Labeling system for marking medicines to be administered to a patient in a hospital or surgical environment
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE202019006131
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2019-07-03
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-22
- Estimated Expiration
- 2029-07-31
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Application FieldThe present invention relates to a labeling system for identifying drugs to be administered to a patient.The invention may find useful application in various medical environments, both for care of therapies at hospital wake-up stations and for intraoperative administration of drugs during surgery.Prior ArtIn the above mentioned fields, the need is known to prepare drugs and to replenish them in containers of different types intended for the final administration to the patient, such as syringes, syringe pumps, infusion bags, bottles, etc.In these cases, it is of course absolutely necessary to avoid exchanging drugs with potentially life-threatening consequences. For this reason, it is usual to label the container to be used to identify the drug contained therein at the time of actual administration.Conventionally, the label is manually filled by the operator refilling the medication. However, this solution still involves a high risk of human errors, which are attributable above all to possible misunderstandings in the interpretation of the handwriting.Furthermore, the entire system for tracking administered drugs is based on manual filling operations performed by the operator, while allowing for accidental, but accidental, failures.In this connection, the use of pre-printed labels has recently been proposed which, while facilitating reading, do not improve drug traceability, nor eliminate the risk of human error in view of possible operator errors in selecting the label.Another contribution to the safety of hospitals procedures has been made by the introduction of real-time label printing systems which allow the operator to obtain the label required to identify the particular drug.These printing systems, while providing great safety and traceability advantages, greatly slow the procedures for preparing the drugs by operators.Indeed, it must be borne in mind that in standard hospital practice, it is normally necessary to simultaneously prepare various drugs to be administered to the patient during therapy or surgical protocol. The operator must thus make and print a plurality of labels which are applied individually to the different containers, with attention being repeatedly drawn back and forth between the system terminal and the containers themselves, which results in considerable times for data entry.Furthermore, the above systems pose a residual risk of error in the transfer of the labels, particularly when an operator decides to apply the labels at a later time after the printing operation in order to speed up the processing times. In this case, it must distinguish between a plurality of printed labels intended for different medicines to be administered to different patients, and the probability of confusion is high.For the above reasons, real-time printing systems have not been widely used, at least in European hospitals.The technical problem underlying the present invention is thus to provide a method and a corresponding labeling system for identifying drugs to be administered to a patient in a hospital or in a surgical environment, which eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages and in particular enable a safe and rapid labeling.Summary of the InventionThe above-described technical problem is solved by a labeling system for identifying medicines to be administered from a patient in a hospital or a surgical environment, and at least comprises:a data input unit configured to enable at least identification of a patient;a data processing unit configured to generate label content comprising at least one print field for each drug of a drug list to be administered to the patient, each of the print fields comprising at least one identifier of the respective drug;a printing device configured to print the label content on one or more adhesive labels located on a common carrier strip such that the identifiers of all drugs of the drug list are indicated on the carrier strip.The system is configured to implement a labeling method for identifying drugs to be administered to a patient in a hospital or surgical environment, comprising the steps of:arranging a labeling system comprising at least a data input unit, a data processing unit and a printing device;identifying a patient by the data input unit;associating a drug list with the patient, the drug list comprising a set of drugs to be administered to the patient;generating, by the data processing unit, label content comprising at least one print field for each drug of the drug list, each of the print fields comprising at least one identifier of the respective drug;printing, by the printing device of the labeling system, the generated label content on one or more adhesive labels located on a common carrier strip, such that the identifiers of all drugs of the drug list are indicated on the carrier strip.The above method has the advantage that the information about the total therapy to be given by the patient can be obtained on a single carrier; the operator is thus assisted in identifying and preparing the different drugs in the correct order by the corresponding application of the corresponding label on the corresponding container.The risks of errors and confusion are thus substantially reduced by proposing a linear and rational labeling method which leads to the operator avoiding process uncertainties.By grouping the selections and prints for the different drugs of a single