STERILE MEDICATION IDENTIFICATION DELIVERY AND APPLICATION SYSTEM

• US 20090114729A1
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 10 To The -6, LLC
• Original Assignee: SafeMed, Inc. (Humana Incorporated)
• Inventors: CONNER, NORA M., SCHUMACHER, MEGAN T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,815,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/28 Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation, e.g. indicators which change colour apparatus involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M1/34; methods involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/181 Flexible packaging means, e.g. permeable membranes, paper
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/60 with identification means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0288 Labels or tickets consisting of more than one part, e.g. with address of sender or other reference on separate section to main label; Multi-copy labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0289 Pull- or fold-out labels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

This disclosure is directed towards a method and apparatus provided for improved sterile labeling on medications, solutions and medical supplies. The apparatus includes a sterile label, including associated corresponding medical product information. The sterile label is contained inside a sterile cavity housing which is formed from a first and second sheet of flexible plastic or other material. The flexible plastic material is bound together along its peripheral edges by an adhesive or heat sealing process. In this form, the flexible plastic or other material creates a package which may be peeled apart, enabling the label to be delivered or flipped to a sterile field while maintaining sterility. The label may contain on it many types of information corresponding to a medication. Furthermore, information can be added by a user. The disclosure makes the medication labeling system more accurate, safe and legible.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sterile labeling on medications, solutions, and medical supplies or accessories comprising:

at least one sterile label including associated corresponding medical product'"'"'s information; and

a first and second sheet of flexible material, each sheet having peripheral edges where at least two of said peripheral edges on each of said sheets form a joint bonded in communication with one another, said first and second sheets form an internal cavity adapted or subjected to a sterilization process, and housing said sterile label, where said sterile label may be applied to a sterile field while maintaining sterility.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said first and second sheet are transparent.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sterile labels are waterproof.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sterile labels use indelible ink and phosphorescent ink.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sterile labels use indelible ink.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sterile labels use phosphorescent ink.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sterile labels are constructed out of synthetic stock.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second sheet are bonded through a heated sealing process.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein said first and second sheet are bound through an adhesive.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sterile label is produced at the time of bottling the corresponding medication.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sterile label includes a barcode specific to the associated corresponding medical product.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sterile label includes space for additional information to be added by a user.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the associated corresponding medical product'"'"'s information includes expiration information.

14. A method of delivering sterile labels to a sterile field by a circulating medical professional comprising:

peeling apart a package containing a sterile label having information about a corresponding medication, where said package includes a first and second sheet of flexible material bound together on at least one of each sheet'"'"'s peripheral edge and forming a cavity subjected to a sterilization process and thereafter maintain the sterility of said cavity; and

delivering said sterile label from said package into a sterile field maintaining sterility.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein delivering said sterile label includes flipping the label into a sterile surface.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein after delivering said sterile label to a sterile field a sterile medical professional places the label onto a medical accessory.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein said information includes the name of the medication, strength and dosage.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein said information includes a bar code specific to the corresponding medication.

19. A method of manufacturing a sterile labeling system comprising:

printing a label having medical information corresponding to a medical product;

enclosing said label inside of at least two sheets of material that are bonded together with adhesive or heat sealed, said sheets of material together form a pocket in which said label is held;

sterilizing said adjoined sheets with label contained within said pocket; and

attaching the entire package containing said label along with the original medication container from the point of packaging said medication within said original medication container.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein printing said label includes printing a bar code corresponding to said medical product.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein printing said label includes printing manufacture information specific to the medication.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein printing said label includes expiration information.