초록 ▼

The system for controlling and tracking medical items (830) includes a plurality of medical item storage cabinets (878). Each cabinet includes a plurality of doors (888-894). The doors control access to shelves (902, 904) and support modules (1210). Shelves and support modules include user interface

The system for controlling and tracking medical items (830) includes a plurality of medical item storage cabinets (878). Each cabinet includes a plurality of doors (888-894). The doors control access to shelves (902, 904) and support modules (1210). Shelves and support modules include user interfaces (938, 1214). Authorized users desiring to take medical items from storage locations in cabinets for use in treating patients are enabled to provide inputs through a display terminal (880) adjacent to cabinets and/or interfaces to indicate the taking of medical items. Storage cabinets include visual indicators so that users may be guided to find a selected medical item for which information is input at an associated display terminal. Alternatively, authorized users gain access to the interior of the cabinet and indicate through appropriate inputs through interfaces on the shelves the types and quantities of items being taken.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A method comprising: a) providing at least one configuration input through at least one of a plurality of shelf input devices on a medical item holding shelf, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of storage locations, and wherein the shelf is supported within a medical item holding c

We claim: 1. A method comprising: a) providing at least one configuration input through at least one of a plurality of shelf input devices on a medical item holding shelf, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of storage locations, and wherein the shelf is supported within a medical item holding cabinet, wherein the at least one configuration input is adapted to indicate that a first shelf input device is associated with a first shelf storage location; b) responsive to the at least one configuration input in (a), storing data corresponding to an association between the first shelf input device and the first storage location in at least one data store, wherein the at least one data store is in operative connection with a terminal positioned in proximity to the cabinet, wherein the terminal includes at least one processor; c) storing in the at least one data store, data associating a first medical item and the first storage location; d) storing in the at least one data store, data associating a first quantity and the first storage location; e) storing in the at least one data store, data corresponding to a plurality of patients; f) subsequent to (a)-(e), providing at least one terminal input through at least one terminal input device in operative connection with the terminal, wherein the at least one terminal input corresponds to a first patient; g) providing at least one shelf input through the first input device on the shelf; h) responsive to the at least one terminal input in (f) and the at least one shelf input in (g), operating the at least one processor to cause to be stored in the at least one data store, data corresponding to taking of at least one of the first medical item from the first storage location for use in treatment of the first patient. 2. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising: i) prior to (f), labeling the first shelf input device and the first shelf storage location to visibly indicate an association. 3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first shelf input device comprises a first button, and wherein (i) includes labeling each of the first button and the first shelf storage location with labels having a common color scheme. 4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the cabinet includes at least one door overlying the shelf and at least one lock controlling the locked condition of the at least one door, wherein the at least one lock is in operative connection with the terminal, and further comprising: i) prior to (f), storing data in the at least one data store corresponding to a plurality of authorized users; j) prior to (g), receiving at least one user-identifying input from a user through at least one input device in operative connection with the terminal; k) prior to (g), responsive to the data stored in the at least one data store and the at least one user-identifying input in (j), determining through operation of at least one processor whether the at least one user-identifying input corresponds to an authorized user; l) prior to (g), responsive to a positive determination in (k), operating the terminal to cause the unlocking of the at least one lock whereby the at least one door is enabled to be opened. 5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the shelf includes a keypad, and further comprising: m) subsequent to (g), providing at least one input corresponding to a number through the shelf keypad; wherein in (h) responsive to the number input in (m), the at least one processor is operative to cause to be stored in the at least one data store, data corresponding to the taking of a number of the first medical item from the first storage location by the user for use in treatment of the patient. 6. A method comprising: (a) providing at least one configuration input through at least one of a plurality of shelf input devices of a medical item holding shelf, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of storage locations, wherein the shelf is supported within a medical item holding cabinet, wherein the shelf includes a shelf interface, wherein the shelf interface includes a plurality of buttons and a keypad, wherein the at least one configuration input includes providing at least one input through at least one button and at least one numerical input through the keypad, and wherein the at least one configuration input is adapted to indicate that a first shelf input device is associated with a first storage location; (b) responsive to the at least one configuration input in (a), storing data corresponding to an association between the first shelf input device and the first storage location in at least one data store, wherein the at least one data store is in operative connection with a terminal positioned in proximity to the cabinet, wherein the terminal includes at least one processor; (c) storing in the at least one data store, data associating a first medical item and the first storage location; (d) storing in the at least one data store, data associating a first quantity and the first storage location; (e) storing in the at least one data store, data corresponding to a plurality of patients; (f) subsequent to (a)-(e), providing at least one terminal input through at least one terminal input device in operative connection with the terminal, wherein the at least one terminal input corresponds to a first patient; (g) providing at least one shelf input through the first shelf input device; and (h) responsive to the at least one terminal input in (f) and the at least one shelf input in (g), operating the at least one processor to cause to be stored in the at least one data store, data corresponding to taking of at least one of the first medical item from the first storage location for use in treatment of the first patient. 7. The method according to claim 6 wherein in (d) the quantity is entered through the keypad. 