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

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for tracking drugs during a transfer and administering process to reduce labeling errors that can occur during that process. The system includes a storage container reader that is 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 an indicia-generating device that is configured to generate a drug-delivery-container-associated indicia identifying the drug based on the storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia. 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. Optionally the system further includes 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. Optionally the system further includes a processing unit that generates an output signal corresponding to the drug based on the set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated machine-readable indicia. Optionally the system further includes an output device that outputs a user-comprehensible output identifying the drug based on the output signal from the processing unit.

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drug is transferred from a storage container to a drug delivery container, and wherein a container containing a drug is withdrawn from a source of drugs, wherein the container has thereon a set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia identifying the drug, the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 method for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated indicia includes a set of one or more drug delivery container machine-readable indicia and wherein the method further comprises:
 e) providing a drug delivery container reader at the point of care of the patient, wherein the drug delivery container reader is configured to read the set of one or more drug delivery container machine-readable indicia;   f) providing 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 machine-readable indicia;   g) providing an output device at the point of care of the patient that outputs a user-comprehensible output identifying the drug based on the output signal from the processing unit; and   h) passing the drug-delivery-container-associated indicia within range of the drug delivery container reader to generate the user-comprehensible output on the output device.   
     
     
         3 . A method for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia is a bar-code. 
     
     
         4 . A method for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drug delivery container is a syringe. 
     
     
         5 . A method for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container is a unit-dose container. 
     
     
         6 . A method for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein step b) includes preparing a self-adhesive label with the drug delivery container indicia thereon, and step e) includes applying the label to the drug delivery container. 
     
     
         7 . A method for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising administering the drug to the patient within an hour of step c). 
     
     
         8 . A method for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising administering the drug to the patient within a few minutes of step c). 
     
     
         9 . A reader/indicia-generating device for use in applying drug identification indicia to a drug delivery container, comprising:
 a storage container reader, wherein the storage container reader is configured to read a container-associated machine-readable indicia positioned on a container containing a drug, wherein the storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia identifies the drug; and   an indicia-generating device, 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 storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia.   
     
     
         10 . A reader/indicia-generating device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the set of one or more storage-container-associated machine-readable indicia is a bar-code, and wherein the storage container reader is a bar-code reader. 
     
     
         11 . A reader/indicia-generating device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the indicia-generating device includes a printer with a feed-mechanism for feeding a backing paper with self-adhesive labels thereon through the printer. 
     
     
         12 . 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.   
     
     
         13 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the output device includes a visual output device for displaying the name of the drug. 
     
     
         14 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the output device includes a speaker for audibly outputting the name of the drug. 
     
     
         15 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the drug delivery container reader and the storage container reader are the same reader. 
     
     
         16 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the drug delivery container reader and the storage container reader are separate from each other. 
     
     
         17 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the storage container reader and the indicia-generating device are positioned proximate a source of drugs, and the drug delivery container reader is positioned proximate an operating table. 
     
     
         18 . 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;   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.   
     
     
         19 . A system for tracking drugs according to  claim 18 , wherein the drug-delivery-container-associated indicia include one or more drug-delivery-container-associated machine-readable indicia. 
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 19 , further comprising 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. 
     
     
         21 . A system for tracking drugs according to  claim 20 , further comprising 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. 
     
     
         22 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the output device includes a visual output device for displaying the name of the drug or a speaker for audibly outputting the name of the drug or both. 
     
     
         23 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 18  or  22 , including a storage container reader configured to read a 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 
     
     
         24 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the drug delivery container reader and the storage container reader are the same reader. 
     
     
         25 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the drug delivery container reader and the storage container reader are separate from each other. 
     
     
         26 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the storage container reader and the indicia-generating device are positioned proximate a source of drugs, and the drug delivery container reader is positioned proximate an operating table. 
     
     
         27 . A system for tracking drugs during a drug administering process, comprising:
 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;   at least one drug delivery container having a plurality of regions of color pre-printed thereon corresponding to a color-based drug coding scheme.   
     
     
         28 . A system for tracking drugs according to  claim 18  or  27 , 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. 
     
     
         29 . A label 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. 
     
     
         30 . A 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. 
     
     
         31 . A label according to  claim 29 , wherein the border of each color region is immediately adjacent the border of each adjacent color region. 
     
     
         32 . A system for tracking drugs during a drug administering process, comprising:
 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;   a set of labels having a plurality of regions of color pre-printed thereon corresponding to a color-based drug coding scheme.   
     
     
         33 . 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;   a controller;   an indicia-generating device controllable by the controller and 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.   
     
     
         34 . A system for tracking drugs during an administering process, comprising:
 a drug delivery container reader, wherein the drug delivery container reader is configured to read a set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated machine-readable indicia that identify a first drug contained in a first drug delivery container for a patient; and   a processing unit, wherein the processing unit stores information identifying the first drug, wherein the processing unit is configured to permit entry and storage of information identifying a second drug for the patient prior to receiving dosage information relating to delivery of the first drug to the patient.   
     
     
         35 . A system for tracking drugs during an administering process, comprising:
 a drug delivery container reader, wherein the drug delivery container reader is configured to read a set of one or more drug-delivery-container-associated machine-readable indicia that identify a first drug contained in a first drug delivery container for a patient;   an output device for outputting a set of dosage quantities;   an input device usable by a user to select one of the dosage quantities from the set of dosage quantities; and   a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to store information identifying the first drug and the dosage quantity selected by the user.   
     
     
         36 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the processing unit is configured to time stamp information relating to at least one of: the time at which the first drug is read by the drug delivery container reader, and the time at which the dosage quantity is selected. 
     
     
         37 . A system for tracking drugs as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the output device is a computer display and the input device is a computer mouse.