Medication requisition fulfillment system and method

• US 10,552,577 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter Corporation Englewood (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Baxter Corporation Englewood (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Schneider, Dennis I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hiep V
• Application Number:
  US14/424,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20150235003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,518 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A system and associated method are provided for fulfillment of medication requisitions corresponding to contained medication units. Requisition fulfillment logic may be included to provide decision data to a patient care provider for use in selecting one of a plurality of different fulfillment sites to fill a given medication requisition. A requisition router may route the medication requisition to a selected one of the plurality of fulfillment sites. The fulfillment sites may provide medication requisition metadata (e.g., data relating to the preparation and handling of medication units) to a medication requisition database in corresponding relation to the corresponding medication requisitions fulfilled by the fulfillment sites. The medication requisition metadata may be stored in the medication requisition database and accessed to facilitate enhanced management functionalities in relation to medication units dispensed by patient care providers.

Claims

1. A system for fulfillment of a medication requisition to obtain a contained medication unit to be dispensed by a patient care provider for administration to a patient, comprising:

a requisition generator for use by the patient care provider to generate a medication requisition, in an automated or partially automated manner, for the contained medication unit for administration to a patient, wherein the requisition generator is operable to derive data from a data stream to generate the medication requisition;

requisition fulfillment logic comprising an algorithm for use by the patient care provider and executed by a computer-based tool to process the medication requisition to provide decision data for use in selecting one of a plurality of fulfillment sites to fulfill the medication requisition,

wherein each of the plurality of fulfillment sites affirmatively sends both medication requisition fulfillment cost data and medication requisition fulfillment timing data to the requisition fulfillment logic, and

wherein the decision data is based at least in part on one of medication requisition fulfillment cost data or medication requisition fulfillment timing data corresponding to and provided by each of the plurality of fulfillment sites;

a medication requisition database, wherein each of said plurality of fulfillment sites is operable to provide medication requisition metadata for storage in the medication requisition database regarding medication requisition fulfillment at the fulfillment site; and

a requisition router in communication with a medication requisition management network to route the medication requisition to a medication requisition preparation management system of a selected fulfillment site selected from the plurality of fulfillment sites by way of the medication requisition management network for fulfillment of the medication requisition, wherein the medication requisition preparation management system is in operative communication with a work station at the selected fulfillment site to prepare the contained medication unit based on the medication requisition routed to the selected fulfillment site, wherein the work station prepares and presents to a user of the work station a work flow specific to the medication requisition being prepared at the work station including a sequence of steps to prepare the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition based on the work flow, wherein the work station records, utilizing data collection tools, medication requisition metadata comprising bar code scans of products and images of apparatus during or after use in the preparation of the contained medication unit documenting preparation of the contained medication unit in accordance with the work flow, wherein the contained medication unit is physically obtained by the patient care provider from the selected fulfillment site for dispensing and for administration to the patient, and wherein the selected fulfillment site provides the requisition router with medication requisition metadata via the medication requisition management network regarding the preparation of the contained medication unit for storage in the medication requisition database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of fulfillment sites is a remote fulfillment site that is remotely located relative to the patient care provider.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the requisition generator, requisition fulfillment logic, and requisition router are located at the patient care provider.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein another one of the plurality of fulfillment sites is at a patient care provider site corresponding to the patient care provider.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the patient care provider comprises an entity authorized by a governing regulatory body to prepare medication requisitions.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient care provider comprises one or more of the following:

an acute care site;

a hospital;

a home infusion pharmacy;

a physician office;

or

a free standing infusion clinic.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient care provider comprises a hospital having an affiliated pharmacy.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the medication requisition database is operable to store the medication requisition metadata in corresponding relation to a medication requisition record.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the contained medication unit comprises at least one of the following:

a patient specific unit comprising a medication unit designated for administration to a specific patient;

a non-patient specific unit comprising a medication unit to be subsequently designated for administration to a specific patient;

