Identification system and method for medication management

• US 8,219,413 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2006
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Martinez, John D., Wilkinson, James P., Steinhauer, Thomas C., Frazier, Kimberly
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAULS, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US11/351,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20060229551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,341 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

An identification system and method for medication management comprises a controller, a drug library accessible by the controller, the drug library containing drug library profiles including a data set of drug information, and an identification module configured to read patient identification information from machine-readable identification devices worn by patients and to read drug information from machine-readable identification devices affixed to drugs or containers of drugs. The controller compares the read information to each other and to the drug library profile and provides alerts or error signals in the event of an inconsistency. In one case, identification devices are read by an optical reader fixedly mounted to the identification module. In another case, identification devices are read by an optical reader that is hand-held and mobile and can be moved to the location of the identification device. The hand-held reader communicates with the identification module by wired or wireless means. In another case, a third reader that is non-optical and wireless is fixedly mounted to the identification module. The controller is also configured to provide alerts or error messages in the event that there is an inconsistency between the drug information on the drug or drug container when compared to the drug library profile associated with the controller.

Claims

1. An identification system for medication management, the system comprising:

a drug library comprising a plurality of drug library profiles, each one of the drug library profiles defining a list of drug identifiers associated with drugs allowed for use according to a patient care area of a hospital, and at least one of permitted concentrations and doses associated with each allowed drug;

an identification module configured to scan drug information from machine-readable information devices affixed to drugs or containers of drugs and to scan patient information from machine-readable information devices worn by patients, and configured to communicate the drug information and patient information; and

a controller in communication with the identification module, the controller configured to;

receive information for a selected patient care area of the hospital;

access the drug library associated with the selected patient care area of the hospital to associate a drug library profile with the controller;

receive the patient information from the identification module;

receive the drug information from the identification module, the drug information including a patient identification (ID) that indicates the patient for whom the drug is to be administered, a drug identifier and at least one of drug concentration and dose;

determine whether the patient information received from the identification module from the machine-readable information device worn by a patient matches the patient ID contained in the drug information received from the identification module;

determine whether the drug identifier and drug concentration or dose contained in the drug information received from the identification module match any entries in the list of drug identifiers, permitted concentrations, and permitted doses of the drug library profile for the selected patient care area that has been associated with the controller; and

display an alert message if the scanned drug identifier and/or concentration does not match any entries in the drug library profile for the selected patient care area.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to display an alert message when the patient information received from the identification module does not match the patient ID received from the drug or drug container.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to display an alert message when the drug information received from the identification module includes a drug identifier that is not in the drug library profile associated with the controller.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to display an alert message when the drug information received from the identification module includes a drug concentration that does not match the drug concentration information in the drug library profile associated with the controller.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to display an alert message when the drug information received from the identification module includes a drug dose that does not match the drug dose information in the drug library profile associated with the controller.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a server in communication with the controller, the server configured to provide the controller with a medication order for the selected patient.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the drug library is integral with the controller.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the drug library is accessible by the controller through a remote server.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the identification module is selectively detachable from the controller.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the identification module comprises a bar code reader for reading bar code-type information devices.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the identification module comprises a RFID reader for reading RFID-type information devices.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the identification module comprises a hand-held mobile reader configured to read information devices located remotely from the identification module.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the identification module further comprises a bar code reader fixed in position at the identification module for reading bar code-type information devices brought to its proximity to be read, and a RFID reader fixed in position at the identification module for reading RFID-type information devices brought to its proximity to be read.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the hand-held mobile reader is connected with the identification module through a wired or wireless connection.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an infusion pump connected with the controller;

wherein the controller is adapted to provide programming parameters to the infusion pump that are received from the drug or drug container information device through the identification module.

