Method for marking, tracking, and managing hospital instruments
First Claim
1. A method for marking and tracking a multiplicity of hospital instruments comprising:
- a. marking at least 2 hospital instruments with an optically scannable mark indicative of each instrument'"'"'s manufacturer or service provider and indicative of a serial number unique to each instrument;
b. reading each mark and entering serial number and manufacturer information represented by each mark into a computer database;
c. using one or more of the instruments to perform one or more hospital procedures; and
d. entering information into the database that identifies each hospital procedure in which each instrument has been used.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for marking, tracking, and managing hospital instruments. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for marking instruments with information indicative of the manufacturer, part number, and serial number of each instrument, inputting such information into a database, inputting information into the database regarding the desired maintenance schedule for each instrument, inputting information into the database regarding the usage of each instrument, and tracking the usage and/or maintenance of each instrument by using the information in the database. The method also includes asset management, instrumentation identification and counting, and assembly of surgical trays and kits.
150 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for marking and tracking a multiplicity of hospital instruments comprising:
-
a. marking at least 2 hospital instruments with an optically scannable mark indicative of each instrument'"'"'s manufacturer or service provider and indicative of a serial number unique to each instrument;
b. reading each mark and entering serial number and manufacturer information represented by each mark into a computer database;
c. using one or more of the instruments to perform one or more hospital procedures; and
d. entering information into the database that identifies each hospital procedure in which each instrument has been used. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for marking, tracking and maintaining a multiplicity of hospital instruments comprising:
-
a. marking at least 2 hospital instruments with an optically scannable mark indicative of each instrument'"'"'s manufacturer or service provider and part number, and indicative of a serial number unique to each instrument;
b. reading each mark and entering part number, serial number and manufacturer information conveyed by each mark into a computer database;
c. using one or more of the instruments to perform one or more hospital procedures;
d. entering information into the database that identifies the serial number of each instrument and each hospital procedure in which it has been used;
e. inputting a maintenance schedule for each instrument into the database;
f. retrieving maintenance schedule information from the database; and
g. performing maintenance on each of the instruments according to the maintenance schedule entered into the database. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for marking, tracking and maintaining a multiplicity of hospital instruments and for auditing instrument maintenance comprising:
-
a. marking at least 2 hospital instruments with an optically scannable mark indicative of each instrument'"'"'s manufacturer and part number, and indicative of a serial number unique to each instrument;
b. reading each mark with an optical scanner;
c. transmitting part number, serial number and manufacturer information conveyed by each mark from the scanner to a computer database;
d. using one or more of the instruments to perform one or more hospital procedures;
e. entering information into the database that identifies the serial number of each instrument and each hospital procedure in which it has been used;
f. inputting a maintenance schedule for each instrument into the database;
g. retrieving maintenance schedule information from the database;
h. performing maintenance on one or more of the instruments;
i. entering information into the database identifying the maintenance procedure performed on each instrument; and
j. retrieving maintenance history and schedule information for one or more instruments and determining whether scheduled maintenance has been performed in a timely manner on the instruments or whether the instrument should be replaced. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification