Medication safety system featuring a multiplexed RFID interrogator panel

• US 7,976,508 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Hoag, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, IAN KNOBEL
• Application Number:
  US11/431,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 604/189, 604/67, 705/2, 705/3
• US Class Current: 604/189
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/58 Means for facilitating use, e.g. by people with impaired vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14212 Pumping with an aspiration and an expulsion action
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices

Abstract

A medication safety system includes a panel mounted to an IV pole above a multi-channel infusion pump also mounted to the IV pole. The panel includes multiple RFID readers for reading the RFID tags placed on each of the medication containers mounted to the panel. The pump includes a controller that communicates with the RFID readers at the panel to receive the information read by the RFID readers and automatically program the respective pump channel. A verification program verifies that the medication delivery information from the containers matches the patient identified for the pump and the programming parameters of the pump fall within acceptable ranges. In another aspect, the panel contains multiple vibration devices to impart vibrations to the medication of each of the containers mounted to the panel. Those vibrations are sensed by the particular pumping channel to confirm that the correct channel has been programmed for that medication. When the clinician opens the door of the pumping channel, the pump may request information from the RFID reader at the panel for that medication and may wait for receipt of the vibrations in the medication of the tubing mounted into the channel.

Claims

1. A medication safety system for reading medication delivery information from an information device located at a medication container and providing that medication delivery information to a medication delivery apparatus, the system comprising:

a panel at which the medication container having the information device is mounted, the panel comprising a vibration device configured to impart vibrations to the medication of the container;

a conduit connected to the medication container configured to conduct the medication of the container to the medication delivery apparatus;

a reader located at the panel configured to wirelessly read the information device and to provide an information signal representative of the information contained in the information device;

a vibration sensor located at the medication delivery apparatus, the vibration sensor configured to detect vibrations in the medication of the conduit and provide a vibration signal when vibrations are sensed; and

a controller located at the medication delivery apparatus coupled to the reader, the vibration sensor, and the vibration device, the controller configured to receive the information signal and the vibration signal, to activate the vibration device, and to configure the medication delivery apparatus in accordance with the information signal.

2. The medication safety system of claim 1 wherein:

the information device comprises patient identification information and an infusion pump programming parameter; and

the controller is further adapted to compare the patient identification information to information from a patient to which the medication delivery apparatus has been identified, and to automatically program the mediation delivery apparatus with the pump programming parameter.

3. The medication safety system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to receive the information signal wirelessly.

4. The medication safety system of claim 1 wherein the wireless reader comprises an RFID interrogator that reads the information device on the medication container.

5. The medication safety system of claim 1 wherein the panel comprises:

multiple locations at which a plurality of medication containers may be mounted, each container having a conduit configured to conduct the medication of the respective container to the medication delivery apparatus and each container having an information device providing medication delivery information and patient identification information; and

at least one wireless information reader device located at the panel so as to read information contained in each of the information devices mounted at the panel.

6. The medication safety system of claim 5 further comprising a multiplexing device that provides multiplexed multiple information signals representative of the information contained in each of the information devices.

7. The medication safety system of claim 5 comprising a plurality of wireless information reader devices located at the panel so as to read information contained in respective information devices mounted at the panel adjacent the respective reader device.

8. The medication safety system of claim 7 wherein the information reader devices comprise RFID readers.

9. The medication safety system of claim 5 wherein the controller compares the patient identification information for each of the containers to a patient identified to the pump and if the identifications do not match, the controller provides an alert.

10. The medication safety system of claim 1 further comprising a delivery parameter verification system in which the delivery parameter read from the information device is compared to a data base having an acceptable range for the delivery parameter and if the delivery parameter contained in the information signal is outside the acceptable range, the verification system will provide an alert.

11. The medication safety system of claim 10 wherein the acceptable range of the data base comprises a hard limit and a soft limit, the verification system disabling the pump from operation if the delivery parameter from the information signal exceeds the hard limit and not disabling the pump from operation but providing an alert if the delivery parameter from the information signal exceeds the soft limit but does not equal or exceed the hard limit.

12. The medication safety system of claim 10 wherein the verification system is located within the controller.

13. The medication safety system of claim 10 wherein the verification system is located at a location remote from the controller.

14. The medication safety system of claim 1 further comprising a patient identification reader configured to wirelessly read identification information of a patient and communicate the patient identification information to the controller.

