Diversion detection system

Abstract

To provide a diversion detection system, a method, a device, and a storage medium for preventing diversion of a medicine.SOLUTION: A method for generating evidence of a diversion event includes detection of a trigger event in a medicine preparation cabinet including a medicine (702). The method includes activation of one or multiple monitoring devices so as to acquire a record according to detection of a trigger event (704). The record includes an event that is suspected of diversion. The method includes generation of one or multiple transaction records related to the record (706). The method includes filtering of multiple records on the basis of one or multiple transaction records in a database (712). The multiple records include a record for specifying whether an event suspected of diversion occurs. According to specification (714) of occurrence of an event suspected of diversion, the method includes generation of an alert showing occurrence of the event suspected of diversion (716).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (Related Applications) This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 975,056, filed February 11, 2020, and entitled "Diversion Detection System," the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The subject matter described herein relates generally to pharmaceutical management and, more particularly, to a system for diversion detection. [Background technology]

[0003] Diversion may refer to the transfer of controlled and / or high-value substances to third parties who are not legally authorized to receive, possess, and / or consume the substance for personal use or personal gain. High-value prescription and / or controlled prescription drugs, particularly opiates, opioids, and narcotics, may be particularly susceptible to diversion. For example, prescribed painkillers may be diverted when a clinician stores prescribed painkillers for unauthorized personal use instead of administering them to a patient or discarding them. Generating evidence of drug diversion and identifying diversion are generally difficult. Cameras may simply record hours of footage without context and may not clearly indicate actual drug diversion. Such systems may be unreliable, difficult to maintain, expensive, and require significant amounts of device resources (e.g., power, processing time, memory, network bandwidth, etc.). Summary of the Invention

[0004] Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture, including computer program products, are provided for preventing drug diversion using one or more monitoring devices that capture drug transactions and a diversion controller that corresponds to the captured transactions and generates readily identifiable evidence of diversion.

[0005] A method may be provided. The method may include detecting a trigger event in at least one dispensing cabinet containing medication. The method may include, in response to detecting the trigger event, activating one or more monitoring devices to capture records having a possible diversion event in the at least one dispensing cabinet. At least one of the one or more monitoring devices may have a detection area that includes the at least one dispensing cabinet. The method may further include generating one or more transaction records for the records. The method may further include linking one or more transaction records to at least a portion of the captured records having the suspected diversion event. The method may further include filtering the plurality of records having the records based on the one or more transaction records to identify whether a suspected diversion event has occurred. The method may further include, in response to identifying that a suspected diversion event has occurred, generating an alert indicating that a suspected diversion event has occurred.

[0006] In an aspect, linking includes linking one or more transaction records to one or more of timestamps indicating start and end times of triggering events during at least a portion of the records and monitoring device identifiers of one or more monitoring devices that obtained at least a portion of the records.

[0007] In an embodiment, the method further includes at least one dispensing cabinet, one or more linked transaction records, and storing at least a portion of the records.

[0008] In some embodiments, the plurality of records are filtered in a database remote from at least one dispensing cabinet.

[0009] In certain embodiments, the method further includes analyzing a database remote from the at least one dispensing cabinet, one or more transaction records, and records obtained by one or more monitoring devices.

[0010] In an aspect, the method further includes identifying that a suspected diversion event has occurred based on the filtered transaction records and the records.

[0011] In certain embodiments, the trigger event includes one or more of an individual entering a patient's room, an individual being located within a predetermined proximity of at least one dispensing cabinet at a threshold time, or an individual interacting with at least one dispensing cabinet.

[0012] In some embodiments, the recording comprises at least one of video, image, and audio recording.

[0013] In an embodiment, the one or more monitoring devices include a first monitoring device disposed in the at least one dispensing cabinet and a second monitoring device disposed in an auxiliary device coupled to the at least one dispensing cabinet. In an embodiment, the captured potential diversion events are transmitted from the auxiliary monitoring device hub in the auxiliary device to a primary monitoring device hub in the at least one dispensing cabinet.

[0014] In an embodiment, the one or more transaction records have one or more of a clinician identifier, a patient identifier, a transaction type, a transaction identifier, a witness identifier, and a medication type.

[0015] In an embodiment, the method further includes detecting an amount of medication removed from the at least one dispensing cabinet based on the records. Identifying that a potential diversion event has occurred may include identifying that the detected amount of medication is different from an expected amount of medication.

[0016] Examples of the present subject matter may also include articles having tangibly embodied machine-readable media operable to cause one or more machines (e.g., computers, etc.) to perform one or more of the described features, as well as methods consistent with the descriptions provided herein. Similarly, computer systems are described that may include one or more processors and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors. The memory, which may include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or a machine-readable storage medium, may contain, encode, store, or otherwise perform one or more programs that cause the one or more processors to perform one or more of the operations described herein. A computer-implemented method consistent with one or more of the embodiments of the present subject matter may be performed by one or more data processors belonging to a single computer system or multiple computer systems. Such multiple computer systems may be connected and exchange data and / or commands or other instructions, etc., through one or more connections. A connection may include, for example, a connection over a network (e.g., the Internet, a wireless wide area network, a local area network, a wide area network, a wired network, etc.) through a direct connection between one or more of the multiple computer systems.

[0017] Details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims. While certain features of the disclosed subject matter are described for illustrative purposes with respect to detecting and / or inhibiting the diversion of controlled and / or valuable substances, it will be readily understood that such features are not intended to be limiting. The claims following this disclosure are intended to define the scope of protected subject matter.

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description, facilitate explaining certain principles related to the disclosed embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a system diagram illustrating a diversion detection system according to some example embodiments. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is another system diagram illustrating a monitoring system according to some example embodiments. [Figure 3] 1 illustrates a dispensing cabinet according to some example embodiments. [Figure 4A] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating side views of dispensing cabinets and auxiliary devices according to some exemplary embodiments. [Figure 4B] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating side views of dispensing cabinets and auxiliary devices according to some exemplary embodiments. [Figure 4C] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating side views of dispensing cabinets and auxiliary devices according to some exemplary embodiments. [Figure 5A] 1 illustrates an example of a monitoring system coupled with a dispensing cabinet and ancillary devices according to some exemplary embodiments. [Figure 5B] 1 illustrates an example of a monitoring system coupled with a dispensing cabinet and ancillary devices according to some exemplary embodiments. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates an example database showing one or more transaction records associated with a monitoring system record, according to some exemplary embodiments. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for generating evidence of misappropriation according to some example embodiments. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a computer system according to some exemplary embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Where practical, like structures, features or elements are designated by like reference numerals.

[0021] Suspected diversion events, including medication diversion, can occur at any point during the time between compounding, dispensing, administration, and / or disposal of medication. For example, diversion can be varied and include withdrawing more doses than authorized to be dispensed, withdrawing a dose and replacing it with an unauthorized dose, replacing a controlled liquid substance with saline or other liquid, and / or similar forms. For example, prescription painkillers, such as opioids, morphine, hydromorphone, and fentanyl, may be particularly susceptible to diversion due to a lack of administrative oversight during the dispensing, administration, and disposal of prescription painkillers. For example, dispensing cabinets in healthcare facilities, particularly automated dispensing cabinets, may be accessible to multiple clinicians. Furthermore, different clinicians may be responsible for dispensing, administering, and disposing of medications. Therefore, even if diversion is detected, it may be difficult to determine when the diversion actually occurred, obtain evidence that the diversion actually occurred, and identify the individual responsible.

[0022] Cameras connected to a healthcare facility's security system may typically be used to record images, video, and / or audio of rooms in the healthcare facility, allowing security teams to sift through the recorded images, video, and / or audio. However, such systems do not provide the security team with useful information regarding individuals who accessed dispensing cabinets in the room, what was accessed in the dispensing cabinet, and what was to be accessed and / or discarded. Such systems do not provide useful information to the security team and may require the security team to review thousands of hours of security video to identify who entered a particular room. Furthermore, the cameras may be positioned in a way that does not provide a clear picture of exactly who accessed the dispensing cabinet, what was removed from the dispensing cabinet, and whether the correct amount of medication was removed and / or discarded from the dispensing cabinet.

[0023] The diversion detection systems described herein may desirably generate useful evidence of medication diversion, which may help more easily identify the individual responsible for the diversion. For example, the diversion detection systems described herein may include a monitoring system having one or more monitoring devices that capture one or more diversion events. The diversion detection systems described herein may include a diversion controller to generate one or more transaction records associated with the diversion event. The captured diversion and associated transaction records may be transmitted to or stored in a dispensing cabinet and / or transmitted to and stored in a database for later filtering to provide evidence of the diversion event. The transaction records may also be linked to the diversion event. Linking one or more transaction records to at least the portion of the record that includes the captured diversion event allows each portion of the record to be more easily filtered by the associated transaction record. This may reduce device resources (e.g., power, processing time, memory, network bandwidth, etc.) required to identify whether a diversion event has occurred. For example, such configurations can aid in faster classification of transaction records and / or relevant portions of records, faster and / or more efficient identification of whether diversion has occurred, and, if a diversion event has occurred, faster and / or more efficient identification of the individual, drug, and / or patient associated with the diversion event. Thus, linking a transaction record to at least the portion of the record containing a suspected diversion event can significantly reduce the time required to identify that a diversion has occurred and the clinician or patient associated with the diversion, prevent a diversion event from occurring or continuing, and / or reduce the likelihood that a diversion will occur.

[0024] In certain exemplary embodiments, the diversion detection system may be configured to monitor and / or track access to medications stored in the dispensing cabinet, e.g., by at least acquiring data associated with individuals accessing the dispensing cabinet to retrieve medication and / or return unused medication, and / or data associated with actual or suspected diversion events. For example, the diversion detection system may acquire image, video, and / or audio recordings from one or more monitoring devices of individuals accessing the dispensing cabinet, medications retrieved and / or discarded at the dispensing cabinet, etc. The diversion detection system may perform biometric scans to acquire, e.g., fingerprints, iris patterns, retinal patterns, handwritten signatures, voices, etc., of individuals accessing the dispensing cabinet. Alternatively and / or additionally, the diversion detection system may be configured to receive an identification number and / or password that uniquely identifies individuals accessing the dispensing cabinet. Alternatively and / or additionally, the diversion detection system may be configured to generate one or more transaction records related to the acquired image, video, and / or audio recordings.

[0025] By obtaining data from one or more monitoring devices, linking the data to records obtained from one or more monitoring devices, and storing the data locally at the dispensing cabinet and / or transmitting the data to a database for later filtering and / or access, a diversion detection system may generate evidence of a diversion event to help more easily identify that a diversion event occurred and / or identify the individual committing the diversion. The diversion detection systems described herein may help identify the individual who committed the diversion when the diversion event is detected in real time or after the diversion event has occurred. The diversion detection systems described herein may additionally and / or alternatively help detect whether a diversion event has occurred by identifying discrepancies in medications retrieved from the dispensing cabinet (e.g., the wrong amount of medication being returned and / or discarded at the dispensing cabinet, etc.).

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a system diagram illustrating a diversion detection system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. Diversion detection system 100 may include a diversion controller 110, at least one dispensing cabinet 130, an auxiliary device 170, a monitoring system 135, one or more data systems 160, and a client 140. As shown in FIG. 1, diversion controller 110, dispensing cabinet 130, auxiliary device 170, monitoring system 135, one or more data systems 160, and client 140 may be communicatively coupled through a network 150. Diversion controller 110 may be coupled to or form part of dispensing cabinet 130, auxiliary device 170, and / or monitoring system 135. In one embodiment, client 140 may be coupled to or form part of dispensing cabinet 130, auxiliary device 170, and / or monitoring system 135. Network 150 may be any wired and / or wireless network including, for example, a public land mobile network (PLMN), a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a virtual local area network (VLAN), the Internet, etc.

[0027] 1 , dispensing cabinet 130 may include identification device 147. Identification device 147 may be, for example, a biometric reader configured to capture a fingerprint, iris pattern, retina pattern, handwritten signature, voice, etc., of an individual accessing dispensing cabinet 130. Alternatively and / or additionally, identification device 147 may be configured to receive an identification number and / or passcode of an individual accessing dispensing cabinet 130, for example, through a keyboard and / or key card scanner. It will be understood that the key card scanner may capture this data (e.g., identification number and / or passcode) in any manner, including, for example, near field communication (NFC), radio frequency identification (RFID), barcode, quick response (QR) code, etc.

[0028] 1 , monitoring system 135 may include one or more monitoring devices, such as first monitoring device 135A and second monitoring device 135B, which may be any recording device including, for example, a video camera, a still image camera, an audio recorder, etc. One or more monitoring devices may have a sensing area that includes dispensing cabinet 130. In some embodiments, monitoring system 135 includes a motion sensor coupled to one or more monitoring devices. Additionally and / or alternatively, the monitoring devices may be capable of recording images and / or video in dark or other low-light environments. First and second monitoring devices 135A, 135B may be coupled to, located at, or form part of dispensing cabinet 130, auxiliary device 170, which may include one or more auxiliary devices coupled to dispensing cabinet 130 (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection), or a portion of a patient's room. Monitoring system 135 may be configured to capture images, video, and / or audio recordings of individuals accessing dispensing cabinet 130, for example, to retrieve and / or return medications.

[0029] Additionally, FIG. 2 illustrates an example monitoring system 135 consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter. As shown in FIG. 2, monitoring system 135 may include first monitoring device 135A, second monitoring device 135B, third monitoring device 135C, fourth monitoring device 135D, fifth monitoring device 135E, sixth monitoring device 135F, seventh monitoring device 135G, and eighth monitoring device 135H. It will be appreciated that monitoring system 135 may include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, or more monitoring devices. As shown in FIG. 2, first and second monitoring devices 135A, 135B are disposed in dispensing cabinet 130 and coupled to main monitoring device hub 137. First and second monitoring devices 135A, 135B may capture a clinician's face and / or hands at dispensing cabinet 130. In this example, the first and second monitoring devices 135A, 135B may capture recordings (e.g., video, audio, and / or still images), and the diversion controller 110 (e.g., the detection engine 115) may generate one or more transaction records associated with the recordings. The detection engine 115 may transmit the recordings and / or associated transaction records from the first and second monitoring devices 135A, 135B to the main monitoring device hub 137 of the dispensing cabinet 130.

