US007 175081B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Andreass0n et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`(54) PHARMACEUTICAL TRACKING
`(75) Inventors: Christer O. Andreasson, Escondido,
`CA (US); Jimmy C. Caputo, Carlsbad,
`CA (US)
`(73) Assignee: MEPS Realtime, Inc., Traverse City,
`MI (US)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 415 days.
`(21) Appl. No.: 10/448,978
`(22) Filed:
`May 29, 2003
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2004/004.6020 A1
`Mar. 11, 2004
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/085,472,
`filed on Feb. 26, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,935,560, and
`a continuation-in-part of application No. 10/086,183,
`filed on Feb. 26, 2002.
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G6F 9/00
`(2006.01)
`G06O 30/00
`(52) U.S. Cl. ...................... 235/385; 235/381; 235/382:
`340/5.92: 340/572.1: 700/236
`(58) Field of Classification Search ................ 235/385,
`235/383,381,382,382.5; 340/568.1, 573.1,
`340/572.1, 5.9, 5.92; 62/125; 700/231,
`700/236, 237; 232/43.1: 705/29, 28
`See application file for complete search history.
`References Cited
`
`(56)
`
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`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`
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`
`(Continued)
`Primary Examiner Jared J. Fureman
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Orrick, Herrington &
`Sutcliffe LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A medication dispensing unit is provided for tracking medi
`cal products having a Radio Frequency Identification
`(RFID) tag uniquely associated therewith. The dispensing
`unit includes compartments for receiving medical products
`therein, and readers for reading the RFID tags associated
`with the medical products in the compartments. A processor
`is coupled to the readers for receiving and processing
`readings of the RFID tags in the compartment to identify the
`medical products in the compartments. The processor may
`identify a medical product removed from a compartment by
`determining a difference between readings of the RFID tags
`in the compartment taken before and after the medical
`product is removed from the compartment. The processor
`may verify that the medical product removed from the
`compartment is authorized to be removed or confirmed that
`an identified patient is intended to receive the medical
`product being removed from the compartment. A system and
`method for counterfeit prevention is disclose, as is speci
`men, blood, organ and the like, tracking.
`
`25 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
`
`135
`
`RFREADER
`WRITER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`110
`
`
`
`30
`
`PHARMACY
`TERMINAL
`
`MEDICATION
`DISPENSING
`TERMINAL
`
`120
`
`HEALTHCARE
`MANAGEMENT
`COMPUTER
`
`HEALTHCARE
`DATABASE
`
`
`
`BEDSIDE
`TERMINAL
`
`150
`
`55
`
`Page 1 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`US 7,175,081 B2
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`5, 1991 McLaughlin et al.
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`5,207,642 A
`3, 1994 Pearson ...................... TOOf 236
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`5/1994 Coutré et al.
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`5,852.590 A 12/1998 de la Huerga
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`8, 2000 Podnar et al.
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`8, 2000 Kovelman
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`9, 2000 Olsen et al.
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`6,148,297 A 11/2000 Swor et al.
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`6,161,095 A 12/2000 Brown
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`6,175,779 B1* 1/2001 Barrett ....................... TOOf 236
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`7/2001 de la Huerga
`6,294,999 B1* 9/2001 Yarin et al. .............. 340,573.1
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`6,339,732 B1* 1/2002 Phoon et al. ............... 7OO 237
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`6,499.270 B2 12/2002 Peroni et al.
`6,539,281 B2 * 3/2003 Wan et al. .................. TOOf 236
`6.961,000 B2 * 1 1/2005 Chung.
`340,572.1
`2001/0028308 A1 10/2001 De La Huerga
`2002/0023441 A1
`2/2002 Bara et al.
`2002fOO26330 A1
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`2002fOO27507 A1
`3, 2002 Yarin et al.
`2002/0038392 A1
`3/2002 De La Huerga
`2002/0067263 A1
`6/2002 Tafoya et al.
`2002fOO67270 A1
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`2002fO188259 A1 12/2002 Hickle et al.
