Stock management control system

Abstract

An RFID enabled stock monitoring system comprises an RFID enabled mobile trolley 2 to hold stock that requires monitoring, an RFID scanner 4, a visual interface communicating with the scanner, and a s

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a stock management control system. More especially, the invention relates to a stock management control system for medical supplies in a hospital. 5

[0002] The invention also relates to a mobile medical cart suitable for use with the stock management control system. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0003] Medical use trolleys are commonly used in hospitals and surgeries to transport resuscitation equipment, pharmaceuticals, and other medical equipment in patient emergencies such as, for example, 10 cardiac arrest.

[0004] Currently, stock held within these trollies are manually checked. Verifying stock held within these trollies consumes a great deal of time, often that of qualified individuals. Not only does this divert skilled labour from their primary role, but it also carries a significant labour cost.

[0005] Furthermore, current manual processes carry the risk of human error, with expired stock remaining 15 in service or stock being unavailable when required, resultingin avoidable patient deaths. Ensuringsufficient replenishment stock is available and auditing the current process, as well as verifying that the correct department is charged for their consumption can be both difficult to achieve and time consuming to administer.

[0006] Some consumables are sold with minimum order quantities that far exceed demand, leading to 20 unnecessary waste and often stock items aren’t available through NHS supply chain.

[0007] The present invention seeks to overcome or minimise these problems by providing a medical use trolley manufactured from materials that are complimentary with radio-frequency identification (RFID), capable of significantly reducing time spent checking stock and allowing for much easier organisation and management of collated information. 25 STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an RFID enabled stock monitoring system, comprising: a mobile trolley to hold stock that requires monitoring; wherein the trolley: includes an RFID tag configured to store data concerningthe trolley type, trolley location and most imminent expiry date for stock held on it; includes a plurality of drawers, each consisting of an acrylic front panel and a 30 polycarbonate base tray and having a gap between each neighbouring drawer through which the RFID signal can travel to fully scan the drawers from the front without the need to open individual drawers; the system 04 04 25 further comprising: an RFID scanner; a visual interface communicating with the scanner; a stock management software system which receives data from the scanner and which provides visual indications to a user concerning the identification of the trolley and details of all stock on the trolley. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 5

[0009] The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0010] Figures 1 to 8 illustrate the procedural steps of scanning stock utilising the system constructed in accordance with the invention;

[0011] Figures 9 to 14 provide various illustrations of compliance control of the system showing various 10 visual data set; and

[0012] Figures 15 to 17 illustrate a trolley constructed in accordance with the invention and suitable for use with the system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The invention provides a stock management control system that utilises RFID enabled stock checks 15 on mobile medical trollies or carts within less than two minutes and without the need to open any drawers on the trolley.

[0014] The system provides alerts to highlight if a trolley is under-stocked or over-stocked.

[0015] The system provides the ability to track individual consumables to allow for real time stock information, product expiry alerts, cost management and automated stock replenishment. 20

[0016] The system provides a compliance control panel to manage the system for authorised personnel to monitor real time status of trollies throughout the hospital, to ensure compliance with stock check procedures, to be provided with an overview of stock holdings and to have vision of product expiry information.

[0017] The procedural steps of using the system will now be described with reference to figures 1 to 8. 25

[0018] Step 1 (figure 1) involves automated checking procedures by scanning a trolley 2 using an RFID scanner 4, generally after the trolley has been used or during part of a routine check. As can be seen in figure 14, the RFID tag of the trolley is scanned to obtain data concerning the trolley location, most imminent expiry date and trolley type (paediatric or adult).

[0019] Step 2 (figure 2) involves conducting manual checks on the external items using a smart phone App 30 6 in communication with the RFID scanner 4. 04 04 25

[0020] The checks may, for example, relate to the trolley and its components such as making sure the trolley is clean, or the glove boxes are replenished, that a bag valve mask(BVM) is in place, or that the seal 8 is intact and secure.

[0021] The checks may also relate to the equipment, for example making sure the defibrillator is charged, 5 that there is a set of pads and that the ECG leads are correctly plugged in. Also, making sure that the suction machine is in full working order and charged with the desired amount of oxygen.

[0022] Step 3 (figure 3) involves summitting the data once the automatic and manual checks have been completed.

[0023] Step 4 (figure 4) involves the user receiving a simple indication whether or not the trolley, and its 10 components, meets the compliance parameters defined within the system.