therapy, the method greatly shortens the processing times and is also compatible with the operating speeds of the most frequently frequent stations, such as emergency recording.The carrier strip is unrolled from an endless feed strip, the method comprising a step of automatically cutting the endless feed strip.The automatic cutting operation described above ensures that the strips for different patients are separated from each other, thus avoiding a risk of confusion for the operator.Preferably, the generated and printed print content further comprises a head print field containing the patient's name and / or ID.This headfield uniquely identifies the patient to whom the therapy described in the following drug list relates, which prevents confusion and increases process safety.In the step of printing the label contents, each print field may be printed on a different adhesive label, the adhesive labels being individually releasable from the common carrier strip.This printing mode is particularly advantageous when the labels must be individually applied to a plurality of different containers, for example syringes.As an alternative, not forming part of the invention, in this step of printing the label contents, all the print fields may be printed one after the other on a single adhesive label.This printing mode allows a single label to be adhered to a drug bottle having all of the drugs of a particular therapy to be prepared.In both cases, the labels on which at least one drug printing field is printed are applied to containers for administering the respective drug to the patient.The method may advantageously comprise a step of recording the completed administration of the drug by means of a remote device capable of reading a graphic identifier of the drug pressure field.This step is particularly advantageous because it proposes a check of the actual administration and makes it possible to generate reliable statistics about the consumption of the pharmaceutical, and also to detect waste and potential abuse.Preferably, the aforementioned remote device is located near a hospital bed or is otherwise associated with a given patient. The device may be, for example, a tablet mounted in the immediate vicinity of the bed or a screen of any type arranged in the operating room.In this way, the remote device can advantageously notify the operator if the read graphical identifier does not match a drug contained in the drug list of the corresponding patient, thereby preventing possible instances of confusion with adverse consequences.The step of associating a drug list with the patient may advantageously provide a possible substep of retrieving a drug list previously used for the same patient with the possibility of the operator changing the drug list.The step of associating a drug list with the patient may also provide a possible substep of importing the drug list from a preset log file with the ability to change the drug list by the operator.The two possibilities described above have the advantage that the times for the operator to create the drug list can be reduced.Preferably, the method further comprises a preliminary step of the labeling system recognizing the operator necessary to enable the following steps of associating a drug list with the patient and / or printing the generated label content.This preliminary step of detection can advantageously be carried out by optically reading a graphic code printed beforehand by the same system after a first identification of the operator by secret access data.Thus, the operator need only first enter his secret credentials and can then print an identification label comprising the graphical code (preferably a bar code, e.g. a two-dimensional bar code) identifying it. The next applications in the system are quickly made by scanning the graphical code via an optical reader associated with the system.It should be noted that printing a graphical code to identify the operator for registration in the printing system itself is an innovative aspect of the system that does not depend on the labels of printing modes.A possible partial application of the present application can thus relate to a labeling system comprising the following steps:providing a labeling system having at least one data input unit, a data processing unit, and a printing device;detecting a qualified operator;generating label content;printing the generated label content on one or more adhesive labels located on a carrier strip by the printing device of the labeling system;wherein the label content comprises a graphical code for identifying the operator, preferably a bar code;wherein optically reading the graphic identification code allows recognition of the operator by the system itself and / or by another system requiring identification of the operator (e.g., another restricted access computer system present in a hospital); andwherein the labeling system identifies the operator by secret access data at least the first time or alternatively by optically reading the graphic identification code.The step of identifying the skilled operator is thus performed by optically reading a graphic code printed in advance by the labeling system after a first identification of the operator by secret access data.In this way, it is possible to create a label using the labeling system that allows rapid identification of the operator by both the system itself and other restricted access systems. The label may be applied to a personal accessory (e.g., sign or bracelet) that allows the operator to quickly identify himself as needed.In one embodiment of the invention, the step of printing the label content is permitted for at least some pharmaceuticals only when two different qualified operators previously permit the drug list.The drug printing fields preferably have at least one colored background that identifies the type of drug. Preferably, the drug print fields further comprise a color blind graphic code identifying the color of the colored background.Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, by way of non-limiting example.Brief Description of the DrawingsIn Figure 1 there is schematically shown two strips with different labels produced by the method and system according to the present invention; FIG. 2 schematically shows two strips with a single label produced with the method and system according to the present invention; FIG. 3 shows in detail a label for head-adhesive printed with the method and system according to the present invention; FIG. 4 shows in detail a drug label printed with the method and system of the present invention; FIG. 5 schematically shows the system according to the present invention; FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a first mode of operation of the method according to the present invention; FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a second mode of operation of the method according to the present invention; Figure 8 shows a block diagram of a third mode of operation of the method according to the present invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONReferring to the accompanying Figure 5, a labeling system for identifying drugs to be administered from a patient in a hospital or surgical environment is generally designated S.As mentioned in the foregoing introduction, the system may be advantageously used in various hospital contexts in which the labeling of temporary containers (e.g., syringes, syringe pumps, infusion bags, bottles and the like) is to be organized for the administration of any type of medicament to a patient.The system comprises at least one data processing unit U connected to a plurality of peripheral input / output units.The data processing unit U is designed to execute a computer program with which the automated processes of the method according to the invention can be carried out.It should be noted that the program may be executed in whole or in part on one or more remote units that interface with the rest of the system S comprising the peripheral devices. These remote units may be general devices that are not specifically targeted to the destination, e.g., smartphones on which a particular application has been installed.The peripheral units have at least one printing device P, which is used in particular for printing adhesive labels 1; 1 h; 1d.The peripheral units also have a plurality of data input units I 1; I 2; V which, as will be explained in more detail below in the present description, enable the operator in particular all those operations which make it possible to generate a print content.The data input units may include a keyboard I 1 and an optical reading device I 2. Of course, other data input units of known type, such as a mouse, can also be used alternatively or in combination with the aforementioned devices.A display screen V, the primary function of which is to visually assist the operations for creating the print content, may be of the touch-sensitive type and define an input interface.Furthermore, one or more memories M, of permanent or volatile type, are connected to the data processing unit U. It should be noted that these memory units M may also be located remote from the data processing unit U. Preferably, these memories are located at least partially in a cloud that can be accessed by the various processing units U that have interfaces with the system S.The labeling system S may further include a plurality of remote fixed devices R i, for example, tablets, capable of exchanging data with the data processing unit U. Preferably, the remote devices R i are immovably disposed in the immediate vicinity of as many beds as possible for reasons which will become apparent hereinafter. In this way, a single remote device R i is uniquely associated with a generating patient P i in the neighbor bed.The labeling system S described above is designed to generate a label content on instruction of one or more specific operators, which label content is color-printed by the printing device S onto a suitable strip carrier.Each label content is intended for a specific patient p i and describes a drug list t i. authorized for this patient p i. The drug list t i comprises one or more drugs to be administered to the patient p i: these drugs can define a therapy specified by the responsible physician or a series of drugs which are to be taken in an intraoperative environment, for example in the context of surgical anaesthesia.The label contents include a plurality of successive print fields f h, f d which are printed on a strip of the label / labels.A first print field f h, preferably the first of the strip of label / labels, is a header field that identifies the patient who is the recipient of the drug list t i.The head print field f h, an example of which is shown individually in FIG. 3, preferably has the patient name n together with its nosocomial code c.The field may also include the print date di 1 and the print time ti 1 and an identification code of the operator op 1 responsible for the print, in order to enable immediate traceback.The head pressure field f h may also contain other information useful for identifying the patient, e.g., the waking station, bed number, birth date, age and weight.The pressure fields f d after the first are drug pressure fields, whereas each of them relates to a single drug d i of the drug list t i. assigned to the patient.The drug print field f d, a single example of which is shown in FIG. 4, has a verbal identifier w of the drug (preferably: the general drug name) and a graphical identifier g thereof.The latter is preferably a bar code, for example a dimensional bar code.This bar code may contain various information about the drug and, in particular, allows identification of the drug using optical reading devices.In a particular embodiment of the label, the graphical identifier g or bar code is configured to be read by a machine (e.g., a syringe pump) configured to interact with the container to which the label is applied.The drug print field f d has a colored background co which chromatically identifies the type of drug according to the international identification code A.S.T.M. D4774-94 and its DIVI extension. Preferably, in addition to the colored background co, a graphical code dco is present in order to make the same information about the type of medicament directly accessible to color-blind users.The drug pressure field f d may also advantageously provide various information useful for instructing the operator in preparing the drug itself, for example: posology, dilution liquid, concentration and dosage.Furthermore, a graphic and / or verbal identifier of the administration route of the medicament ra may be present.Further information which is indicated on the medicament print field f d can again be the print date di 1 and the print time ti 1 and an identification code of the operator op 1 responsible for this print.For at least given pharmaceuticals, the system S may provide the need for approval by a second authorized operator in addition to that performing the printing. In this case, the medicine print field f d may include the date di 2 and the print time ti 2 of this approval, and an ID of the second responsible operator op 2.Further, the patient's name n and nosocomial code c may also be displayed on the drug print field f d preferably in a smaller text.The label contents comprising the different print fields f h, f d can be printed on two print media of different types as required.Both printing media have an endless carrier strip 2 which is preferably unrolled from a roll.In the first case, the carrier strip 2 comprises a plurality of separate labels 1 h; 1d which are uniformly spaced from each other and can be individually detached from the strip itself. In an example which does not form part of the invention, the carrier strip 2 is instead covered by an endless adhesive label 1.Depending on the type of medium used, different types of label strips are obtained.In the first case, represented by the exemplary strips in Figure 1, the various print fields f h, f d are printed on separate adhesive labels 1 h; 1d. The header 1 h indicates the header print field f h and serves only to identify the remaining stripe. The following drug labels 1 d indicate the drug fields f d and must be attached to the various containers into which the operator fills the drugs d i in the drug list t i.In the second case, represented by the exemplary strips in Figure 2, the various pressure fields f h, f d come on a single label 1 which is applied to a drug capsule containing all drugs d i of the drug list t i.It should be noted that the printing device P comprises automatic means for cutting the carrier strip 2: the strip is thus cut to the length required to accommodate the various printing fields f h, f d. In this way, it is avoided that successive strips intended for different patients p i are adjacent to each other, which could lead to errors.In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen how the number of fields has an effect on the final length of the carrier strip 2.Referring now to the accompanying Figures 6-8, the method by which the system S generates and prints the label strips is analyzed.In a preparatory step 100, the operator who interfaces with the system S by requesting the print is identified.The identification can conventionally be carried out by inputting identification access data via the keyboard I 1.Once a first recognition is made by the system S, an additional step of the method may provide for the printing of a recognition label to the operator by the printing device P. The recognition tag comprises a graphic code, preferably a bar code, which can be recognized by the optical reading device I 2 in order to log into the system S without having to manually input the aforementioned access data. The operator can thus stick the label to a personal accessory, e.g. a sign or bracelet, with which he makes a quick identification for the next applications in the system S.A subsequent step 200 of the method relates to the identification of the patient.If it is a new patient, an appropriate entry must be created in a patient database B p (step 201) located in the memory M. The patient can also be quickly identified by entering only the nosocomial code c which can be read by passing the optical reading device I 2 by an identification code standing on, for example, a bracelet attached to the patient's wrist.If, on the other hand, the patient record has already been created, it must be selected or imported by the operator (step 202) in order to continue defining the drug list t i.In the following step, a drug list t i is assigned 300 to the patient p i.For this purpose, the operator naturally has the possibility of re-creating this drug list t i from reason to bottom (step 301). This can advantageously be done by displaying the medicines stored in a medicine file L d on the display screen V and selecting them, for example, using a drag-and-drop interface via the touch-sensitive display screen of the screen V itself.Alternatively, the operator may also retrieve therapy from a database of the previous drug lists Bt (step 302) that includes the previously administered therapies for which the system has printed the appropriate labels. Preferably, in this case, the system S automatically retrieves the drug lists t i previously determined for the same patient p