Drug labeling
Inventors
Levine, Wilton C. • Davison, James Kenneth • Dempsey, Michael • Donovan, Kimberly • Driscoll, III, William D. • Fishman, Gayle A. • Sims, Nathaniel M.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8639525-B2
Publication Date
2014-01-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed are systems and methods for enabling transfer of a drug from a first drug container to a second drug container including a drug identification component that recognizes a first drug container to retrieve drug identifying data for the drug, a storage medium that stores a site-specific database comprising attributes and associated values for a set of drugs including the drug in the first drug container, a processor that obtains the drug identifying data and the attributes and associated values for the drug and produces information about the drug using the drug identifying data and the attributes and associated values, a rules engine that applies one or more rules to the information about the drug to generate drug handling information, and an output unit that outputs markings comprising the drug handling information in human-readable or machine-readable form, or both, to be associated with the second container.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention enables transfer of a drug from a first drug container to a second drug container at a specific institution by scanning machine-readable data on the first drug container to retrieve drug identifying data for a drug included in a set of drugs. A site-specific database stored in a storage medium provides attributes and associated values for the set of drugs, where the attributes comprise patient-independent drug policies and patient-independent drug handling guidance that are specific for the institution. A processor obtains the drug identifying data together with the attributes and associated values to produce information about the drug using those inputs.
A rules engine applies one or more rules to the information about the drug to generate patient-independent drug handling information. The output unit generates a label comprising the patient-independent drug handling information in human-readable or machine-readable form, or both, for affixing on the second container. The described system therefore produces institution-specific drug handling information on a label based on scanned identifying data and stored patient-independent policies and guidance.
In a related utilization recording aspect, the invention records a utilization of a drug transferred from the first container to the second container at the specific institution. The system again scans machine-readable data to retrieve drug identifying data and uses the site-specific database with patient-independent drug policies and patient-independent drug handling guidance. The processor records information regarding transfer of the drug and administration of the drug into an information management system using the drug identifying data and the attributes and associated values.
Claims Coverage
The provided set includes three independent claims: a system claim directed to generating and outputting a patient-independent drug handling label, a method claim directed to a corresponding label-generation workflow, and a computer program product claim directed to instructions implementing the same functionality. Across these independent claims, four core inventive features appear: scanning to retrieve drug identifying data, retrieving patient-independent institution-specific attributes from a site-specific database, applying rules to generate patient-independent drug handling information, and generating a label in human-readable or machine-readable form (or both) to affix to a second container.
Institution-specific drug handling label generation for container transfer
A system that enables transfer of a drug from a first drug container to a second drug container at a specific institution by scanning machine-readable data on the first drug container to retrieve drug identifying data and producing drug-handling information.
Site-specific database with patient-independent policies and guidance
A storage medium that stores a site-specific database comprising attributes and associated values for the set of drugs, where the attributes comprise patient-independent drug policies and patient-independent drug handling guidance specific for the institution.
Rules engine to generate patient-independent handling information
A rules engine that applies one or more rules to the information about the drug to generate patient-independent drug handling information.
Label output in human-readable or machine-readable form
An output unit that generates a label comprising the drug handling information in human-readable or machine-readable form, or both, to be affixed on the second container.
Computer program instructions for scanning, applying rules, and generating a label
A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage device for enabling transfer of a drug from a first drug container to a second drug container at a specific institution, comprising instructions to cause a computer to retrieve drug identifying data by scanning machine-readable data, retrieve site-specific patient-independent policies and handling guidance, apply one or more rules, and generate a label comprising the drug handling information in human-readable or machine-readable form, or both, to be affixed on the second container.
Method steps for retrieving drug data, using institution policies, applying rules, and labeling
A method for enabling transfer of a drug from a first drug container to a second drug container at a specific institution by retrieving drug identifying data by scanning machine-readable data, retrieving patient-independent drug policies and patient-independent drug handling guidance from a site-specific database, producing information about the drug, applying one or more rules to generate patient independent drug handling information, and generating a label comprising the drug handling information in human-readable or machine-readable form, or both, to be affixed on the second container.
Utilization recording in an information management system based on scanned drug data
A system to record a utilization of a drug transferred from a first drug container to a second drug container at a specific institution, comprising scanning machine-readable data to retrieve drug identifying data, using a site-specific database with patient-independent drug policies and patient-independent drug handling guidance, and recording information regarding transfer and administration into an information management system using the drug identifying data and the attributes and associated values.
Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage is directed to retrieving drug identifying data by scanning a first container, looking up institution-specific patient-independent drug policies and handling guidance from a site-specific database, applying rules to generate patient-independent drug handling information, and generating a label (human-readable and/or machine-readable) to affix to the second container; additionally, one independent claim covers recording utilization into an information management system using the same scanned identifying data and site-specific attributes.
Stated Advantages
Enables transfer of a drug from a first drug container to a second drug container at a specific institution by generating institution-specific patient-independent drug handling information on a label.
Provides patient-independent drug handling information in human-readable or machine-readable form, or both, for affixing on the second container.
Records utilization information regarding transfer and administration of a drug into an information management system based on the scanned drug identifying data and patient-independent institution-specific attributes.
Documented Applications
Drug transfer between containers at a specific institution using a system that scans machine-readable data on a first drug container and outputs a label for affixing on a second container.
Drug utilization recording for a drug transferred from a first drug container to a second drug container at a specific institution, including recording transfer and administration information into an information management system.
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