[0024] Step 5A (figure 5) provides an example of the display indicating full compliance.

[0025] Step 5B (figure 6) provides an example of the display indicating non-compliance. As can be seen the display provides to the user an indication of the number of elements that do not meet the compliance and can be then provide further detail of the items that have been identified as missing. 15

[0026] Once the number and identification of missing components have been identified and displayed to the user, the user can then replenish the missing items from the store and subsequently re-place the pull tight seal 8, recording the serial number.

[0027] The final step (figure 8) is to re-scan the trolley 2 with the RFID reader 4 to ensure its compliance.

[0028] The compliance control panel of the system provides a simple visual indication to the user of the 20 stock within the hospital.

[0029] As can be seen in figure 9, the visual data may relate to the percentage of compliance across the entire stock carried on all the trolleys 2 and may differentiate between different hospitals within the same trust.

[0030] The data could provide a visual indication of the products due to expire in any particular hospital 25 stock.

[0031] The visual data could provide specific trolley statuses of an individual hospital (see figure 10). The data could provide specific detail concerning a particular ward, concerning for example, the results of the last trolley check and who conducted it.

[0032] As can be seen in figure 11, the data can be correlated to ascertain whether there are particular 30 problems within a particular ward or with a particular trolley. 04 04 25

[0033] Similarly, as can be seen in figure 12, the data can be correlated to identify issues with product expiry of stock of specific drug or medical equipment across an entire Trust.

[0034] Finally, as can be seen in figure 13, the data provide a visual indication of a stock overview for warehouse or mobiles stores of a particular consumable across a Trust. 5

[0035] Figure 14 is a flow diagram providing an overview of the stock control system.

[0036] In order for the automated checks by RFID scanners to be effective the applicant has developed medical trolley that is fully RFID compliant to allow a quick single scan.

[0037] Existing medical trolleys generally have steel drawer fronts and compartments due to the material being hardwearingand generally resistant to rigours of normal hospital conditions. Such trolleys though have 10 been found to be incompatible with the RFID inventory management software as the metal material interferes with, or blocks, the RFID signal from the RFID scanner. In order to take advantage of the benefits that RFID inventory management systems offer, an improved trolley was developed and tested.

[0038] A medical trolley 2 suitable for use with the stock control system is shown in figures 15 to 17.

[0039] The trolley 2 made from materials that are fully compatible with radio-frequency identification (RFID) 15 tags and RFID readers and that allows the easy transportation of medical equipment in emergencies.

[0040] Each draw 10 of the trolley 2 consist of a polycarbonate tray 12 that sits within the draw frame. The polycarbonate floor 14 of each tray 12 does not block the RFID signal allowing for a single signal from a scanner 4 from above, to travel vertically down all the way to the bottom drawer without the need for each drawer to be opened and individually scanned. 20

[0041] A gap 16 is provided between each neighbouring drawer 10 through which the RFID signal can travel to fully scan that drawer 10 from the front without the need to open individual drawers 10.

[0042] The front panel 18 of each drawer 10 is made of an acrylic sheet material, such as for example Perspex™ which is also RFID compliant.

[0043] The drawer materials are fully, or at least partially, transparent to allow the user to see components 25 in the drawers that may, for example, cause an issue with the signal.

[0044] The trolley 2 is therefore compatible with RFID inventory management software of the system and allows for quick, automated stock control checks. 04 04 25

Claims

1. An RFID enabled stock monitoring system, comprising:a mobile trolley to hold stock that requires monitoring; wherein the trolley:includes a RFID tag configured to store data concerning the trolley type, trolley location and5 most imminent expiry date for stock held in it, andincludes a plurality of drawers, each consisting of an acrylic front panel and a polycarbonate base tray and having a gap between each neighbouring drawer through which the RFID signal can travel to fully scan the drawers from the front without the need to open individual drawers;the system further comprising:10 an RFID scanner;a visual interface communicating with the scanner; anda stock management software system which receives data from the scanner and which provides visual indications to a user concerning the identification of the trolley and details of all stock on the trolley.15 2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic means in communication with theRFID scanner to record data concerning manual checks of trolley and to combine said data with data received by the RFID scanner.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the system further comprises means to compare the manual20 check data and RFID scanner data with set compliance data to establish whether or not the trolleyis compliant.

4. A system according to claim 3, further including display means to display to the user whether or not the trolley is compliant.25

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