Infusion Pump Server Wireless Data Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for controlling infusion pumps lack efficient mechanisms to ensure accurate medication administration, patient identification, and real-time data synchronization with central servers, leading to potential medication errors and operational inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that enables infusion pumps to communicate wirelessly with a central server, uploading and comparing label data and pump programming information to ensure accurate medication administration, patient identification, and real-time data synchronization, using authorization and difference signals to prevent errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If infusion pumps use centralized servers to control medication dispensing, then medication administration accuracy is improved, but system complexity and operational latency increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedication administration accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into a bedside server and a centralized server. The bedside server handles local pump control and immediate medication administration, while the centralized server manages data storage and coordination. This segmentation reduces the complexity burden on the pump itself and enables parallel processing of tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bedside server acts as an intermediary between the infusion pump and the centralized server. It receives commands from the centralized server, processes them locally, and transmits results back to the pump, reducing operational latency and simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If real-time data synchronization between pump and central server is implemented, then medication safety is improved, but operational latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedication safetyVSAvoidoperational latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-loading medication information, patient data, and pump programming parameters into the bedside server before actual medication administration. This ensures that when medication needs to be administered, the necessary data is already available locally, eliminating delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the bedside server continuously monitors pump status and medication administration progress, then sends this information back to the centralized server for verification and coordination. This feedback loop ensures safety while maintaining efficient real-time operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If comprehensive patient and medication verification is performed, then medication error prevention is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedication error preventionVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Patient identification data, medication information, and pump programming parameters are pre-verified and stored in the bedside server before medication administration begins. This preliminary verification ensures that when medication is administered, the system can quickly confirm correctness without time-consuming real-time verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual verification processes with automated electronic verification mechanisms. The bedside server automatically compares patient IDs, medication codes, and dosing parameters, eliminating time-consuming manual checks while maintaining comprehensive verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Adaptability or versatility

If wireless communication between pump and server is implemented, then system adaptability is improved, but data transmission reliability may decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem adaptabilityVSAvoiddata transmission reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements beforehand cushioning by storing critical medication and patient data locally in the bedside server and pump memory. This ensures that even if wireless communication fails or is interrupted, the system can continue operating with previously cached information, maintaining reliability while preserving adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS8172798B2System and method for managing infusion therapies

Publication Date: 2012.05.08 BAXTER HEALTHCARE SA

AI summary

A system for managing an infusion therapy, including: a server in communication with a central server; and an infusion pump in wireless communication with the server and for: uploading respective label data from respective labels for at least one medication, the respective label data including respective label pump programming data for infusion of the at least one medication by the pump; wirelessly transmitting the uploaded label data to the server; and wirelessly transmitting pump data identifying the pump to the server. The server is for transmitting the pump data and the respective label data to the server; and receiving, from the central server and in response to receipt of the pump data and the respective label data by the central server, second pump programming data regarding a second medication. The server is for comparing the first pump programming data with the second pump programming data.