System and method for synchronizing medication configuration information among systems containing medication configuration information

• US 8,660,860 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hospira Incorporated (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Wehba, Steven R., Rinda, Jeffrey E., Ward, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HIEP VAN
• Application Number:
  US12/265,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,938 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

A method and system for synchronizing medication configuration information. A primary medication configuration computer is adapted to receive medication configuration content from a medication configuration content source. The primary medication configuration computer is also adapted to generate medication configuration change information and transmit the medication configuration change information to an ancillary medication configuration computer, adapted to receive the medication configuration change information from the primary medication configuration computer. The ancillary medication configuration computer is also adapted to filter the medication configuration change information by applying a filtering rule to generate filtered medication configuration change information. The ancillary medication configuration computer is further adapted to store the filtered medication configuration change information in a repository and transmit at least a portion of the filtered medication configuration change information to a management client computer. The ancillary medication configuration computer is also adapted to receive an implementation decision about the portion of the filtered medication configuration change information, accepting or rejecting the portion of the filtered medication configuration change information. The ancillary medication configuration computer is also adapted to transmitting the accepted filtered medication configuration change information to an ancillary system database for integrating the accepted filtered medication configuration change information into the ancillary system database.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing medication configuration information between a primary medication configuration computer and an ancillary medication configuration computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving medication configuration change information from the primary medication configuration computer at the ancillary medication configuration computer,

applying a filtering rule to generate an include information set comprising medication change configuration information that meets a predetermined set of criteria;

determining, based on the filtering rule, that the include information set should not be excluded from a management client computer;

determining that the include information set has corresponding medication configuration information already stored in a repository at the ancillary medication configuration computer;

overwriting the corresponding medication configuration information with the include information set to generate updated medication configuration information; and

,

transmitting at least a portion of the updated medication configuration information from the ancillary medication configuration computer to the management client computer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the medication configuration information is formulary medication information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary medication configuration computer is a centralized healthcare institution computer comprising a medication formulary computer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the ancillary medication configuration computer performs the step of applying the filtering rule to generate the include information set.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request to enter the filtering rule from the ancillary medication configuration computer; and

,

receiving the filtering rule at the ancillary medication configuration computer.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

generating a filtering rules interface screen for receiving the filtering rule at the ancillary medication configuration computer.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving an implementation decision regarding the include information set at the ancillary medication configuration computer from the management client computer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the implementation decision comprises accepting the include information set to establish an accepted filtered medication configuration change information.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

transmitting the accepted filtered medication configuration change information to at least one of an ancillary system formulary database and an ancillary clinical information system database; and

,

integrating the accepted filtered medication configuration change information into the at least one of the ancillary system formulary database and the ancillary clinical information system database.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the medication configuration information comprises formulary medication information.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the formulary medication information is selected from a group consisting of generic name, brand name, external identifier, strength amount, strength units, volume amount, volume units, dosage form code, and dosage form description.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the medication configuration information is selected from a group consisting of generic name, brand name, rule set type, concentration, dosing units, lower hard limit, lower soft limit, upper soft limit, and upper hard limit.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the filtering rule is selected from a group consisting of a dosage form and a medication identifier.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined filtering criteria comprise a dosage form or a medication identifier.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the dosage form includes one of a dosage form code and a dosage form description.

16. A system for synchronizing medication configuration information comprising:

a primary medication configuration computer adapted to receive medication configuration content from a medication configuration content source, adapted to generate medication configuration change information, and adapted to transmit the medication configuration change information; and

,

an ancillary medication configuration computer adapted to receive medication configuration change information from the primary medication configuration computer, and adapted to;

apply a filtering rule to generate an include information set comprising medication change configuration information that meets a predetermined set of criteria,

determine, based on the filtering rule, that the include information set should not be excluded from a management client computer,

determine that the include information set has corresponding medication configuration information already stored in a repository,

overwrite the corresponding medication configuration information with the include information set to generate updated medication configuration information, and

transmit at least a portion of the updated medication configuration information to the management client computer.

17. A system for synchronizing medication configuration information comprising:

a primary medication configuration computer comprising a pharmacy application adapted to receive medication configuration content comprising formulary medication information, wherein the pharmacy application is adapted to generate medication configuration change information and transmit the medication configuration change information; and

,

an ancillary medication configuration computer comprising an interface application adapted to receive medication configuration change information from the primary medication configuration computer, the ancillary configuration computer further comprising a filtering application adapted to filter the medication configuration change information by applying a filtering rule to generate an include information set comprising medication change configuration information that meets a predetermined set of criteria, wherein the ancillary medication configuration computer is further adapted to;

determine, based on the filtering rule, that the include information set should not be excluded from a management client computer, and

determine that the include information set has corresponding medication configuration information already stored in a repository,

wherein the ancillary medication configuration computer further comprises a repository management application adapted to;

overwrite the corresponding medication configuration information with the include information set to generate updated medication configuration information, and

transmit at least a portion of the updated medication configuration information to the management client computer for receiving an implementation decision about the updated medication configuration information.

18. A computer program product for synchronizing medication configuration information between a primary medication configuration computer and an ancillary medication configuration computer, comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with software comprising:

a first code segment for receiving medication configuration change information from the primary medication configuration computer at the ancillary medication configuration computer;

a second code segment for applying a filtering rule to generate an include information set comprising medication change configuration information that meets a predetermined set of criteria;

a third code segment for, based on the filtering rule, determining that the include information set should not be excluded from a management client computer;

a fourth code segment for determining that the include information set has corresponding medication configuration information already stored in a repository;

a fifth code segment for overwriting the corresponding medication configuration information with the include information set to generate update medication configuration information; and

,

a sixth code segment for transmitting at least a portion of the updated medication configuration information to the management client computer.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising:

a seventh code segment for transmitting a request to enter the filtering rule from the ancillary medication configuration computer; and

,

an eighth code segment for receiving the filtering rule at the ancillary medication configuration computer.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising:

a ninth code segment for generating a filtering rules interface screen for receiving the filtering rule at the ancillary medication configuration computer.

21. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising:

a tenth code segment for receiving an implementation decision accepting the include information set at the ancillary medication configuration computer from the management client computer.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising:

an eleventh code segment for transmitting the accepted include information set to at least one of an ancillary system formulary database; and

,

a twelfth code segment for integrating the accepted include information set into the ancillary system formulary database.