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`2003/0063524 A1* 4/2003 Niemiec et al. .............. 368, 10
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`
`
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`
`2, 1996
`WO 96,05522
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`WO 98.21124
`3, 1999
`WO 99.10829
`12/1999
`WO 99,65548
`1, 2000
`WOOO,04480
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`WOOO?O4521
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`WOOOf 62221
`T 2001
`WO O1? 49.343
`3, 2002
`WO O2,21425 A2
`6, 2002
`WO O2/43573
`WO O2/O95675 A1 11, 2002
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Page 2 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`Sheet 1 of 10
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`
`
`20
`
`Page 3 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`Page 4 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`Page 5 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`Sheet 4 of 10
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`PHARMACY RECEIVES SHIPMENT OF MEDICAL PRODUCTS
`
`INFORMATION IN THE RFID TAGOFEACH OF THE RECEIVEDMEDICAL
`PRODUCTS IS READ INTO THE PHARMACYTERMINAL
`
`PHARMACYTERMINAL TRANSMITS THE READ INFORMATION TO THE
`MANAGEMENT COMPUTER
`
`MANAGEMENT COMPUTER USES THE INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE
`PHARMACY TERMINAL TO UPDATE THE PHARMACY INVENTORY IN THE
`DATABASE
`
`SHIPPED TO THE HEALTHCARE FACILITY
`
`
`
`31 O
`
`32
`O
`
`
`
`33 O
`
`340
`4
`
`350
`
`360
`
`
`
`MANAGEMENT COMPUTER COMPARES THE INFORMATION OF THE MEDICAL
`PRODUCTS SHIPPED TO THE HEALTHCARE FACILITY WITH THE INFORMATION
`RECEIVED FROM THE PHARMACY TERMINAL TOWERIFY THAT ALL OF THE
`MEDICAL PRODUCTSSHIPPED TO THE HEALTHCARE FACILITY WERE RECEIVED
`BY THE PHARMACY
`
`Aa. 3
`
`Page 6 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`Sheet 5 of 10
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`
`
`410
`
`435
`
`Page 7 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`Sheet 6 of 10
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`
`
`Page 8 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`Sheet 7 of 10
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`DISPENSING TERMINAL READS THE RFID TAGS INSIDE THE DISPENSING
`UNIT BEFORE THE DISPENSING UNITRECEIVES THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS
`FROM THE PHARMACY
`
`HEALTHCARE WORKER PLACES THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS FROM THE
`PHARMACY IN THE DISPENSING UNIT
`
`DISPENSING TERMINAL READS THE RFID TAGS INSIDE THE DISPENSING
`UNITAFTER THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS AREPLACED IN THE DISPENSING UNIT
`
`DISPENSING TERMINAL COMPARES THE RFID TAGREADINGS TAKEN
`BEFORE AND AFTER THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS ARE PLACED IN THE
`DISPENSING UNIT TOIDENTIFY THE MEDICAL PRODUCTSPLACED IN THE
`DISPENSING UNIT
`
`50
`
`520
`
`530
`
`540
`
`550
`
`DISPENSING TERMINAL TRANSMITS INFORMATION OF THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS
`RECEIVED BY THE DISPENSING UNIT TO THE MANAGEMENT COMPUTER
`
`560
`
`MANAGEMENT COMPUTER WERIFIES THAT THE DISPENSING UNITRECEIVED
`ALL OF THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS WITHDRAWN FROM THE PHARMACY FOR
`TRANSPORT TO THE DISPENSING UNIT BY COMPARING THE MEDICAL
`PRODUCTS RECEIVED BY THE DISPENSING UNIT WITH THE RECORD OF THE
`MEDICAL PRODUCTS WITHDRAWN FROM THE PHARMACY
`
`Azz.6
`
`
`
`
`
`Page 9 of 23
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`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`Sheet 8 of 10
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`620
`
`630
`
`634
`
`636
`
`640
`
`642
`
`644
`
`650
`
`660
`
`OPERATOR LOGSIN
`(NOTE ALL ACTIONSCAN BE PERFORMED ON
`TOUCHSCREEN OR KEYBOARD)
`
`OPERATORENTERS PATIENT
`(DRUGORDERS DISPLAYED)
`
`OPERATORENTERSDRUGORDRUGS FOR PATIENT
`
`DRAWER CONTAINING DRUGORDRUGS OPENS
`
`DRUG REMOVED BY OPERATOR
`(MULTIPLEDRUGS CAN BERETRIEVED)
`
`DRAWER CLOSED BY OPERATOR
`
`DRAWER CLOSED SENSORSENDS SIGNAL
`TO PC
`
`PCINITIATESRF READ
`NOTE: READ COULD BE 1 ORMORE DRAWERS
`BASEDUPON SYSTEM DESIGN
`
`PCVERIFIES PRODUCT REMOVED WIA
`COUNTSUBTRACTION FROM DATABASE.
`MENUSCREEN ALLOWS OPERATOR TO
`EXIT OR PROCEED TONEXT PATIENT
`
`Azz. (7
`
`Page 10 of 23
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`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`Sheet 9 of 10
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`Page 11 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb. 13, 2007
`
`Sheet 10 of 10
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`BEDSIDE TERMINAL IDENTIFIES THE PATIENT TO BE ADMINISTERED THE
`MEDICAL PRODUCTS
`
`on estations are
`
`1 O
`
`820
`
`HEALTHCARE WORKERTAKES OUT THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS THATHE OR SHE
`INTENDS TOADMINISTERTO THE PATIENT
`
`HEALTHCARE WORKERREADS THE RFID TAGS OF THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS
`INTO THE BEDSIDE TERMINAL
`
`830
`
`840
`
`BEDSIDE TERMINAL VERIFIES THAT THE HEALTHCARE WORKERINTENDS TO
`ADMINISTER THE CORRECTMEDICAL PRODUCTS TO THE PATIENT BY
`COMPARING THE INFORMATION READ FROM THE RFID TAGS WITH
`INFORMATION OF THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS TO BE ADMINISTERED TO THE
`PATIENT
`
`
`
`BEDSIDE TERMINAL INDICATESTO THE HEALTHCARE WORKER WHETHERTO
`ADMINISTER THE MEDICAL PRODUCTS TO THE PATIENT BASED ON THE
`ABOVE VERIFICATION
`
`850
`
`Azz. 6
`
`Page 12 of 23
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`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`1.
`PHARMACEUTICAL TRACKING
`
`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation-in-part of application
`Ser. No. 10/085,472, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,560, and No.
`10/086,183, both filed Feb. 26, 2002, the disclosures of both
`of which are incorporated herein by reference.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates generally to systems and
`methods for tracking, verifying and dispensing medical
`products, and more particularly to systems and methods for
`tracking and monitoring the receipt and transfer of medical
`products within a facility, including verifying authenticity or
`ensuring medical products are not counterfeit, as well as
`tracking and monitoring transfer and removal of medical
`products from medication dispensing units and/or for inven
`torying medication dispensing units.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`10
`
`15
`
`In the field of medicine, tracking and verifying medical
`products from the manufacturer to a medical facility and the
`subsequent control and dispensing of such medical products
`is crucial to ensure that proper medical products are both
`received and dispensed correctly. This includes monitoring
`the medical products such as pharmaceuticals to ensure that
`none are counterfeit, tracking medical products as well as
`specimens, blood products, organs and the like and, further,
`to track such products throughout the medical facility.
`Considering pharmaceuticals, for example, they typically
`move from the manufacturer to a hospital or medical ware
`house, such as a pharmacy within a hospital, and from there
`they ultimately are dispensed typically to a patient within a
`hospital room.
`In healthcare facilities, such as, hospitals, medical prod
`ucts prescribed to patients may be temporarily stored in
`medication-dispensing units. Typically, a healthcare facility
`has one or more medication-dispensing units located on each
`floor and/or nursing station of the healthcare facility for
`storing medical products prescribed to patients on that floor.
