System for onboard electronic encoding of the contents and administration parameters of iv containers and the secure use and disposal thereof

Abstract

A system and method for tracking and administering liquid medications in a hospital, clinic, or patient residence, including encoding information onto a short range communication device affixed to a liquid container in a hospital pharmaceutical filling or compounding center, the information including drug information, patient information, and IV administration information, transferring the liquid container to a patient's bedside, programming an infusion course into a bedside IV infusion pump by enabling the pump to read the encoded information on the communication device, and disposing of the liquid container and any residual drug in a smart disposal bin that reads the communication device and weighs the container. The disposal bin may confirm the chemical contents of the container.

1 . A method of tracking and administering a liquid medication, the method comprising:
 encoding information onto a short range communication device, the information including drug information, patient information, and intravenous administration information wherein the short range communication device does not include a processor;   providing the short range communication device on a liquid container in a hospital pharmaceutical filling or compounding center, wherein the liquid container contains a drug identified by the drug information;   transferring the liquid container to an area where the liquid container can be placed in fluid communication with a patient;   automatically programming an infusion course into an intravenous infusion pump by enabling the pump to read the encoded information on the communication device;   reading, at a smart disposal bin, one or more portions of the encoded information automatically from the communication device on the liquid container after patient infusion;   weighing any residual drug of the liquid container at the smart disposal bin;   disposing the liquid container and the any residual drug in the smart disposal bin; and   generating an alert when an original weight of the drug in the transferred liquid container is not equal to an infused weight of the drug plus the weight of the residual drug.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising automatically confirming chemical contents of the liquid container. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising capturing and recording a person's identity when performing the disposing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising matching patient information with one or more infusion devices known to be assigned to the patient to resist infusion of the drug to the wrong patient due to use on a wrong infusion device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising automatically determining a volume or weight of infused drug and electronically recording the infused volume or weight on the short range communication device. 
     
     
         6 . A method of tracking and administering a liquid medication, the method comprising:
 electronically encoding information onto a short range communication device, the information including drug information, patient information, and intravenous administration information, wherein the short range communication device does not include a processor;   affixing the short range communication device to a liquid container in a pharmaceutical filling or compounding facility, wherein the liquid container contains a drug identified by the drug information;   transferring the liquid container to a patient's residence; and   programming an infusion course into an outpatient intravenous infusion pump by enabling the pump to read the encoded information on the communication device;   reading, at a smart disposal bin, the information automatically from the communication device on the liquid container after patient infusion;   weighing any residual drug of the liquid container at the smart disposal bin;   disposing the liquid container and the any residual drug in the smart disposal bin; and   generating an alert when an original weight of the drug in the transferred liquid container is not equal to an infused weight of the drug plus the weight of the residual drug.   
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the encoded information includes a patient name, drug expiration date, dose, and rate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein programming the infusion course into the outpatient intravenous infusion pump is performed without accessing an electronic health record (EHR). 
     
     
         10 . A system for tracking and administering a liquid medication in a hospital, the system comprising:
 an encoder configured to encode information onto a short range communication device, the information including drug information, patient information, and intravenous administration information, wherein the short range communication device is affixed to a liquid container in a hospital pharmaceutical filling or compounding center, wherein the liquid container contains a drug identified by the drug information;   a first interrogator in communication with a bedside intravenous infusion pump, the first interrogator configured to read the encoded information on the short range communication device on the liquid container wherein the read information is utilized to program an infusion course into the bedside intravenous infusion pump in communication with the first interrogator; and   a second interrogator in communication with a smart disposal bin, the second interrogator configured to automatically read the encoded information from the short range communication device on the transferred liquid container after patient infusion, wherein the smart disposal bin is configured to weigh any residual drug of the transferred liquid container, dispose the liquid container and the any residual drug and generate an alert when an original weight of the drug in the transferred liquid container is not equal to an infused weight of the drug plus the weight of the residual drug.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the smart disposal bin is configured to confirm chemical contents of the liquid container. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the smart disposal bin is configured to generate spectrographic identification of the contents of the liquid container. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the smart disposal bin is configured to capture the identity of a person operating the smart disposal bin. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the smart disposal bin is configured to capture an electronic image of the person operating the smart disposal bin. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A disposable medical fluid container configured to be used to administer medical fluid through an electronic intravenous infusion pump to a patient, the medical fluid container comprising:
 a polymeric, flexible, substantially impermeable container wall configured to receive and contain a medical fluid;   one or more fluid access regions; and   a near-field communication device without a processor that is: (a) configured to be encoded at a filling station for a medical fluid container with healthcare information representing at least a patient's identity, medical fluid information, and administration information about how to administer the medical fluid to the patient; and (b) configured to be read at a patient infusion pump station to automatically program a course of infusion treatment into the patient infusion pump station using one or more components of the healthcare information encoded on the communication device;   wherein the near-field communication device is configured to be encoded by the patient infusion pump with a volume of infused medical fluid, a volume of residual medical fluid, and a date, time and duration of actual administration of the medical fluid to the patient.   
     
     
         18 . The disposable medical fluid container of  claim 17  in combination with the infusion pump. 
     
     
         19 . The disposable medical fluid container of  claim 17  in combination with the filling station. 
     
     
         20 . A method of preparing a course of infusion treatment for a patient comprising:
 providing a medical fluid container with a polymeric, flexible, substantially impermeable container wall configured to receive and contain a medical fluid, one or more fluid access regions, and a near-field communication device;   enabling the near-field communication device to be encoded at a filling station with healthcare information representing at least a patient's identity, medical fluid information, and administration information about how to administer the medical fluid to the patient;   enabling the near-field communication device to be read at a patient infusion station to automatically program the course of infusion treatment for the patient into an infusion pump; and   determining a volume and weight of infused medical fluid and electronically recording the infused volume and weight on the near-field communication device.   
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method of preparing a course of infusion treatment for a patient comprising:
 providing a medical fluid container with a polymeric, flexible, substantially impermeable container wall configured to receive and contain a medical fluid, one or more fluid access regions, and a near-field communication device;   enabling the near-field communication device to be encoded at a filling station with healthcare information representing at least a patient's identity, medical fluid information, and administration information about how to administer the medical fluid to the patient; and   enabling the near-field communication device to be read at a patient infusion station to automatically program the course of infusion treatment for the patient into an infusion pump;   wherein the near-field communication device is configured to be encoded by the infusion pump with a volume of infused medical fluid, a volume of residual medical fluid, and a date, time and duration of the actual administration of the medical fluid to the patient.