Infusion Monitoring System

What is this patent about?

’880 is related to the field of medical device management, specifically the monitoring and management of medication infusions within a healthcare setting. The background acknowledges the increasing complexity faced by caregivers in managing multiple infusions for patients, including tracking medication schedules, lab results, and accurate billing. Current systems often lack a comprehensive and easily accessible view of infusion-related data, leading to potential errors and inefficiencies.

The underlying idea behind ’880 is to provide a clear and intuitive temporal visualization of infusion events across multiple infusion channels. This involves collecting data from infusion pumps, identifying key events like start/stop times and container changes, and presenting this information in a graphical timeline format. The goal is to give caregivers a consolidated view of a patient's infusion history and current status, improving accuracy and efficiency.

The claims of ’880 focus on a system comprising an infusion pump and a remote device (e.g., a mobile device) that communicates with the pump. The remote device receives medication data and administration data, determines the status of the administration, and transmits the status to a mobile communication device. The mobile device then displays a timeline of infusion events and, upon user interaction, provides parameters characterizing the operation of the infusion pump.

In practice, the system gathers data such as medication names, amounts, scheduled times, patient identifiers, infusion rates, and event times directly from the infusion pumps. This data is then processed to create a visual timeline, with each infusion channel represented as a separate 'swim lane.' The timeline displays infusion start and stop times, pauses, and medication container changes, often using distinct graphical icons and color-coding to differentiate infusion types. A user can then interact with the timeline to view specific pump parameters at a given time.

This approach differentiates itself from prior solutions by providing a unified, real-time view of infusion data that integrates information from multiple pumps and channels. Instead of relying on manual tracking or disparate systems, caregivers can quickly assess a patient's infusion status, identify potential issues, and ensure accurate billing. The system also allows for the display of manually administered medications alongside automated infusions, providing a more complete picture of the patient's medication history.