid delivery system to the entity.

28. The computer system as in claim 27, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving the input from the fluid delivery system, the input generated by a caregiver operating the fluid delivery system; and

wherein initiating transmission of the medical information over the network includes communicating the medical information to the fluid delivery system in response to receiving a search query from the caregiver for the medical information associated with the entity.

29. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the fluid delivery system is a first fluid pump;

and

wherein the entity is a second fluid pump.

30. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

initiating communication with a set of one or more medical devices located in a vicinity of the fluid delivery system; and

providing notification to an operator of the fluid delivery system, the notification indicating the set of one or more medical devices available in a vicinity of the fluid delivery system for association with the fluid delivery system.

31. The computer system as in claim 30, wherein providing the notification includes:

activating a prompt at each respective medical device in the set, the activated prompt indicating that the respective medical device can be programmed to join a group including the fluid delivery system.

32. The computer system as in claim 30, wherein providing the notification includes:

initiating display of a message on a display screen of the fluid delivery system, the message notifying the operator of the fluid delivery system of the presence of the one or more medical devices in the set.

33. The computer system as in claim 30, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving a command from the operator of the fluid delivery system to associate a given medical device in the set to the fluid delivery system; and

recording an association between the fluid delivery system and the given medical device.

34. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the entity is a patient;

wherein the association indicates that the fluid delivery system is assigned for use by the patient; and

wherein the medical information indicates parameters to be used by the fluid delivery system to deliver the prescribed fluid to the patient.

35. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the fluid delivery system is a first fluid delivery system assigned for use by a patient;

wherein the entity is a second fluid delivery system;

wherein the recorded association indicates that both the second fluid delivery system and the first fluid delivery system are assigned for use by the patient; and

wherein the medical information indicates a prescribed fluid for delivery by the second fluid delivery system to the patient.

36. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

collecting location data indicating where each of multiple patients resides in the medical environment; and

utilizing the location data to associate a respective patient with a corresponding location in the medical environment in which the respective patient resides.

37. The computer system as in claim 36, wherein the entity indicates a physical location in which the fluid delivery system resides;

wherein searching the repository for medical information associated with the entity includes;

i) mapping the location to a set of patients that reside in a vicinity of the location, and ii) producing the medical information to indicate identities of the patients in the set; and

wherein initiating transmission of the medical information over the network includes initiating display of the identities of the patients in the set on a display screen of the fluid delivery system.

41. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the entity is a particular patient in the medical environment;

and

wherein receiving the input over the network includes;

receiving the input from a mobile device operated by a caregiver, the mobile device disparately located with respect to the fluid delivery system, the caregiver generating the input to indicate that the fluid delivery system is assigned to a particular patient in the medical environment.

42. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the entity is a particular patient in the medical environment, the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving a first communication from a mobile device operated by a caregiver, the mobile device disparately located with respect to the fluid delivery system, the caregiver generating the first communication to indicate that the particular patient in the medical environment is assigned to the caregiver.

43. The computer system as in claim 42, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving a second communication transmitted over the network from the mobile device operated by the caregiver, the second communication requesting a listing of patients assigned to the caregiver;

identifying a set of patients assigned to the caregiver; and

in response to receiving the second communication, transmitting a first reply message over the network to the mobile device operated by the caregiver, the first reply message indicating the set of patients assigned to the caregiver.

44. The computer system as in claim 43, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving a third communication transmitted over the network from the mobile device operated by the caregiver, the third communication indicating selection of a particular patient in the set, the third communication requesting a listing of fluid delivery systems assigned to the particular patient; and

in response to receiving the third communication, transmitting a second message over the network to the mobile device operated by the caregiver, the second reply message including the listing of fluid delivery systems assigned to the particular patient.

45. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the entity is a patient;

and

wherein the medical information includes at least one fluid-based drug prescribed for delivery to the patient by the fluid delivery system.

46. The computer system as in claim 45, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

searching the repository and transmitting the medical information over the network to the fluid delivery system in response to receiving a query from a caregiver of the patient, the query from the caregiver requesting a listing of medicine prescribed to the patient.

47. The computer system as in claim 46, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving a communication from the caregiver selecting a particular fluid-based medicine in the listing, the communication indicating that the fluid delivery system has been selected to deliver the particular fluid-based medicine to the patient; and

recording an association indicating that the particular fluid-based medicine has been assigned for delivery using the fluid delivery system.

48. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the entity is a patient;

wherein the fluid delivery system is a first fluid delivery system of multiple fluid delivery systems assigned for use by the patient;

wherein the medical information specifies multiple fluid-based drugs prescribed for delivery to the patient, the computer processor hardware further performs operations of;

in response to detecting that a first fluid-based drug of the multiple fluid-based drugs has been assigned for delivery from the first fluid delivery system, providing notification over the network to a second fluid delivery system assigned for use by the patient, the notification indicating a second fluid-based drug of the multiple fluid-based drugs prescribed for delivery to the patient.

49. The computer system as in claim 48, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving a communication over the network from a caregiver operating the second fluid delivery system, the communication indicating that the second fluid delivery system has been assigned to deliver a second fluid based drug to the patient; and

in response to receiving the communication, creating an association indicating that the second fluid-based drug is being administered to the patient using the second fluid delivery system.

50. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

prior to receiving the input, initiating a challenge to a caregiver operating the fluid delivery system to provide appropriate authentication information to operate the fluid delivery system;

in response to the challenge, receiving a communication over the network from the caregiver, the communication including authentication information to operate the fluid delivery system;

verifying the authentication information in the communication received from the caregiver; and

subsequent to verifying the authentication information provided by the caregiver, transmitting a command over the network to the fluid delivery system, the command enabling the caregiver to operate the fluid delivery system deliver fluid to a patient using the fluid delivery system.

51. Computer-readable hardware storage having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of:

receiving input over a network, the input associating a fluid delivery system to an entity located in a medical environment in which the fluid delivery system is operated;

recording an association between the fluid delivery system and the entity as indicated by the received input; and

initiating transmission of medical information associated with the entity over the network to the fluid delivery system.