The present invention is directed to a
system and method for providing care to a patient, comprising a
patient care device having a number of configuration databases stored in a memory in the device. Each configuration
database preferably includes protocols, operating limits,
rule sets and / or operating features that collectively define an
operating environment, or personality, of the device. Selection of a specific configuration
database preferably is based at least in part upon patient-specific information obtained from any location in a distributed
hospital network. Examples of such patient-specific information include
patient age or size, patient medical characteristics, a location of the patient or a location of the care device. In a preferred embodiment,
programming a
patient care device to deliver a
drug to a patient entails activating a configuration
database and scanning a
machine-readable
drug label identifying a particular protocol stored in the activated database. The selected protocol includes default parameters for delivering the
drug, and the
label optionally includes instructions for deviating from the default protocol.