Dose verification system and method for safety syringes

Abstract

1. A dose verification system for use prior to administering an injection of a medicinal fluid drawn into a fluid chamber of a medical syringe, the system including a medical syringe and an imaging device, the medical syringe having a barrel having an inwardly facing wall defining an elongated cylindrical fluid chamber disposed within the barrel, a plunger disposed within the inwardly facing wall of the barrel and having a plunger seal slidably engaging the inwardly facing wall and a plunger handle projecting rearwardly from the barrel, and a hypodermic needle projecting forwardly from the barrel, the imaging device configured to view, selectively capture, store, and transmit a digital image of the plunger position relative to the barrel as a dose of the medicinal fluid is drawn into the fluid chamber of the barrel to verify and provide a record of the drawn dose before an injection is administered.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system useful for quickly and reliably visually verifying a dose of medicinal fluid drawn into a medical syringe before injecting a medication or vaccine into a patient or another fluid injection device. The system verifies the dose before injection and creates a reliable visual record of the administered amount, which can be used after injection when questions arise as to whether the administered amount was correct or whether a medical error may have occurred. One aspect of the system relates to a portable imaging device used in conjunction with a medical syringe to capture and record the entire volume scale of the medical syringe and the position of the plunger seal inside the syringe barrel after a dose of medicinal fluid has been drawn. Another aspect of the invention relates to a medical syringe including a transparent or translucent barrel having at least one flat side forming an indicia surface and a volume scale with numerical indicia disposed on the indicia surface and overlying at least a portion of a fluid chamber within the barrel, allowing for easy capture and recording of a digital image of the amount of medicinal fluid drawn into the fluid chamber by the plunger slidably engaging the inward-facing wall of the barrel. Another aspect of the invention relates to a medical syringe in combination with a barrel having a fluid chamber of known volume and a portable imaging system configured to capture digital images and determine the amount of medical fluid aspirated from the position of the plunger relative to the barrel and the ratio of the aspirated amount to the total capacity of the fluid chamber. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a system in combination with a medical safety syringe and a digital imaging device configured to capture, record, and optionally transmit digital images of the medical fluid aspirated into the syringe to verify the amount of medical fluid prior to administration to a patient.Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to the combination of a portable digital imaging device, such as a cell phone or digital tablet, configured with downloaded application software to enable a user of the device to capture, index, and store digital images of a medical syringe containing a drawn volume of medicinal fluid, generate digital or written reports, and initiate visual, audible, or tactile alerts and / or alarms if the drawn volume does not meet predetermined acceptance criteria.

[0002] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for verifying a dose of a medical fluid drawn into a medical syringe prior to injecting the medical fluid into a patient or injecting the medical fluid into a fluid injection device. As used in this disclosure, a "medical syringe" refers to a medical device having an elongated barrel, typically made from injection-molded plastic, with an elastomeric plunger seal of the plunger slidably engaging and cooperating with an inwardly facing cylindrical wall, defining a fluid chamber disposed in fluid communication with a forwardly projecting hypodermic needle, which is typically covered by a protective needle cap prior to use. The term "safety syringe," as used in this disclosure, is intended to refer to a medical syringe in which the sharp tip of the hypodermic needle is biased or retracted into a needle retraction cavity or covered by a protective guard or safety shield after use to avoid accidental needlestick injuries. [Background technology]

[0003] Identifying and reducing the causes and occurrence of medical errors is a major concern in the healthcare and insurance industries. Medical errors are preventable adverse effects of medical procedures, whether or not they are apparent or harmful to the patient. Two common causes of medical errors are administering the wrong medication to a patient and administering the wrong amount of the correct medication. While various protocols have been established to reduce such errors, they remain a major concern. In many healthcare facilities, healthcare professionals must have another person verify the medication and the amount withdrawn before administering an injection to a patient. When an adverse outcome occurs during or after a patient procedure, verifiable records are necessary for investigators to determine whether the amount administered by the healthcare professional from the syringe was a contributing factor. Similarly, when injections are self-administered, such as with insulin injections, verifiable records can help determine whether an incorrect dosage contributed to the adverse outcome.