16. An identification system for medication management, for use with an infusion pump, the system comprising:

an infusion pump;

a drug library comprising a plurality of drug library profiles, each one of the drug library profiles defining a set of drug identifiers that are associated with medications that are allowed for use according to a patient care area of a hospital, and at least one of permitted drug concentrations and drug doses associated with each allowed medication;

a controller configured to provide pumping parameters to the infusion pump and configured to receive information for a selected patient care area of the hospital; and

access the drug library associated with the selected patient care area of the hospital to associate the controller with a drug library profile;

an identification module configured to scan drug information from machine-readable identification devices affixed to drugs or containers of drugs and to scan patient identification information from machine-readable identification devices worn by patients, and configured to communicate the drug information and patient identification information; and

a communications interface processor in communication with the controller and the identification module, the interface processor configured to;

receive patient identification information from the identification module;

receive drug information from the identification module, the drug information including a patient ID, a drug identifier, a drug concentration, and a drug dose;

determine whether the patient identification information received from the identification module matches the patient ID received from the drug information from the identification module, and determine whether the drug information received from the identification module matches the drug library profile for the selected patient care area based at least on comparisons between the received patient identification information, the received drug information, and the set of drug identifiers and permitted drug concentrations and doses from the drug library profile associated with the controller; and

provide, if all of the comparisons match, the controller with infusion pump programming parameters.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the identification module is selectively detachable from the controller.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the identification module comprises a bar code reader for reading bar code-type information and identification devices.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the identification module comprises a RFID reader for reading RFID-type information and identification devices.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the identification module comprises a hand-held mobile reader configured to read information devices located remotely from the identification module.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the identification module further comprises a bar code reader fixed in position at the identification module for reading bar code-type information and identification devices brought to its proximity to be read, and a RFID reader fixed in position at the identification module for reading RFID-type information and identification devices brought to its proximity to be read.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the infusion pump is selectively detachable from the controller.

23. An identification method for medication management, the method comprising:

associating with a computer processor a drug library profile with an infusion pump, the drug library profile including drug identifiers that are associated with medications that are allowed for use according to a patient care area of a hospital, and at least one of permitted drug concentrations and drug doses associated with each allowed medication;

reading with an identification module a machine-readable identification device worn by a patient to obtain patient identification information;

reading with an identification module a machine-readable identification device affixed to a selected drug or drug container to obtain drug information that includes a patient ID, a drug identifier, a drug concentration, and a drug dose;

receiving information for a selected patient care area of the hospital;

comparing with a computer processor the patient identification information from the identification device worn by the patient to the patient ID from the identification device affixed to the drug or drug container;

communicating by a computer processor a first error message when the patient identification information does not match the patient ID;

comparing with a computer processor the drug identifier from the identification device affixed to the drug or drug container to the set of drug identifiers of the drug library profile for the selected patient care area;

communicating by a computer processor a second error message when the drug identifier from the identification device is not within the set of drug identifiers of the drug library profile;

comparing with a computer processor the drug concentration from the identification device affixed to the drug or drug container to a set of permitted drug concentrations of the drug library profile for the selected patient care area;

communicating by a computer processor a third error message when the drug concentration from the identification device is not within the set of permitted drug concentrations of the drug library profile;

comparing with a computer processor the drug dose from the identification device affixed to the drug or drug container to a set of permitted drug doses of the drug library profile for the selected patient care area;

communicating by a computer processor a fourth error message when the drug dose from the identification device is not within the set of permitted drug doses of the drug library profile; and

providing with a computer processor, if all of comparisons match, infusion pump programming parameters, the programming parameters corresponding to the read drug dose.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising manually confirming that the infusion pump programming parameters agree with a medication order for the patient.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein either step of reading further comprises reading with a reader that is fixed in position such that information or identification devices to be read must be moved to the proximity of the bar code reader.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein either step of reading further comprises reading with a reader that is mobile and hand-held such that the hand-held reader may be brought to the proximity of information or identification devices to be read.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein either step of reading further comprises reading with a reader that is optical.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein either step of reading further comprises reading with a reader that is non-optical.

