PATIENT CARE SYSTEM FOR CRITICAL MEDICATIONS
A patient care system has a medical pump for delivering a medicine to a patient, and a processor in communication with the pump. The pump is configured to receive a first input on whether the medicine is a critical medicine, and a second input on a trigger condition that triggers a fail-operate mode for the critical medicine. The processor controls the medical pump to operate in the fail-operate mode, where the fail-operate mode continues delivery of the critical medicine when the trigger condition is triggered.
1 . A patient care system comprising:
a medical pump for delivering a medicine to a patient; and
a processor in communication with the medical pump, the processor comprising a memory and a logic adapted to:
receive a first input on whether the medicine is a critical medicine;
receive a second input on a trigger condition that triggers a fail-operate mode for the critical medicine, wherein the fail-operate mode continues delivery of the critical medicine when the trigger condition is triggered;
store the first input and the second input in the memory; and
control the pump to operate in the fail-operate mode when triggered.
2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a fail-stop mode, wherein the fail-stop mode stops delivery of the medicine when the trigger condition is triggered.
3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the processor is adapted to enable a user to select between engaging the fail-stop mode or the fail-operate mode.
4 . The system of claim 2 wherein the fail-stop mode is the default mode.
5 . The system of claim 2 further comprising a first audible alarm for the fail-stop mode and a second audible alarm for the fail-operate mode, wherein the first audible alarm is different from the second audible alarm.
6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to request confirmation for engaging the fail-operate mode.
7 . The system of claim 6 wherein the confirmation is presented by a pop-up screen on the medical pump.
8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first input is received from a drug library or a professional caregiver.
9 . The system of claim 1 wherein the second input is received from one of a drug library and a professional caregiver.
10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the trigger condition is configured to be specific to an individual patient or to a specific clinical care area.
11 . The system of claim 1 wherein the trigger condition is selected from the group consisting of an occlusion, air-in-line, air accumulation, and low battery.
12 . The system of claim 1 wherein the critical medicine is chosen from the group consisting of anticoagulants, hydration fluids, nutrient solutions, and antibiotics.
13 . The system of claim 1 wherein the processor provides an indication of when the fail-operate mode is engaged, wherein the indication comprises one of the group consisting of:
a notification to a medical professional, a message displayed on the medical pump, an audible tone, and an indicator light.
14 . A method for configuring delivery of a critical medicine, the method comprising:
providing a medical pump and a processor in communication with the medical pump, wherein the processor comprises a memory and a logic;
configuring the processor with an option for entering a first input on whether a medicine is a critical medicine;
configuring the processor with an option for entering a second input on a trigger condition that triggers a fail-operate mode, wherein the fail-operate mode continues delivery of the critical when the trigger condition is triggered;
storing the first input and the second input in the memory; and
controlling the pump to operate in the fail-operate mode when triggered.
15 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of configuring the processor with a fail-stop mode, wherein the fail-stop mode stops delivery of the medicine when the trigger condition is triggered, and wherein the processor is adapted to enable a user to select between engaging the fail-stop mode or the fail-operate mode.
16 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of providing a first audible alarm for the fail-stop mode and a second audible alarm for the fail-operate mode, wherein the first audible alarm is different from the second audible alarm.
17 . The method of claim 11 wherein the trigger condition is configured to be specific to an individual patient or to a specific clinical care area.
18 . The method of claim 11 wherein the trigger condition is selected from the group consisting of an occlusion, air-in-line, and low battery.
19 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of providing an indication of when the fail-operate mode is engaged, wherein the indication comprises one of the group consisting of:
a notification to a medical professional, a message displayed on the medical pump, an audible tone, and an indicator light.
20 . A patient care system comprising:
a medical pump for delivering a medicine to a patient; and
a processor in communication with the medical pump, the processor comprising a memory and a logic adapted to:
receive a first input on whether the medicine is allowed to be delivered in a fail-operate mode;
receive a second input on a trigger condition that triggers the fail-operate mode, wherein the fail-operate mode continues delivery of the medicine when the trigger condition is triggered;
store the first input and the second input in the memory; and
control the pump to operate in the fail-operate mode for the medicine when triggered.