[0004] One difficulty encountered in using conventional medical syringes, particularly those with small dose volumes such as 1 mL or 0.5 mL, is that the small radius of curvature of the cylindrical barrel makes it difficult or impossible to print volume markings and associated numerical values ​​on the barrel during manufacture, and they are difficult to read when positioned to curve or wrap around the barrel. In many cases, particularly when the medicinal fluid being injected is clear and colorless, a user may not be able to accurately visually determine the dose of fluid drawn into the syringe prior to injection.

[0005] Another major safety concern for healthcare facilities and healthcare professionals is accidental needlestick injuries, which can occur before, during, or after administering an injection. Such injuries can often be prevented or controlled through proper product design and strict adherence to safety protocols for the storage, use, post-use handling, and disposal of needle products contaminated with bloodborne pathogens. There is a need for a system that can provide an accurate historical record of the amount of fluid drawn and administered by a medical syringe, effectively reducing the occurrence and likelihood of accidental needlestick injuries. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is a system including a medical syringe having a barrel in combination with a portable imaging device, the medical syringe having a barrel with a flat, outward-facing image display surface and a volume scale disposed on the image display surface overlying an elongated, cylindrical fluid chamber within the barrel, the imaging device preferably configured to capture and store a digital image of at least a portion of the volume scale as viewed through a single wall of the barrel prior to administering an injection, relative to the dose of medicinal fluid drawn into the fluid chamber. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the portable imaging device is a handheld device such as a mobile phone or digital tablet equipped with a camera system, which is capable of focusing, capturing, and storing a digital image of the entire volume scale of the medical syringe in a single frame, in which the position of the plunger seal within the barrel and the volume level of medicinal fluid present in the fluid chamber of the syringe barrel are recorded. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the digital imaging device is preferably configured and calibrated to record a digital image indicating the position of the plunger handle relative to the syringe barrel, which includes a fluid chamber of known volume, from which the dose level of medicinal fluid drawn into the syringe can be calculated or determined.

[0007] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a medical syringe is used in combination with a portable imaging device and includes a needle safety mechanism to reduce the likelihood of accidental needlestick injuries to patients, medical personnel, and subsequent handlers after use and during disposal of the syringe. One such needle safety mechanism includes, for example, a needle retraction mechanism that biases and repositions the needle tip into a protected position relative to the needle retraction cavity after an injection. Another needle safety mechanism includes, for example, a needle safety shield that is slidable forward to cover the forward-extending tip of the hypodermic needle after an injection.

[0008] In one embodiment of the system of the present invention, the imaging device is a mobile phone or digital tablet containing application software downloadable from a proprietary service provider, the application software being specially configured to scan, capture, record, display, and index digital images of medical syringes for the purpose of determining and recording the dosage of medical fluid drawn into the syringe prior to administering an injection or infusion. Other ancillary components, functions, and capabilities of such a system may reside on the imaging device or may be provided as auxiliary components of the subject system. Such auxiliary or auxiliary components include a transmitter for transmitting the digital image via a wired or wireless connection; an optional comparator useful for determining whether the dosage of medical fluid drawn into the syringe is within or outside of a predetermined or set tolerance; an audio, visual, or tactile alert generator indicating an incorrect dosage; a digital display; a digital storage device or medium; and a report generator useful for indexing and reporting the digital data so that it can be viewed, printed, or integrated into another electronic medical record. The dosage verification system can optionally be linked to a database of allowable dosages for a particular medication and patient profile, and the dosage verification can be scanned and uploaded into a digitized patient record that is accessible to various classes of identified user groups, including, for example, hospital risk managers, pharmacy managers, insurance managers, etc.

[0009] In one embodiment of the method of the present invention, a dose of medicinal fluid is aspirated into the fluid chamber of a syringe, preferably a safety syringe, provided for use in combination with a portable digital imaging device, and a digital image of the dose aspirated into the syringe is viewed, captured, stored, or otherwise processed through a single wall. The digital image is useful for confirming, prior to injection, that the correct dose of medicinal fluid has been aspirated, and for providing an electronic or written record that can be used later to verify the dose previously administered. A preferred syringe for use in practicing this method is a safety syringe including a barrel with an outward-facing, flat indicator surface, which forms at least one lateral exterior portion of a transparent polymeric wall that is desirably integrally molded with the inward-facing wall of an elongated, cylindrical fluid chamber extending longitudinally through the barrel. In this embodiment, the method of the present invention is carried out by aspirating a desired dose of fluid medication (or vaccine) into a medical syringe; positioning the syringe so that the individual markings and associated Arabic numerals of a volume scale located on the flat, outward-facing display face of the syringe barrel are clearly visible alongside the level of medicinal fluid within the syringe; positioning a portable imaging device so that a digital camera or scanner has a clear, unobstructed view of the level of medicinal fluid within the fluid chamber and the volume markings overlying the fluid chamber of the syringe; capturing a digital image of the medicinal fluid level within the syringe; and storing the digital image in a recordable and archivable form for use in future verification of the administered dose. In one variation of the primary embodiment of the method of the present invention, the portable imaging device can be configured to compare the aspirated dose of medicinal fluid to a predetermined value immediately upon image capture and to issue a visual, audible, or tactile alert if the aspirated dose is incorrect or if the error is outside of an acceptable range, allowing the user or medical professional to reevaluate the administered dose before administering the injection.In another variation of an embodiment of the present invention, the image data can be integrated into a template configured to generate a report suitable for inclusion in an appropriate medical record.

[0010] In another embodiment of the method of the present invention, a dose of medicinal fluid is aspirated into the fluid chamber of a medical syringe of known volume (e.g., 0.5 mL, 1 mL, 3 mL, etc.), and the aspirated medicinal fluid is provided for use in combination with a portable digital imaging device to view, capture, store, or process a digital image of the position of the plunger relative to the barrel. In this embodiment of the present invention, the portable imaging device is preferably configured, via application software or other equally effective means, to determine the volume of the aspirated dose of medicinal fluid from the position of the plunger handle relative to the barrel, compared to the position of the plunger when positioned to utilize the full rated capacity of the syringe. The method of determining the aspirated dose of medicinal fluid by rate and percentage can also be used with syringes that do not have transparent barrel walls.

[0011] Other benefits and advantages of the present system will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] The system of the present invention is further described and explained with respect to the following figures. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of one embodiment of the system showing a mobile phone with digital imaging capabilities positioned in a use position above a medical syringe containing an aspirated dose of medicinal fluid. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the mobile phone of the system of FIG. 1, with the digital image showing the volume scale and numerical markings located on the upward-facing surface of the syringe barrel overlaying the fluid chamber containing the aspirated dose of medicinal fluid (shaded). [Figure 3]FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of the system showing a portable imaging device with digital imaging capabilities positioned in a use position above a medical syringe containing an aspirated dose of medicinal fluid. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of the digital imaging device of FIG. 1, with the digital image showing the volume scale and numerical markings located on the upwardly facing surface of the syringe barrel, overlaying the fluid chamber containing the aspirated dose of medicinal fluid (shaded). [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded front perspective view of the medical syringe substantially as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, rotated 180° about its longitudinal axis so that the downwardly facing flat surface 17 of the barrel 12 in FIG. 1 faces upward in FIG. 5. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a medical syringe substantially as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 with the needle cap removed and the plunger handle fully inserted into the barrel. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a top view of another medical safety syringe suitable for use in the system of the present invention, with the needle cover in place, the plunger fully inserted into the barrel, and the forward-slidable needle safety shield in the fully retracted position. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the medical syringe of FIG. 7 with the needle cover removed to expose the forward-extending needle tip, the plunger handle partially retracted to form a fluid chamber forward of the plunger seal, and the forward-slidable needle safety shield positioned in a fully retracted position, which is the position during injection. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is another longitudinal cross-sectional view of the medical syringe of FIG. 8 with the plunger fully inserted into the barrel, the forwardly slidable needle safety shield moved to a forwardly extending position, and the needle protection guard positioned around the forwardly extending tip of the needle in a post-injection state. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of the system of the present invention, with the imaging device positioned in its use position on a medical syringe and showing ancillary elements of the system to illustrate the desired functionality. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 1, 2, and 5, one embodiment of a dosage verification system 100 is shown, which includes a specially designed and configured medical safety syringe 10 in combination with a mobile imaging device 20 configured to capture a digital image display window 24 from a field of view 22. It will be understood that the dimensions of the field of view 22 may vary according to the distance between the medical safety syringe 10 and the portable imaging device 20, as well as the lens, focal length, and circuitry of the portable imaging device 20. In a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the field of view 22 desirably covers the entire length of a volumetric scale 25 located on a flat, outwardly facing indicia display surface 15 of the barrel 12 of the medical safety syringe 10.

[0014] The barrel 12 is preferably unitarily molded from a transparent or translucent medical-grade polymer and includes a volume scale 25 having incremental markings 36 and associated numerical indicia 34 disposed on a flat, outward-facing indicator face 15 (opposite indicator face 17 in FIG. 5 ) for easy viewing and overlaying a fluid dosage 26 disposed within a longitudinally extending cylindrical fluid chamber 62 ( FIG. 5 ). The fluid chamber 62 is slidably engaged and rearwardly bounded by a forward-facing face 30 of a plunger seal 28 attached to a forwardly extending projection 54 on a plunger handle 50 of the plunger 14. The barrel 12 further includes a forwardly projecting hypodermic needle 16 coaxial with the longitudinally extending cylindrical fluid chamber 62. Prior to injection, the hypodermic needle 16 is biased rearwardly within the laterally slidable front attachment 18. As explained in more detail below, a cylindrical fluid chamber 62 within the barrel 12 has an inwardly facing wall that is preferably integrally molded with outwardly facing, flat indicia display surfaces 15, 17. The barrel 12 is preferably sufficiently transparent to light so that the forwardly extending end 30 of the plunger seal 28 and the medicinal fluid 26 drawn into the fluid chamber 26 are clearly visible in the digital image display window 24 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the portable imaging device 20.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the portable imaging device 20 is preferably a cell phone equipped with a camera system and imaging capabilities, configured by application software to digitally display the dose of fluid aspirated into the medical syringe 10 as "0.46" mL. The grayscale shading in Figures 1 and 2 is intended to indicate, for illustrative purposes, the volume of medicinal fluid 26 aspirated into the fluid chamber of the medical syringe 10. In the enlarged view shown in Figure 2, the aspirated dose of medicinal fluid 26 is more readily visible, with the forward-facing surface 30 of the plunger seal 28 and a portion of the handle 50 (Figures 5 and 6) of the plunger 14 inside the barrel 12 visible within the confines of the digital image display window 24.

[0016] 3 and 4, there is shown another embodiment of the present invention, designated system 150, which includes a digital scanner 40 or other similarly effective portable digital imaging device that is mounted to a cart or bed frame in a hospital room or medical treatment area by a device such as a pivotable support rod 50 and positioned in an adjustable position as needed to allow a user or medical caregiver to verify the dose of medicinal fluid drawn into syringe 10. As previously shown and described with respect to system 100, the medical safety syringe 10 preferably further includes an outwardly facing, flat surface 15 on the barrel 12 having a volume scale 25 including individual indicia 34 and associated numerical values ​​36 that overlay the elongated fluid chamber within the barrel 12. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the digital imaging device 40 includes a display screen 44 surrounded by a wall 46 that displays an image framed within an adjustable field of view 42 focused on the upwardly facing, flat image display surface 15 of the barrel 12 of the medical syringe 10. Although not shown in FIG. 3, digital imaging device 40 is preferably operably connected to a laptop or workstation configured to capture, process, record, store, and transmit the necessary digital images, verify the volume of drawn medical fluid prior to injection, provide audible, visual, or tactile alerts as needed if the drawn dose is incorrect, and create a storable record of the dose delivered by injection for future use. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, display 44 displays, in a single image, a clear, focused image of the dose of medical fluid 26 drawn into the fluid chamber of syringe barrel 12 forward of front face 30 of plunger seal 28 of plunger 14. Additionally, window 48 of digital imaging device 40 displays a digital value of 0.46 mL as the volume of the dose of medical fluid drawn into barrel 12 of medical syringe 10.

