Method of automatically programming an infusion pump

1. A method of automatically programming an infusion pump, the method comprising:

providing a machine-readable label for a drug container, the machine-readable label for the drug container including a drug name, data associated with a drug corresponding to the drug name, and a protocol for infusing the drug; and

scanning the label, via a machine-readable scanner wirelessly connected to the infusion pump, to automatically program the infusion pump according to the protocol included in the label and patient information for each particular infusion.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the machine-readable label for the drug container is a bar code label, and wherein the machine-readable scanner is a bar code scanner.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the bar code label is encoded with extensible markup language, binary code language, text, American standard code for information interchange, or combinations thereof.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the machine-readable label for the drug container further includes a name of a subject, and wherein the method further comprises:

providing a machine-readable label for the subject, the machine-readable label for the subject including at least the subject's name and personal information associated with the subject;

scanning the machine-readable label of the subject via the machine-readable scanner;

comparing the subject's name included in the machine-readable label for the subject with the name of the subject included in the machine-readable label for the drug container; and

determining whether a match exists between the subject's name included in the machine-readable label for the subject and the name of the subject included in the machine-readable label for the drug container.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein a match exists between the subject's name included in the machine-readable label for the subject and the name of the subject included in the machine-readable label for the drug container, and wherein the method further comprises automatically programming the infusion pump with the protocol included in the machine-readable label for the drug container.

6. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein a match does not exist between the subject's name included in the machine-readable label for the subject and the name of the subject included in the machine-readable label for the drug container, and wherein the method further comprises rejecting the protocol for infusing the drug.

7. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the machine-readable label for the subject is a bar code label encoded with extensible markup language.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein prior to automatically programming the infusion pump, the method further comprises verifying that the drug name, the data associated with the drug name, and the protocol for infusing the drug are accurate.

9. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein verifying is accomplished by comparing the drug name, the data associated with the drug name, and the protocol for infusing the drug with pre-established drug-related information saved in a drug library that is stored in the infusion pump.

10. The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a machine-readable label for a caregiver, the machine-readable label including at least the caregiver's name; and

scanning the machine-readable label for the caregiver via the machine-readable scanner.

11. A method of automatically programming an infusion pump, the method comprising:

providing a machine-readable label for a drug container, the machine-readable label for the drug container including a drug name, data associated with a drug corresponding to the drug name, and a protocol for infusing the drug; and

scanning the label, via a machine-readable scanner wirelessly connected to the infusion pump, to automatically program the infusion pump according to the protocol included in the label:

wherein the machine-readable label for the drug container further includes a name of a subject, and wherein the method further comprises:

manually inputting at least a name corresponding with the subject into the infusion pump via a user interface on the infusion pump;

comparing, via a controller in the infusion pump, the subject's name manually inputted into the infusion pump with the name of the subject included in the machine-readable label for the drug container;

determining that a match exists between the subject's name manually inputted into the infusion pump and the name of the subject included in the machine-readable label for the drug container; and

automatically programming the infusion pump with the protocol included in the machine-readable label for the drug container.

12. An infusion pump system, comprising:

an infusion pump having stored therein a drug library including pre-established drug-related information for a plurality of drugs;

a user interface on the infusion pump configured to receive, via: a manual input; a wireless input; or a combination thereof, a subject's name, a caregiver's name, a drug name, data associated with a drug corresponding to the drug name, and a protocol for infusing the drug; and

a processor in the infusion pump and configured with at least one computer code for verifying accuracy of the protocol for infusing the drug for each particular infusion and for verifying at least one of the subject's name, the caregiver's name, the drug name, the data associated with the drug.

13. The infusion pump system as defined in claim 12 wherein the user interface includes a twelve-digit keypad associated with a display screen.

14. The infusion pump system as defined in claim 13 wherein the display screen is a color touch screen.

15. The infusion pump system as defined in claim 12 wherein the user interface is a wireless barcode scanner configured to read barcode labels encoded with extensible markup language, binary code language, text, American standard code for information interchange, or combinations thereof.