Software features for medical infusion pump

Abstract

Various software features useable in a medical infusion pump are disclosed. In certain aspects, localized alarm and message handling systems are disclosed. In other aspects, variable intensity alarms are disclosed. In further aspects, cost tracking systems and methods for medical infusion pumps are disclosed. In still further aspects, methods and systems implementing a variable delay of pressure decay in a medical infusion pump are disclosed. In other aspects, methods and systems implementing a timed intermittent bolus by pressure are disclosed.

1 . A method of directing messages to individuals, the method comprising:
 associating one or more individuals with a message generated by a medical infusion pump; and   following occurrence of the message in the medical infusion pump, communicating the message to the one or more individuals.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message corresponds to an alarm event occurring in the medical infusion pump. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein associating one or more individuals with a message corresponds to linking message records with individual records in a database. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the database is stored in a memory of the medical infusion pump. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the database is stored in a memory of a computing system communicatively connected to the medical infusion pump. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more individuals corresponds to a predefined class of individuals. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the predefined class of individuals corresponds to individuals able to log in to access settings in the medical infusion pump. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein communicating the message to the one or more individuals comprises transmitting the message to the one or more individuals via a communication medium selected from the group consisting of:
 email;   cellular communication;   pager call; and   text message.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more individuals are selected from the group consisting of:
 physicians;   nurses;   pharmacists;   clinicians; and   patients.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein communicating the message is initiated by the medical infusion pump. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein communicating the message occurs based on a periodic request by a computing system associated with the one or more individuals. 
     
     
         12 . A medical infusion pump comprising:
 a pump mechanism;   a memory;   a programmable circuit arranged to control the pump mechanism and operatively connected to the memory, the programmable circuit programmed to:
 associate one or more individuals with a message generated by a medical infusion pump; and 
 following occurrence of the message in the medical infusion pump, communicate the message to the one or more individuals. 
   
     
     
         13 . The medical infusion pump of  claim 12 , wherein the message is communicated by the medical infusion pump upon occurrence of the message. 
     
     
         14 . The medical infusion pump of  claim 12 , wherein the message corresponds to an alarm event occurring in the medical infusion pump. 
     
     
         15 . The medical infusion pump of  claim 12 , wherein the programmable circuit is programmed to communicate the message to the one or more individuals comprises via a communication medium selected from the group consisting of:
 email;   cellular communication;   pager call; and   text message.   
     
     
         16 . The medical infusion pump of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more individuals are selected from the group consisting of:
 physicians;   nurses;   pharmacists;   clinicians; and   patients.   
     
     
         17 . The medical infusion pump of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more individuals corresponds to a predefined class of individuals. 
     
     
         18 . The medical infusion pump of  claim 17 , wherein the predefined class of individuals corresponds to individuals able to log in to access settings in the medical infusion pump. 
     
     
         19 . A system for directing messages from a medical infusion pump to one or more individuals, the system comprising:
 a medical infusion pump; and   a computing system communicatively connected to the medical infusion pump;   the system arranged to execute program instructions to:
 associate one or more individuals with a message generated by a medical infusion pump; and 
 following occurrence of the message in the medical infusion pump, communicate the message to the one or more individuals. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the computing system initiates communication of the message received from the medical infusion pump. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein communicating the message is initiated by the medical infusion pump upon occurrence of the message. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein communicating the message occurs based on a periodic request by the computing system. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the individuals are associated with the message in a database accessible to the computing system.