Point-of-care inventory management system and method
First Claim
1. A method of controlling an inventory of a plurality of point-of-care diagnostic devices including at least one type of device, wherein the inventory includes a main inventory and at least one subinventory, wherein each subinventory is associated with a point-of-care location, and wherein each device has an ambient temperature shelf life and is configured to perform at least one sample analysis, the method comprising the steps of:
- a.) entering data associated with the devices, wherein each device has an ambient temperature shelf life and is configured to perform at least one sample analysis,wherein the data includes a current quantity of the at least one type of device in the main inventory and a predetermined minimum quantity of the devices of said at least one type of device in the main inventory, andwherein the data further includes a current quantity of the at least one type of device in the at least one subinventory and a predetermined minimum quantity of the devices of said at least one type of device in the at least one subinventory, wherein each subinventory is associated with a point-of-care location;
b.) associating a first timestamp with each device when the device is transferred from the main inventory to an ambient temperature subinventory,wherein the main inventory comprises a controlled inventory;
c.) comparing the first timestamp to a second timestamp prior to use of the device to determine whether the ambient temperature shelf life of the device is exceeded, said second timestamp being associated with the device prior to the use of the device but after application of said first timestamp; and
d.) automatically updating the current quantity of the devices in the at least one subinventory in response to an occurrence of an event that causes a change in the current quantity of the devices in the at least one subinventory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for controlling an inventory of point-of-care diagnostic devices. The inventory includes a main inventory and at least one subinventory. Each device has an ambient temperature shelf life. Data associated with the devices is entered, including: the current quantity and predetermined minimum quantity of devices in the main inventory; and the current quantity and predetermined minimum quantity of devices in the subinventory. A first timestamp is associated with each device when the device is transferred from the main inventory to the ambient temperature subinventory. The first timestamp is compared to a second timestamp prior to use of the device to determine whether the device'"'"'s ambient temperature shelf life is exceeded. The current quantity of devices in the subinventory is updated in response to an event that causes a change in the current quantity of devices in the subinventory.
110 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of controlling an inventory of a plurality of point-of-care diagnostic devices including at least one type of device, wherein the inventory includes a main inventory and at least one subinventory, wherein each subinventory is associated with a point-of-care location, and wherein each device has an ambient temperature shelf life and is configured to perform at least one sample analysis, the method comprising the steps of:
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a.) entering data associated with the devices, wherein each device has an ambient temperature shelf life and is configured to perform at least one sample analysis, wherein the data includes a current quantity of the at least one type of device in the main inventory and a predetermined minimum quantity of the devices of said at least one type of device in the main inventory, and wherein the data further includes a current quantity of the at least one type of device in the at least one subinventory and a predetermined minimum quantity of the devices of said at least one type of device in the at least one subinventory, wherein each subinventory is associated with a point-of-care location; b.) associating a first timestamp with each device when the device is transferred from the main inventory to an ambient temperature subinventory, wherein the main inventory comprises a controlled inventory; c.) comparing the first timestamp to a second timestamp prior to use of the device to determine whether the ambient temperature shelf life of the device is exceeded, said second timestamp being associated with the device prior to the use of the device but after application of said first timestamp; and d.) automatically updating the current quantity of the devices in the at least one subinventory in response to an occurrence of an event that causes a change in the current quantity of the devices in the at least one subinventory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of controlling the use of a plurality of point-of-care diagnostic devices in an inventory, wherein the inventory includes a refrigerated inventory and an ambient temperature subinventory, wherein the devices include at least one type of device and are stored in the refrigerated inventory and transferred to the ambient temperature subinventory prior to use, wherein the subinventory is associated with a point-of-care location, wherein each device is configured to perform at least one sample analysis, and wherein each device has an ambient temperature shelf life, the method comprising the steps of:
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a.) receiving an indication from an indicator associated with each device of said at least one type of device, prior to performing sample analysis using the device, wherein each device is configured to perform at least one sample analysis and has an ambient temperature shelf life, wherein a first timestamp is associated with the device of said at least one type of device when that device is transferred from the refrigerated inventory to the ambient temperature subinventory, and wherein the indication comprises a second timestamp, said second timestamp being associated with the device prior to the use of the device but after application of said first timestamp; b.) determining, using the indication, whether the ambient temperature shelf life of that device has been exceeded by comparing the first timestamp to the second timestamp; and c.) preventing that device from being used to perform a sample analysis when a determination is made that the ambient temperature shelf life of that device has been exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method of controlling an inventory of a plurality of point-of-care diagnostic devices including at least one type of device, wherein the inventory includes a refrigerated main inventory and at least one ambient temperature subinventory, the method comprising the steps of:
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a.) entering data associated with the devices, wherein each device has an ambient temperature shelf life and is configured to perform at least one sample analysis, wherein the data includes a current number of the devices of said at least one type of device in the main inventory and a predetermined minimum number of the devices of that type in the main inventory, and wherein the data further includes a current number of the devices of said at least one type of device in the at least one subinventory and a predetermined minimum number of the devices of that type in the at least one subinventory, wherein each subinventory is associated with a point-of-care location; b.) associating a first time-temperature indicator with each device when the device is transferred from the refrigerated main inventory to the ambient temperature subinventory, wherein each device has an ambient temperature shelf life determined by the associated time-temperature indicator; c.) determining whether the ambient temperature shelf life of the device is exceeded by comparing a first timestamp with a second timestamp, said second timestamp being associated with the device prior to the use of the device but after application of said first timestamp; and d.) automatically updating the current number of the devices in the at least one subinventory in response to an occurrence of an event that causes a change in the current number of the devices in the at least one subinventory. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification