Medication verification and dispensing

Abstract

Medication errors happen frequently in hospital, home, and pharmacy environments. A medication verification and dispensing system provides protection against such errors. The apparatus includes a guide tube that receives a medication and imaging device(s) adjacent to the guide tube that take image(s) of the medication. The imaging devices(s) and light source(s) are oriented for capturing images that reveal markings, color, size, shape, etc., of the medication. A verification system uses a signature of the image to identify the medication or compares the image(s) to reference images to identify the medication and to a prescription record of the patient to ensure it is a correct medication, dose, amount, timing, etc., for administration. If the medication is correct, it is dispensed into a dispensing vessel that locks the medication inside, but unlocks when it recognizes a unique patient identifier worn by a patient that is a correct recipient for the medication.

Description

[0001] References to related applications [0002] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Application No. 61 / 311,900, filed March 9, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, including any appendices and annexes, for all purposes. technical field [0003] The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for authenticating and dispensing medications. Background technique [0004] Medication misadministration kills at least one person every day in the United States and injures approximately 1.3 million people each year. A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) study of fatal drug misadministration found that the most common drug-related errors involved administering an inappropriate dose of a drug (41%) and administering the wrong drug (14%). Almost half of all fatal drug misuses occur in people over the age of 60, who often take more than one prescribed drug. Such misdosing continues to occur despite federal regulations enac...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Pharmacists may dispense the wrong drug, quantity, or dosage, an error that can result in serious injury or even death to the patient

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