[0030] 2 , auxiliary devices 170 include a first auxiliary device 170A and a second auxiliary device 170B that may be coupled to dispensing cabinet 130 through a wired or wireless connection (e.g., through network 150). First auxiliary device 170A may include a first auxiliary monitoring device hub 137A that may communicate with primary monitoring device hub 137 through network 150. First auxiliary device 170A may include third and fourth monitoring devices 135C, 135D that may obtain records, and detection engine 115 may generate one or more transaction records related to the records. Detection engine 115 may transmit the records and / or associated transaction records from the third and fourth monitoring devices 135C, 135D to first auxiliary monitoring device hub 137A. From first auxiliary monitoring device hub 137A, detection engine 115 may transmit the records and / or associated transaction records to primary monitoring device hub 137.

[0031] In one embodiment, the second auxiliary device 170B may include a second auxiliary monitoring device hub 137B, which may communicate with the primary monitoring device hub 137 over the network 150, similar to the first auxiliary monitoring device hub 137A. The second auxiliary device 170B may include a fifth monitoring device 135E, a sixth monitoring device 135F, and a seventh monitoring device 135G from which records can be obtained. The detection engine 115 may generate one or more transaction records associated with the records from the fifth and sixth monitoring devices 135E, 135F and / or associated transaction records from the fifth and sixth monitoring devices 135E, 135F to the second auxiliary monitoring device hub 137B. From the second auxiliary monitoring device hub 137B, the detection engine 115 may transmit the records and / or associated transaction records to the primary monitoring device hub 137. However, in some embodiments, detection engine 115 may transmit the records and / or associated transaction records from seventh monitoring device 135G (or one or more other monitoring devices) directly to primary monitoring device hub 137. In some embodiments, eighth monitoring device 137H may be located at another location in the patient's room, separate from one of auxiliary devices 170. Detection engine 115 may transmit the records and / or associated records from eighth monitoring device 135H directly to primary monitoring device hub 137 over network 150.

[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates a dispensing cabinet 130 according to some embodiments. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the dispensing cabinet 130 may include multiple drawers, including, for example, a first drawer 220A, a second drawer 220B, a third drawer 220C, a fourth drawer 220D, etc. The monitoring system 135 of the dispensing cabinet 130 may include multiple cameras, including, for example, a first camera 210A, a second camera 210B, a third camera 210C, a fourth camera 210D, a fifth camera 210E, etc., which may be the same as or similar to the monitoring device described in FIG. 2 . Meanwhile, the dispensing cabinet 130 may further include an input / output device 230, which may include a keyboard, a monitor, a touch screen, etc. It will be appreciated that the input / output device 230 may be part of the identification device 135B and / or the client 140. For example, an individual accessing the dispensing cabinet 130 may enter an identification number and / or a passcode that uniquely identifies the individual through the input / output device 230. Additionally, dispensing cabinet 130 may include a different number of cameras and / or drawers than those shown.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 3 , each camera in the monitoring system 135 may have a different field of view and may be activated upon detection of one or more trigger events. For example, the first camera 210A may be a forward-facing camera configured to capture images, audio, and / or video including the face of an individual accessing the dispensing cabinet 130. The first camera 210A may be activated when the individual interacts with the input / output device 230. Meanwhile, the second camera 210B, the third camera 210C, the fourth camera 210D, and the fifth camera 210E may be downward-facing cameras configured to capture images and / or video of the interior of the corresponding drawer. For example, the second camera 210B may be activated in response to the first drawer 220A being opened. The second camera 210B may further capture images and / or video of medications being removed from and / or returned to the first drawer 220A. Alternatively and / or additionally, the third camera 210C may be activated in response to the second drawer 220B being opened. The third camera 210C may further capture images and / or video of medications being removed from and / or returned to the second drawer 220B.

[0034] In some exemplary embodiments, the first camera 210A, the second camera 210B, the third camera 210C, the fourth camera 210D, and / or the fifth camera 210E may be activated upon detection of a trigger event (described in more detail below), such as when an individual accesses the dispensing cabinet 130. For example, when an individual accesses the dispensing cabinet 130 and returns unused medication to the first drawer 220A, the second camera 220B may be activated to capture images and / or video of the individual returning the unused medication to the first drawer 220A. These images and / or video may provide evidence of diversion, including, for example, an attempt to tamper with the unused medication. Alternatively and / or additionally, the first camera 220A may be activated to capture images and / or video including the individual's face. These images and / or video, and the associated transaction record generated by the detection engine 115, may be used to corroborate the identity of the individual returning the medication to the dispensing cabinet 130.

[0035] Alternatively and / or additionally, monitoring system 135 may be used to count the number of medications or the amount of medication in a dose (e.g., number of tablets) removed from a drawer of dispensing cabinet 130. For example, detection engine 115 may identify the amount of medication removed from a particular drawer based on recordings from at least one camera (e.g., second camera 210B, third camera 210C, fourth camera 210D, and fifth camera 210E) facing the corresponding drawer. Diversion controller 110 may identify whether the correct amount of medication was removed from a drawer of dispensing cabinet 130 based on the recordings.

[0036] For example, through the input / output device 230, the diversion controller 110 may request the clinician to scan a barcode or other identifier on the input / output device 230 indicating the amount of medication removed from the drawer, indicating the type of medication, or other information about the medication. Based on the acquired records, the detection engine 115 may record the detected amount and compare the detected amount to an expected amount based on one or more user inputs. Based on the comparison, the detection engine 115 may identify that a suspected diversion event has occurred when the detected amount does not correspond to the expected amount. In one embodiment, in response to detecting a diversion event or a suspected diversion event, the detection engine 115 may generate one or more alerts. Such a configuration may help improve diversion detection because the amount of medication actually removed can be easily and accurately compared to the amount of medication to be removed or discarded by the clinician. Such a configuration may help detect whether the wrong medication has been removed (e.g., by barcode scanning) and / or whether an expired medication has been removed.

[0037] A configuration may be established for a user of the system. The configuration may specify a sensor or input device to activate. The configuration may include specifying information to be collected by the activated sensor or input device. For example, if a camera is specified for activation, the number of images to capture may be specified by the configuration. In some embodiments, the configuration may specify an analysis engine for determining the sufficiency of the collected information. For example, if a camera is specified for activation, an image recognition engine may be specified to determine whether the images identify desirable elements for proper evidence recording (e.g., facial recognition, drug recognition, optical character recognition, etc.). In another example, if an audio capture device is specified, the analysis may include volume detection, voice recognition, keyword or utterance recognition, etc.

[0038] A set of configurations may be defined to dynamically select an appropriate configuration. Selection may be based on substance type (e.g., controlled substance transactions), user or user classification (e.g., a particular user, a user with a threshold risk score, "junior" nursing staff, traveling nurses, etc.), time of witnessing session (e.g., daytime, nighttime, weekday, holiday, etc.), witnessing location (e.g., whether the user is accessing medication outside of their assigned care area), or detectable characteristics of the user or pharmacy transaction. The system may include one or more graphical user interfaces to facilitate definition of configurations by providing controls that receive and validate relevant parameters of the configurations.

[0039] 4A-4C show side views of dispensing cabinet 130 and first and second auxiliary devices 170A, 170B that may be coupled to dispensing cabinet 130 (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection). As shown, one or more monitoring devices may be positioned in various locations. For example, in dispensing cabinet 130, a first monitoring device (e.g., first camera 210A) may be positioned to capture the clinician's face and / or the keyboard of input / output device 230 (see also FIG. 5A), a second camera (e.g., second camera 210B) may be positioned to capture the clinician navigating drawers in dispensing cabinet 130 and / or retrieving medications from dispensing cabinet 130, and a third camera (e.g., third camera 210C) may be positioned to capture the contents of the drawers. As shown in FIGURE 4B, first auxiliary device 170A may include a fourth camera (e.g., fourth camera 210D) that may be positioned to capture the clinician navigating drawers in dispensing cabinet 130 and / or retrieving medications from drawers in first auxiliary device 170A (see also FIGURE 5B), and a fifth camera (fifth camera 210E) that may be positioned to capture the contents of the drawers. In some embodiments, second auxiliary device 170B includes a sixth camera (e.g., sixth camera 210F) that captures one or more areas of the patient's room.

[0040] 1 , the one or more data systems 160 may include an inventory system 160A, a patient care system 160B, an administrative system 160C, and an electronic medical record (EMR) system 160D. In one embodiment, a trigger event occurs, causing the monitoring system 135 to initiate an investigative workflow (e.g., recording video, still images, audio, etc. via a monitoring device), generate one or more transaction records corresponding to the records, generate an alert, etc. A trigger event may occur when a clinician (or other individual) enters a patient's room, is within a predetermined distance (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 feet or more) of the dispensing cabinet 130 for a threshold time (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 hour or more), attempts to access or accesses the dispensing cabinet 130, and / or interacts with the identification device 147 of the dispensing cabinet 130. A trigger event may also or alternatively occur when one or more monitoring devices are at least partially occluded and / or darkened, etc. A trigger event may additionally or alternatively occur when the diversion detection system detects that an individual previously identified as a possible divertant has entered the patient's room.

[0041] For example, a clinician dispensing a medication for a patient from dispensing cabinet 130 may cause monitoring system 135 to initiate an investigational workflow and may cause diversion controller 110 to generate a transaction record corresponding to the investigational workflow. Each transaction record may include one or more transaction values ​​corresponding to, for example, a timestamp indicating the start and / or end time of the transaction, a clinician identifier for the clinician, a device identifier for the dispensing cabinet and / or ancillary device, a patient identifier for the patient, a medication identifier for the medication removed from the dispensing cabinet, a quantity of the medication removed from the medication cabinet, a prescription order identifier, inventory information, a patient status, a shift identifier, a location tracking identifier, an electronic health record identifier, a transaction type, a witness identifier, etc. Alternatively and / or additionally, a clinician's use of a disposal station to discard unused medication from a patient may trigger the generation of other transaction records including a timestamp, a clinician identifier for the clinician, clinician identifiers for other clinicians who witnessed the discard, a device identifier for the disposal station, a patient identifier for the patient, an identifier for the medication being discarded, the quantity of medication being discarded, etc. As used herein, "disposal" of a medication may mean the disposal of a substance in accordance with institutional guidelines and / or government regulations. For example, proper disposal of prescription pain medication may require that the controlled substance be collected in a dedicated container (e.g., a disposal station) in the presence of one or more witnesses.

[0042] The diversion controller 110 may generate a transaction record when a trigger event is detected, at predetermined time intervals (e.g., every 30 seconds, 1 minute, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 12 hours, etc.) after the trigger event is detected, and / or continuously after the trigger event is detected. The transaction record may be linked to the records in the monitoring system 135 and transmitted to and / or stored locally at the dispensing cabinet 130. In some embodiments, the transaction record may be linked to the records in the monitoring system 135 and transmitted to a database for later access and / or filtering to detect when diversion has occurred and identify potential diversion parties. FIG. 6 shows an example transaction record 602 generated by the diversion controller 110 corresponding to one or more records stored in the dispensing cabinet 130 and / or the database 120 of the diversion controller 110.

[0043] Additionally and / or alternatively, in response to detecting a triggering event, such as one or more monitoring devices of monitoring system 135 becoming at least partially occluded, diversion controller 110 may trigger an alert, which may include a notification, which may be provided through user interface 145 at client 140. For example, the notification may be provided through a short message service (SMS) text, email, a web page, an application, etc. Additionally and / or alternatively, in response to detecting a triggering event, diversion controller 110 may cause one or more monitoring devices of monitoring system 135 to increase the sampling rate, record video and / or images in color instead of black and white, divert additional electronic and / or memory resources to monitoring system 135, etc.

[0044] At least a portion of the data (e.g., transaction records) obtained and linked to records in the monitoring system 135, for example, by the diversion controller 110, the monitoring system 135, and / or the identification device 147, along with the corresponding records, may be stored in the dispensing cabinet 130 and / or transmitted over the network 150 to the diversion controller 110 (or a database 120 coupled to the diversion controller 110).

[0045] Alternatively and / or additionally, diversion controller 110 may receive data from one or more data systems 160, such as inventory system 160A, patient care system 160B, administrative system 160C, electronic medical record (EMR) system 160D, etc., via network 150. It will be appreciated that one or more data systems 160 may provide non-transactional data. For example, EMR system 160D may store multiple electronic medical records (EMRs), each containing a patient's medical history, including, for example, past opioid use. Clinicians interacting with EMR system 160D to create, update, and / or retrieve EMRs for patients may generate time-stamped transaction records, but the EMRs themselves may not be transactional records. Similarly, it will be appreciated that diversion controller 110 may be coupled to any number of computer systems capable of providing data regarding the flow of medications through one or more medical facilities. The flow of medications through one or more healthcare facilities may include, for example, delivery and placement in inventory system 160A, dispensing from dispensing cabinet 130, administration to patients through patient care system 160B, and / or processing in dispensing cabinet 130 for ultimate disposal. For example, inventory system 160A may be configured to track medication supplies available at one or more healthcare facilities. Patient care system 160B may include one or more devices for administering medications to patients, including, for example, patient-controlled pain medication pumps. Management system 160C may track personnel at one or more healthcare facilities, including, for example, personnel data, shift schedules, vacation days, etc.

[0046] In some embodiments, inventory system 160A, patient care system 160B, management system 160C, and / or EMR system 160D may provide electronic medical management records including, for example, patient records, caregiver records, medication records, etc. Patient records may include, for example, patient identifiers, patient location, demographics, health data (e.g., pain scales, vitals, etc.), caregiver assignments, etc. Caregiver records may include, for example, caregiver identifiers, caregiver schedules and / or work hours, caregiver locations, caregiver patient assignments, etc. Medication records may include, for example, date and / or time of medication administration, identification of the medication administered, medication strength and / or concentration, administered medication dose, administered medication dosage form, date and / or time of medication order, ordered medication strength and / or concentration, ordered medication dose, ordered medication dosage form, etc.

