System and method for clinical quality and safety automation

Abstract

The system and method in accordance with the invention accepts a treatment order from a clinician, which is captured as data. The order data identifies, at a minimum, the patient to be treated, and the treatment to be administered. Additional data may be included. The data is transmitted to one or more fulfillment centers based on supply availability. The supplies are tagged with an information-carrying facet and transported to the patient point of care. At the patient point of care the supplies’ data tag, the order date and the patient identity is verified. If verification is correct then the supplies are used to treat the patient. The process may be monitored and/or audited.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for clinical quality and safety control comprising:
 providing a processing unit having memory including one or more of patient information, known treatments for disease states, information regarding availability of supplies in one or more fulfillment centers, treatment diagnoses, outcomes, quality, environmental data and regulatory;   initiating and accepting a first treatment order from a clinician relative to a first patient and a first treatment order including at least one or more medications or other supplies;   cross-referencing the first treatment order with the information stored in the processing unit memory and verifying the first patient to be treated and the first treatment to be administered to the first patient by the processing unit;   communicating by the processing unit the first treatment order for the first patient through one or more networks to an order management system operated by a fulfillment center, a selection of the fulfillment center based on information stored in memory regarding an availability at the fulfillment center supplies and medications contained in the first treatment order;   tagging the ordered supplies with an information-carrying facet containing appropriate patient and administration information based on information contained in the first treatment order;   transporting the ordered supplies to a patient point of care;   scanning the information-carrying facet into a computing mechanism that communicates via one or more networks with the processing unit and again verifying the information with the first treatment order stored in memory in the processing unit;   creating a first electronic administration record associated with the first treatment order for the first patient and making the electronic record accessible through the one or more networks, the electronic record including at least (i) the administration schedule of the first medication for the first patient including dosage and frequency; and (ii) communicating via the networks the first electronic administration record associated with the first medication for the first patient in the processing unit.   
     
     
         2 . The method for clinical quality and safety control of  claim 1  wherein the supplies in the first treatment order are cross-referenced by the processing unit with the disease state data stored in memory and verified by the processing unit for compatibility in treating the identified patient disease state. 
     
     
         3 . The method for clinical quality and safety control of  claim 1  wherein the order management system is integrated with the processing unit or located remote from the processing unit, the order management system accessible through the one or more networks. 
     
     
         4 . The method for clinical quality and safety control of  claim 1  further comprising ensuring the first treatment order is authorized after initiating and accepting the first treatment order from the clinician. 
     
     
         5 . The method for clinical quality and safety control of  claim 4  further comprising ensuring the first treatment order is authorized by presenting it to the clinician for review. 
     
     
         6 . The method for clinical quality and safety control of  claim 1  further comprising tagging the first treatment order with appropriate environmental data. 
     
     
         7 . The method for clinical quality and safety control of  claim 1  wherein said first treatment order is encrypted prior to, during or upon receipt by the order management system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of clinical quality and safety control of  claim 1  wherein said supplies are verified by the processing unit using the information-carrying facet for compatibility with a method of administration. 
     
     
         9 . The method of clinical quality and safety control of  claim 1  wherein upon receipt of the first electronic administration record by the processing unit, causing the processing unit to cross-reference the administration method with at least one of the first treatment order and other information stored in memory to verify compatibility. 
     
     
         10 . The method of clinical quality and safety control of  claim 1  wherein the steps are repeated for multiple patients.