Safety, Management and Tracking of Hospital Pharmacy Trays

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method is disclosed for inventory management including an inventory machine, a medication tray, and at least one marker. A medication tray includes a plurality of compartments to receive medications and other items, where each compartment is designated as a receptacle for a specific item or type of item. A marker is provided for each item placed in a compartment, and insertion of a medication tray into an inventory machine enables components to scan for markers. The markers are configured to generate identifying data and other data related to an item upon being scanned by an imaging apparatus and processed by a decoder apparatus. The correct/incorrect location of items within a medication tray, among other information, is determined in an automated fashion as part of the computer-implemented inventory management system and method.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . An inventory management system, comprising:
 at least one scanning device comprising at least one imaging apparatus configured to scan at least one object in part by capturing at least one image of the at least one object and convert the at least one image into digital image data;   at least one tray having at least one compartment structured to receive at least one item;   at least one marker associated with the at least one object, wherein the at least one object is at least one of the at least one item and the at least one tray, wherein each marker includes encoded pertinent data thereon;   at least one decoder apparatus in connection with the at least one imaging apparatus to acquisition the encoded pertinent data embodied in the digital image data to generate decoded pertinent data; and,   a computer device including a processor in association with a non-transitory memory, the computer device configured to store and display at least one of the digital image data, the encoded pertinent data, and the decoded pertinent data for the at least one object;   wherein the computer device is programmed with at least one item-tray recipe for associating the at least one compartment and the at least one item with a designated receptacle-compartment so as to assign the at least one item to the at least one designated receptacle-compartment, the computer device programmed to display data, for each object, corresponding to the item-tray recipe, the digital image data, and the decoded pertinent data.   
     
     
         2 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the computer device is further programmed to display data comparing, for each object, the item-tray recipe and the digital image data. 
     
     
         3 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the decoded pertinent data comprises at least one of a type of the item, actual location information of the item, designated receptacle-compartment information for the item, production data for the item, manufacturer data of the item, patient information associated with the item, insurance information associated with the item and/or a patient of the item, delivery information of the item, usage information of the item, expiration date information of the item, soon-to-expire information of the item, medication recall information of the item, lot code data of the item, and regulatory compliance information of the item. 
     
     
         4 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one scanning device is the computer device. 
     
     
         5 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one compartment has an insert structured to retain the at least one item so that light being reflected by the at least one marker is incident upon the at least one imaging apparatus during the scan. 
     
     
         6 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one marker comprises at least one Data Matrix code. 
     
     
         7 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one decoder apparatus comprises an optical character recognition device. 
     
     
         8 . The system recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a computer system with a database in connection with the at least one computer device via a computer network, wherein the at least one item-tray recipe is received by the at least one computer device from the database. 
     
     
         9 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the display of data via the at least one computer device is via an interactive user interface. 
     
     
         10 . The system recited in  claim 9 , wherein the interactive user interface facilitates modification of at least one of the display of the data and the at least one item-tray recipe. 
     
     
         11 . An inventory management system, comprising:
 a computer device including a processor in association with a non-transitory memory, the computer device programmed with an item-tray recipe; and,   an inventory machine in connection with the computer device, the inventory machine comprising:
 a housing with a medication tray receiver structured to receive a medication tray; 
 at least one imaging apparatus to capture images of objects placed within the medication tray receiver and convert the images into digital image data; and, 
 a decoder apparatus to decode encoded pertinent data embodied in the digital data to generate decoded pertinent data; 
   wherein the computer device receives and processes the decoded pertinent data and generates display data comprising the decoded pertinent data and item-tray recipe data.   
     
     
         12 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the object comprises at least one of an item and the medication tray, each having a marker with encoded pertinent data thereon. 
     
     
         13 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the medication tray receiver further comprises a slidable and adjustable shelf to rest the medication tray thereon. 
     
     
         14 . The system recited in  claim 12 , wherein the medication tray has a compartment structured to receive the item, wherein the item-tray recipe causes the computer device to associate the compartment and the item with a designated receptacle-compartment so as to assign the item to the designated receptacle-compartment. 
     
     
         15 . The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one imaging apparatus comprises a plurality of imaging apparatuses arranged in at least one of a linear array and a matrix array, wherein each imaging apparatus is configured to capture an image of at least a sector of the medication tray, wherein at least two imaging apparatuses are configured to overlap in a field of view. 
     
     
         16 . The system recited in  claim 15 , wherein at least one imaging apparatus is an archival imaging apparatus configured to capture an image of an entire containment area of the medication tray. 
     
     
         17 . The system recited in  claim 13 , wherein at least one of a field of view, a focal length, an angle of incidence, and a standoff distance for the at least one imaging apparatus is modifiable by at least one of adjusting the adjustable shelf and adjusting an operating parameter of the at least one imaging apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The system recited in  claim 17 , wherein the at least one imaging apparatus is capable of capturing a plurality images of the object while scanning from a minimum distance above the object to a maximum distance above the object, wherein the minimum distance and the maximum distance are functions of the focal length and the standoff distance of the at least one imaging apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The system recited in  claim 14 , wherein the display data is displayed via a user interface, the user interface programmed to generate at least one of:
 a tray display screen showing the image overlaid with an indicator;   an item-recipe compare screen showing whether the item is in the assigned designated receptacle-compartment;   a medication tracking screen showing data related to dates/times when the item or the medication tray was at a location and/or used for disseminating medication to a patient, a staff member tasked to deliver the item or medication tray to the location, and/or a status of the delivery of the item or medication tray; and,   a report including any of the data displayed on any one of the tray display screen, item-recipe compare screen, and the medication tracking screen.   
     
     
         20 . An inventory management method, comprising:
 creating a marker encoded with pertinent information;   associating the marker with at least one of a medication tray and an item capable of being received within a compartment of the medication tray;   identifying the compartment as a designated receptacle-compartment for the item;   creating an item-tray recipe corresponding to kind, count, and location of the item within the medication tray and in accordance with the designated receptacle-compartment;   placing the item in the compartment of the medication tray in accordance with the item-tray recipe;   scanning the medication tray with a scanning device, the scanning device comprising at least one imaging apparatus and at least one decoder apparatus;   reviewing the pertinent information, an operational parameter of the scanning device, information related whether the item is in the assigned designated receptacle-compartment, tracking information, and/or status information;   using at least the pertinent information for auditing and/or quality control;   using the medication tray to conduct delivery operations and/or dissemination of the item;   performing additional scanning for further auditing and/or quality control; and,   reviewing updated pertinent information, an updated operational parameter of the scanning device, updated information related whether the item is in the assigned designated receptacle-compartment, updated tracking information, and/or updated status information for replenishment, removal, restocking, and/or replacement of the item and/or the medication tray.   
     
     
         21 . The method recited in  claim 20 , further comprising comparing an apparent size of the marker shown in the at least one image with the actual size of the marker to determine a position of the marker relative to a nominal plane.