Smart medication waste disposal

• US 9,283,321 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Nelson, Elizabeth, Peterson, Bart D., Marshall, William R., Davis, Bryan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Huan
• Application Number:
  US13/410,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 702/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/168 Means for controlling media flow to the body or for metering media to the body, e.g. drip meters, counters ; Monitoring media flow to the body flow control in general G05D7/00
• 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 system for recording the wasting of fluids includes a waste disposal unit and a sensor system, having a sensor. The sensor can have one or more sensor elements in fluid communication with a fluid as it is wasted from a container into the waste disposal unit. The sensor system is configured to identify one or more drugs within the fluid and record the identity of the one or more drugs in a computer-readable medium electrically coupled to the sensor system.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the disposal of a fluid, the system comprising:

a waste disposal unit having a port defining an inlet to a fluid pathway of the waste disposal unit, the port being configured to allow a fluid container to be coupled to the waste disposal unit to cause fluid within the fluid container to flow through the fluid pathway, the waste disposal unit comprising one or more sensors positioned in the fluid pathway for generating raw data defining one or more characteristics of a fluid as the fluid flows through the fluid pathway; and

a processor unit configured to receive the raw data from the one or more sensors and process the raw data to identify a drug contained in the fluid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics of the fluid comprise one or more of a refractive index, electrochemical potential, impedance, admittance, or conductivity of the fluid.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic record operably connected to the processor unit via a network.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor unit is configured to record the identified drug to the electronic record.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor unit is further configured to process the raw data to identify one or more of a diluent of the fluid or a concentration of the drug within the fluid.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor unit is configured to record the identified drug and the one or more of the diluent of the fluid or the concentration of the drug within the fluid to the electronic record.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the fluid comprises a fluid that was prepared for administration to a patient, and wherein the processor unit is configured to access information previously stored on the electronic record, the previously stored information defining one or more of a drug, diluent, or concentration of the drug within the fluid when the fluid was prepared for administration.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor unit is configured to compare the previously stored information to the identified drug and the one or more of the diluent of the fluid or the concentration of the drug within the fluid.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are further configured to identify a volume of the fluid.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input device configured to receive information from a label on the fluid container.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device operably coupled to the processor unit.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid pathway further includes one or more of:

an internal reservoir within the waste disposal unit in which the fluid is collected;

or

an outlet for wasting the fluid into a drain.

13. A system for tracking the disposal of a fluid, the system comprising:

a waste disposal unit having an internal reservoir for collecting a fluid, the waste disposal unit having a port defining an inlet to the internal reservoir, the port being configured to allow a fluid container to be coupled to the waste disposal unit to cause fluid within the fluid container to flow into the internal reservoir, the waste disposal unit comprising one or more sensors positioned within the port for generating raw data defining one or more characteristics of a fluid as the fluid flows through the port; and

a processor unit configured to receive the raw data from the one or more sensors and process the raw data to identify a drug contained in the fluid.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more characteristics of the fluid comprise one or more of a refractive index, electrochemical potential, impedance, admittance, or conductivity of the fluid.

15. A system for tracking the disposal of a fluid, the system comprising:

a waste disposal unit having a port defining an inlet to a tube that extends through the waste disposal unit, the port being configured to allow a fluid container to be coupled to the waste disposal unit to cause fluid within the fluid container to flow through the tube, the waste disposal unit further including an opening through which the tube passes to allow an end of the tube to be positioned in a drain, the waste disposal unit comprising one or more sensors positioned in the tube for generating raw data defining one or more characteristics of a fluid as the fluid flows through the tube; and

a processor unit configured to receive the raw data from the one or more sensors and process the raw data to identify a drug contained in the fluid.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more characteristics of the fluid comprise one or more of a refractive index, electrochemical potential, impedance, admittance, or conductivity of the fluid.