MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

A system, method and computer program for programming a medical device to administer a medication to a patient includes the medical device, a scanner that may be associated with a point of care (POC) system, and a medication management unit (MMU). A computer in the POC system can directly program the medical device with the permission of the MMU after a full “five rights” check or the “right patient” check can be delayed until after the pump program is downloaded. Other workflows are disclosed for programming the medical device in manual, semi-automatic and automatic modes, with safety checks incorporated at various points.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system and method for administering a medication to a patient using a point of care computer system comprising a POC server and a thick client input device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a system and method for administering a medication to a patient using a point of care computer system comprising a POC server and a thin client input device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a medical device with a display and user interface, wherein the medical device is stopped and not displaying programmed infusion settings.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a medical device with a display and user interface, wherein the medical device is displaying downloaded infusion settings for confirmation or modification.

FIG. 5 is a simplified pictorial schematic diagram of a system for administering medication to a patient according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5A is a simplified pictorial schematic diagram of a system for administering medication to a patient similar to FIG. 5 but shows the patient with a RFID wristband for auto-associating the patient and the medical device into a patient area network according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a screen shot of one embodiment of a delivery information input device for inputting identification information and/or confirming delivery programming code data.

FIG. 7A is a flow chart showing a method for administering a medication to a patient according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7B is a continuation of the flow chart of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8A is a flow chart showing a method for administering a medication to a patient according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8B is a continuation of the flow chart of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 9A is a flow chart showing a method for administering a medication to a patient according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9B is a continuation of the flow chart of FIG. 9A.

FIG. 10A is a flow chart showing a method for administering a medication to a patient according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10B is a continuation of the flow chart of FIG. 10A.

FIG. 11A is a flow chart showing a method for administering a medication to a patient according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11B is a continuation of the flow chart of FIG. 11A.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a method for administering a medication to a patient according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing a method for administering a medication to a patient according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a method for administering a medication to a patient according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing a method for administering a medication to a patient according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for administering a medication to a patient with a medical device, comprising the steps of: receiving at a first computer, in communication with a second computer, caregiver specific identification information through an identification receiver;receiving at the first computer drug container specific identification information from the identification receiver, wherein the drug container specific identification information is located on a container containing the medication;receiving at the first computer medical device specific identification information from the identification receiver;retrieving medical device specific delivery information based on the drug container specific identification information;transmitting to the second computer from the first computer the medical device specific identification information and the medical device specific delivery information;transmitting the medical device specific delivery information from the second computer to the medical device, and storing the medical device specific delivery information in a medical device memory for programming the medical device to deliver the medication to the patient;after at least one of the aforesaid transmitting steps, receiving at the first computer patient specific identification information from the identification receiver;comparing at least one of the received drug container specific identification information and the patient specific identification information to stored medication order information within a first memory associated with the first computer;transmitting a first medication delivery initiation signal to the second computer if the received drug container specific identification information and/or the patient specific identification information matches the stored medication order information within the first memory associated with the first computer; and,at least in part in response to receiving the first medication delivery initiation signal at the second computer, transmitting a second medication delivery initiation signal to the medical device to initiate the delivery of the medication to the patient using the medical device specific delivery information previously received by the medical device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the medical device specific delivery information from the second computer to the medical device is performed without displaying the medical device specific delivery information on a display of the medical device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a confirmation signal at one of the first computer and the second computer that the medical device specific delivery information was received by the medical device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving confirmation from a caregiver at the medical device that the medical device specific delivery information displayed on the display is correct for the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification receiver is selected from a group consisting of a barcode reader for reading bar codes and a RF receiver for reading RFID tags.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first memory associated with the first computer further comprises a plurality of medical administration records (MARs), wherein at least one MAR comprises a medication order.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a second memory is associated with a second computer, and wherein at least one of the first and second memories comprises medical device location information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a second memory is associated with a second computer, wherein the second memory comprises medical device location information, and wherein the second computer utilizes the medical device location information and the medical device specific identification information received from the first processor to determine which medical device to transmit the medical device specific delivery information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: receiving at the second computer medical device status information; and,transmitting from the second computer to the first computer the medical device status information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step is performed without using the patient specific identification information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug container specific identification information comprises at least one of patient identification information, medication identification information, universal identification information, medication order information, and/or medical device delivery information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second computer comprises a medication management computer comprising clinical decision support rules, and wherein the medication order information comprises patient specific order information, the method further comprising the steps of: transmitting the patient specific order information to the second computer;screening the medical device specific delivery information and the patient specific medication order information against at least one of the clinical decision support rules; and,alerting a caregiver if any of the clinical decision support rules are violated.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of alerting a caregiver comprises generating the alarm at the medical device.

