Programmable Memory Card for Safe Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drug infusion systems face challenges such as wide parameter limits leading to unsafe dosing, manual selection errors, lack of patient data integration, and cumbersome maintenance and surveillance processes, which can result in incorrect drug delivery and labor-intensive record keeping.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a programmable memory card to store and retrieve drug and patient information, which is used to adjust infusion pump settings and record delivery data, ensuring accurate and safe drug administration by comparing patient and drug parameters, and allowing for on-site programming by healthcare professionals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wide parameter limits are set in the drug library to account for patient variation, then the system can accommodate individual patient differences, but unsafe dosing may occur for individual patients
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by retrieving specific patient data (weight, age, diagnosis) before drug delivery, and pre-calculates personalized safe parameter limits based on this data. The pump stores multiple drug library entries with different concentration and parameter limits, and selects the appropriate entry before infusion based on patient characteristics, thereby establishing personalized safety boundaries in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously comparing the selected drug library parameters against the specific patient's data retrieved from the patient database. The pump verifies that the chosen infusion parameters are appropriate for the individual patient's weight, age, and clinical condition, creating a closed-loop verification process that ensures safety while maintaining adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the HCP manually selects the correct entry from the drug library, then the system can accommodate different hospital environments and drug concentrations, but manual selection errors can result in wrong concentration, infusion mode, or limits
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary automated selection process between the HCP and the drug library. The pump retrieves patient data, automatically matches it with appropriate drug library entries based on predefined criteria (drug name, concentration, hospital environment), and presents the selected entry to the HCP for verification. This intermediary automation reduces manual selection errors while maintaining the ability to accommodate different hospital environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump performs self-service by automatically selecting the appropriate drug library entry based on patient data and hospital environment parameters. The system autonomously retrieves relevant patient information, compares it with stored drug profiles, and identifies the correct infusion parameters without requiring manual HCP selection, thereby eliminating human error in the selection process.
3Ease of operation
If the drug library is stored in the pump without patient data integration, then the pump can operate independently, but the parameter limits must be wide enough to account for population variation which may still be too wide for individual patients
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary data integration by retrieving specific patient information from external databases before drug delivery. The pump collects patient data (weight, age, diagnosis) in advance, stores it temporarily, and uses it to personalize the drug library parameters before infusion begins. This preliminary action enables precise individualized dosing while maintaining independent pump operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a one-dimensional approach (storing generic drug parameters in the pump) to a two-dimensional approach by integrating patient data dimensions. The pump now operates with both drug library parameters and patient-specific parameters, creating a multi-dimensional parameter space that enables precise individualized dosing while maintaining operational independence.
4Device complexity
If manual downloading of infusion history from the pump is used, then the system can maintain simple architecture, but the process is labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The pump performs self-service by automatically transmitting infusion history data to external systems. The pump autonomously retrieves completed infusion records, formats them according to surveillance or accounting requirements, and transmits them without requiring manual HCP intervention. This automated self-service eliminates labor-intensive manual downloading while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by automatically capturing infusion history data and transmitting it to external databases or surveillance systems. The pump continuously monitors infusion completion, automatically logs the delivery parameters and outcomes, and feeds this information back to the institutional system, eliminating manual record-keeping time while maintaining architectural simplicity.
5Ease of operation
If wireless networking is used to transmit infusion history records, then manual downloading is eliminated, but the wireless network at a hospital can be unreliable and troubleshooting requires technical expertise
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements beforehand cushioning by providing multiple data transmission pathways. The pump is configured to attempt wireless transmission of infusion history, but if wireless communication fails or is unavailable, the system automatically falls back to alternative methods such as wired connections or local storage with delayed transmission. This prior cushioning ensures reliable data transmission while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting transmission parameters based on network conditions. The pump monitors wireless network availability and reliability, and automatically changes transmission parameters such as protocol selection, data batch size, or transmission timing to optimize reliability. This adaptive parameter changing maintains convenience while compensating for wireless network unreliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for safe delivery of drug to a patient employs a programmable memory card for transferring drug delivery instructions and patient information between a server in a pharmacy and a drug delivery apparatus in a patient room. The server in the pharmacy checks the prescription for safety and the drug delivery apparatus checks for the drug delivery instructions and also the patient identity. The drug delivery apparatus records the information about the drug delivered to the patient onto the programmable memory card at the end of the drug delivery.