or,

a medication component source unit to be used in the preparation of a patient specific unit or a non-patient specific unit.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the contained medication unit comprises a nutritional supplement or a component of a nutritional supplement that requires administration by the patient care provider.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the contained medication unit is received by the patient care provider from the remote fulfillment site, wherein the contained medication unit is associated with a kit comprising a plurality of contained medication units, wherein the plurality of contained medication units have corresponding medication requisitions that are associable with a kit identifier corresponding with the kit, and wherein said kit identifier comprises a machine-readable marking on a container used for handling the plurality of contained medication units.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the contained medication unit is to be administered to the patient at the patient care provider site.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the medication requisition fulfillment cost data and the medication requisition fulfillment timing data are stored in the medication requisition database.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the medication requisition fulfillment timing data comprises at least one of:

medication requisition fulfillment lead time data;

medication requisition availability data;

medication requisition delivery schedule data;

medication requisition efficacy timing data;

or

medication unit component efficacy timing data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of fulfillment sites provides a portion of the medication requisition fulfillment cost data and medication requisition fulfillment timing data corresponding to the respective fulfillment site to the medication requisition database.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein requisition fulfillment logic is at least in part customizable by the patient care provider.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the algorithm is for use in processing the medication requisition in relation to both stored medication requisition fulfillment cost data and stored medication requisition timing data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the algorithm comprises selectable weighting parameters associated with each of the medication requisition fulfillment cost data and the medication requisition fulfillment timing data.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the weighting parameters associated with the medication requisition fulfillment cost data and the medication requisition fulfillment timing data are customizable by the patient care provider.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the patient care provider defines additional logic parameters for use by the requisition fulfillment logic.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the requisition fulfillment logic is operable to automatically select the selected fulfillment site at least partially based on the decision data.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the requisition router is operable to automatically route the medication requisition to the selected fulfillment site for fulfillment of the medication requisition.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected fulfillment site is adapted to selectively, automatically, or semi-automatically communicate a requisition rejection to the requisition fulfillment logic and medication requisition database in relation to the medication requisition, wherein the requisition fulfillment logic is operable to reprocess the medication requisition to generate decision data for use in the selection of another one of the plurality of fulfillment sites for fulfillment of the medication requisition.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient care provider is capable of accessing at least a portion of the medication requisition metadata from the medication requisition database.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the medication requisition metadata comprises at least one of the following types of data:

medication source data indicative of at least one of;

a manufacturer of a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

a lot number of a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

an expiration date of a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

a serial number of a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition, or

a drug code indicative of an identity of a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition;

chain of custody data indicative of at least one of;

a listing of entities in possession of a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

a listing of users that have taken an action with respect to the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition, wherein the listing of users is correlated to specific actions taken by each user, or

tracking information corresponding to physical movement of a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or

the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition;

fulfillment data indicative of at least one of;

image data corresponding with a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

scanned data obtained from a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

analytic data regarding a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

pharmacist review data corresponding with at least one pharmacist review of a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

compliance data corresponding with best practices associated with a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

sterility assessment data corresponding to a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

a listing of actions corresponding to a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition,

time stamp data corresponding to actions corresponding to a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition, or

a listing of life cycle events taken with respect to a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition;

or

environmental data indicative of at least one of;

a temperature to which a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition has been exposed,

a temperature to which and corresponding time period for which a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition has been exposed,

whether a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition is refrigerated,

whether a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition is frozen,

a temperature profile experienced by a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition, or

accelerometer data corresponding to forces experienced by a component of the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition or the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition.

26. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a distributed medication requisition management system comprising a distributed medication requisition management client at each of the plurality of fulfillment sites in operative communication with the requisition router to receive the medication requisition from the requisition router.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

the medication requisition management network at least comprising the distributed medication requisition management clients, the medication requisition database, and the requisition router.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein at least a portion of the medication requisition fulfillment cost data and the medication requisition fulfillment timing data is located at a separate physical location.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the medication requisition database is operative to store the medication requisition in particular, wherein the medication requisition database is operative to store the medication requisition fulfillment cost data and/or wherein the medication requisition database is operative to store the medication requisition fulfillment timing data.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the medication requisition database stores the medication requisition metadata in corresponding relation to the medication requisition.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected fulfillment site provides medication requisition metadata to the medication requisition database.

