Automated drug preparation apparatus including automated drug reconstitution
An automated medication preparation system for preparing a prescribed dosage of medication in a drug delivery device includes a plurality of stations for receiving, handling and processing the drug delivery device so that the prescribed dosage of medication is delivered to the drug delivery device and a transporting device that receives and holds more than one drug delivery device and moves the drug delivery devices in a controlled manner from one station to another station. The system is configured so that two or more separate drug delivery devices can be acted upon at the same time.
1. A method for preparation of medication orders, comprising:
storing in a database of a computer controller identifying information for a plurality of containers containing reconstitutable medications;
identifying by the computer controller, for a medication order, a correct one of the plurality of containers for reconstitution;
selecting a container containing a reconstitutable medication;
scanning the selected container to read identifying information on the selected container;
comparing the read identifying information to identifying information stored in the database for the identified container to confirm that the selected container is the identified container;
reconstituting the medication in the selected container;
delivering reconstituted medication from the selected container to a drug delivery device, wherein after the delivering step the selected container contains unused reconstituted medication; and
storing the selected container containing unused reconstituted medication for subsequent use.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said scanning step comprises:
reading a bar code on the container.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
taking a photo image of the selected container.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
retrieving by the computer controller the medication order from a database for storing medication orders.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
determining by the computer controller the steps necessary to perform the reconstituting step.
6. A method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the determining step comprises:
accessing a reconstitution database.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
determining by the computer controller a location of the identified container prior to said selecting step.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
cataloging the stored, selected container containing unused reconstituted medication.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
delivering an amount of the unused reconstituted medication from the stored, selected container into another drug delivery device for another medication preparation order.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the storing step comprises:
storing the stored, selected container at a holding station having a grid with coordinates for determining where the stored, selected container is stored within the holding station.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
labeling the stored, selected container containing unused reconstituted medication as a multi-use container.
12. A method as recited in claim 11 , wherein said database identifies which of the plurality of containers contain medications for multi-use.
13. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
weighing the selected container before the reconstituting step to measure a weight; and
storing the weight at the computer controller.
14. A method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:
calculating a weight of the reconstituted medication to perform a safety check as to whether the reconstituted medication was properly reconstituted.
15. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the drug delivery device is partially filled with a diluent prior to the delivery step.
16. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said delivering step comprises:
delivering reconstituted medicine to the drug delivery device in an automated manner.
17. A method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the withdrawing step comprises:
accessing the database to retrieve characteristics of the identified container; and
positioning a vented cannula relative to the selected container based upon the characteristics of the identified container.
18. A method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the selecting, scanning, comparing, and reconstituting steps are performed in an automated manner.
19. A method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the drug delivery device is a syringe, and further comprising:
storing a plurality of syringes at a first station;
advancing with an apparatus the syringe from the first station to a second station for performing the delivering step.
20. A method as recited in claim 19 , wherein the selected container is a vial, and further comprising:
using an automated mechanism to deliver the selected container, after the comparing step, to a third station, for performing the reconstituting step.