PCA Pump Volume Tracking for Diversion Anomaly Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for tracking medication delivered via patient-controlled analgesic pumps lack the capability to accurately monitor the volume of medication across multiple doses and syringes, leading to potential abuse or diversion of medication.
Innovation Solution
A medication tracking system that includes a patient-controlled analgesic pump communicatively coupled with a tracking engine. The system tracks the volume of medication delivered by maintaining counters for different dose types and sending electronic alerts for anomalies in medication delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If patient-controlled analgesia pumps allow patients to self-administer medications, then patient autonomy and pain management effectiveness are improved, but medication abuse and diversion become more likely due to lack of monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback by tracking the volume of medication delivered from each syringe and comparing it against expected values. The tracking engine monitors real-time medication delivery data and provides feedback to the control circuit, which can then generate alerts when anomalies are detected, maintaining both patient autonomy and medication safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a tracking engine as an intermediary component between the pump mechanism and the patient. This intermediary continuously monitors medication delivery volumes and provides verification without interfering with patient-controlled administration, thus preserving autonomy while enhancing safety through independent verification.
2Reliability
If tracking systems monitor medication delivery volumes, then medication abuse and diversion are reduced, but system complexity increases due to additional monitoring components
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit serves multiple functions: it controls pump operation, tracks medication volumes, compares tracked volumes against expected values, and generates alerts. By making the control circuit multi-functional rather than adding separate dedicated components for each function, the system achieves comprehensive monitoring without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the tracking engine functionality into the existing control circuit architecture. The volume tracking, comparison logic, and alert generation are combined within the control circuit rather than implemented as separate standalone components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capabilities.
3Measurement precision
If the system tracks medication volume across multiple syringes and doses, then accurate medication accounting is achieved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments tracking data by syringe identifiers, allowing each syringe's medication volume to be tracked independently. This segmentation enables precise accounting of medication from each individual syringe while organizing data in a manageable structure that can be easily stored, retrieved, and audited without overwhelming complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method may include receiving, from a volume meter at a pump configured to deliver medication to a patient, data indicative of a volume of a medication present in a syringe inserted in the pump. A first counter may be updated, based on the data, in response to the medication being delivered to the patient as a first dose type. A second counter may be updated, based on the data, in response to the medication being delivered to the patient as a second dose type. The volume of the medication delivered to the patient may be determined based on the first counter and/or the second counter. An electronic alert may be sent to a mobile device in response to one or more anomalies being present in the volume of the medication delivered to the patient. Related methods and articles of manufacture, including apparatuses and computer program products, are also disclosed.