Method of patient identifier verification
First Claim
1. A method of verification of an identity of a patient to which a medical treatment is to be delivered, said method comprising:
- scanning a patient identifier on an item associated with the medical treatment to be delivered to the patient and placed on the item by a patient caregiver for the patient to which the medical treatment is to be delivered, said patient identifier identifying the patient to which the medical treatment is to be delivered;
wherein a characteristic audio signal, previously assigned to the particular individual patient, is generated in response to scanning of the patient identifier; and
wherein the caregiver verifies the characteristic audio signal when the characteristic audio signal is generated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for verification of the identity of a patient undergoing treatment administered by a medical treatment practitioner in a treatment room. An identifying element such as patient chart or patient photograph is provided for the patient which includes a patient identifier, e.g., a barcode, capable of being read by a reader device located within the treatment room. In use, the patient identifier is read by the reader device in the treatment room and a characteristic audio signal, previously assigned to the patient and known to the patient, is generated in response to the reading of the identifying element when there is a match between the patient identifier and a stored identifier for the patient. Treatment of the patient is at least temporarily withheld if any audio signal generated in response to reading of the patient identifier by the reader device is not the characteristic audio signal assigned to the patient. A special patient chart with a removable identifier can be used. A billing method which may involve the scanning step is also provided.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of verification of an identity of a patient to which a medical treatment is to be delivered, said method comprising:
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scanning a patient identifier on an item associated with the medical treatment to be delivered to the patient and placed on the item by a patient caregiver for the patient to which the medical treatment is to be delivered, said patient identifier identifying the patient to which the medical treatment is to be delivered;
wherein a characteristic audio signal, previously assigned to the particular individual patient, is generated in response to scanning of the patient identifier; and
wherein the caregiver verifies the characteristic audio signal when the characteristic audio signal is generated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of verification of an identity of a patient undergoing radiation treatment administered by a radiation therapist in a treatment room, said method comprising:
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scanning a patient identifier on an item associated with the radiation treatment to be delivered to the patient in the treatment room, said patient identifier identifying the patient to which the medical treatment is to be delivered;
generating a characteristic audio signal, previously assigned to the particular individual patient, in response to scanning of the patient identifier; and
verifying the characteristic audio signal when the characteristic audio signal is generated. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of verification of an identity of a patient to which radiation treatment is to be delivered by a radiation treatment caregiver, said method comprising:
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scanning a patient identifier on a patient treatment chart associated with the radiation treatment to be delivered to the patient, said patient identifier identifying the patient to which the radiation treatment is to be delivered;
generating a characteristic audio signal, previously assigned to the particular individual patient, in response to scanning of the patient identifier; and
verifying the characteristic audio signal when the characteristic audio signal is generated. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of verification of an identity of a patient to which a medical treatment is to be delivered, said method comprising:
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entering a patient identifier for an item associated with a medical treatment to be delivered to a patient to be treated, said identifier identifying the patient to which the medical treatment is to be delivered; and
causing reading, at a later time, of the patient identifier entered for the item associated with the medical treatment to be delivered to the patient;
wherein a characteristic audio signal, to the particular individual patient, is generated in response to reading of the patient identifier; and
wherein a caregiver verifies the characteristic audio signal when the characteristic audio signal is generated. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification