U.S. patent application number 10/247768 was filed with the patent office on 2004-03-18 for systems and methods for programming pumps.
Invention is credited to Andreasson, Christer O., Caputo, Jimmy.
Application Number | 20040051368 10/247768 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31992560 |
Filed Date | 2004-03-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040051368 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Caputo, Jimmy ; et
al. |
March 18, 2004 |
Systems and methods for programming pumps
Abstract
A system for delivering medical fluid to a patient includes a
medical container including a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
tag storing data related to the medical fluid therein. A RF reader
receives data signals transmitted from the RFID tag that include a
desired flow rate for delivering the fluid to the intended patient.
A pump coupled to the reader includes a pumping mechanism for
pumping the medical fluid from the container, and a pump controller
for receiving the data including the desired flow rate from the
reader. The pump controller automatically controls the pumping
mechanism to pump the medical fluid from the medical container at
the desired flow rate based upon the data.
Inventors: |
Caputo, Jimmy; (Carlsbad,
CA) ; Andreasson, Christer O.; (Escondido,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
James Caputo
Safety Syringes, Inc.
Suite A
1939 Palomar Oaks Way
Carlsbad
CA
92009
US
|
Family ID: |
31992560 |
Appl. No.: |
10/247768 |
Filed: |
September 17, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
299/1.9 ;
340/853.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 5/142 20130101;
A61M 5/172 20130101; A61M 2205/6018 20130101; A61M 2205/6054
20130101; G16H 20/17 20180101; G16H 40/40 20180101; A61M 2205/3592
20130101; G16H 40/63 20180101; A61M 2005/14208 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
299/001.9 ;
340/853.1 |
International
Class: |
E21C 035/08 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for delivering medical fluid in a medical container to
a patient, the medical container comprising a Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) tag for storing data related to the medical
fluid, the system comprising: a reader for receiving signals
transmitted from the RFID tag, the signals comprising data
including a desired flow rate; and a pump, comprising, a pumping
mechanism for pumping the medical fluid from the medical container;
and a pump controller coupled to the reader for receiving the data
including at least the desired flow rate from the reader, the pump
controller controlling the pumping mechanism to pump the medical
fluid from the medical container at the desired flow rate based
upon the data.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is configured for
transmitting a query signal to the RFID tag and receiving a
response signal from the RFID tag in response to the query signal,
the response signal comprising the data.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a medical container
including a medical fluid therein coupled to the pump mechanism,
the medical container comprising a RFID tag storing data associated
with the medical fluid.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the medical container comprises a
syringe or an IV bag.
5. The system of claim 3, wherein the medical fluid comprises a
cocktail having a predetermined expiration period during which the
medical fluid must be delivered, wherein the data comprises the
predetermined expiration period, and wherein the pump controller is
configured for comparing the predetermined expiration period with a
clock to confirm that the predetermined expiration period has not
passed.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump further comprises a
display coupled to the pump controller, the display configured for
displaying the desired flow rate.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader comprises a pad
comprising a radio frequency (RF) antenna therein for receiving
signals from a RFID tag associated with the medical container when
the medical container is placed in close proximity to the pad.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the pad comprises an upper
surface onto which a medical container may be placed for receiving
signals from the RFID tag.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader and pump are contained
within a casing configured for having the medical container
connected thereto, the reader configured for receiving the data
from the RFID tag when the medical container is connected to the
casing.
10. A system for delivering medical fluid in a medical container to
a patient, the medical container comprising a Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) tag for storing data related to the medical
fluid, the system comprising: a reader for receiving signals
transmitted from the RFID tag, the signals comprising a container
identifier uniquely associated with the medical container; an
interface coupled to the reader for communicating with a remote
database, the interface configured for transmitting the container
identifier to the database and receiving data from the database
associated with the medical container, the data comprising a
desired flow rate; and a pump, comprising, a pumping mechanism for
pumping the medical fluid from the medical container; and a pump
controller coupled to the interface for receiving at least the
desired infusion rate from the database, the pump controller
configured for controlling the pumping mechanism to pump the
medical fluid from the medical container at the desired flow
rate.
11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a database remote
from the reader, the database comprising a plurality of identifiers
and a plurality of respective desired flow rates, each identifier
and respective desired flow rate being associated with a respective
RFID tag.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the reader is configured for
transmitting a query signal to the RFID tag and receiving a
response signal from the RFID tag in response to the query signal,
the response signal comprising the container identifier.
13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a medical container
including a medical fluid therein coupled to the pump mechanism,
the medical container comprising a RFID tag storing data associated
with the medical fluid.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the medical container comprises
a syringe or an IV bag.
15. The system of claim 13, wherein the medical fluid comprises a
cocktail having a predetermined expiration period during which the
medical fluid must be delivered, wherein the data comprises the
predetermined expiration period, and wherein the pump controller is
configured for comparing the predetermined expiration period with a
clock to confirm that the predetermined expiration period has not
passed.
16. The system of claim 10, wherein the pump further comprises a
display coupled to the pump controller, the display configured for
displaying the desired flow rate.
17. The system of claim 10, wherein the reader comprises a pad
comprising a radio frequency (RF) antenna therein for receiving
signals from a RFID tag associated with the medical container when
the medical container is placed in close proximity to the pad.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the pad comprises an upper
surface onto which a medical container may be placed for receiving
signals from the RFID tag.
19. The system of claim 10, wherein the reader and pump are
contained within a casing configured for having the medical
container connected thereto, the reader configured for receiving
the data from the RFID tag when the medical container is connected
to the casing.
20. The system of claim 10, wherein the desired flow rate comprises
at least one flow rate.
21. The system of claim 10, wherein the data further comprises a
desired flow duration value.
22. The system of claim 10, wherein the signals further comprise a
first patient identifier.
23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a terminal, the
terminal comprising a second patient identifier and being
configured for comparing the first patient identifier and the
second patient identifier.
24. A method for delivering fluid in a container, the method
comprising: providing a container comprising a Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) tag storing data related to a fluid within
the container; receiving the data from the RFID tag using a radio
frequency (RF) reader; transferring a desired flow rate associated
with the data to a pump controller; and pumping the fluid from the
container at the desired flow rate.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising extracting the
desired flow rate from data received from the RFID tag by the RF
reader.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the data received from the RFID
tag comprises an identifier uniquely associated with the container,
the method further comprising accessing a database to obtain the
desired flow rate associated with the identifier.
27. The method of claim 24, further comprising displaying the
desired flow rate, and requesting confirmation to proceed with
pumping the fluid from the container at the desired flow rate, the
pumping step being performed only once confirmation to proceed is
received.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein the fluid comprises a cocktail
having a predetermined expiration period during which the fluid
must be delivered, wherein the data comprises the predetermined
expiration period, the method further comprising comparing the
predetermined expiration period with a clock to confirm that the
predetermined expiration period has not passed.
29. The method of claim 24, wherein the receiving step comprises
automatically reading data from the RFID tag when the container is
brought into close proximity with the RF reader.
30. The method of claim 24, wherein the receiving step comprises
automatically reading the data from the container when the medical
container is connected to the pump.
31. The method of claim 24, wherein the receiving step is initiated
by inputting a read instruction at least one of before and after
connecting the container to the pump.
32. The method of claim 24, wherein the receiving step comprises
transmitting a query signal to the RFID tag and receiving a data
signal in response to the query signal, the data signal comprising
the desired delivery rate.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to pumps, and more
particularly to systems and methods for programming pumps.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Pumps are commonly used in therapeutic regimens to deliver
medical fluids to patients at controlled delivery or infusion
rates. Several types of pumps have been developed to deliver
medical fluids to patients. For example, a peristaltic pump may be
used, which engages a resilient tube that is coupled between a
supply of medical fluid and a patient intended to receive the
medical fluid. The supply of medical fluid may be contained, e.g.,
in an IV bag, a syringe, and the like. The peristaltic pump
delivers the medical fluid to the patient by sequentially squeezing
and releasing sections of the tube in a wavelike pattern. Another
type of pump is the syringe pump, which pumps medical fluid from a
syringe to a patient by pushing down on the plunger of the syringe
at a controlled rate.
[0003] A physician typically prescribes a medical fluid to a
patient as part of a therapeutic regimen. The physician also
typically prescribes the infusion rate at which the medical fluid
is to be delivered to the patient. During the therapeutic regimen,
a healthcare worker manually enters the prescribed infusion rate
into a pump, e.g., using a keypad, and the pump delivers the
prescribed medical fluid to the patient at the infusion rate
entered by the healthcare worker.
[0004] A problem with this manual approach is that a healthcare
worker may enter an incorrect infusion rate into the pump. For
example, when entering a prescribed infusion rate of 20 ml/hr, the
healthcare worker may accidentally enter an extra zero, resulting
in a much higher infusion rate of 200 ml/hr being entered into the
pump. Such entry errors may cause serious harm to the patient, and
in extreme cases, death.
[0005] Accordingly, systems and methods for programming infusion
rates into pumps would be considered useful.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention is directed to systems and methods for
programming pumps, and more particularly to systems and methods for
electronically programming pumps to deliver medical fluids from
containers to patients.
[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
system is provided for delivering medical fluid in a medical
container to a patient, the medical container including a Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) tag for storing data related to the
medical fluid therein. The system generally includes a reader for
receiving signals transmitted from the RFID tag, the signals
including data including a desired flow rate, and a pump. The pump
may include a pumping mechanism for pumping the medical fluid from
the medical container, and a pump controller coupled to the reader
for receiving the data including at least the desired flow rate
from the reader. The pump controller may control the pumping
mechanism to pump the medical fluid from the medical container at
the desired flow rate based upon the data.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the reader is configured for
transmitting a query signal to the RFID tag and receiving a
response signal from the RFID tag in response to the query signal,
the response signal including the data. In one embodiment, the
reader may be a pad including a radio frequency (RF) antenna
therein for receiving signals from a RFID tag associated with the
medical container when the medical container is placed in close
proximity to the read pad. Preferably, the pad includes a surface,
e.g., an upper surface, onto which a medical container may be
placed for receiving signals from the RFID tag.
[0009] The system may be used with a medical container, such as an
IV bag or a syringe, including a medical fluid therein coupled to
the pump mechanism, the medical container including a RFID tag
storing data associated with the medical fluid. In one embodiment,
the medical fluid may include a "cocktail" having a predetermined
expiration period during which the medical fluid must be delivered,
and the data on the RFID tag may include the predetermined
expiration period. The pump controller may be configured for
comparing the predetermined expiration period with a clock to
confirm that the predetermined expiration period has not passed. If
this confirmation is positive, the pump controller may activate the
pumping mechanism and deliver the medical fluid from the medical
container at the desired flow rate.
[0010] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a system is provided for delivering medical fluid in a medical
container to a patient, the medical container including a Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) tag for storing data related to the
medical fluid. The system may include a reader for receiving
signals transmitted from the RFID tag, the signals comprising a
container identifier uniquely associated with the medical
container, and an interface coupled to the reader for communicating
with a remote database. The interface is configured for
transmitting the container identifier to the database and receiving
data from the database associated with the medical container, the
data comprising a desired flow rate for delivering the medical
fluid from the medical container.
[0011] The system also includes a pump, which may include a pumping
mechanism for pumping the medical fluid from the medical container,
and a pump controller. The pump controller may be coupled to the
interface for receiving at least the desired flow rate from the
database, the pump controller configured for controlling the
pumping mechanism to pump the medical fluid from the medical
container at the desired flow rate. Optionally, the system may
include a database remote from the reader and/or pump that includes
a plurality of identifiers and a plurality of respective desired
flow rates, each identifier and respective desired flow rate being
associated with a respective RFID tag.
[0012] In accordance with still another aspect of the present
invention, a method is provided for delivering fluid in a container
at a desired flow rate. Preferably, the method is used for
delivering a medical fluid to a patient, although the method may be
used to deliver fluids from containers for other applications as
well.
[0013] Initially, a container is provided that includes a Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) tag storing data related to a fluid
within the container. A radio frequency (RF) or other wireless
reader may be used to read the data stored on the RFID tag. In one
embodiment, the data may be read automatically from the RFID tag
when the container is brought into close proximity with the RF
reader. For example, the data may be automatically read from the
RFID tag of the container either before or after the container is
connected to the pump. Alternatively, the data reading may be
initiated by inputting a read instruction either before or after
connecting the container to the pump. To read the data on the RFID
tag, the reader may transmit a query signal, e.g., a wireless RF
signal, to the RFID tag, whereupon the RFID tag may access the data
stored therein and transmit the data back to the reader in one or
more data signals. The reader may then receive the one or more data
signals in response to the query signal. The data signal generally
includes the desired delivery rate, but may also include other data
related to the fluid in the container. In addition or
alternatively, for medical applications, the data signal may
include data related to the patent intended to receive the medical
fluid.
[0014] In an alternative method, the data received from the RFID
tag may include an identifier uniquely associated with the
container. In this alternative, a database may be accessed, e.g.,
by the reader and/or a pump controller, to obtain the desired flow
rate associated with the identifier.
[0015] A desired flow rate associated with the data may be
transferred to a pump controller, e.g., directly from the reader if
the desired flow rate is included in the data received from the
RFID tag or from an accessed database. Once the pump controller has
the desired flow rate, the fluid may be pumped from the container
at the desired flow rate, e.g., into a patient. Before pumping
commences, the pump controller and/or reader may perform additional
actions, e.g., related to error prevention, such as requesting
manual confirmation to proceed from the user, confirming that a
medical fluid is being delivered to an intended patient, that a
limited-life medical fluid is being delivered before its expiration
date, and the like.
[0016] Thus, systems and methods in accordance with the present
invention may facilitate programming a pump for delivering fluid,
e.g., a medical fluid to a patient, with minimal involvement of the
user. This may reduce errors that may arise, e.g., due to
typographical errors, errors in reading instructions, and the like,
and ensure that the correct fluid is delivered at the correct rate.
If additional checks are utilized, the system may also
automatically ensure that the fluid is delivered to the proper
recipient in a timely manner, rather than relying alnost entirely
upon the user to provide these checks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1A shows an IV bag including an RFID tag, in accordance
with the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 1B shows a syringe, including an RFID tag, in
accordance with the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram, showing an embodiment of a
medical fluid delivery system, in accordance with the present
invention.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a RF read pad, in accordance
with the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a peristaltic pump, in
accordance with the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a syringe pump, in accordance
with the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a flowchart, showing a method for programming a
pump to deliver medical fluid to a patient, in accordance with the
present invention.
[0024] FIG. 7 is a block diagram, showing an embodiment of a
medical fluid delivery system limited to a database, in accordance
with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] Turning to FIGS. 1A and 1B, medical fluids intended for
delivery to patients are generally provided in medical containers
or delivery devices, such as IV bags, syringes, and the like. For
example, FIG. 1A shows a representative IV bag 15, while FIG. 1B
shows a representative syringe 25. The medical fluids may include
standard drugs and/or custom drugs for specific patients and/or
therapeutic regimens. An exemplary medical fluid may be a
chemotherapy drug, which may be created by mixing several
components together into a "cocktail" that has a limited time
during which the fluid must be delivered to a patient.
[0026] A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 20 may be
attached to the medical container, such as the IV bag 15 of FIG. 1A
or the syringe 25 of FIG. 1B. Each RFID tag 20 includes a
write/read memory (not shown) for storing data and a built-in
antenna (not shown) for communicating with a reader/writer. The
RFID tag 20 may be active, i.e., powered by an internal power
source, or passive, i.e., powered inductively by a RF signal
transmitted from an RF reader. The RFID tag 20 may also include a
processor or controller for saving and/or retrieving data stored in
the memory and/or for controlling data transmission and/or
reception via the antenna. Additional information on RFID tags that
may be used with the systems and methods of the present invention
may be found in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/085,472, filed
Feb. 26, 2002 and co-pending application Ser. No. 09/811,317 filed
Mar. 15, 2001. The disclosures of these applications and any
references cited therein are expressly incorporated herein by
reference.
[0027] In a preferred embodiment, each of the RFID tags 20 may be a
relatively thin and flexible strip, allowing the RFID tag 20 to be
attached to the IV bag 15 and/or syringe 25, e.g., using an
adhesive such that the RFID tag 20 does not interfere with normal
use of the IV bag 15 or syringe 25. For example, an RFID tag 20 may
be affixed to the surface of the IV bag 15 or around the barrel of
the syringe 25, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B,
respectively.
[0028] The RFID tag 20 attached to the IV bag 15 or syringe 25 may
store data related to the medical fluid contained therein. The data
in the RFID tag 20 may include a serial number and/or a National
Drug Code (NDC), the name of the medical fluid, an infusion rate, a
manufacture's name, a lot number, and/or an expiration date.
Alternatively, the RFID tag 20 may store an identifier uniquely
associated with one or more entries in a database that may be
accessed to obtain data related to the medical fluid. Additional
data may also be stored in the RFID tag 20, as explained further
below.
[0029] When a physician prescribes a medical fluid to a patient, a
prescription may be forwarded to a pharmacy or other source, e.g.,
electronically or as a handwritten prescription. The prescription
may include the physician's name, the intended patient's name, the
medical fluid contents and/or concentrations, the infusion rate at
which the medical fluid is to be delivered to the patient, and/or
the total amount of medical fluid to be delivered to the patient in
each regimen. A pharmacist or technician at the pharmacy may
prepare the prescribed medical fluid in a medical container for
administration to the patient in accordance with the prescription.
For example, the pharmacist may select a pre-filled container if
one is available with the prescribed fluid. If not, an empty
medical container may be filled with a cocktail, which may include
one or more components in predetermined concentrations.
[0030] Preferably, a RFID tag 20 is provided on each empty or
pre-filled medical container, e.g., the IV bag 15 and/or the
syringe 25, either attached by the pharmacist or pre-attached
before arrival at the pharmacy, e.g., by a manufacturer or
distributor. The pharmacist may write data related to the medical
fluid into the associated RFID tag, e.g., using a RF writer. The
data may include the identity of the physician prescribing the
medical fluid, the identity of the pharmacist preparing the medical
fluid, and/or the identity of the patient intended to receive the
medical product. The data may also include the infusion rate at
which the medical fluid is to be delivered to the patient, the
amount of medical fluid to be delivered to the patient in each
regimen, the expected delivery time of the medical fluid, and/or
the expiration of the medical fluid. Alternatively, or in addition,
the pharmacists may enter the data into a database that uniquely
associates the entered data with an identifier stored on the RFID
tag, e.g., a serial number.
[0031] Some or all of the data stored on the RFID tag 20 may also
be printed on the outer surface of the RFID tag 20 so that a
healthcare worker may visually read the data. For example, some or
all of the data may be printed on a label (not shown) attached to
the medical container and/or printed directly onto the medical
container 15 or delivery device 25 (also not shown).
[0032] Turning to FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of a medical fluid
delivery system 110 is shown that includes a pump 130 for
delivering medical fluid to a patient and a RF reader 120 coupled
to the pump 130. The pump 130 generally includes a pumping
mechanism 150, and a pump controller 140 coupled to the pumping
mechanism 150, and may also include a display 160 and/or an input
device 165. The components of the pump 130 may be located together
in a casing or may be separate from one another and/or coupled
together, e.g., by one or more cables. For example, the RF reader
120 may be a stand-alone module that may be mounted to the pump 130
or otherwise coupled to the pump 130, or, alternatively, the RF
reader 120 may be integrated into the pump 130, e.g., within the
pump casing.
[0033] The RF reader 120 is configured for reading data stored on
RFID tags, such as the RFID tags 20 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B,
and/or for relaying the data to the pump 130. The RF reader 120 may
include an antenna (not shown) for receiving data stored on the
RFID tag 20, e.g., by transmitting an RF interrogation signal to
induce the RFID tag 20 to transmit data stored on the RFID tag 20
to the RF reader 120 and by receiving the signals transmitted by
the RFID tag 20 in response to the interrogation signal. The RF
reader 120 may include one or more internal processors for
converting the signals received from the RFID tag 20 to useful data
that may be transferred to the pump controller 140, as is well
known to those skilled in the art.
[0034] Preferably, the RF reader 120 is located in close proximity
to the pump 130 for reading data stored on the RFID tag 20 of a
medical container when the medical container is brought into close
proximity to the pump 130. For example, the RF reader 120 may
automatically read data stored on the RFID tag 20 when the medical
container is connected to the pump mechanism 150. Alternatively,
the RF reader 120 may require a healthcare worker to initiate the
RFID tag reading process, e.g., by pushing a "read" button (not
shown) on the RF reader 120 before or after connecting the medical
container to the pump mechanism 150. In an alternative embodiment,
the RF reader 120 may be located at an entrance, e.g., doorway, of
a patient's room for automatically reading data stored on RFID tags
20 of any medical containers brought into a patient's room.
[0035] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary RF reader 120, namely a RF read
pad 320 with a built-in antenna (not shown) that is configured to
read the RFID tag 20 of medical container(s) placed onto an upper
surface 330 of the RF read pad 320. The RF read pad 320 may be
integrated into a table (not shown), e.g., at a patient's bedside
or on a stand carrying the pump 130 (not shown).
[0036] Returning to FIG. 2, the pumping mechanism 150 may deliver
fluid from a medical container, e.g., IV bag 15 or syringe 25 (not
shown, see, e.g., FIGS. 4 and 5), to a patient (not shown) once the
medical container is connected to the pump 130. The pump controller
140 generally controls operation of the pumping mechanism 150,
e.g., the infusion rate at which fluid is delivered to the patient
and/or duration of fluid delivery. The pump controller 140 may be
coupled to the RF reader 120 via a data link 155, e.g., a cable
link, a wire link, a RF wireless link, and the like, for receiving
delivery data from the RF reader 120, as explained further below.
The display 160 may be configured for displaying data related to
operation of the pump, e.g., current delivery rate, current volume
delivered, elapsed time, and the like. The input device 165, e.g.,
a keypad, keyboard, or touch screen, may be used for manually
entering data, such as flow data, into the pump, and/or to override
the pump controller 140, e.g., to discontinue delivery.
[0037] Turning to FIG. 4, an exemplary embodiment of a pump is
shown that may be incorporated into a system in accordance with the
present invention, namely a peristaltic pump 430. A peristaltic
pump 430 generally receives a portion of a resilient tube 450 that
is fluidly coupled at one end to a supply of medical fluid, e.g.,
an IV bag 15, and at the other end to a patient (not shown)
intended to receive the medical fluid. The peristaltic pump 430
typically includes internal rollers or other elements (not shown)
that mechanically engage the portion of the tube 450 enclosed by
the pump 430. The rollers may be mechanically driven by one or more
motors (not shown) to sequentially squeeze and release sections of
the tube 450 in a wave-like pattern, thereby forcing fluid in the
tube 450 to advance through the tube 450 from the IV bag 15 to the
patient. The pump controller 150 (not shown, see FIG. 2) may
control the infusion rate of the pump 430 by controlling the motor
driving the rollers, as is well known to those skilled in the
art.
[0038] Turning to FIG. 5, another embodiment of a pump is shown,
namely a syringe pump 530. A syringe pump 530 generally includes a
syringe holder 540 for holding a syringe 25 containing medical
fluid. A tube 545 fluidly couples the syringe 25 to a patient (not
shown) intended to receive the medical fluid. The syringe pump 530
also includes a pusher 550 that mechanically engages a plunger 560
of the syringe 25. The pusher 550 may be mechanically driven by a
motor (not shown) to push down on the plunger 560 and advance fluid
from within the syringe 25 to the patient. The pump controller 150
(not shown, see FIG. 2) may control the infusion rate of the pump
by controlling the motor driving the pusher 550 to push down on the
syringe plunger 560. The pumps shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are merely
illustrative and other types of pumps capable of delivering medical
fluid to a patient at a controlled delivery or infusion rate may
also be incorporated into the system of the present invention.
[0039] Turning to FIG. 6, a method for programming a pump, such as
the pump 130 shown in FIG. 2, to deliver medical fluid to a patient
is shown, in accordance with the present invention. Initially, the
pump may be located at the patient's bedside and the programming
preferably occurs at the patient's bedside, although alternatively,
programming the pump may occur at another location away from the
patient.
[0040] In step 610, a healthcare worker, e.g., nurse, may receive a
medical container, e.g., a IV bag 15 or syringe 25 as shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B, containing a medical fluid intended for delivery
to a patient. For example, the healthcare worker may receive the
medical container from a pharmacy, e.g., if specially prepared for
a specific patient, or may remove the medical container from a drug
dispensing apparatus, such as that disclosed in co-pending
application Ser. No. 10/085,472, filed Feb. 26, 2002, co-pending
application Ser. No. 09/957,108, filed Sep. 19, 2001, and
co-pending application Ser. No. 09/811,317 filed Mar. 15, 2001, the
disclosure of which are expressly incorporated herein by
reference.
[0041] In step 620, an RF reader 120 coupled to the pump reads the
data stored on a RFID tag 20 associated with the medical container.
For example, the RF reader 120 may automatically read the data from
the RFID tag 20 when the medical container is brought into close
proximity to the RF reader 120, e.g., when the medical container is
connected to the pump. Alternatively, the healthcare worker may
initiate the RFID tag 20 reading, e.g., by pressing a "read" button
(not shown) on the RF reader 120 either before or after connecting
the medical container to the pump. In a preferred embodiment, the
RF reader 120 is activated, the medical container is placed in
close proximity to the RF reader 120, and then the medical
container is loaded into the pump. This reading process may involve
transmitting a query signal to the RFID tag 20 and then receiving
data signals in response, as explained above.
[0042] In step 630, the RF reader 120 retrieves data related to the
contents in the medical container based upon the data signals
received from the RFID tag 20 reading. The data may include the
name of the medical fluid, the infusion rate at which the medical
fluid is to be delivered to the patient, the amount of medical
fluid contained in the medical container, and/or the expected
delivery time of the medical fluid. The RF reader 120 may acquire
the data directly from the data signals received from the RFID tag
20. Alternatively, the RF reader 120 may acquire an identifier,
e.g., a serial number, from the signals received from the RFID tag
20, and retrieve data from a database using the identifier.
[0043] This latter alternative is shown in FIG. 7, in which a RF
reader 120 is linked to a database 710 via a communications link
720, e.g., a wire or wireless link. The RF reader 120 may transmit
the identifier obtained from the RFID tag 20 to the database 710
via the communications link 720. A controller (not shown) of the
database 710 may retrieve data stored in its memory that is
uniquely associated with the identifier, and transmit the retrieved
data to the RF reader 120 via the communications link 720.
[0044] In step 640, the RF reader 120 may electronically transmit
all or part of the data obtained from the RFID tag 20 to a
controller of the pump. Alternatively, if the data is stored in a
database, all or part of the data associated with the identifier
identifying the medical container may be transmitted from the
database directly to the pump controller.
[0045] In step 650, the healthcare worker may prepare the pump for
delivery of the medical fluid to the patient. For example, if a
peristaltic pump 430 and an IV bag 15 are used, as shown in FIG. 4,
the healthcare worker may thread a tube 450 fluidly coupled at one
end to the IV bag 15 through the peristaltic pump 430. The other
end of the tube 450 may be coupled to the patient intended to
receive the medical fluid, e.g., using conventional intravenous
methods. Alternatively, if a syringe pump 530 and a syringe 25 are
used, as shown in FIG. 5, the healthcare worker may place the
syringe 25 in the syringe holder 540 and fluidly couple one end of
a tube 545 to the syringe 25. The other end of the tube 545 may be
coupled to the patient, similar to the peristaltic pump.
[0046] In step 660, the pump controller 140 may display some or all
of the data received from the RF reader 120, e.g., on a monitor or
other display. The displayed data may include the name of the
medical fluid, the infusion rate at which the medical fluid is to
be delivered, the amount of medical fluid contained in the medical
container 15 or delivery device 25 and/or the expected delivery
time of the medical fluid.
[0047] In step 670, the pump controller 140 may present the
healthcare worker with an inquiry whether to proceed with
delivering the medical fluid to the patient. The healthcare worker
may indicate his or her decision to the pump controller 140, e.g.,
by pressing a "yes" or "no" button on an input device, such as a
keypad, touch screen, or keyboard. This provides the healthcare
worker with an opportunity to confirm the data displayed by the
pump controller 140, e.g., the infusion rate displayed on the
display with data printed on the medical container or other records
associated with the patient before proceeding with delivery. If the
healthcare worker decides not to proceed, the pump controller 140
does not deliver the medical fluid to the patient, e.g., after
confirming the healthcare worker's decision. If the healthcare
worker decides to proceed, the pump controller 140 proceeds to step
680.
