Medical labeling apparatus with drug information

Abstract

Provided is a labeling apparatus that generates a label for labeling a drug container at a healthcare facility. The labeling apparatus includes a code reader that reads a computer-readable code encoding a drug to be stored by the drug container and transmits a signal indicative of the identity of the drug in response to reading the computer-readable code. A non-transitory computer-readable memory stores a drug formulary comprising a plurality of drug entries. A processing component is configured to identify, from the formulary, the identity of the drug corresponding to the computer-readable code and receives a patient identity from a computer-accessible source. A printer is operable to print label content identifying the specific drug onto a label that is to be applied to the drug container. The label content includes the identity of the drug and the patient identity encoded by a label code that is computer-readable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A labeling apparatus that generates a label for labeling a drug container at a healthcare facility, the labeling apparatus comprising:
 a code reader that reads a computer-readable code encoding a drug to be stored by the drug container and transmits a signal indicative of the identity of the drug in response to reading the computer-readable code;   a non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores a drug formulary comprising a plurality of drug entries;   a processing component that identifies, from the formulary, the identity of the drug corresponding to the computer-readable code and receives a patient identity from a computer-accessible source; and   a printer for printing label content identifying the specific drug onto a label that is to be applied to the drug container, the label content comprising the identity of the drug and the patient identity encoded by a label code that is computer-readable.   
     
     
         2 . The labeling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-accessible source comprises a second computer-readable code encoding the patient identity, and the code reader is adapted to read the second computer-readable code from a source independent of the patient and transmit a patient signal indicative of the patient identity that is received by the processing component. 
     
     
         3 . The labeling apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the source independent of the patient comprises an identification label that is not used to program a medication delivery device. 
     
     
         4 . The labeling apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a network component that receives the patient identity as a communication transmitted over a communication network as the computer-accessible source. 
     
     
         5 . The labeling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the printer is adapted to print the label code as a plurality of different barcodes comprising a first barcode that encodes the identity of the drug and a second barcode, which is different than the first barcode, that encodes the patient identity. 
     
     
         6 . The labeling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the printer is adapted to print the label code as a common barcode that encodes both the identity of the drug and the patient identity. 
     
     
         7 . The labeling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing component is further configured to receive an instruction for programming a medication delivery device, and the printer prints the label code to encode the instruction. 
     
     
         8 . The labeling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the instruction comprises at least a rate at which the drug is to be delivered to the patient. 
     
     
         9 . A method of administering a drug to a patient utilizing an automated drug delivery device, the method comprising:
 with a computer-readable code reader, scanning a drug code that is computer-readable and a first patient code that is computer readable, the drug code and the first patient code being associated with a drug container storing the drug to be administered by the automated drug delivery device;   with the computer-readable code reader, scanning a second patient code that is computer readable and independent of the first patient code;   comparing a first patient identity determined based on the first patient code to a second patient identity determined based on the second patient code to make a determination whether the first patient identity matches the second patient identity;   configuring the drug delivery device to administer the drug to the patient in response to making a determination that the first patient identity matches the second patient identity; and   initiating an alert in response to making a determination that the first patient identity does not match the second patient identity.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising interfering administration of the drug to the patient in response to making the determination that the first patient identity does not match the second patient identity. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said scanning the drug code and the first patient code comprises using a barcode scanner provided to the drug delivery device to scan a label barcode provided to a label applied to a syringe, and wherein said scanning the second patient code comprises using the barcode scanner to scan a patient barcode provided to the patient.