8. The method according to claim 6 wherein (c) includes reading machine-readable indicia corresponding to the first medical item with a reading device. 9. The method according to claim 8 wherein in (c) the machine-readable indicia comprises a bar code corresponding to the first medical item. 10. The method according to claim 8 wherein in (c) the machine-readable indicia corresponds to RFID tag signals corresponding to the first medical item. 11. The method according to claim 6 wherein the cabinet comprises a plurality of movable doors, wherein a first door movably controls access to the first medical item holding shelf, and wherein the cabinet comprises a plurality of electric locks, wherein a first lock controls the locked condition of the first door, and further comprising: j) prior to (h), providing at least one medical item identifying input through at least one input device in operative connection with the terminal; k) unlocking the first lock to enable access to the first storage location responsive to the at least one medical item identifying input in (j). 12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the medical item holding shelf comprises a plurality of visual button indicators, wherein a first visual button indicator is adjacent a first button, and wherein the first button corresponds to the first storage location, and further comprising: l) activating the first visual button indicator responsive to the at least one medical item identifying input in (j). 13. The method according to claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of doors has an associated visual door indicator thereon, wherein a first visual door indicator is visible on the first door, and further comprising: m) activating the first visual door indicator responsive to the at least one medical item identifying input in (j). 14. The method according to claim 13, and further comprising: n) prior to (f), storing in at least one data store, data corresponding to a plurality of authorized users; o) prior to (f), receiving from a user providing the at least one terminal input in (f), at least one identifying input; p) determining responsive to data stored in the at least one data store through operation of the at least one processor whether the user is authorized to access the first medical item; wherein the first lock is unlocked in (k) responsive to the determination that the user is authorized to access the first medical item. 15. The method according to claim 14 and further comprising: q) prior to (f), storing in the at least one data store, data corresponding to a plurality of medical items the user is authorized to access; r) during at least a portion of (k), unlocking at least one lock allowing opening of at least one other door of the cabinet other than the first door, wherein the at least one other door controls access to at least one second medical item stored in the cabinet to which the user is authorized to have access. 16. The method according to claim 15 and further comprising: s) during at least a portion of (r), actuating another door visual indicator associated with the at least one other door, wherein the first visual door indicator is actuated in (m) in a manner visually different in at least one of time and duration from a manner in which the another door visual indicator is actuated in (s). 17. A method comprising: (a) receiving at least one configuration input through at least one of a plurality of input devices on a medical item holding shelf supported within a medical item holding cabinet, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of storage locations; (b) responsive to the at least one configuration input in step (a), storing data corresponding to an association between a first input device on the shelf and a first storage location on the shelf in at least one data store; (c) storing in the at least one data store, data associating a first medical item and the first storage location; (d) storing in the at least one data store, data associating a first quantity and the first storage location; (e) storing in the at least one data store, data corresponding to a plurality of patients; (f) subsequent to steps (a)-(e), receiving at least one patient data input corresponding to a first patient; (g) subsequent to step (b), receiving at least one shelf input through the first input device on the shelf; and (h) responsive to receiving the at least one patient data input in step (f) and the at least one shelf input in step (g), storing in the at least one data store, data corresponding to a taking of at least one of the first medical item from the first storage location for use in treatment of the first patient. 18. A method comprising: (a) receiving at least one first configuration input through at least one input device of a medical item holding shelf supported within a medical item holding cabinet, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of medical item storage locations, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of input devices; (b) responsive to the at least one first configuration input in step (a), operating a computer to store in at least one data store, data linking a first input device of the shelf with a first medical item storage location of the shelf; (c) subsequent to (b), receiving at least one second configuration input through the at least one input device of the shelf; and (d) responsive to the at least one second configuration input in step (c), storing in the at least one data store, data linking a second input device of the shelf with a second medical item storage location of the shelf. 19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the shelf includes a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of buttons and a keypad, wherein in (a) the at least one first configuration input includes both at least one input through at least one button and at least one numerical input through the keypad, and wherein in (c) the at least one second configuration input includes both at least one input through at least one button and at least one numerical input through the keypad. 20. A method comprising: (a) receiving at least one first configuration input through at least one input device of a medical item holding shelf supported within a medical item holding cabinet, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of medical item storage locations, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of input devices, wherein the shelf includes a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a keypad, wherein the at least one first configuration input includes both at least one input through a first input device of the shelf and at least one numerical input through the keypad; (b) responsive to the at least one first configuration input in step (a), operating a computer to store in at least one data store, data linking the first input device with a first medical item storage location; (c) subsequent to (b), receiving at least one second configuration input through the at least one input device of the shelf, wherein the at least one second configuration input includes both at least one input through a second input device of the shelf and at least one numerical input through the keypad; and (d) responsive to the at least one second configuration input in step (c), storing in the at least one data store, data linking the second input device with a second medical item storage location.