`Each of the medication-dispensing units may include lock
`able storage compartments to limit access of the medical
`products contained therein to authorized healthcare workers.
`Controlled substances, such as morphine, may be segregated
`into individual storage compartments in a medication-dis
`pensing unit to control access to these substances.
`A healthcare worker, e.g., nurse, may log onto a medica
`tion-dispensing unit before administering medical products
`to patients. In order to authenticate the healthcare worker
`logging on, the dispensing unit may require the healthcare
`worker to scan an identification badge. Alternatively, the
`healthcare worker may gain access to the medical products
`in the dispensing unit with an electronic or manual key.
`Once logged on, the healthcare worker may pull up a list of
`patients assigned to him or her, including the medical
`products to be administered to the patients. The healthcare
`worker may then remove the medical products identified in
`the list of patients from the dispensing unit. In a further
`alternative, the dispensing unit may automatically grant the
`healthcare worker access to one or more individual storage
`compartments including medical products.
`The inventory of medical products in a medication
`dispensing unit may be monitored manually by requiring
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`healthcare workers logged onto the dispensing unit to per
`form inventory checks of medical products in the dispensing
`unit, e.g., by counting the quantities of the medical products
`in the dispensing unit. The healthcare workers may then
`manually report their inventory checks to the dispensing
`unit, e.g., by entering inventory counts into the dispensing
`unit with a keypad or other input device. The healthcare
`workers may perform the manual inventory checks before
`and/or after removing medical products from the dispensing
`unit.
`One problem with a manual approach for monitoring the
`inventory of medical products in a dispensing unit is that it
`relies on the accuracy of healthcare workers to manually
`check and report the inventory of medical products in the
`dispensing unit, which introduces human error. Another
`problem with a manual approach is that it may not prevent
`a dishonest healthcare worker from removing one or more
`unauthorized medical products, e.g., a controlled substance,
`from the dispensing unit. When this occurs, an unauthorized
`removal of a medical product may not be detected until
`another healthcare worker performs an inventory check of
`the medical product in the dispensing unit and detects a
`discrepancy. In this case, the healthcare worker detecting the
`discrepancy may report it to a healthcare administrator So
`that the administrator may investigate the discrepancy, e.g.,
`by tracking down all of the healthcare workers that have
`logged onto the dispensing unit within a certain period of
`time. A problem with this approach is that a few days may
`pass before the unauthorized removal is detected, making it
`difficult to track down all of the healthcare workers. This
`may be especially troublesome if some of the healthcare
`workers are roaming nurses who only occasionally visit the
`healthcare facility in question.
`Accordingly, automated systems and methods for tracking
`and/or monitoring removing medical products from a medi
`cation-dispensing unit would be considered useful.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is directed to systems and methods
`for tracking, monitoring and inventorying medical products
`within a healthcare facility, such as a hospital. This may
`include systems and methods for monitoring medical prod
`ucts entering and/or leaving a pharmacy, for dispensing
`medical products from a medication-dispensing unit, and/or
`for delivering medical products to individuals within the
`facility.
`In accordance with one aspect of the present invention,
`each medical product has a Radio Frequency Identification
`(RFID) tag uniquely associated therewith. Each tag prefer
`ably includes data which allows the product to be checked
`for authenticity, for example, not counterfeit, and enables the
`product to be tracked within the facility. Preferably each
`RFID tag contains a unique serial number that cannot be
`altered or erased that has been provided by the manufacturer
`of the product. The serial number can identify unique items.
`and the tag can have additional information to help ensure
`that the product is not counterfeit. The serial number and
`data can be provided to the healthcare facility such as over
`the worldwide web, by e-mail, postal mail or CD Roms with
`or separate from shipments. The hospital can include the
`appropriate RFID tag reader, and all products received can
`be scanned and verified as authentic, and then entered into
`the inventory system of the hospital electronically. Any
`product not in conformance can be rejected at the time of
`
`SCall.