15. The medication safety system of claim 1 further comprising a clinician identification reader configured to wirelessly read identification information of a clinician and communicate the clinician identification information to the controller.

16. The medication safety system of claim 1 further comprising:

an IV pole to which the panel is mounted and to which the medication delivery apparatus and controller are mounted; and

a receiver mounted at the pole adjacent the controller, the receiver configured to conduct information signals from the medication reader to the controller.

17. The medication safety system of claim 1 wherein:

the controller is further configured to provide an alert if it does not receive the vibration signal when the information device of the same medication container is read by the panel.

18. The medication safety system of claim 17 wherein the vibration sensor comprises a pressure transducer coupled to the conduit at an upstream portion of the delivery apparatus and adapted to convert changes in pressure in the medication of the conduit to an electrical signal.

19. A medication safety method for reading medication delivery information from an information device located at a medication container and providing that medication delivery information to a medication delivery apparatus, the method comprising:

mounting the medication container having the information device to a panel disposed above the medication delivery apparatus;

wirelessly reading the information device with a reader mounted in the panel and providing an information signal representative of the information contained in the information device;

imparting vibrations to the medication contained in the container at the panel;

sensing vibrations in the medication at the medication delivery apparatus; and

receiving the information signal and configuring the medication delivery apparatus in accordance with the information signal.

20. The medication safety method of claim 19 further comprising:

reading patient identification information and an infusion pump programming parameter from the information device;

comparing the patient identification information from the information device to information from a patient to which the medication delivery apparatus has been identified; and

automatically program the medication delivery apparatus with the pump programming parameter.

21. The medication safety method of claim 19 wherein the step of receiving the information signal and configuring the medication delivery apparatus in accordance with the information signal is performed wirelessly.

22. The medication safety method of claim 19 wherein the step of wirelessly reading the information device is performed with RF energy.

23. The medication safety method of claim 19 further comprising:

mounting multiple medication containers to the panel, each medication container having a respective information device; and

wirelessly reading each of the information devices with at least one reader mounted in the panel and providing information signals representative of the information contained in each of the information devices.

24. The medication safety method of claim 23 further comprising multiplexing the multiple information signals representative of the information contained in each of the information devices.

25. The medication safety method of claim 23 comprising:

wirelessly reading each of the plurality of information devices with multiple readers mounted in the panel and providing a plurality of information signals representative of the information contained in each of the information devices; and

multiplexing the multiple information signals representative of the information contained in each of the information devices.

26. The medication safety method of claim 23 further comprising:

comparing the patient identification information for each of the containers to a patient identified to the pump; and

if the identifications do not match, providing an alert.

27. The medication safety method of claim 19 further comprising:

comparing the delivery parameter read from the information device to a data base having an acceptable range for the delivery parameter; and

if the delivery parameter contained in the information signal is outside the acceptable range, providing an alert.

28. The medication safety method of claim 27 wherein the step of comparing further includes comparing the delivery parameter read from the information device to a data base having an acceptable range in which there is a hard limit and a soft limit;

disabling the operation of the pump if the delivery parameter from the information signal exceeds the hard limit; and

providing an alert if the delivery parameter from the information signal exceeds the soft limit but does not equal or exceed the hard limit and not disabling the pump from operation.

29. The medication safety method of claim 27 wherein the comparing step is performed at a controller of the medication delivery apparatus.

30. The medication safety method of claim 27 wherein the comparing step is performed at a location remote from the medication delivery apparatus.

31. The medication safety method of claim 19 further comprising wirelessly reading identification information of a patient and communicate the patient identification information to the medication delivery apparatus.

32. The medication safety method of claim 19 further comprising wirelessly reading identification information of a clinician and communicating the clinician identification information to the medication delivery apparatus.

33. The medication safety method of claim 19 further comprising:

mounting the panel and the medication delivery apparatus to an IV pole;

mounting a receiver at the pole adjacent the medication delivery apparatus; and

conducting information signals from the medication reader to the controller.

34. The medication safety method of claim 19 further comprising:

providing an alert if vibrations are not sensed when the information device of the same medication container is read at the panel.

35. The medication safety method of claim 19 further comprising:

imparting pressure disturbances to the medication contained in the container at the panel;

sensing pressure disturbances in the medication at the medication delivery apparatus; and

providing an alert if pressure disturbances are not sensed when the information device of the same medication container is read at the panel.