CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AN RFID-BASED SYSTEM FOR ASSEMBLING AND VERIFYING OUTBOUND SURGICAL EQUIPMENT CORRESPONDING TO A PARTICULAR SURGERY

• US 20070001839A1
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Varner, Robert, Cambre, Christopher, Tethrake, Steven, Chun, Chad, Shettler, Amy
• Granted Patent: US 7,492,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.120
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A control system for an RFID-based system for assembling and verifying outbound surgical equipment corresponding to a particular surgery. A user enters a identification number of a surgery. The control system queries a database of surgery information and outputs a list of required surgical equipment, such as surgical instrument sets. An operator uses the list to pick instrument sets for loading into a shipping tote. Each set is tagged with an RFID inventory tag that stores identification information for that set such as a set name and ID number. The shipping tote is passed through an RFID reader and identification data read from the tags is compared against the identification data for sets required for that surgery. A status indicator is activated to alert a user as to whether the surgery is complete that is, all expected sets are present, or that exception handling is required. The control system updates a database such as an ERP system to reflect that the surgery including the required sets has shipped—and the sets are inventoried out to the intended recipient.

Claims

1. A system for assembling and verifying outbound surgical equipment corresponding to a particular surgery comprising:

a data processor adapted to receive a data input comprising an identification number of a surgical procedure;

a communications link coupled to the data processor adapted to query a database using at least the identification number of the surgical procedure;

a user interface adapted to display information corresponding to surgical equipment required for that surgical procedure;

a container adapted to contain the corresponding surgical equipment;

an RFID reader adapted to read identification information from RFID tags attached to the surgical equipment and to supply the read information to the data processor; and

a status indicator adapted to provide a status indication to a user, wherein the status indicator indicates to a user a status of the surgical equipment for the surgical procedure based on a determination by the data processor.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data input is received via at least one data input device selected from the group consisting of a bar code scanner, a key board, a touch screen, an RFID reader, a keyboard, and combinations thereof.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the database comprises an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software system that contains data on multiple surgical procedures and surgical equipment required for those procedures.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the surgical equipment comprises one or more surgical instrument sets each containing one or more surgical instruments.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein each of the one or more surgical instrument sets comprises an RFID tag containing programmable information associated with that set.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a display device displaying a software window that lists a name and an identification number of each item of surgical equipment required for the current surgical procedure.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the container comprises a surgical instrument set shipping tote into which an operator loads the required surgical equipment.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the RFID reader is a pass-through-type reader station.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data processor is adapted to compare the read identification information to the displayed information corresponding to surgical equipment required for that surgical procedure.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the status determination by the data processor comprises a determination of at least one status selected from the group consisting of surgery complete, surgical equipment missing, incorrect surgical equipment present and superfluous surgical equipment present.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the status indicator is adapted to alert a user whether the surgery is complete and ready for shipping or whether exception handling is required.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a shipping rate calculator and shipping air bill printer for printing a shipping label for the container.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the communication link is further adapted to update the database to reflect a complete status for the surgical procedure after a surgery complete status is indicated.

14. A computer readable storage medium containing computer readable instructions stored therein for operating a system for assembling and verifying outbound surgical equipment corresponding to a particular surgery, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving a first data input identifying a surgical procedure;

instructions for querying a database using the first data input;

instructions for outputting a list of surgical equipment associated with the particular surgery;

instructions for activating an RFID reader to read identification information from surgical equipment placed in proximity to the RFID reader;

instructions for comparing the identification information with identification information associated with the list of surgical equipment; and

instructions for activating an indicator based on a results of comparing.

15. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the instructions for querying a status database comprise instructions for querying a database system using a surgical procedure identification number and for retrieving identification information including at least a name and identification number of each item of surgical equipment associated with the surgical procedure identification number in the database.

16. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the instructions for querying a status database comprise instructions for querying an ERP software system.

17. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the instructions for comparing the identification information with identification information associated with the list of surgical equipment comprises instructions for determining if all expected surgical equipment is present, if one or more items of surgical equipment are missing, or if unexpected items of surgical equipment are present.

18. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the instructions for activating an indicator comprise instructions for activating an indicator to indicate either that the surgery is complete or that exception handling is required.

19. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, further comprising instructions for updating the database to reflect that the surgical equipment has been inventoried out after a status of surgery complete has been indicated.

20. A control system for a system for assembling and verifying outbound surgical equipment corresponding to a particular surgical procedure comprising:

a data input module for receiving a user input indicative of a identification number of a surgical procedure;

a database module storing a plurality of surgical procedures and a list of surgical equipment associated with each procedure;

a data processor module adapted to query the database module using the data input to determine a list of required surgical equipment;

an output module adapted to output the list of surgical equipment so that a user can pick the required equipment;

an RFID reader module adapted to acquire identification information from RFID tags associated with each item of surgical equipment and to provide the identification information to the data processor module to be compared against identification information of equipment on the list; and

a status indication module adapted to output a status of the surgical procedure based on results of the comparison, wherein the status indicates whether the surgical procedure is ready for shipping or that exception handling is required.