29. An identification system for medication management, for use with an infusion pump and a physiological monitor, the system comprising:

a drug library accessible by the controller and comprising a plurality of drug library profiles, each one of the drug library profiles defining a set of drug identifiers that are associated with medications that are allowed for use according to a patient care area of a hospital, and at least one of permitted drug concentrations and drug doses, and physiological level limits;

a physiological monitor configured to measure a physiological level and provide a physiological signal;

an identification module configured to scan drug information from machine-readable identification devices affixed to drugs or containers of drugs and to scan patient identification information from machine-readable identification devices worn by patients, and configured to communicate the drug information and patient identification information; and

an infusion pump having a controller, a display, and an interface communications processor, the controller in communication with the display and physiological monitor, the interface communications processor in communication with the identification module, the controller, and drug library, the interface communications processor configured to;

receive information for a selected patient care area of the hospital;

associate a drug library profile for the selected patient care area with the controller;

receive patient identification information from the identification module from the machine-readable identification device worn by a patient;

receive drug information from the identification module from the machine-readable identification device affixed to a drug or drug container, the drug information including a patient ID, a drug identifier, a drug concentration, and a drug dose;

communicate a first error signal to the controller when the drug information includes a patient ID that does not match the patient identification derived from the machine-readable identification device worn by the selected patient;

compare the drug identifier from the identification module to the set of drug identifiers of the drug library profile for the selected patient care area and communicate a second error signal to the controller when the drug identifier from the identification module is not in the set of drug identifiers of the drug library profile associated with the controller;

compare the drug concentration from the identification module to the permitted drug concentrations of the drug library profile for the selected patient care area and communicate a third error signal to the controller when the drug concentration from the identification module is not in the set of permitted drug concentrations of the drug library profile associated with the controller;

compare the drug dose from the identification module to the permitted drug doses of the drug library profile for the selected patient care area and communicate a fourth error signal to the controller when the drug information includes a drug dose from the identification module is not in the set of permitted drug doses of the drug library profile associated with the controller; and

provide, if all of comparisons match, the controller with infusion pump programming parameters; and

wherein the processor is configured to display all error signals received from the interface communications processor, and to receive a physiological signal from the physiological monitor and display a fifth error signal when the physiological level from the physiological monitor is not within the physiological level limits in the drug library profile associated with the controller.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the physiological level in the drug library profile associated with the controller is patient specific.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the physiological level in the drug library profile associated with the controller is drug specific.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the pump is selectively detachable from a central controller.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the physiological monitor is selectively detachable from the controller.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein the identification module is selectively detachable from the controller.

35. The system of claim 29 wherein the infusion pump programming parameters correspond to the selected drug dose.

36. An automatic identification system for medication management, the system comprising:

an infusion pump;

a drug library comprising a plurality of drug library profiles, each one of the drug library profiles defining a set of drug identifiers that are associated with medications that are allowed for use according to a patient care area of a hospital, and at least one of permitted drug concentrations and drug doses associated with each allowed medication;

an identification module configured to scan drug information from machine-readable identification devices affixed to drugs or containers of drugs and to scan patient identification information from machine-readable identification devices worn by patients, and configured to communicate the drug information and patient identification information; and

a controller in communication with the infusion pump and the identification module, the controller configured to;

receive information for a selected patient care area of the hospital;

access the drug library to obtain a drug library profile associated with the selected patient care area of the hospital;

associate the obtained drug library profile with the controller;

receive patient identification information from the identification module from the machine-readable information device worn by a patient;

receive drug information from the identification module, the drug information including a patient ID, a drug identifier, a drug concentration, and a drug dose;

determine whether the contents of the drug or drug container match the drug library profile for the selected patient care area based at least on comparisons between the received patient identification information from the identification module from the machine-readable information device worn by a patient, received drug information including the patient ID, drug identifier, drug concentration, and drug dose, and the set of of drug identifiers, drug concentrations, and drug doses from the drug library profile for the selected patient care area associated with the controller; and

provide, if all of comparisons match, infusion pump programming parameters.