i. The operator may then decide whether to maintain or change the drug list t i prior to final approval.The operator may also retrieve a log from a log file L p (step 303) containing therapeutic protocols used on the station in question or drug lists used in predetermined operations. Also in this case, the drug list t i may be changed from the protocol before approval.It should be noted that the entry and / or approval of a drug list is not associated with an immediate printing operation. For example, if surgery is scheduled on the patient, the drug list t i may be entered and / or approved prior to actual surgery. In this case, at the next filing of the system, the entered and / or approved drug list is retrieved (step 304), and then continues printing.It should be noted that operators skilled in the approval of a drug list may belong to a narrower or different group than one of the operators skilled in the printing. Further, as indicated above, for some or all types of drugs, dual approval may be required prior to ultimate printing.A step 400 following the above-described steps is printing the label contents comprising the approved drug list t i which produces a strip of adhesive labels 1; 1 h; 1d of the type described above. These labels must then be suitably adhered to the respective containers.At the time of printing a label content containing an approved drug list t i this list is stored by the system S to allow the administered drugs to be tracked.Further, after printing, an indication of the drug list t i may be sent to a local device near the location where the drugs are to be administered. In the case of a recovery patient p i the drug list t i is sent to the remote device R i in the vicinity of the bed assigned to the patient p i itself; in the case of a patient p (i), awaiting surgery, the drug list t i is sent to a display screen in the operating room.The possibility can be provided of checking the actual administration of the pharmaceutical compositions d i to the patient. The check is performed by the operator through the establishment of an interface with the aforementioned local device. The check can advantageously be carried out by optically scanning the graphic identifier g of the medicament d i which is printed on the medicament adhesive label 1 d.Advantageously, in these cases, the system can also perform a consistency check of the drug list t i allowed for the patient p i in order to inform the operator when the drug d i to be administered is intended for another patient p i.The system S described above allows a continuous updating of a telematics register with all the operations performed by the operators, which relate in particular to the printing of drug lists t i for the respective patients p i. From these data, it is possible to generate statistics on the use of drugs and to recognize waste and possible thefts.The above-described system S may also make it possible to print different labels, which are different from those mentioned above and can be provided with date, time, operators, patient names and data sets. Furthermore, it is possible to create different labels for labeling containers or the like, e.g. sterilization containers or milk bottles or medicines, or even customized labels of other types. The printing of these custom labels can be supplemented with the printing date and time as well as the operator's reference; however, the printing process is still stored in the telematics register of the system S.The system S described above can also have a module for filling out and managing the patient data and the therapy.The patient data and therapy (the so-called therapy arcs) filled by a qualified operator have the treatment plan for each patient with the information of the drugs to be taken at different times of day. On the basis of this therapy sheet, the system S can automatically create a drug list t i to be printed, which contains the drugs to be taken in a predetermined time window that require labeling.In this case, the operator logging on to the labeling system S retrieves this drug list t i and then continues printing.Advantageously, the terminal for filling out the therapy sheets can only be located at one location, for example in an office for the medical staff, while the printing terminals can be set up at other locations in the hospital and are also accessible to the remaining medical staff.The labeling system S can also interface with another system for filling out medical records, for example with management software of a known type, which automatically imports the data of the medical records required for creating the drug lists t i for the different patients p i.The labeling system S can also have suitable functions for managing a local drug store of the station.In this case, the system stores an inventory of the drug packages located in the local warehouse: each field contains the expiration date and the remaining package contents.Further, the system S creates a label to be applied to each package. The label includes at least one recognition code readable by optical reading (e.g., a two-dimensional bar code).When an operator fetches one or more medicines from the store, he scans the label on the package with the optical reading device I 2 of the system and indicates the number of doses fetched. The system S then automatically updates the inventory.Further, the system S may notify the user when the same medicine is available in a package having an earlier expiration date.The system may further display and / or print a summary report of the local inventory pharmaceuticals with the appropriate decay data.It will be understood that various modifications and alternatives to the invention described above may be suggested to one skilled in the art to satisfy any particular requirements.
