SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING PROGRESS OF DELIVERY OF A PATENT-SPECIFIC MEDICATION IN A HEALTHCARE FACILITY

• US 20120205441A1
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: UTECH, THOMAS, YAMAGA, CYNTHIA
• Granted Patent: US 8,844,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/376
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1408 the method being specifically adapted for the type of code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

Systems and methods of monitoring progress of delivery of a patient-specific medication are disclosed. A patient/medication identification (ID) device is provided on a package containing the medication, the patient/medication ID device comprising medication/patient information indicative of the medication and the patient. At least one location ID device is provided at a location, the at least one location ID device comprising a unique location ID associated with the location. The medication/patient information and the patient/medication ID are read. Delivery progress information indicative of a last-known read location where at least one of the medication/patient ID information and the unique location identifier was read is generated. The delivery progress information is stored in a database. The delivery progress information is accessed from the database in response to the request. A delivery status of the medication is indicated to the user.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring progress of delivery of a medication prescribed to a patient, the medication to be delivered to a delivery location in a healthcare facility, the system comprising:

a patient/medication identification (ID) device provided on a package containing the medication, the patient/medication ID device comprising medication/patient information indicative of the medication and the patient;

at least one location ID device provided at a stationary location, the at least one location ID device comprising a unique location ID associated with the location;

at least one reader device configured to read the medication/patient information from the patient/medication ID device and the unique location ID from the at least one location ID device;

a processor in data communication with the reader device and configured to;

receive the medication/patient ID information and the unique location ID, and

generate delivery progress information indicative of a last-known read location where at least one of the patient/medication ID information and the unique location ID was read by the at least one reader device;

a database in data communication with the processor and configured to store the delivery progress information; and

a tracking device in data communication with the database and configured to;

access the delivery progress information from the database in response to the request, and

indicate a progress of the delivery of the medication to the user based on the delivery progress information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the patient/medication ID device and the at least one location ID device comprises an RFID tag or a barcode label.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one reader device is a portable RFID reader or a barcode label reader configured for hand carry.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one reader device is an RFID reader or a barcode label reader coupled to a storage device at the delivery location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the last-known read location is an intermediate location between a starting location and the delivery location.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the intermediate location is one of a prep/fill area, and a delivery pickup station.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the last-known read location is the delivery location, and the delivery progress information is indicative of the delivery location, delivery time, and delivery person.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of predetermined delivery locations in the healthcare facility, each of the standard delivery locations having a unique location ID associated therewith;

and the processor is further configured to determine the last-known read location from the unique location ID.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device comprises a display, the display configured to indicate the last-known read location on a map of the healthcare facility.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device comprises an automatic dispensing machine (ADM) at a nursing station.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device comprises a mobile communication device configured to be carried by the user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tracking device is configured to indicate that the medication is not yet available at the delivery location, and at least one of the tracking device and the processor is configured to send an electronic notification to the mobile communication device carried by the user when the medication becomes available at the delivery location.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device is configured to automatically transmit information indicative of the progress of the delivery of the medication to the user.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device is configured to transmit information indicative of the progress of the delivery of the medication to the user upon receiving a request for the information from the user.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the patient/medication ID device and the location ID device is a passive ID device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the patient/medication ID device and the location ID device is an active ID device.

17. A method of monitoring progress of delivery of a medication prescribed to a patient, the medication to be delivered to a delivery location in a healthcare facility, the method comprising:

providing a patient/medication identification (ID) device on a package containing the medication, the patient/medication ID device comprising medication/patient information indicative of the medication and the patient;

providing at least one location ID device at a location, the at least one location ID device comprising a unique location ID associated with the location;

reading the medication/patient information from the patient/medication ID device and the patient/medication ID from the patient/medication ID;

generating delivery progress information indicative of a last-known read location where at least one of the medication/patient ID information and the unique location identifier was read;

storing the delivery progress information in a database;

accessing the delivery progress information from the database in response to the request, and

indicating a delivery status of the medication to the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the last-known read location is an intermediate location between a starting location and the delivery location.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the intermediate location is one of a prep/fill area, and a delivery pickup station.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the last-known read location is the delivery location, and the delivery progress information is indicative of the delivery location, delivery time, and delivery person.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein there are a plurality of standard delivery locations in the healthcare facility, each of the standard delivery locations having a unique location ID associated therewith, the method further comprising determining the delivery location from the unique location ID.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein indicating the delivery status comprises displaying the last-known read location to the user.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the last-known read location is displayed on a map of the healthcare facility.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein indicating the delivery status comprises indicating that the medication is not yet available at the delivery location, the method further comprising automatically sending an electronic notification to the mobile communication device carried by the user when the medication becomes available at the delivery location.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the delivery status is automatically indicated to the user.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the delivery status is indicated to the user upon a request by the user.

27. A system for monitoring progress of delivery of a medication prescribed to a patient, the medication to be delivered to a delivery location in a healthcare facility, the system comprising:

a patient/medication identification (ID) device provided on a package containing the medication, the patient/medication ID device comprising medication/patient information indicative of the medication and the patient;

a plurality of reader devices provided at a plurality of read locations and configured to read the medication/patient information from the patient/medication ID device;

a processor in data communication with the reader devices and configured to;

receive the medication/patient ID information read by a particular reader device among the plurality of reader devices and location information indicative of the particular reader device or a corresponding read location of the particular reader device, and

generate delivery progress information indicative of a last-known read location where the medication/patient ID information was read by the particular reader device based on the medication/patient ID information and the location information;

a database in data communication with the processor and configured to store the delivery progress information; and

a tracking device in data communication with the database and configured to;

receive a tracking request by a user,

access the delivery progress information from the database in response to the request, and

indicate a delivery status to the user based on the delivery progress information.