Barcode Drug Dosing System for Real-Time Accuracy

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity of determining accurate drug dosages in dynamic medical environments, where numerous medications and indications require efficient, error-free administration, is exacerbated by the transition from document-based to digital systems, overwhelming healthcare professionals with the need for rapid access to comprehensive drug information.

Innovation Solution

A computerized system utilizing a unique barcode or identifier to convey and translate drug information, including dosages and administration details, directly into electronic medical records and infusion pumps, simplifying the prescription and administration process through a relative potency scale and automated data entry.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If comprehensive drug information is made readily accessible in digital format, then accuracy and reliability of medication administration is improved, but device complexity and time required to access information increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of medication administrationVSAvoidcomplexity of information access system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A barcode scanner serves as an intermediary device that automatically captures drug identification information and triggers retrieval of comprehensive drug profiles from the database, eliminating the need for manual search while providing complete medication information including dosing guidelines, interactions, and administration protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a digital copy of comprehensive drug information stored in a database, allowing instant retrieval and display of complete medication profiles without requiring physical reference materials or manual information gathering, thus improving accessibility while maintaining information completeness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If manual data entry and verification processes are used, then ease of operation is maintained, but loss of time and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of prescription entryVSAvoidspeed of medication administration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The barcode scanning system enables self-service data capture where the scanner automatically reads drug information from barcodes on medication packages and electronically triggers retrieval of relevant drug profiles, eliminating manual data entry while maintaining operational simplicity and significantly improving administration speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical processes of reading, writing, and verifying medication information are replaced with automated electronic barcode scanning and database retrieval systems, maintaining ease of operation through simple scanning actions while dramatically improving productivity by eliminating time-consuming manual verification steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If text-based prescription systems are used, then adaptability to different formats is maintained, but loss of information occurs during conversion to digital formats

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in prescription formattingVSAvoidinformation loss during digitization

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Barcode scanners serve as intermediaries that capture drug identification information from various physical formats and automatically trigger retrieval of comprehensive digital drug profiles, ensuring complete information transfer without loss during the conversion from physical to digital representations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system accepts multiple input formats through barcode scanning and provides universal digital output in standardized electronic formats, maintaining adaptability to different prescription formats while ensuring complete information preservation through automated digital conversion without manual transcription losses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8676602B2Computerized method of determining medical treatment values

Publication Date: 2014.03.18 SAFEDOSE INC

AI summary

A computerized method of providing patient treatment values in real time, including the steps of providing a computer database having a plurality of predetermined patient selection criteria, patient condition categories, and drug selection, dosing values and related information, and providing an input device in communication with the computer database for inputting one or more of the patient selection criteria, patient condition categories and drug selection and dosing values and related information. A computer display in communication with the computer database and the input device is provided for displaying precalculated dosing values based on one or more inputted patient selection criteria, patient condition categories and dosing values and related information. One or more of the patient selection criteria, patient condition categories and treatment type is input by the input device into the computerized database provided in step (a) and associating a unique identifier with the inputted information. An appropriate drug dose is determined by the computer database, based on one or more of the patient selection criteria, patient condition categories and drug dosage values. The unique identifier is then used to communicate the appropriate drug dosage for administration to the patient.