Serial data capture and processing

• US 7,096,212 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2001
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Baxter Corporation Englewood (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Forhealth Technologies Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Osborne, Joel A., Tribble, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Baoquoc N.
• Application Number:
  US09/991,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20030097368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,735 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/6, 707/1, 707/10, 705/2, 705/3, 235/375, 235/385, 600/300
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1734 Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method and software interface enables serial data streams to be trapped, parsed, tested for suitability for automated handling by a medication preparation system. Only those portions of the serial data stream that are not suitable for such handling are released for printing and manual handling. A serial data interface includes a listener software module (“LSM”) that receives serial data streams and a parser software module (“PSM”) communicatively connectable to the LSM that processes the serial data streams received from the LSM. A set of configuration rules accessible by the PSM defines the manner of processing by the PSM on the serial data streams. A data structure results that enables data handling by an automated medication preparation system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for selectively trapping output streams containing one or more medication data intended for a pharmacy, comprising the steps of:

(A) trapping a printer output stream of an order entry system, the printer output stream identifying a source of the printer output stream;

(B) parsing the output stream for prescribed information in accordance with a set of configuration rules associated with the source;

(C) testing the parsed output stream against an order database to determine suitability of the medication data therein for automated handling by a medication preparation system associated with the pharmacy;

(D) using the medication preparation system, preparing one or more medications corresponding to the one or more medication data determined to be suitable;

(E) releasing only those portions of the output stream that are not suitable, the released output stream being printed for manual handling; and

(F) population a data structure with data parsed from the printer output stream in accordance with the set of configuration rules.

2. The method of claim 1, including the additional step of populating a data structure with data parsed from the printer output stream in accordance with a set of configuration rules.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the printer output stream identifies a particular listener software module (“

LSM”

).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the source is the particular LSM and wherein the step of populating the data structure with data parsed from the printer output stream in accordance with the set of configuration rules for the particular LSM.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the parsing step further comprises testing the output stream for a beginning of serial data stream character.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the trapping step comprises saving the output stream as a record in a database.

7. The method of claim 6, including the additional step of associating metadata with the output stream.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the printer output stream is from a listener software module (“

LSM”

) and the metadata for each record identifies the trapped printer output stream as being from that said LSM.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the metadata includes a marker indicative of whether a given record has been parsed.

10. The method of claim 9, including the additional step of querying the database to identify a subset of records marked as not having been parsed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the parsing step includes the steps of:

(A) retrieving the subset of records; and

(B) parsing the subset of records in accordance with a set of configuration rules.

12. The method of claim 11, including the additional step of populating a data structure with data parsed from each retrieved record in accordance with the set of configuration rules.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the printer output stream is from a listener software module (“

LSM”

), the metadata for each record identifies the trapped printer output stream as being from that said LSM, and the set of configuration rules is prescribed for that said LSM.

14. The method of claim 13, including the additional step of populating a data structure with data parsed from each retrieved record in accordance with the set of configuration rules.

15. The method of claim 1, including the additional step of printing the released output stream onto an adhesive label.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the testing step comprises testing whether the printer output stream was trapped correctly.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the testing step performs a checksum test on the printer output stream.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the printer output stream of the order entry system includes a drug order and wherein the drug order fails the testing step as not suitable for automated handling by the medication preparation system under one or more of the following conditions:

1. the automated medication preparation system cannot recognize a drug code included in the drug order;

2. the automated medication preparation system recognizes the drug code but does not handle the drug specified in the drug order and therefore cannot fill the drug order;

3. The automated medication preparation system recognizes the drug code and ordinarily can fill the drug order, but does not have the required drug in stock at the present time.

19. The method of claim 1, including the additional step of routing a suitable order to a scheduler for handling in accordance with a prescribed priority.

20. A computer system including software loaded into a memory of one or more machines executable by one or more processors to support of serial data stream management, comprising:

(a) at least one listener software module (“

LSM”

) executing on a first machine, the LSM receiving serial data streams containing one or more medication data from a port of the first machine;

(b) a parser software module (“

PSM”

) communicatively connectable to the LSM and executing on a second machine, the PSM processing the serial data streams received from the LSM to extract the one or more medication data therefrom and populate a data structure therewith; and

(c) a set of configuration rules accessible by the PSM, the set of configuration rules defining the manner of processing by the PSM on the serial data streams from a prescribed LSM,

wherein the PSM is configured to determine suitability for handling of drug order by an automated medication preparation system with reference to an order database, and

wherein the data structure enables data handling and preparation of one or more medications by an automated medication preparation system.

21. The interface of claim 20, wherein the PSM communicates with only one LSM.

22. The interface of claim 20, wherein the first and second machines are the same machine.

23. The interface of claim 20, wherein the serial data stream identifies a particular LSM and wherein the set of configuration rules used for processing the serial data stream by the PSM is selected for the identified LSM.

24. The interface of claim 20, wherein the LSM saves the received serial data streams as a record in a database.

25. The interface of claim 24, wherein the LSM associates metadata with the received serial data streams.

26. The interface of claim 25, wherein the metadata includes a marker indicative of whether a given record has been parsed.

27. The interface of claim 26, wherein the PSM is configured to query the database and identify a subset of records marked as not having been parsed.

28. The interface of claim 27, wherein the PSM is further configured to retrieve the subset of records and parse the subset of records in accordance with the set of configuration rules.

29. The interface of claim 28, wherein the processing by the PSM includes selectively printing portions of the received serial data stream onto an adhesive label.

30. The interface of claim 20, wherein the PSM is configured to route the data in the populated data structure to a scheduler for handling in accordance with a prescribed priority.