Methods, systems, and products for tracking surgical items

• US 8,781,920 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kreiner, Barrett, Reeves, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): CRAWLEY, TALIA F
• Application Number:
  US13/205,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20120136674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 606/1
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/00 ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products track equipment used during surgical procedures. An allowable zone associated with a surgical procedure is identified. The allowable zone determines where surgical items may be used during the procedure. A location of a surgical item is determined. When the location is outside the allowable zone, an alarm is triggered to indicate the surgical item is moving outside the allowable zone towards an area in which the surgical item may not be used.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, via a computing device, an allowable zone in a patient'"'"'s body associated with a surgical procedure in which a surgical item is to be used;

determining, via the computing device, a location of the surgical item;

determining, via the computing device, when the location of the surgical item is outside the allowable zone; and

triggering, via the computing device, an alarm to indicate that the surgical item is outside the allowable zone, when the location of the surgical item is outside the allowable zone.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the surgical procedure to a patient.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interrogating a tag to determine the location of the surgical item.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a zone in which the surgical item is not to be used.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

matching the surgical item to the surgical procedure.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

producing an alarm when the surgical item does not match the surgical procedure.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

billing for the surgical item used during the surgical procedure.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an inventory of the surgical item.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing a remaining inventory of the surgical item to a reorder point; and

when the remaining inventory is below the reorder point, ordering a new inventory of the surgical item.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor executing a program that causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

identifying an allowable zone in a patient'"'"'s body associated with a surgical procedure in which a surgical item is to be used;

determining a location of the surgical item;

determining the location is outside the allowable zone; and

triggering an alarm to indicate the surgical item is outside the allowable zone.

11. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

associating the surgical procedure to a patient.

12. The system of claim 11, the operations further comprising:

producing an alarm when the surgical procedure does not match the patient.

13. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

interrogating a tag to determine the location of the surgical item.

14. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

identifying a zone in which the surgical item is not to be used.

15. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

matching the surgical item to the surgical procedure.

16. The system of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

producing an alarm when the surgical item does not match the surgical procedure.

17. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

billing for the surgical item used during the surgical procedure.

18. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

determining an inventory of the surgical item.

19. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

comparing a remaining inventory of the surgical item to a reorder point; and

when the remaining inventory is below the reorder point, ordering a new inventory of the surgical item.

20. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

tracking a time the surgical item was used during the surgical procedure.