[0047] Data received at diversion controller 110 (e.g., captured records, transaction records, and non-transaction records) may be evaluated by diversion controller 110 in real time and / or stored in a database 120 coupled to diversion controller 110 for evaluation at a later time. In an exemplary embodiment, diversion controller 110 may include machine learning to detect drug diversion, suspicious behavior indicative of drug diversion, etc., based on data received at diversion controller 110 and / or stored in database 120, and flag the diversion or suspicious behavior. Diversion controller 110 may additionally and / or alternatively include a detection engine 115 configured to detect drug diversion or suspected drug diversion by generating transaction records, linking transaction records to corresponding records, filtering transaction records based on one or more related transaction records, and / or triggering one or more alerts based on the filtered transaction records.

[0048] In some embodiments, through the detection engine 115, the diversion detection system 100 may detect or otherwise identify anomalous behavior that indicates diversion has occurred or may have occurred. Anomalous behavior may include the trigger events described above. In some embodiments, anomalous behavior may include accessing the dispensing cabinet at inconsistent times and / or with unusual frequency, irregularities in discarded and / or returned medications, routinely selecting the same clinician as a witness to medication disposal, routinely accessing and tailgating medication management devices within a threshold amount of time after another clinician, retrieving medications for discharged and / or deceased patients, excessive cancellations and / or overrides, etc. For example, one caregiver assigned to a patient may access the dispensing cabinet at inconsistent times (e.g., as indicated by data from the management system 160C) with an unusual frequency relative to other caregivers assigned to the same patient and / or at times that are inconsistent with that individual's scheduled shift. As another example, a caregiver may dispense and record a higher total dose of medication to another caregiver during a shift, even if the patient reports no change in pain. Alternatively and / or additionally, a patient may report inadequate pain relief even when the caregiver administers the same total dose of medication to the patient as other caregivers assigned to the patient. An abnormally long period of time may elapse between when the caregiver dispenses medication from the dispensing cabinet 130 and when they administer the medication to the patient and return the unused medication to the dispensing cabinet 130 for disposal.

[0049] FIG. 7 illustrates a process 700 for generating evidence to identify suspected diversion events, such as potential diversion of medication, by a diversion detection system (e.g., diversion detection system 100), according to some embodiments. Suspected diversion events can occur at any time during the compounding, dispensing, administration, and / or disposal of medication. For example, diversion events can be diverse and include withdrawal of more doses than authorized to be dispensed, withdrawal of a dose and replacement with an incorrect dose, replacement of a controlled liquid substance with saline or other liquid, withdrawal of the wrong type of medication, and / or similar forms. The diversion detection system may include at least one dispensing cabinet containing medication. The diversion detection system may additionally and / or alternatively include a monitoring device having an area of ​​detection that includes at least one dispensing cabinet.

[0050] At 702, a diversion controller (e.g., diversion controller 110) may detect a trigger event in a dispensing cabinet (e.g., dispensing cabinet 130) containing medication. The dispensing cabinet may be coupled to the diversion controller through a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the trigger event may include a clinician (or other individual) entering a patient's room, an individual being located within a predetermined distance (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 feet or more) from the dispensing cabinet for a threshold time (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 hour or more) as detected by a movement detection device coupled to the dispensing cabinet, an individual accessing or attempting to access the dispensing cabinet, and / or an individual interacting with the dispensing cabinet's identification device (e.g., identification device 147) or other portions of the dispensing cabinet (or auxiliary devices), such as dispensing cabinet drawers and / or input / output devices coupled to the dispensing cabinet. The trigger event may additionally or alternatively include one or more monitoring devices being at least partially occluded and / or damaged. The trigger event may additionally or alternatively include the diversion detection system detecting that an individual previously identified as a possible divertant has entered the patient's room.

[0051] At 704, the diversion controller may activate one or more monitoring devices to capture recordings in response to detecting a trigger event. The recordings may include suspected diversion events occurring at the diversion cabinet. The one or more monitoring devices (e.g., one or more monitoring devices from monitoring system 135) may include any recording device, including a video camera, a still camera, an audio recorder, etc. The monitoring devices may be coupled to, located in, or otherwise form part of the dispensing cabinet, an auxiliary device, such as an auxiliary device coupled to the dispensing cabinet, and / or a patient's room. The monitoring devices may be configured to capture images, video, and / or audio recordings of individuals accessing the dispensing cabinet, for example, to retrieve and / or return medications.

[0052] In some embodiments, upon detecting a trigger event, the monitoring system may, for example, move one or more monitoring devices, change the focus and / or zoom of one or more monitoring devices, and / or activate additional monitoring devices (e.g., in the dispensing cabinet, in a dispensing cabinet drawer, in an auxiliary device, and / or at other locations), and may capture images and / or video of the individual at a particular angle, such as, for example, an overhead shot of the individual's hands manipulating medications in the dispensing cabinet. The activation at 704 may be dynamic based on configurations applicable to the transaction. The activation at 704 may include gathering criteria necessary to select an appropriate configuration from a set of configurations.

[0053] At 706, one or more transaction records may be generated by the diversion controller. In some embodiments, the one or more transaction records may be linked to at least the portion of the record having the suspected diversion event. For example, the transaction record may be associated with the suspected diversion event captured in the record. Each transaction record may include one or more transaction values ​​corresponding to, for example, a timestamp indicating the start and / or end time of the transaction, a clinician identifier for the clinician, a device identifier for the dispensing cabinet and / or auxiliary device, a monitoring device identifier for the monitoring device (e.g., located on or in the dispensing cabinet, auxiliary device, or other location), a patient identifier for the patient, a medication identifier for the medication removed from the dispensing cabinet, the quantity of the medication removed from the medicine cabinet, a prescription order identifier, inventory information, a patient condition, a shift identifier, a location tracking identifier, an electronic health record identifier, a transaction type, a witness identifier, etc. Alternatively and / or additionally, a clinician's use of the disposal station to discard unused medication from a patient may trigger the generation of another transaction record including a timestamp, a clinician identifier for the clinician, clinician identifiers for any other clinicians who witnessed the discard, a device identifier for the disposal station, a patient identifier for the patient, an identifier for the medication being discarded, the quantity of medication being discarded, etc. Thus, the transaction record may include data related to one or more individuals accessing the dispensing cabinet to retrieve and / or return medication.

[0054] Additionally and / or alternatively, the monitoring system and / or diversion controller may be configured to capture transaction records associated with individuals accessing the dispensing cabinet, auxiliary device, and / or patient care room, for example, to retrieve medication from the dispensing cabinet and / or auxiliary device and / or return unused medication to the dispensing cabinet and / or auxiliary device. Alternatively and / or additionally, transaction records may be captured during, for example, logging in and / or logging out of the dispensing cabinet and / or auxiliary device, searching for patients and / or medications in the dispensing cabinet and / or auxiliary device, patient record review, counting and recording medications in the dispensing cabinet and / or auxiliary device, filling and refilling medications, loading and / or unloading medications from the dispensing cabinet and / or auxiliary device, recording discrepancies, canceling transactions (e.g., dispensing, filling / refilling, loading / returning, counting, discarding, returning, etc.), etc.

[0055] As described above, generating one or more transaction records may include linking one or more transaction records to at least the portion of the record that includes the captured suspected diversion event. For example, one or more transaction records may be linked to all or a portion of the record by storing the transaction record in association with a timestamp indicating the start and / or end time of the triggering event (e.g., a transaction), a device identifier coupled to and identifying the monitoring device (e.g., dispensing cabinet and / or auxiliary device) that captured the record, a monitoring device identifier that identified the monitoring device that captured the relevant portion of the record (e.g., located on or in the dispensing cabinet, auxiliary device, or other location), a clinician identifier that identifies the clinician who accessed the dispensing cabinet, a medication identifier that identifies the medication removed and / or discarded from the dispensing cabinet, etc. Linking one or more transaction records to at least the portion of the record that includes the captured suspected diversion event allows each portion of the record to be more easily filtered by the associated transaction record. This allows for a reduction in device resources (e.g., power, processing time, memory, network bandwidth, etc.) required to identify whether a diversion event occurred. For example, such configurations can aid in faster classification of transaction records and / or relevant portions of records, faster and / or more efficient identification of whether diversion has occurred, and, if a diversion event has occurred, faster and / or more efficient identification of the individual, drug, and / or patient associated with the diversion event. Thus, linking a transaction record to at least the portion of the record containing a suspected diversion event can significantly reduce the time required to identify that a diversion has occurred and the clinician or patient associated with the diversion, prevent a diversion event from occurring or continuing, and / or reduce the likelihood that a diversion will occur.

[0056] In one embodiment, the generated transaction record and at least a portion of the linked records are transmitted to a primary monitoring device hub at the dispensing cabinet. Accordingly, at 708, one or more transaction records and records acquired at one or more monitoring devices may be stored at the dispensing cabinet. For example, the generated transaction record and at least a portion of the linked records may be transmitted directly from one or more monitoring devices. As another example, the generated transaction record and at least a portion of the linked records may first be transmitted to an auxiliary monitoring device hub located at one or more auxiliary devices and then transmitted at the primary monitoring device hub at the dispensing cabinet. In other words, the dispensing cabinet (e.g., through the primary monitoring device hub) may receive and / or store (e.g., temporarily) the generated transaction record and at least a portion of the linked records.

[0057] At 710, one or more transaction records and associated records acquired by one or more monitoring devices may be accessed in a database coupled to the diversion controller. In some embodiments, the generated transaction record and at least a portion of the linked records may be transmitted to the database coupled to the diversion controller. For example, the generated transaction record and at least a portion of the linked records may be transmitted directly from one or more monitoring devices, an auxiliary monitoring device hub, and / or a primary monitoring device hub. Thus, in some embodiments, the generated transaction record and at least a portion of the linked records may be transmitted first to a dispensing cabinet and then to a database coupled to the diversion controller. The database coupled to the diversion controller may be located remotely relative to the primary monitoring device hub and / or the dispensing cabinet.

[0058] At 712, the plurality of records having the records may be filtered in the database to identify whether a suspected diversion event occurred based on one or more transaction records. For example, one or more transaction records may be selected. Based on the selection of the one or more transaction records, the diversion controller may access a database coupled to the diversion controller and display at least a portion of the records linked to the selected transaction records through a user input / output coupled to the diversion controller, such as a display remote from the dispensing cabinet.

[0059] At 714, the diversion controller may detect that a suspected diversion event has occurred based on the filtered transaction records and the records. In an exemplary embodiment, the diversion controller may detect that a suspected diversion event has occurred based on the transaction records and / or the records, such as suspicious or anomalous behavior indicative of drug diversion, and flag the diversion or behavior. For example, the diversion controller may determine that an individual associated with the suspected diversion event (which may be identified based on transaction records linked to the records) exhibited anomalous behavior.

[0060] Anomalous behavior may include the trigger events described above. In some embodiments, anomalous behavior may include accessing the dispensing cabinet at inconsistent times and / or with unusual frequency, irregularities in discarded and / or returned medications, routinely selecting the same clinician as a witness to medication disposal, routinely accessing and tailgating medication management devices by a clinician within a threshold amount of time after another clinician, retrieving medications for discharged and / or deceased patients, excessive cancellations and / or ignores, etc. In some embodiments, anomalous behavior may include identifying one or more monitoring devices as being blocked or at least partially occluded. For example, one or more sensors (e.g., optical sensors, movement sensors, etc.) may identify one or more monitoring devices as being blocked or at least partially occluded.

[0061] At 716, the diversion controller, in response to determining that a suspected diversion event has occurred, may generate an alert indicating that a suspected diversion event has occurred and / or may have occurred. The alert may include a notification that may be provided through a user interface at the client, the dispensing cabinet, and / or a remote display. For example, the notification may be provided through a short message service (SMS) text, email, a web page, an application, etc. Additionally and / or alternatively, in response to detecting an initial triggering event, such as one or more monitoring devices of the monitoring system being at least partially blocked, the diversion controller may trigger an alert.

[0062] Additionally and / or alternatively, the diversion controller may, in response to determining that a suspected diversion event has occurred, send a message to control dispensing cabinets or other hardware in the environment. For example, a control message may be sent to lock the dispensing cabinet or otherwise prevent access to one or more drawers in the dispensing cabinet. Additionally and / or alternatively, the diversion controller may, in response to determining that a suspected diversion event has occurred, require additional witnesses, additional evidence collection, or other authorization before allowing access to the dispensing cabinet. Thus, the diversion detection systems described herein may desirably generate useful and categoriseable evidence of medication diversion that helps more easily and quickly identify the individual responsible for the diversion.

[0063] 8, computer system 800 may include a processor 810, a memory 820, a storage device 830, and an input / output device 840. The processor 810, the memory 820, the storage device 830, and the input / output device 840 may be coupled to one another via a system bus 850. The processor 810 may process instructions for execution within the computer system 800. In one exemplary embodiment, the processor 810 may be a single-threaded processor. Alternatively, the processor 810 may be a multi-threaded processor. The processor 810 may process instructions stored in the memory 820 and / or the storage device 830 to display graphical information for a user interface provided through the input / output device 840.

[0064] Memory 820 is a computer-readable medium, such as a volatile or non-volatile medium, that stores information within computer system 800. Memory 820 may store, for example, data structures representing a configuration target database. Storage device 830 may provide persistent storage for computer system 800. Storage device 830 may be a floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, optical disk drive, tape drive, or other suitable persistent storage means. Input / output device 840 provides input / output operations for computer system 800. In one exemplary embodiment, input / output device 840 may include a keyboard and / or a pointing device. In various embodiments, input / output device 840 includes a display unit that presents a graphical user interface.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, input / output device(s) 840 may provide input / output operations for network devices. For example, input / output device(s) 840 may include an Ethernet port or other network port that communicates with one or more wired and / or wireless networks (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet).

[0066] In one exemplary embodiment, computer system 800 may be used to execute various interactive computer software applications that can be used to classify, analyze, and / or store data in various formats. Alternatively, computer system 800 may be used to execute software applications. These applications may be used to perform various functions, such as planning functions (e.g., creating, managing, editing spreadsheet documents, word documents, and / or any other object), computer functions, communication functions, etc. Applications may include various add-in functions or may be stand-alone computer products and / or functions. Upon activation within an application, functions may be used to generate a user interface that is provided through input / output device 840. The user interface may be generated and presented to a user by computer system 800 (e.g., a computer screen monitor, etc.).

[0067] Some embodiments describe evidence generation related to diversion detection. Features may be included to additionally or alternatively verify compliance. For example, aspects of the system may be provided to dispense medication to specific students within a school. The described features facilitate the generation of evidence showing which students took which medications at specific locations and times. The guided collection of relevant data points allows a novice (e.g., a child) to efficiently and safely receive the appropriate medication.

[0068] One or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuitry, specially designed ASICs, field programmable gate array (FPGA) computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various aspects or features may include implementation in one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be special purpose or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from and transmit data and instructions to a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. The programmable system or computer system may include clients and servers. Clients and servers are remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

[0069] These computer programs, also referred to as programs, software, software applications, applications, components, or code, include machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be implemented in high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages, and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers to any computer program product, apparatus, and / or device, including machine-readable media used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor and receive machine instructions as machine-readable signals, such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, memories, and programmable logic devices (PLDs). The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium can non-transitory store such machine instructions, such as, for example, a non-transitory solid-state memory or a magnetic hard drive or any equivalent storage medium. Alternatively or additionally, a machine-readable medium can temporarily store such machine instructions, such as, for example, a processor cache or other random access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

[0070] To provide for user interaction, one or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein may be implemented on a computer having a display device, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD) or light-emitting diode (LED) monitor, for displaying information to a user, and a keyboard and pointing device, such as a mouse or trackball, by which a user can provide input to the computer. Other types of devices may be used to provide for user interaction. For example, feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback, and input from the user may be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input. Other input devices include touchscreens or other touch-sensitive devices, such as single-point or multi-point resistive or capacitive trackpads, voice recognition hardware and software, optical scanners, optical pointers, digital image capture devices, and associated interpretation software.

[0071] In the above description and in the claims, phrases such as "at least one" or "one or more" may appear followed by a connective list of elements or features. The term "and / or" may occur in lists of two or more elements or features. Unless otherwise implicitly or explicitly contradicted by the context used, such phrases are intended to refer to any of the listed elements or features individually, or any of the listed elements or features in combination with other listed elements or features. For example, the phrases "at least one of A and B," "one or more of A and B," and "A and / or B" are intended to mean "A only, B only, or A and B together," respectively. A similar interpretation is intended in lists containing more than two items. For example, at least "one of A, B, C," "one or more of A, B and C," and "A, B, and / or C" are intended to mean "A only, B only, C only, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together," respectively. Use of the term "based on" is intended to mean "based at least in part on," so that there may be unrecited features or elements.

[0072] As used herein, a "user interface" (also referred to as an interaction interface, graphical user interface, or UI) may refer to a network-based interface that includes data fields and / or other control elements to receive input signals or provide electronic information and / or provide information to a user in response to any received input signals. Control elements may include dials, buttons, icons, selectable areas, or other perceptible indicia presented via the UI that, when interacted with (e.g., clicked, touched, selected, etc.), initiates an exchange of data with the device presenting the UI. The UI may be implemented in whole or in part using technologies such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), FLASH®, JAVA®, .NET®, web services, or rich site summaries (RSS). In some embodiments, the UI may be included in a standalone client (e.g., thick client, fat client) configured to communicate (e.g., send or receive data) according to one or more aspects described. Communication may be with a medical device or a server in communication therewith.

[0073] As used herein, the terms "identify" or "identifying" encompass a variety of actions. For example, "identifying" may include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, generating, obtaining, referencing (e.g., referencing in a table, database, or other data structure), ascertaining, etc., through hardware elements without user intervention. "Identifying" may also include resolving, selecting, establishing, etc., through hardware elements without user intervention.

[0074] As used herein, the terms "providing" or "providing" encompass a variety of actions. For example, "providing" may include storing a value at a storage device location for later retrieval, transmitting a value directly to a recipient through at least one wired or wireless communication medium, transmitting or storing a reference to a value, etc. "Providing" may also include encoding, decoding, encrypting, decrypting, verifying, validating, etc. through a hardware element.

[0075] As used herein, the term "message" encompasses a variety of formats for communicating (e.g., sending or receiving) information. A message may include a machine-readable accumulation of information, such as an XML document, a fixed-field message, a comma-separated message, etc. In some embodiments, a message may include a signal used to transmit one or more representations of information. When described in the singular, it will be understood that a message may be composed, sent, stored, received, etc., in multiple parts.

[0076] As used herein, the terms "correspondence" or "corresponding" encompass a structural, functional, quantitative, and / or qualitative correlation or relationship between two or more objects, data sets, and / or information, etc., and preferably, the correspondence or relationship may be used to transform one or more of one or more objects, data sets, and / or information, etc., so that they appear to be the same or equivalent. Correspondence may be evaluated using one or more of thresholds, ranges, fuzzy logic, pattern matching, machine learning evaluation models, or combinations thereof.

[0077] In any embodiment, generated or sensed data may be transferred to a “remote” device or location, where “remote” means a location or device different from the location or device where the program is executed. For example, a remote location may be a different location in the same city (e.g., an office, a lab, etc.), another location in a different city, another location in a different state, another location in a different country, etc. Thus, when an item is described as “remote” from another item, it means that the two items may be in the same room but are separated, or at least in different rooms or different buildings, and may be at least 1 mile, 10 miles, or at least 100 miles apart. “Communicating” information means transmitting data representing the information as electrical signals over an appropriate communications channel (e.g., a private or public network). “Transferring” an item means any means of physically moving the item or (where possible) otherwise transferring the item from one location to the next, including, at least in the case of data, physically moving a medium carrying the data or communicating the data. Examples of communication media include network connections to other computers or networked devices, and internet or email transmissions and information stored on websites, as well as radio or infrared transmission channels.

[0078] As used herein, the terms "control" or "controlling" include a variety of actions. For example, "controlling" a device may include sending one or more messages to adjust the operational or functional state of the device. The messages may include specific instructions executed by the device's processor to indicate the changes. "Controlling" may also include storing a value in a storage device location for subsequent retrieval by the controlled device, transmitting a value directly to the controlled device through at least one wired or wireless communication medium, transmitting or storing a reference to a value, etc. For example, a control message may include a value that adjusts the level of power from a power source of the controlled device. As another example, a control message may activate or disable a structural element of the controlled device, such as a light, audio playback, motor, lock, pump, display, servo, or other component of a device described herein. "Controlling" may also include indirect control of a device by adjusting a configuration value used by the controlled device. For example, a control message may include a threshold value for a device characteristic (e.g., temperature, rate, frequency, etc.). The threshold value may be stored in a memory location and referenced by the controlled device in operation.

[0079] The subject matter described herein may be implemented by systems, devices, methods, and / or articles in any desired configuration. The embodiments set forth in the above description do not represent all embodiments consistent with the subject matter described herein. They are merely some examples consistent with aspects of the described subject matter. While several variations have been described in detail above, other modifications or additions are possible. In particular, additional features and / or variations may be provided in addition to those described herein. For example, the embodiments described above may relate to various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features and / or combinations and subcombinations of multiple additional features disclosed above. In addition, the logic flow illustrated in the accompanying drawings and / or described herein does not require the particular order shown or sequential order to achieve desirable results. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A system for automated dispensing of medications, comprising: at least one dispensing cabinet containing medications; a monitoring device having a sensing area that includes the at least one dispensing cabinet; at least one data processor; at least one memory for storing instructions; When said one data processor executes said instruction, Detecting a trigger event at the at least one dispensing cabinet; activating one or more monitoring devices comprising the monitoring device to capture records having suspected diversion events in at least one dispensing cabinet in response to detecting the trigger event; generating one or more transaction records associated with the record; linking the one or more transaction records to at least a portion of the records having the suspected misappropriation event obtained; filtering the plurality of records having records based on the one or more transaction records to identify whether a suspected misappropriation event has occurred; In response to determining that a suspected diversion event has occurred, generating an alert indicating that the suspected diversion event has occurred; The system includes operations that result in:

2. The linking may link the one or more transaction records to: timestamps indicating the start and end times of said trigger event during at least a portion of the recording; a monitoring device identifier for one or more monitoring devices from which at least a portion of the recording was obtained; and 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising: linking with one or more of:

3. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operation comprises storing the one or more linked transaction records and at least a portion of the records in the at least one dispensing cabinet.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of records are filtered in a database separate from the at least one dispensing cabinet.

5. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises accessing the one or more transaction records and records obtained by one or more monitoring devices in a database separate from the at least one dispensing cabinet.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operation further comprises identifying that a suspected diversion event has occurred based on the filtered transaction records and the records.

7. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the trigger event comprises one or more of an individual entering a patient's room, an individual being located within a predetermined proximity of the at least one dispensing cabinet for a threshold time, and an individual interacting with the at least one dispensing cabinet.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the recording comprises at least one of video, image, and audio recording.

9. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is located on the at least one dispensing cabinet and a second monitoring device of the one or more monitoring devices is located on an auxiliary device coupled to the at least one dispensing cabinet.

10. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the captured suspected diversion events are transmitted from an auxiliary monitoring device hub in the auxiliary device to a primary monitoring device hub in the at least one dispensing cabinet.

11. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more transaction records have one or more of a clinician identifier, a patient identifier, a transaction type, a transaction identifier, a witness identifier, and a medication type.

12. The operation is 12. The system of claim 1, further comprising detecting an amount of medication removed from at least one dispensing cabinet based on the records, wherein identifying that a suspected diversion event has occurred comprises identifying that the detected amount of medication is different from an expected amount of medication.

13. detecting a trigger event in at least one dispensing cabinet containing the medication; activating one or more monitoring devices to capture records having suspected diversion events in at least one dispensing cabinet in response to detecting the trigger event, at least one of the monitoring devices having a detection area that includes the at least one dispensing cabinet; generating one or more transaction records associated with the record; linking the one or more transaction records to at least a portion of the records having the suspected misappropriation event obtained; filtering the plurality of records having records based on the one or more transaction records to identify whether a suspected misappropriation event has occurred; In response to determining that a suspected diversion event has occurred, generating an alert indicating that the suspected diversion event has occurred; A method comprising:

14. The linking may link the one or more transaction records to: timestamps indicating the start and end times of said trigger event during at least a portion of the recording; a monitoring device identifier for one or more monitoring devices from which at least a portion of the recording was obtained; and 14. The method of claim 13, comprising linking to one or more of:

15. 15. The method of claim 13 or 14, comprising storing the one or more linked transaction records and at least a portion of the records in the at least one dispensing cabinet.

16. 16. The method of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the plurality of records is filtered in a database remote from the at least one dispensing cabinet.

17. 17. The method of any one of claims 13 to 16, further comprising accessing the one or more transaction records and records obtained by one or more monitoring devices in a database separate from the at least one dispensing cabinet.

18. 18. The method of any one of claims 13 to 17, further comprising identifying that a suspected diversion event has occurred based on the filtered transaction records and the records.

19. 19. The method of any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the trigger event comprises one or more of an individual entering a patient's room, an individual being located within a predetermined proximity of the at least one dispensing cabinet for a threshold time, and an individual interacting with the at least one dispensing cabinet.

20. 20. The method of any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the recording comprises at least one of a video, an image, and an audio recording.

21. 21. The method of any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein the one or more monitoring devices include a first monitoring device disposed on the at least one dispensing cabinet and a second monitoring device disposed on an auxiliary device coupled to the at least one dispensing cabinet.

22. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the captured suspected diversion events are transmitted from an auxiliary monitoring device hub in the auxiliary device to a primary monitoring device hub in the at least one dispensing cabinet.

23. 23. The method of any one of claims 13 to 22, wherein the one or more transaction records comprise one or more of a clinician identifier, a patient identifier, a transaction type, a transaction identifier, a witness identifier, and a medication type.

24. 24. The method of any one of claims 13 to 23, further comprising detecting an amount of medication removed from the dispensing cabinet based on the records, wherein identifying that a suspected diversion event has occurred comprises identifying that the detected amount of medication is different from an expected amount of medication.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing program code, When the program code is executed by at least one data processor, detecting a trigger event in at least one dispensing cabinet containing the medication; activating one or more monitoring devices to capture records having suspected diversion events in at least one dispensing cabinet in response to detecting the trigger event, at least one of the monitoring devices having a detection area that includes the at least one dispensing cabinet; generating one or more transaction records associated with the record; linking the one or more transaction records to at least a portion of the records having the suspected misappropriation event obtained; filtering the plurality of records having records based on the one or more transaction records to identify whether a suspected misappropriation event has occurred; In response to determining that a suspected diversion event has occurred, generating an alert indicating that the suspected diversion event has occurred; 10. A computer-readable storage medium for effecting operations including:

26. means for detecting a trigger event in at least one dispensing cabinet containing the medication; means for activating one or more monitoring devices to capture records having suspected diversion events in at least one dispensing cabinet in response to detecting the trigger event, at least one of the monitoring devices having a detection area that includes the at least one dispensing cabinet; means for generating one or more transaction records associated with the record; means for linking the one or more transaction records to at least a portion of the records having the suspected misappropriation event obtained; means for filtering the plurality of records having records based on the one or more transaction records to identify whether a suspected misappropriation event has occurred; means for generating an alert indicating that the suspected diversion event has occurred in response to determining that the suspected diversion event has occurred; An apparatus comprising:

27. 27. Apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising means for performing any of the functions set out in any one of claims 13 to 24.

Images