Claims
A labeling system (S) for identifying drugs to be administered to a patient in a hospital or surgical environment, comprising at least: a data input unit (I 1; I 2; V) configured to allow at least identification of a patient (p i) ; a data processing unit (U) configured to associate (300) a drug list (t i) with the patient identified by the data input unit (I 1; I 2; V), wherein the drug list (t i) comprises a set of drugs (d i) to be administered to the patient (p i) ; wherein the data processing unit (U) is further configured to generate label content comprising at least one print field (f d) for each drug (d i) of the drug list (t i) each of the print fields (f d) comprising at least one identifier of the respective drug (d i) ; a printing device (P) configured to print the label content on one or more adhesive labels (1; 1 h; 1d) ; at least one remote device (R i), capable of reading a graphic identifier (g) of the drug print field (f d) ; wherein the data processing unit (U) is further configured to record the administration of a drug from the drug list (t i) when the remote device (R i) reads the graphic identifier (g) of the drug print field (f d) has occurred.The labeling system (S) of claim 1, wherein the remote device (R i) is located near a hospital bed or otherwise associated with a particular patient (p i).The labeling system (S) according to claim 2, wherein the remote device (R i) is a tablet or a display screen mounted in the vicinity of the bed.The labeling system (S) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the remote device (R i) is configured to notify the operator if the read graphical identifier (g) does not match a drug (d i) included in the drug list (t i) of the respective patient (p i).A labeling system (S) for identifying drugs to be administered to a patient in a hospital or surgical environment, comprising at least: a data input unit (I 1; I 2; V) configured to allow at least identification of a patient (p i) ; a data processing unit (U) configured to associate (300) a drug list (t i) with the patient identified by the data input unit (I 1; I 2; V), wherein the drug list (t i) comprises a set of drugs (d i) to be administered to the patient (p i) ; wherein the data processing unit (U) is further configured to generate label content comprising at least one print field (f d) for each drug (d i) of the drug list (t i) wherein each of the print fields (f d) comprises at least one identifier of the respective drug (d i) ; a printing device (P) configured to print the label content on one or more stick labels (l; l h; l d) ; wherein the drug printing fields (f d) comprise: at least one colored background (co) identifying the type of the drug (f d) according to an international identification code.The labeling system (S) according to claim 5, wherein the international identification code is a DIVI code.The labeling system (S) according to any one of claims 5 or 6, wherein the drug printing fields (f d) further comprise a color blind (dco) graphic code identifying the color of the colored background (co).The labeling system (S) according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein the generated and printed print content further comprises a head print field (f h) comprising the name (n) and / or an ID (c) of the patient (p i).A labeling system (S) for identifying drugs to be administered to a patient in a hospital or surgical environment, comprising at least: a data input unit (I 1; I 2; V) configured to allow at least identification of a patient (p i) ; a data processing unit (U) configured to associate (300) a drug list (t i) with the patient identified by the data input unit (I 1; I 2; V), wherein the drug list (t i) comprises a set of drugs (d i) to be administered to the patient (p i) ; wherein the data processing unit (U) is further configured to generate label content comprising at least one print field (f d) for each drug (d i) of the drug list (t i) wherein each of the print fields (f d) comprises at least one identifier of the respective drug (d i) ; a printing device (P) configured to print the label content on one or more adhesive labels (l; l h; l d) located on a common carrier strip (2) such that the identifiers (w; g) of all the drugs (d i) of the drug list (t i) on the carrier strip (2).The labeling system (S) according to claim 9, wherein the carrier strip (2) is unrolled from an endless feed strip, and the printing device (P) comprises an automatic means for cutting the endless feed strip.The labeling system (S) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the printing device is configured to print the label content such that each print field (f h, f d) is printed on another adhesive label (1 h, 1d) wherein the adhesive labels (l h, 1d) are individually detachable from the common carrier strip (2).The labeling system (S) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the printing device is configured to print the label content such that all the print fields (f h, f d) are printed one after the other on a single adhesive label (1).