Apparatus, system and method for tracking drugs during a repackaging and administering process

Abstract

A system for tracking drugs during a transfer and administering process is configured to reduce labeling errors that can occur during that process. The system includes a storage container reader configured to read a set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia positioned on a container containing a drug. The set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia identifies the drug. The system further includes, at the point of care of a patient, an indicia-generating device configured to generate machine readable drug-delivery-container-associated indicia identifying the drug based on the storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia. A drug delivery container reader, also located at the point of care, is configured to read both sets of machine readable indicia to verify that the drug delivery container has been correctly labelled. A method implemented by the system results in the reduction in labeling errors.

1 . A method for tracking drugs during a transfer and administering process, wherein a drug is transferred from a storage container to a drug delivery container, and wherein a container containing a drug is withdrawn from a source of drugs, wherein the container has thereon a set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia identifying the drug, the method comprising:
 a) providing a reader/indicia-generating device including a storage container reader and an indicia-generating device at the point of care of a patient, wherein the storage container reader is configured to read the set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia and wherein the indicia-generating device is configured to generate a set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated indicia identifying the drug, based on the set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia;   b) causing the storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia to be read by the storage container reader so that the storage container reader/indicia-generating device prepares the set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated indicia;   c) transferring the drug into the drug delivery container from the container; and   d) applying the set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated indicia to the drug delivery container.   
     
     
         2 . A system for tracking drugs during a transfer and administering process, comprising:
 a storage container reader, wherein the storage container reader is configured to read a set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia positioned on a container containing a drug, wherein the set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia identifies the drug; and   an indicia-generating device, wherein the indicia-generating device is configured to generate a drug-delivery-container-associated indicia identifying the drug based on the storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia, wherein the set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated indicia includes a set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated machine-readable indicia;   a drug delivery container reader, wherein the drug delivery container reader is configured to read the set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated machine-readable indicia;   a processing unit, wherein the processing unit generates an output signal corresponding to the drug based on the set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated machine-readable indicia; and   an output device that outputs a user-comprehensible output identifying the drug based on the output signal from the processing unit.   
     
     
         3 . A system for tracking drugs during a drug administering process, comprising:
 at least one label having a plurality of different color regions pre-printed thereon corresponding to a color-based drug coding scheme; and any one of:   i) an indicia-generating device adapted to print in a first color, wherein the indicia-generating device is adapted to generate drug-delivery-container-associated indicia on a label including a color region of at least one second color that the indicia generating device is unable to generate;   (ii) an indicia-generating device adapted to print in one or two colors and add printed matter to the color regions, wherein the indicia-generating device is adapted to generate drug-delivery-container-associated indicia on a label including a color region of at least one color that differs from the one or two colors.   
     
     
         4 . A system for tracking drugs during a drug administering process, comprising:
 A) an indicia-generating device adapted to print in one or two colors, wherein the indicia-generating device is configured to generate drug-delivery-container-associated indicia on a label including a color region that differs in color from the one or two colors;   B) at least one drug delivery container having a plurality of regions of color pre-printed thereon corresponding to a color-based drug coding scheme or a set of labels having a plurality of regions of color pre-printed thereon corresponding to a color-based drug coding scheme.   
     
     
         5 . A system for tracking drugs according to  claim 3 , where the indicia-generating device adapted to print in a first color and wherein the indicia-generating device is adapted to generate drug-delivery-container-associated indicia on a label including a color region of at least one second color that the indicia generating device is unable to generate and wherein the indicia generating device generates a color region corresponding to the identity of the drug by over-printing the regions of different except for the region of color corresponding to identity of the drug. 
     
     
         6 . A system for tracking drugs according to  claim 4 , wherein the indicia generating device generates a color region corresponding to the identity of the drug by over-printing the regions of different except for the region of color corresponding to identity of the drug. 
     
     
         7 . A label or syringe adapted for color coding the drug content of drug delivery container comprising a plurality of different colored regions corresponding to a set of different colors belonging to a color-based drug coding scheme. 
     
     
         8 . A label or syringe according to  claim 7 , wherein the border of each color region is immediately adjacent the border of each adjacent color region. 
     
     
         9 - 11 . (canceled)