`
`Page 13 of 23
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`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`3
`In accordance with another aspect of the present inven
`tion, the products are tracked and monitored through the
`healthcare facility by monitoring the RFID tags by readers
`within apparatus Such as medicine cabinets and the like. For
`example, the apparatus can include a casing having one or 5
`more compartments for receiving one or more medical
`products therein. One or more readers are provided for
`reading the RFID tags associated with the medical products
`in the compartment. For example, a single reader may read
`the RFID tags of all of the medical products simultaneously 10
`in the casing, or one or more readers may be provided for
`each compartment.
`A processor is coupled to the reader for receiving and
`processing readings of the RFID tags in the compartment to
`identify the medical products in the compartment. The 15
`processor may identify a medical product removed from the
`compartment by determining a difference between readings
`of the RFID tags in the compartment taken before and after
`the medical product is removed from the compartment.
`Optionally, the processor may verify that the medical prod- 20
`uct removed from the compartment is authorized to be
`removed, e.g., by comparing a product identifier associated
`with the RFID tag of the removed medical product to a
`product identifier of a medical product authorized to be
`removed from the compartment. The product identifier may 25
`include at least one of a product name, a product serial
`number, a product lot number, and a patient identifier.
`The apparatus may also include a display coupled to the
`processor for displaying a mismatch notification on the
`display when the processor detects a mismatch between the 30
`product identifier read from the RFID tag of the removed
`medical product and the product identifier of the medical
`product authorized to be removed. Optionally, the apparatus
`may include an input device coupled to the processor for
`identifying a patient to be associated with one or more 35
`medical products being removed from the compartment.
`The apparatus may also include a return compartment for
`returning unused medical products, and a reader for reading
`an RFID tag of any returned medical product placed in the
`return compartment, the processor coupled to the reader for 40
`identifying the returned medical product.
`In accordance with another aspect of the present inven
`tion, a method is provided for monitoring removal of medi
`cal products stored in a medication-dispensing unit, each of
`the medical products comprising a Radio Frequency Iden- 45
`tification (RFID) tag uniquely associated therewith. The
`RFID tags of the medical products in an individual com
`partment or in the dispensing unit may be read before
`removing one or more medical products from the dispensing
`unit. One or more medical products may be removed from 50
`the dispensing unit, and then the RFID tags of the medical
`products remaining in the individual compartment or dis
`pensing unit may be read after the one or more medical
`products are removed from the dispensing unit. A difference
`between the readings of the RFID tags taken before and after 55
`the one or more medical products are removed from the
`dispensing unit may be determined to identify the one or
`more medical products removed from the dispensing unit.
`Optionally, the dispensing unit may automatically verify
`that the one or more medical products removed from the 60
`dispensing unit are authorized to be removed from the
`dispensing unit. For example, a product name identified by
`an RFID tag removed from the dispensing unit may be
`compared with a product name authorized to be removed
`from the dispensing unit. In addition or alternatively, a 65
`patient may be identified, and a product name identified by
`the RFID tag removed from the dispensing unit may be
`
`4
`compared with a list of medical products scheduled for
`deliver to the identified patient.
`In another option, the dispensing unit may transmit an
`inventory notice from the dispensing unit when a quantity of
`RFID tags stored within the dispensing unit falls below a
`threshold and/or to provide a current inventory of the
`contents of the dispensing unit.
`In yet another option, a medical product may be returned
`to the dispensing unit, and the RFID tags of the medical
`products in the dispensing unit may be read before and after
`the medical product is returned to the dispensing unit. A
`difference between the readings of the RFID tags taken
`before and after the medical products are returned to the
`dispensing unit may be used to identify the medical product
`returned to the dispensing unit. In addition, an intended
`patient for the returned medical product may be identified,
`and a notice may be sent, e.g., to a pharmacy, doctor,
`administrator, and the like, that the intended patient did not
`receive the returned medical product.
`It will be appreciated that any of these procedures, e.g.,
`identifying medical products removed or returned to a
`dispensing unit, inventorying contents, and/or identifying
`intended patients, may be performed separately from one
`another or together.