14. A method for administering a medication to a patient with a medical device, comprising the steps of: receiving at a first computer, in communication with a second computer, caregiver specific identification information through an identification receiver;receiving at the first computer drug container specific identification information from the identification receiver, wherein the drug container specific identification information is located on a container containing the medication;receiving at the first computer medical device specific identification information from identification receiver;receiving at the first computer patient specific identification information from identification receiver;retrieving medical device specific delivery information based on the drug container specific identification information;transmitting to the second computer from the first computer the medical device specific identification information and the medical device specific delivery information;transmitting the medical device specific delivery information from the second computer to the medical device, and storing the medical device specific delivery information in a medical device memory for programming the medical device to deliver the medication to the patient;after at least one of the aforesaid transmitting steps, comparing at least one of the received drug container specific identification information and the patient specific identification information to stored medication order information within a first memory associated with the first computer;transmitting a first medication delivery initiation signal to the second computer if the received drug container specific identification information and/or the patient specific identification information matches the stored medication order information within the first memory associated with the first computer; and,at least in part in response to receiving the medication delivery initiation signal at the second computer, transmitting a second medication delivery initiation signal to the medical device to initiate the delivery of the medication to the patient using the medical device specific delivery information previously received by the medical device.

15. A system for administering a medication to a patient, comprising: an identification receiver for receiving caregiver specific identification information, drug container specific identification information located on a container containing the medication, and medical device specific identification information;a first memory for storing medication order information comprising medical device specific delivery information;a first computer associated with the first memory, in communication with the identification receiver, for receiving the caregiver specific identification information, the drug container specific identification, and the medical device specific identification information; wherein the first computer is structured to retrieve the medical device specific delivery information based on the drug container specific identification information;a second computer in communication with the first computer, wherein the first computer is structured to transmit to the second computer the medical device specific identification information and the medical device specific delivery information;a medical device in communication with the second computer, wherein the second computer is structured to transmit the medical device specific delivery information to the medical device for programming the medical device to deliver the medication to the patient, wherein the first computer is further structured to receive patient specific identification information and compare at least the received drug container specific identification information and the patient specific identification information to the stored medication order information within a first memory after the medical device specific delivery information is transmitted to at least one of the second computer and the medical device, and wherein the first computer is also structured to transmit a first medication delivery initiation signal to the second computer if the received drug container specific identification information and/or the patient specific identification information matches the stored medication order information, and wherein the second computer is structured to receive the medication delivery initiation signal and transmit a second medication delivery initiation signal to the medical device to initiate the delivery of the medication to the patient using the medical device specific delivery information previously received by the medical device.

16. A system for administering a medication to a patient, comprising: an identification receiver for receiving caregiver specific identification information, drug container specific identification information located on a container containing the medication, medical device specific identification information, and patient specific identification information;a first memory for storing medication order information comprising medical device specific delivery information;a first computer associated with the first memory, in communication with the identification receiver, for receiving the caregiver specific identification information, the drug container specific identification, and the medical device specific identification information; wherein the first computer is structured to retrieve the medical device specific delivery information based on the drug container specific identification information;a second computer in communication with the first computer, wherein the first computer is structured to transmit to the second computer the medical device specific identification information and the medical device specific delivery information;a medical device in communication with the second computer, wherein the second computer is structured to transmit the medical device specific delivery information to the medical device for programming the medical device to deliver the medication to the patient, wherein the first computer is further structured to compare at least the received drug container specific identification information and the patient specific identification information to the stored medication order information within a first memory after the medical device specific delivery information is transmitted to at least one of the second computer and the medical device, and wherein the first computer is also structured to transmit a first medication delivery initiation signal to the second computer if the received drug container specific identification information and/or the patient specific identification information matches the stored medication order information, and wherein the second computer is structured to receive the medication delivery initiation signal and transmit a second medication delivery initiation signal to the medical device to initiate the delivery of the medication to the patient using the medical device specific delivery information previously received by the medical device.

17. A computer program product for operation within a medication management computer for assisting in administering a medication to a patient using a medical device, comprising: a first code segment for receiving from a point of care computer medical device specific identification information and medical device specific delivery information in response to the point of care computer retrieving the medical device specific delivery information based on drug container specific identification information received by the point of care computer through an identification receiver;a second code segment for transmitting the medical device specific delivery information to the medical device;a third code segment for operation after the second code segment, for receiving a first medication delivery initiation signal from the point of care computer if the drug container specific identification information and/or patient specific identification information matches stored medication order information within a first memory associated with the first computer; and,a fourth code segment for transmitting a second medication delivery initiation signal to the medical device to initiate the delivery of the medication to the patient using the medical device specific delivery information previously transmitted to the medical device.