[0048] In step 680, the pump controller 140 may activate a pumping
mechanism 150 of the pump to deliver the medical fluid from the
medical container to the patient at the infusion rate included in
the data received from the RFID tag 20 associated with the medical
container. If the infusion rate includes a plurality of rates for a
sequence of time periods, the controller may automatically adjust
the pumping mechanism to deliver the medical fluid as instructed by
the data.
[0049] Thus, a delivery system in accordance with the present
invention may electronically program a pump to deliver medical
fluid to a patient, thereby reducing the potential for human error
associated with manually programming a pump. The RF reader 120 may
retrieve delivery data needed to program the pump and other data
related to the medical fluid by reading data from the RFID tag 20
associated with the medical container. The RF reader 120 may
electrically transmit the data to the pump, which may then deliver
the medical fluid to the patient in accordance with the
instructions received with the data. Thus, the healthcare worker
does not need to manually enter data into the pump, which may
result in too little or too much medication being delivered to the
patient.
[0050] Optionally, the pump may provide the healthcare worker with
an opportuiity to decide whether to program the pump manually or
automatically, i.e., to turn off the automatic programming
procedures described above. For example, the healthcare worker may
press a "manual/auto" mode button on the input device to toggle
between manual and automatic programming. In the manual mode, the
healthcare worker may manually enter the infusion rate using the
input device, and the pump controller 140 may set the pump
mechanism 150 to the entered infusion rate. In automatic mode, the
RF reader 120 may electronically read and/or transmit the infusion
rate to the pump controller 140, which may set the pump mechanism
150 accordingly.
[0051] In alternative embodiments, the RF reader 120 may be coupled
to other devices in addition to the pump for transmitting data read
from RFID tags 20 to the other devices and/or for performing other
tasks. For example, the RF reader 120 and/or pump may also be
coupled to a bedside terminal for performing medication error
checks. The RF reader 120 may transfer data from the RFID tag 20 to
the bedside terminal, which may verify that the patient is actually
the correct patient intended to receive the medical fluid in the
medical container.
[0052] For example, in one embodiment, the data read from the RFID
tag 20 of the medical container may include an intended patient
identifier that may be compared with data stored in the bedside
terminal or in a database accessible from the bedside terminal. A
terminal may be associated with each patient, e.g., at the
patient's bedside, that may include an identifier uniquely
associated with the patient, e.g., stored within memory of the
terminal. When a medical container is brought to the patient, the
intended patient identifier retrieved with the other data from the
RFID tag 20 of the medical container may be compared to the
identifier stored in the terminal memory to confirm that the
correct medical fluid is being provided to the correct patient.
[0053] Alternatively, the terminal may relay an identifier uniquely
associated with the medical container to a central database, which
may confirm that the patient's records indicate that the patient
has been prescribed and/or is intended to receive the medical fluid
in the medical container. The bedside terminal, the RF reader 120,
and/or the pump itself may also confirm that an expiration date of
the medical fluid has not passed, which may be particularly
important for certain medications with limited lives, such as
chemotherapy drugs. If any of these confirmations returns a
negative result (e.g., wrong patient, wrong medical fluid, expired
medical fluid), an output may be displayed, e.g., on the RF reader
120, the pump, or the bedside terminal, instructing the healthcare
worker not to proceed with the treatment. This output may provide
the healthcare worker an opportunity to investigate any potential
problems, e.g., call the pharmacy or patient's doctor, to determine
how best to proceed. Additional information on systems and methods
that may be used for such medical error prevention procedures may
be found in copending application Ser. No. 10/085,472, filed Feb.
26, 2002, co-pending application Ser. No. 09,957,108, filed Sep.
19, 2001, and co-pending application Ser. No. 09/811,317 filed Mar.
15, 2001, the disclosure of which are expressly incorporated herein
by reference.
[0054] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications,
and alternative forms, specific examples thereof have been shown in
the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be
understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the
particular forms or methods disclosed, but to the contrary, the
invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the appended
claims.
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