`In accordance with yet another aspect of the present
`invention, an apparatus is provided for monitoring admin
`istration of medical products to a patient, each of the medical
`products including a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
`tag for storing data related to the respective medical product.
`The apparatus includes a reader for Substantially simulta
`neously reading RFID tags associated with a plurality of
`medical products to obtain the data stored in the RFID tags,
`and a processor coupled to the reader for comparing the data
`obtained from the RFID tags with data associated with a
`patient to verify that the patient is intended to receive the
`medical products. In a preferred embodiment, the reader is
`an antenna in a read pad for reading the RFID tags associ
`ated with the medical products when the medical products
`are placed in close proximity to the read pad, e.g., when the
`medical products are placed on a Surface of the read pad.
`Optionally, the apparatus may include an output device
`coupled to the processor, the processor activates the output
`device when the processor detects a mismatch between the
`data obtained from the RFID tags and the data associated
`with the patient.
`During use, one or more medical products may be placed
`in close proximity to a RF antenna, e.g., the reader, and the
`Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags associated with
`the medical products may be read using the RF antenna to
`obtain the data stored in the RFID tags. Each of the plurality
`of medical products may be identified based upon the data
`obtained from the RFID tags. Optionally, data associated
`with a patient may be accessed, and the processor or a
`computer device communicating with the processor may
`verify that the patient is intended to receive the medical
`product by comparing the data obtained from the RFID tag
`with the data associated with the patient.
`In accordance with a further aspect of the present inven
`tion, RFID tags can be provided for other items being
`processed in Some way in a hospital, lab or the like. For
`example, these tags can be applied to specimen containers to
`enable complete tracking of specimens from retrieval
`through lab testing and on to patient treatment. Similarly,
`these tags can be applied to containers for organs to enable
`organ matches, history, typing and the like and to prevent
`mix-ups such as providing an incorrect organ or type to a
`patient. Also, these tags can be used for blood products
`
`Page 14 of 23
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`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`US 7,175,081 B2
`
`5
`control including typing, history Such as donor information
`and the like, blood constituents tracking to original donor
`and blood typing history information from donor to recipi
`ent. Furthermore, various medical facility items, such as
`gowns, patient records and the like, can incorporate RFID
`tags to facilitate tracking thereof according to the present
`invention.
`Other objects and features of the present invention will
`become apparent from consideration of the following
`description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
`drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1A shows a delivery device including an RFID tag,
`in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 1B shows a medical container including an RFID
`tag, in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 2a shows an embodiment of a system for tracking
`and monitoring medical products, in accordance with the
`present invention.
`FIG.2b is a flow chart for facilitating counterfeit preven
`tion.
`FIG. 3 is a flowchart, showing a method for tracking the
`inventory of medical products in a pharmacy, in accordance
`with the present invention.
`FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c shows an embodiment of a medica
`tion-dispensing unit, in accordance with the present inven
`tion.
`FIG. 5 is a flowchart, showing a method for verifying that
`a medication-dispensing unit receives medical products, in
`accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 6 is a flowchart, showing a method for verifying that
`a healthcare worker only removes medical products from the
`dispensing unit that he or she is authorized to remove, in
`accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a bedside terminal, in
`accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 8 is a flowchart, showing a method for verifying that
`a healthcare worker intends to administer the correct medi
`cal products to a patient, in accordance with the present
`invention.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
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`6
`medical products may be removed and administered to
`patients. FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary medical container
`15 in the form of a vial.
`The medical products are tracked within the healthcare
`facility by attaching a radio frequency identification (RFID)
`tag 20 to each of the delivery devices 12 and/or medical
`containers 15 containing the medical products, as explained
`further below. FIGS. 1A and 1B show an exemplary RFID
`tag 20 attached to a delivery device 12 and a medical
`container 15, respectively. Each of the RFID tags 20
`includes a write/read memory (not shown) for storing infor
`mation and a built-in antenna (not shown) for communicat
`ing with a RF reader/writer. A RF reader may include an
`antenna for reading information stored in the RFID tag 20,
`e.g., by transmitting an RF interrogation signal to induce the
`RFID tag 20 to transmit its information to the RF reader,
`which is detected by the antenna. The RFID tag 20 may be
`active, i.e., powered by an internal power source, or passive,
`i.e., powered by a RF signal transmitted from the RF reader.
