Removal or return of items associated with a patient-specific bin systems and methods

• US 8,239,062 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Inventors: Vahlberg, John, Cohen, Dan, Cartright, Jennifer, Caldwell, Richard, Blank, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US12/140,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20080319577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices are described related to the assignment and management of patient-specific bins. A dispensing device at a healthcare facility includes a number of bins for storage of medical supplies, with some of the bins designated as patient-specific bins allocated to be assigned to patients for storage of their medications or certain other supplies. A central server computer system, in communication with a computer of the dispensing device, may monitor and assign current and future patient-specific use of the bins for the dispensing device. The assignment and management of patient-specific bins may be performed by devices distributed through the system.

Claims

1. A system for identifying discontinued medications from a patient-specific bin, the system comprising:

a dispensing device of a healthcare facility, the dispensing device including one or more patient-specific bins assigned to a patient for exclusive storage of medications for the patient; and

a central server computer system, communicatively coupled to the dispensing device; and

configured to;

determine that the patient is to be transferred from an area associated with the dispensing device, the determination triggering removal of discontinued medications associated with the patient;

identify medications stored in the one or more patient-specific bins assigned to the patient;

identify a medication order associated with the patient;

automatically identify, in response to the determination that the patient is to be transferred, a first subset of the identified medications discontinued according to the medication order;

transmit a set of data directing removal of the identified medications from the one or more patient-specific bins;

identify one or more return locations for the subset of discontinued medications; and

transmit the identified return locations to the dispensing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

receive data from the one or more return locations indicating receipt of one or more of the subset of discontinued medications; and

track a location for the one or more of the subset of discontinued medications.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

automatically identify, in response to the determination that the patient is to be transferred, a second subset of the identified medications to be removed and transferred, wherein the second subset is exclusive of the first subset.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

receive notice of a triggering event, the triggering event comprising notice of stocking the transferred medications to one or more patient-specific bins at a different dispensing device;

access a modified medication order for the patient; and

automatically identifying, in response to the received notice of the triggering event, a subset of the transferred medication discontinued according to the modified medication order.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

identify an additional set of medications to be restocked for the patient in one or more patient-specific bins at a dispensing device associated with the area the patient is being transferred to; and

automatically identify a subset of the additional set of medications discontinued according to the medication order.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

determine that the patient is to be discharged; and

automatically identify active medications to be returned to the patient.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

determine that the patient is remaining at the healthcare facility for additional care, wherein the determination comprises a finding that no notice of discharge is currently associated with the patient.

8. A dispensing device with an integrated computer configured to identify medications to be removed from patient-specific bins, the dispensing device comprising:

one or more patient-specific bins assigned to a patient for exclusive storage of medications for the patient; and

a computer, integrated with the dispensing device and communicatively coupled with the one or more patient-specific bins; and

configured to;

determine that the patient is to be transferred from an area associated with the dispensing device, the determination triggering removal of discontinued medications associated with the patient;

identify medications stored in the one or more patient-specific bins assigned to the patient;

identify a medication order associated with the patient;

automatically identify, in response to the determination that the patient is to be transferred, a subset of the identified medications discontinued according to the medication order; and

receive data identifying one or more return locations for the subset of discontinued medications.

9. The dispensing device of claim 8, wherein the identified medications stored in the one or more patient-specific bins and the identified medication order are received from a central server computer system in communication with the dispensing device.

10. A method to identify discontinued medications associated with a patient assigned to patient-specific bins, the method comprising:

determining that the patient is to be transferred from a first area, the determination triggering removal of discontinued medications associated with the patient;

identifying a first set of medications stored at the first area in one or more first patient-specific bins assigned to the patient;

identifying a second set of medications to be stocked or restocked at a second area for the patient in one or more second patient-specific bins assigned to the patient;

comparing, in response to the determination that the patient is to be transferred, the first set of medications and the second set of medications with a medication order associated with the patient; and

automatically identifying a subset of the first set and second set of medications discontinued according to the medication order, the automatic identification based at least in part on the comparison.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying one or more return locations for the subset of discontinued medications; and

transmitting, to a dispensing device associated with the one or more first patient-specific bins assigned to the patient, a set of data directing removal of the identified medications and identifying the destination locations.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

automatically identifying a subset of the second set of medications oversupplied according to the medication order, the automatic identification based at least in part on the comparison; and

identifying an amount of oversupply.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein,

the medication order includes a modification from a previous medication order;

the previous medication order was used to select the second set of medications for restocking; and

the discontinued subset includes at least some of the second set of medications.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the patient is to be discharged; and

automatically identifying, from the one or more patient-specific bins, medications of the first set brought to the healthcare facility by the patient to be returned to the patient.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein,

at least one of the patient-specific bins is included in a dispensing device comprising a cabinet;

and

at least one of the patient-specific bins comprise a selection from the group consisting of a container, mechanism, location, zone, and any combination thereof.

16. A method to identify medications for return to a patient assigned to one or more patient-specific bins, the method comprising:

receiving a set of triggering data including notice of a triggering event;

identifying a first set of medications stored in the one or more patient-specific bins assigned to the patient;

determining that the patient is to be discharged from a healthcare facility;

automatically identifying discontinued medication to be removed from the one or more patient-specific bins; and

automatically identifying medications to be returned to the patient.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving notification of a discharge from the healthcare facility for the patient, the received notification of discharge comprising the set of triggering data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the identified medications to be returned to the patient are limited to medications brought to the healthcare facility by the patient.

19. A system for removal of medications from patient-specific bins, the system comprising:

a first dispensing device and second dispensing device at a healthcare facility; and

a central server computer system, communicatively coupled to the dispensing device, and configured to;

receive a first set of data including notice of a transfer of medications from one or more patient-specific bins assigned to the patient at the first dispensing device to the second dispensing device, the transfer of medications resulting from a transfer of the patient;

identify medications stored in the one or more patient-specific bins assigned to the patient at the first dispensing device;

identify, at a first time, a medication order associated with the patient;

automatically identify, in response to the received first set of data, a subset of the identified medication discontinued according to the medication order;

receive a second set of data including notice of stocking of the transferred medications from the first dispensing device to one or more patient-specific bins at the second dispensing device;

identify, at a second time later than the first time, a modified medication order associated with the patient;

automatically identifying, in response to the received second set of data, a subset of the transferred medications discontinued according to the modified medication order; and

directing the stocking of the transferred medication exclusive of the subset discontinued according to the modified medication order.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

transmit data directing removal of the subset of the identified medication discontinued according to the medication order; and

transmit data directing return of the subset of the transferred medications discontinued according to the modified medication order.