RFID-Enabled Medical Container Lock for Patient Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current safety measures for administering medical substances, particularly blood components, are inadequate, leading to a significant risk of incorrect patient identification and administration due to errors during sample collection, association, and administration, with existing RFID-based solutions not effectively controlling the correct insertion of medical substances into containers.
Innovation Solution
A safety apparatus and method that integrates a container with a lock, a first identification element associated with the medical substance, and a wearable second identification element associated with the patient, using a reading device to compare data and control the opening of the lock, ensuring correct patient-substance association and monitoring technical parameters like temperature and humidity to maintain substance integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual identification and association procedures are used for blood components, then operational flexibility is maintained, but patient identification errors and administration mistakes occur frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical identification procedures with an automated RFID-based identification system. The reading device automatically reads RFID tags on patient wristbands and blood component containers, eliminating manual verification steps that cause errors. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with electronic automation directly improves reliability while the integrated design keeps complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses RFID tags as electronic copies of patient and blood component identification information. Instead of manually reading and comparing physical labels, the system creates and compares digital copies of identification data stored on RFID tags, enabling automated verification that reduces human error in patient identification and blood component matching.
2Reliability
If RFID reading devices are not integrated with containers, then device simplicity is maintained, but control over correct substance insertion and administration cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the RFID reading device with the blood component container to create an integrated system. The reader is built into the container itself, allowing automatic verification of patient identification and blood component compatibility directly at the point of administration. This merging ensures that correct substance administration is controlled and verified, while the integration keeps the overall system cohesive rather than adding separate complex components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution significantly reduces errors in medical substance administration by ensuring correct patient identification and substance matching, enhancing safety during transfusions and maintaining the integrity of medical substances throughout transport and storage.
Implementation Method 1
a reading device configured to read data of the first identification element and the second identification element, to compare said data, and to command the selective opening of the lock
Implementation Method 2
a lock able to be selectively activated/deactivated to prevent or allow the lid to be opened
Data Source
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Figure 3
AI summary
Safety apparatus to trace, control and monitor the administration of medical substances, comprising: - a container (11) of a medical substance; - a containing body (13) with a compartment (14) in which to put the container (11), a lid (15) to selectively close the compartment (14), a lock (16) associated with the containing body (13) and with the lid (15) and able to be selectively activated/deactivated to prevent or allow the opening of the lid (15); - a first identification element (12) associated with at least one of either the container (11) or the containing body (13); - a wearable element (17) associable with a patient and provided with a second identification element (18); - a reading device (19) configured to read data of the first identification element (12) and the second identification element (18), to compare said data, and to command the selective opening of the lock (16).