`The RFID tag 20 attached to each of the delivery devices
`12, medical containers 15, and/or packaging (not shown)
`stores information related to the medical product contained
`therein. The information in the RFID tag 20 may include
`product information, Such as a serial number and/or a
`National Drug Code (NDC) associated with the medical
`product, a product name, a manufacture’s name, a lot
`number, and/or an expiration date. Alternatively, the infor
`mation in the RFID tag 20 may include a product identifier
`uniquely associated with one or more entries in a database
`that may be accessed to obtain information related to the
`medical product. The information in the RFID tag 20 may
`also include dosage information, identifying the amount
`and/or concentration of the medical product, and/or a patient
`identifier identifying a patient intended to receive the medi
`cal product. Other optional information may include admin
`istration requirements, instructions for use and/or product
`warning. Such as possible allergic reactions or adverse
`interaction of the product with other medical products. Other
`information that may be stored in the RFID tag 20 is given
`below. Information may be written into the RFID tag 20 by
`the manufacturer of the medical product and/or the health
`care facility receiving the medical product. Some or all of
`the information in the RFID tag 20 may also be printed on
`the outer surface of the RFID tag 20 so that a healthcare
`worker may visually read the information.
`Each of the RFID tags 20 may be made thin and flexible,
`allowing the RFID tag 20 to be attached to a delivery device
`12, medical container 15, and/or packaging (not shown) so
`that it does not interfere with using the delivery device 12 or
`medical container 15. For example, an RFID tag 20 maybe
`affixed around the barrel of a syringe 12, as illustrated in
`FIG 1A
`RFID tags 20 offer several advantages over conventional
`barcode tags. For example, a RF reader does not require a
`line of sight between itself and a RFID tag 20 to read the
`information in the RFID tag 20. In addition, a RF reader may
`read many RFID tags 20 at a time, while a barcode reader
`or scanner can only read one barcode tag at a time. Further
`more, RFID tags 20 may be smaller, more accurate, more
`durable, and may be capable of storing more information
`than barcode tags.
`FIG. 2a is a diagram illustrating a system 110 for tracking
`and monitoring medical products according to an exemplary
`embodiment of the invention. The system 110 may be
`implemented at a healthcare facility, Such as a hospital, a
`nursing home, a clinic, or the like.
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`The present invention provides systems and methods for
`tracking and monitoring medical products within a health
`care facility, Such as a hospital, clinic, or the like. The
`medical products may include vaccines, pharmaceuticals, or
`other therapeutic or diagnostic agents, as well as specimens,
`blood products, organs and the like.
`The medical products may be placed in drug delivery
`55
`devices, such as Syringes or other injection devices. FIG. 1A
`illustrates an exemplary drug delivery device 12 in the form
`of a syringe. Each of the drug delivery devices 12 may
`contain a unit dose of the medical product, such as a
`pre-filled Syringe or ampoule. In addition, or alternatively,
`each of the delivery devices 12 may include a holder (not
`shown) within which a syringe or other medical cartridge
`may be received and/or a needle guard device (not shown)
`that may be attached to a syringe or medical cartridge. In a
`further alternative, the medical products may be placed in
`medical containers, such as bottles, vials, IV bags, pouches,
`and the like, or packaging (not shown) from which the
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`Page 15 of 23
`
`Health Care Logistics, Inc.
`Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`US 7,175,081 B2
`
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`The system 110 includes a healthcare management com
`puter 115 and a healthcare database 120. The healthcare
`management computer 115 manages and stores information
`related to the operation of the healthcare facility in the
`healthcare database 120. The management computer 115
`may be a central computer and/or a network of computers
`and may or may not be ph