Managing medications at the bedside

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hospitalized patients often experience delays in receiving medication due to caregivers being overburdened with tasks, leading to untimely responses, especially when requesting optional medications that require retrieval from a centralized inventory.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a modular automated dispensing system with fixed dispensing apparatuses located near each patient's room, allowing for secure storage and dispensing of both required and optional medications, reducing the need for caregivers to repeatedly visit a central storage location and enabling immediate access to requested medications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If medications are stored in a centralized inventory system, then medication storage and control is simplified, but caregivers experience delays when retrieving medications for patients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedication delivery delay timeVSAvoiddispensing system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The centralized inventory system is segmented into multiple decentralized dispensing machines distributed throughout the facility. Each machine contains a subset of medications and operates independently, allowing caregivers to retrieve medications locally without returning to a central storage location, thereby reducing delivery delay time while maintaining overall system control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a single-point centralized storage model to a multi-point distributed network model. By adding the spatial dimension of distribution across multiple locations, the system reduces the distance and time caregivers must travel to retrieve medications, while the networked architecture maintains centralized oversight and control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If caregivers retrieve optional medications from centralized inventory, then medication control is maintained, but caregiver productivity decreases due to repeated trips

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecaregiver medication administration efficiencyVSAvoidtime spent retrieving medications

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Medications are pre-positioned in decentralized dispensing machines at locations where they are needed. This preliminary action of distributing medications to multiple access points eliminates the need for caregivers to repeatedly travel to centralized inventory, significantly improving productivity by reducing retrieval time and allowing caregivers to focus on patient care

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The dispensing machines are designed to allow caregivers to independently retrieve medications without requiring intervention from pharmacy staff or returns to centralized inventory. The automated dispensing system enables caregivers to service themselves by providing direct access to medications at the point of care, thereby increasing productivity and reducing time loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Speed

If decentralized dispensing machines are implemented, then medication access speed increases, but system complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedication retrieval speedVSAvoiddispensing system architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The decentralized dispensing machines are designed as universal units that can dispense multiple types of medications through standardized mechanisms. This multi-functionality allows a single machine design to serve various medication storage needs across different locations, increasing retrieval speed while minimizing the complexity increase that would result from designing custom systems for each location

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10813841B2Managing medications at the bedside

Publication Date: 2020.10.27 CAREFUSION 303 INC

AI summary

Modular automated dispensing systems for dispensing secured medications in a medical environment are provided. The system includes a compact enclosure configured to be disposed in a medical treatment area without taking up valuable floor space. The system includes lockable drawers having one or more compartments for storing and dispensing medications or medical supplies. The system is unlocked by use of an access control interface internally or externally connected directly to the system, or networked to the system through a medical center network.