Drug delivery and monitoring system

• US 7,074,209 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: DocuSys, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Burrow, Michael F., Evans, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAMTU TRAN
• Application Number:
  US10/690,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20040082918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 604/207, 604/200, 604/208, 604/30, 604/28, 604/189, 235/462.13, 235/375, 235/470, 235/385, 235/435
• US Class Current: 604/189
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6009 for matching patient with his treatment, e.g. to improve transfusion security
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1684 by detecting the amount of infusate remaining, e.g. signalling end of infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31533 Dosing mechanisms, i.e. setting a dose administrating mechanisms A61M5/31565
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection

Abstract

A drug administration system includes a cradle attached about an intravenous injection port having a flange extending therefrom. The cradle supports first drug administration information in the nature of machine and human readable code, for example, barcode. A syringe including a needle includes a flange extending from the syringe. The syringe supports second drug administration information in machine and/or human readable form. A scanner module is constructed to slidably receive the flange of the cradle and syringe whereby the syringe needle is aligned with the intravenous injection port. The module may be provided with an electronic scanning system for identifying the first and second drug administration information, as well as determining the amount of the drug being administered from the syringe to the injection port by monitoring movement of the syringe plunger. The information and data may be stored within the module for uploading to a remote location.

Claims

1. A method of using a scanner module having a detector and a storage module for delivering and monitoring drugs to an injection port connected to a patient, said method comprising delivering a drug loaded syringe to said injection port, determining information relative to the drug contained in the syringe by electronically scanning machine readable information associated with said syringe using the detector module, determining information relative to the patient by electronically scanning machine readable information associated with said injection port using the detector module, pushing a plunger of the syringe to deliver a quantity of the drug through the port, monitoring movement of the plunger while delivering the drug for determining the volume of the drug delivered from the syringe using the detector module, and storing the patient information and the quantity of the drug delivered from said syringe within the storage module.

2. The method of claim 1, further including transmitting the stored patient information and the quantity of the drug delivered to a remote storage device.

3. The method of claim 1, further including attaching said injection port to a port cradle having a flange to which said machine readable information is attached, said electronically scanning said machine readable information comprising moving said flange past the detector module.

4. The method of claim 1, further including attaching said syringe to a syringe cradle having a flange to which said machine readable information is attached, said electronically scanning said machine readable information comprising moving said flange past the detector module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said detector module comprises a first detector for determining information relative to the drug contained in the syringe;

a second detector for determining information relative to the patient; and

a third detector for monitoring movement of the plunger while delivering the drug for determining the volume of the drug delivered from the syringe.

6. A method of using a scanner module having a detector module and a storage module for delivering drugs to an injection port connected to a patient, said method comprising delivering a drug loaded syringe to said injection port, determining information relative to the drug contained in the syringe by electronically scanning machine readable information associated with said syringe using the detector module, determining information relative to the patient by electronically scanning machine readable information associated with said injection port using the detector module, pushing a plunger of the syringe to deliver a quantity of the drug through the injection port, and storing the information obtained by scanning said machine readable information within the storage device.

7. The method of claim 6, further including coupling said injection port to a port cradle having a flange to which said machine readable information is attached, said electronically scanning said machine readable information comprising moving said flange past the detector module.

8. The method of claim 6, further including coupling said syringe to a syringe cradle having a flange to which said machine readable information is attached, said electronically scanning said machine readable information comprising moving said flange past the detector module.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said detector module comprises a first detector for determining information relative to the drug contained in the syringe;

and a second detector for determining information relative to the patient.

10. A method of using a scanner module for monitoring drug delivery to an injection port, said scanner module including a detector module and a storage device for storing information received from said detector module;

said method comprising positioning a scanner module adjacent an injection port;

releasably securing a syringe loaded with a drug to be administered to said scanner module, said syringe having first information provided in association therewith;

identifying said first information by said detector module;

releasably securing a port cradle coupled to an injection port to said scanner module, said port cradle having second information provided in association therewith;

identifying said second information by said detector module;

determining the quantity of drug being delivered by said syringe to said injection port by said detector module; and

storing in said storage device said first and second information and the delivered quantity of said drug.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said detector module comprises a first detector for identifying said first information;

a second detector for identifying said second information; and

a third detector for determining the quantity of said drug being delivered by said syringe to said injection port.

12. The method of claim 10, further including monitoring drug delivery to a plurality of patients using the same scanner module.

13. The method of claim 10, further including providing a drug container cradle attached to a drug container, said drug container cradle having third information provided in association therewith, said drug container cradle constructed to be releasably attached to said scanner module in operative association with said detector module, and displacing said drug container cradle relative to said detector module to identify said third information by said detector module, and inserting said syringe into said drug container for filling said syringe with said drug.

14. The method of claim 10, further including transmitting said first and second information and delivered quantity of said drug to a device other than said storage device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said port cradle includes a flange extending therefrom and said scanner module includes a slotted opening for slidingly receiving said flange, wherein said identifying said second information comprises inserting said flange into said slotted opening and moving said port cradle into operative association with said detector module.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said second information is provided on said flange.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said syringe includes a plunger for delivering said drug therefrom and wherein said determining said quantity of said drug comprises determining the distance of movement of said plunger within said syringe during drug delivery.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said determining said quantity of said drug occurs in real time.