[0017] The structure and operation of the medical safety syringe 10 will be further explained and described with respect to Figures 5 and 6. The medical safety syringe 10 includes a single-piece molded barrel 12 having two longitudinally extending passages including a fluid chamber 62 and a needle retraction chamber 64 defined by a cylindrical inward wall, and at least one outwardly facing flat indicator display surface 17 on which is disposed a volume scale corresponding to the internal volume of the fluid chamber 62. In the embodiment of Figure 5, for example, there are two opposing flat indicator display surfaces 15, 17, and the volume scale extends from 0.01 mL to 1.0 mL and includes both individual markings 36 corresponding to 0.01 mL and associated Arabic numerals 34 from 0.1 mL to 1 mL. The plunger 14 includes a plunger handle 50, a distal plunger tip 54, a proximal end cap 52, and an elastomeric plunger seal 28 attachable to the distal plunger tip 54 and insertable into a rear opening 60 of a fluid chamber 62. An annular elastomeric fluid seal 66 is preferably seated within the front opening of the fluid chamber 62 prior to assembly of the front attachment 18 into sliding, lateral engagement with the front of the syringe barrel 12. Also seated within the forwardly protruding nose of the front attachment 18 is a needle retraction assembly. The needle retraction assembly includes a forwardly protruding hypodermic needle 16 fixedly disposed in an elongated needle holder 38 and a compressed retraction spring 56 (shown uncompressed in FIG. 5 ) that biases the needle holder 58 and hypodermic needle 16 rearwardly before and during use of the medical syringe 10. Needle cap 68 is a protective cap that is removed by the user before drawing a dose into fluid chamber 62 of syringe barrel 12 and should not be used to recap needle 16 after use to prevent the user from suffering a needlestick injury.

[0018] 5 and 6, the medical syringe 10 is shown in a fully assembled state, with the plunger handle 50 and plunger seal 28 fully inserted into the barrel 12. With the needle cap 68 (FIG. 5) removed, the medical syringe 10 is ready to withdraw a dose of medicinal fluid from a vial (not shown) into the fluid chamber 62 (FIG. 5). After the hypodermic needle 16 is inserted into a vial containing medicinal fluid or vaccine, the plunger cap 52 of the plunger 14 is pulled rearward, allowing the medicinal fluid to enter the fluid chamber 62 forward of the front face 30 of the plunger seal 28. As shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the safety feature of the safety syringe 10 is activated by applying lateral finger pressure to the touchpad on the front attachment 18. This moves the hypodermic needle 16 laterally from coaxial alignment with the fluid chamber 62 of the barrel 12 to coaxial alignment with the opening of the needle retraction cavity 64 (FIG. 5). As this lateral repositioning occurs, spring 56 expands, driving needle holder 58 rearward into the needle retraction cavity and moving the forward tip of hypodermic needle 16 rearward to a position where the needle tip is not exposed and an accidental needle stick injury will not occur.

[0019] Other medical safety syringes 70 having different types of needle safety devices useful in implementing the systems and methods of the present invention are shown in Figures 7-9. Figure 7 shows the medical safety syringe 70 prior to use, with a needle cap 92 attached. The barrel 72 further includes an integrally molded, outward-facing, flat indicator surface 76 through which the fluid chamber 96 (Figure 8) is visible forward of the plunger seal 77 when a dose of medicinal fluid is aspirated into the fluid chamber 96 of the barrel 72 of the syringe 70 and the handle 75 of the plunger 74 is partially withdrawn relative to the barrel 72. Referring to Figure 7, for a single-use 100-unit syringe, a dose volume scale 80 including incremental indicia 78 and associated numerical indicia 82 is located on the flat indicator surface 76. 7 and 8, the slidably engaged needle safety shield 84, having a touch surface 86, an actuator handle 88, and a circumferentially extending needle guard 90, is in a fully retracted position. In this position, when the needle cap 92 is removed prior to use of the syringe 70, the forwardly extending tip of the hypodermic needle 94 is exposed and uncovered. Referring to FIG. 9, the plunger handle 75 of the plunger 74 is in a fully inserted position relative to the barrel 72, and the needle safety shield 84 is moved forward by applying forward pressure against the touch surface 86 and the actuator handle 88, causing the circumferentially extending needle guard 90 to surround and protect the forwardly extending tip of the hypodermic needle 94, preventing an accidental needle stick injury.

[0020] A simplified diagram shown in FIG. 10 is useful for further describing and practicing one embodiment of the present invention, identified as dose verification system 200. Referring to FIG. 10, dose verification system 200 includes a portable imaging device 202 positioned to view and capture a digital image of the upward-facing surface of syringe 206 within a field of view defined by boundaries 208, 210. The field of view is large enough to encompass the entire extent of the volume scale disposed on the upward-facing, flat indicia display surface of syringe 206, as previously described. In one embodiment of the present invention, portable imaging device 202 is configured with application software 204, as described with respect to FIGS. 1-9, to focus and capture a clear image of the indicia display surface and volume scale (both the individual indicia and the associated numerical values) of the syringe barrel juxtaposed with a dose of medicinal fluid drawn into the syringe barrel's fluid chamber. Application software 204 can be downloaded to a portable imaging device, such as a mobile phone with digital imaging capabilities or accessible via Wi-Fi, the Internet, or other known technologies. The application software 204 may also use a transmitter 212 or other conventional circuitry to control, process, and transmit the digital image(s) viewed and captured by the imaging device 202 to a display 216 and a storage device or medium 220 (which may be external to or internal to the imaging device 202), and is preferably configured to be operatively linked to a report generator 222 or other archival and indexed database. According to one embodiment of the dosage verification system 200 of the present invention, the digital images viewed and captured by the imaging device 202 are optionally analyzed for preset parameters by a comparator 214 or other similarly effective device or circuitry (with or without transmission to an external device) configured to generate a visual, audible, or tactile alert 218 to notify the user if the dose of medicinal fluid drawn into the syringe 206 is more or less than the specified or intended dose.

[0021] Other variations and modifications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification and upon reference to the accompanying drawings. It is also intended that the scope of the inventions disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventors are legally entitled.

Claims

1. 1. A syringe dose verification system for use prior to administering an injection of a medicinal fluid, said system comprising: a medical syringe having a transparent barrel, a plunger handle with a plunger seal slidably engaging an inward-facing wall of an elongated cylindrical fluid chamber disposed within the barrel, and a forwardly projecting hypodermic needle, wherein the barrel further includes an outward-facing wall integrally molded with the inward-facing wall, the outward-facing wall having a volume scale and numerical indicia disposed on a flat indicator surface longitudinally coextensive with the elongated cylindrical fluid chamber, the volume scale and the numerical indicia disposed on the flat indicator surface being entirely visible with respect to the plunger seal located within the barrel; an imaging device configured to view, selectively capture, store, and transmit a digital image of the volume scale and all of the numerical indicia disposed on the flat indicia display surface relative to the plunger seal located within the barrel as the dose of medicinal fluid is aspirated into the fluid chamber of the barrel; 1. A syringe dose verification system, comprising:

2. The syringe dose verification system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is a portable imaging device.

3. The syringe dose verification system of claim 2 , wherein the portable imaging device is a mobile phone.

4. The syringe dose verification system of claim 1 , wherein the portable imaging device is a digital scanner.

5. 3. The syringe dose verification system of claim 2, wherein the imaging device is configured by downloading and installing application software onto the device.

6. 10. The syringe dose verification system of claim 1, further comprising a comparator configured to determine whether the dose of fluid drawn into the medical syringe deviates from a predetermined value within an acceptable range.

7. 6. The syringe dose verification system of claim 5, wherein the application software is configured to generate an alert to notify a user if the fluid dose drawn into the medical syringe is incorrect.

8. 7. The syringe dose verification system of claim 6, wherein the comparator is configured to notify a user that an incorrect dose of the fluid has been drawn into the medical syringe.

9. 8. The syringe dose verification system of claim 7, wherein the alert is at least one of an audible alert, a visual alert, and a tactile alert.

10. 8. The syringe dose verification system of claim 7, wherein the alert generating device is configured to generate at least one of an audible alert, a visual alert, and a tactile alert.

11. 10. The syringe dose verification system of claim 1, wherein the medical syringe includes at least one needle safety device configured to protect a user or a third party from an accidental needlestick injury.

12. 12. The syringe dose verification system of claim 11, wherein the at least one needle safety device includes a mechanism for selectively retracting the hypodermic needle after use.

13. 13. The syringe dose verification system of claim 12, wherein the at least one hypodermic needle has a forwardly extending tip, and the needle safety device includes a needle safety shield movable forwardly by a user to cover the forwardly extending tip of the hypodermic needle after use.

14. 1. A syringe dose verification system for use prior to administering an injection of a medicinal fluid, said system comprising: a medical syringe having a barrel having a volume scale, an inwardly facing wall defining an elongated cylindrical fluid chamber disposed within the barrel, a plunger disposed within the barrel and having a plunger seal slidably engaging the inwardly facing wall of the barrel and a plunger handle projecting rearwardly from the barrel, and a forwardly projecting hypodermic needle; an imaging device configured to view, selectively capture, store, or transmit a digital image of the plunger handle position relative to the barrel once the dose of medicinal fluid has been drawn into the fluid chamber of the barrel and prior to administering the injection; 1. A syringe dose verification system, comprising:

15. 15. The syringe dose verification system of claim 14, further comprising a comparator configured to determine from a digital image of the plunger handle position relative to the barrel whether the volume of medicinal fluid drawn into the medical syringe for a specified syringe and dose falls within an acceptable range of deviation from a predetermined dose.

16. 15. The syringe dose verification system of claim 14, further comprising an alert generator configured to notify a user that an incorrect amount of fluid has been drawn into the medical syringe.

17. The syringe dose verification system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is a portable imaging device or a digital scanner.

18. 20. The syringe dose verification system of claim 17, wherein the portable imaging device is a mobile phone.

19. 15. The syringe dose verification system of claim 14, wherein the imaging device is configured by downloading and installing application software onto the device.

20. 20. The syringe dose verification system of claim 19, wherein the application software is configured to generate an alert to notify a user if an incorrect dose of fluid is drawn into the medical syringe.

21. 16. The syringe dose verification system of claim 15, wherein the comparator is operatively connected to an alert generator to notify a user that an incorrect dose of fluid has been drawn into the medical syringe.

22. 21. The syringe dose verification system of claim 20, wherein the alert is at least one of an audible alert, a visual alert, and a tactile alert.

23. 22. The syringe dose verification system of claim 21, wherein the alert generating device is configured to generate at least one of an audible alert, a visual alert, and a tactile alert.

24. 15. The syringe dose verification system of claim 14, wherein the medical syringe includes at least one needle safety device configured to protect a user or a third party from an accidental needlestick injury.

25. 25. The syringe dose verification system of claim 24, wherein the at least one needle safety device includes a mechanism for selectively retracting the hypodermic needle after use.

26. 25. The syringe dose verification system of claim 24, wherein the at least one hypodermic needle has a forwardly extending tip, and the needle safety device includes a needle safety shield movable forward by a user to cover the forwardly extending tip of the hypodermic needle after use.

27. 1. A method for verifying and recording a dose of medicinal fluid drawn into a fluid chamber within a barrel of a medical syringe, comprising: constructing and arranging the syringe to provide a clear view of a flat, outward-facing indicia display surface of the barrel, the barrel having a volume scale with individual indicia and associated Arabic numerals superimposed on the display surface alongside the dosage of medical fluid within the fluid chamber; deploying and positioning a digital imaging device to establish a focused field of view, the field of view including the flat, outward-facing indicia display surface of the barrel, the barrel having a volume scale with individual indicia and associated Arabic numerals disposed on the display surface in alignment with and superimposed on the volume of medical fluid within the fluid chamber; capturing a digital image of the level of the medicinal fluid within the syringe; and storing said digital image in a recordable and archivable form for use in verifying the dosage of medicinal fluid administered using said syringe.

28. 1. A method for verifying and recording a dose of medicinal fluid drawn into a fluid chamber within a barrel of a medical syringe having a known volume, comprising: constructing and arranging the syringe to provide a clear image of the barrel and a clear image of a plunger having a plunger seal slidably engaging an inner wall of the barrel to define the fluid chamber into which medicinal fluid is drawn; providing and positioning a digital imaging device to establish a field of view focused on a location that includes the position of the plunger relative to the barrel; capturing and storing a digital image of the position of the plunger relative to the barrel; and determining the dose volume of the medicinal fluid drawn into the syringe from the position of the plunger relative to the barrel and the known volume of the medical syringe.

29. 30. The method of claim 28, further comprising saving the digital image in a recordable and archivable form for use in verifying the dose of the medicinal fluid administered using the syringe.

Images