32. A distributed medication requisition management system, comprising:

a requisition generator to generate a medication requisition for a contained medication unit for dispensing by a patient care provider;

a medication requisition database operable to store the medication requisition;

a plurality of medication requisition management clients resident at a plurality of fulfillment sites capable of fulfilling the medication requisition;

a medication requisition management network in operative communication with each of the plurality of medication requisition management clients, the medication requisition database, and the requisition generator, wherein the medication requisition management network is operable to provide the medication requisition to a medication requisition preparation management system of a selected fulfillment site of the plurality of fulfillment sites,

wherein each of the plurality of fulfillment sites affirmatively sends both medication requisition fulfillment cost data and medication requisition fulfillment timing data to the medication requisition management network, and

wherein the medication requisition preparation management system is in operative communication with a work station at the selected fulfillment site to prepare a contained medication unit based on the medication requisition routed to the selected fulfillment site;

wherein the work station prepares and presents to a user of the work station a work flow specific to the medication requisition being prepared at the work station including a sequence of steps to prepare the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition based on the work flow, wherein the work station records, utilizing data collection tools, medication requisition metadata comprising bar code scans of products and images of apparatus during or after use in the preparation of the contained medication unit documenting preparation of the contained medication unit in accordance with the work flow; and

wherein the patient care provider physically obtains the contained medication unit corresponding with the medication requisition from the selected fulfillment site for dispensing and administration to the patient, and wherein the selected fulfillment site provides medication requisition metadata regarding the preparation of the contained medication unit to the medication requisition management network for storage in the medication requisition database in corresponding relation to the medication requisition.

33. A method for fulfillment of a medication requisition to be dispensed by a patient care provider for administration to a patient, comprising:

generating a medication requisition by use of a requisition generator coupled with a patient care provider, said medication requisition being for a contained medication unit for administration to a patient;

processing the medication requisition by use of requisition fulfillment logic by the patient care provider and executed by a computer-based tool, said processing providing decision data for use in selecting one of a plurality of fulfillment sites to fulfill the medication requisition,

wherein each of the plurality of fulfillment sites affirmatively sends both medication requisition fulfillment cost data and medication requisition fulfillment timing data to the requisition fulfillment logic, and

wherein the decision data is based at least in part on one of medication requisition fulfillment cost data or medication requisition fulfillment timing data received from and corresponding to each of the plurality of fulfillment sites;

routing the medication requisition by a requisition router, in communication with a medication requisition management network, to a medication requisition preparation management system of a selected fulfillment site selected from the plurality of fulfillment sites by way of the medication requisition management network for preparation of the contained medication unit according to the medication requisition, wherein the medication requisition preparation management system is in operative communication with a work station at the selected fulfillment site to prepare the contained medication unit based on the medication requisition,

wherein the work station prepares and presents to a user of the work station a work flow specific to the medication requisition being prepared at the work station including a sequence of steps to prepare the contained medication unit corresponding to the medication requisition based on the work flow, wherein the work station records, utilizing data collection tools, medication requisition metadata comprising bar code scans of products and images of apparatus during or after use in the preparation of the contained medication unit documenting preparation of the contained medication unit in accordance with the work flow;

physically receiving at the patient care provider from the selected fulfillment site the contained medication unit along with medication requisition metadata via the medication requisition management network regarding the preparation of the contained medication unit; and

storing the medication requisition metadata regarding the preparation of the contained medication unit in a medication requisition database.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

selecting automatically, by operation of said requisition fulfillment logic, the selected fulfillment site at least partially based on the decision data.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

routing automatically, by operation of said router, the medication requisition to the selected fulfillment site for fulfillment of the medication requisition.