Pill printing and identification
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of verifying that medication to be administered is correct, comprising:
- scanning a bar code on an identification bracelet worn by a patient to ascertain patient information;
scanning a bar code pertaining to medication to be administered to the patient to ascertain medication information;
verifying whether the patient information and the medication information is correct and authorized based on both of the scannings by accessing a network; and
activating an alarm if the verifying indicates that the medication is improper for administration to the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and identification system to keep track of individual pills dispensed to patients in a hospital by scanning a machine readable code assigned to each pill individually. The pills may be individually within single-pill containers. Inventory levels may be adjusted based on the scanning. Prior to dispensing the pills, a verification check may be performed.
94 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of verifying that medication to be administered is correct, comprising:
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scanning a bar code on an identification bracelet worn by a patient to ascertain patient information; scanning a bar code pertaining to medication to be administered to the patient to ascertain medication information; verifying whether the patient information and the medication information is correct and authorized based on both of the scannings by accessing a network; and activating an alarm if the verifying indicates that the medication is improper for administration to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of administering medication, comprising:
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keeping track of each individual one of a plurality of pills by machine reading a machine readable code assigned to each of the individual pills; dispensing an individual one of the pills based on the machine reading; and adjusting inventory requirements for stocking of the individual pills based on the machine reading and the dispensing. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 27)
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- 11. A drug identification system for marking solid form drugs comprising a pill imprint having a first marking in the form of a human recognizable symbol and a second marking in the form of a machine readable bar code, wherein the human recognizable symbol provides a general identification suitable for categorical identification and communication, and the machine readable bar code provides an item identification.
- 13. A method of determining information concerning a pill, comprising dispensing pills from inventory individually, identifying a source and a distributor of each of the dispensed pills by accessing a database and scanning a machine readable code assigned to each of the pills individually.
- 15. A method of scanning, comprising scanning a machine readable code while a pill is within a container, decoding information pertaining to the pill from the scanned machine readable code, and evaluating the decoded information and accessing a database to determine whether taking the pill poses any potential health risk and, if so, providing a warning.
- 21. A method of record keeping, comprising scanning a machine readable code on a container of at least one pill and storing information pertaining to what was scanned and a time of day of the scanning, and recording dietary information at times before, during and after the scanning and correlating same with the stored information.
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31. An apparatus to verify that medication to be administered is correct, comprising:
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scanning equipment suited to effect a scanning a bar code on an identification bracelet worn by a patient to ascertain patient information and to effect a scanning a bar code pertaining to medication to be administered to the patient to ascertain medication information; verification equipment suited to effect verifying as to whether the patient information and the medication information is correct and authorized based on both of the scannings by accessing a network; and an alarm arranged to be activated as a consequence of the verifying indicating that the medication is improper for administration to the patient.
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- 32. A system of determining information concerning a pill, comprising dispensing equipment configured to dispense pills from inventory individually, and identification equipment configured and arranged to identify a source and a distributor of each of the pills dispensed by the dispensing equipment by accessing a database and scanning a machine readable code assigned to each of the pills individually.
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34. A system of administering medication, comprising:
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equipment configured to keep track of each individual one of a plurality of pills by machine reading a machine readable code assigned to each of the individual pills; dispensing equipment configured to effect dispensing of an individual one of the pills based on the machine reading; and equipment configured to adjust inventory requirements for stocking of the individual pills based on the machine reading and the dispensing.
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35. A system suited to scan, comprising scanning equipment suited to scan a machine readable code while a pill is within a container, decoding equipment configured and arranged to decode information pertaining to the pill from the scanned machine readable code, and equipment configured and arranged to evaluate the decoded information and to access a database to determine whether taking the pill poses any potential health risk and, if so, provide a warning.
Specification