Abstract:
A method for conveying information is disclosed herein. The method for conveying information includes providing a drug data bar code having drug data, transferring the drug data bar code to a patient, providing a bar code reader adapted to read the drug data bar code, and implementing the bar code reader to read the drug data bar code and thereby obtain the drug data such that the drug data can be accounted for in a subsequently performed medical procedure. A corresponding system is also provided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates generally to a method and system for identifying the drugs prescribed to and otherwise taken by a given patient. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Various prescription and non-prescription drugs can impact the data from diagnostic medical procedures. For example, it is well known that certain classes of medications can alter the QT interval of a patient&#39;s electrocardiographic data. It is therefore important that a physician be made aware of the specific types and dosages of drugs being administered to a patient prior to the interpretation of any diagnostic medical procedures. The problem is that many patients are not aware of the names and dosages of the drugs they are taking, and the patients are therefore unable to accurately convey this information in a clinically useful manner. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein which will be understood by reading and understanding the following specification. 
         [0004]    In an embodiment, a method for conveying information includes providing a drug data bar code having drug data, transferring the drug data bar code to a patient, providing a bar code reader adapted to read the drug data bar code, and implementing the bar code reader to read the drug data bar code and thereby obtain the drug data such that the drug data can be accounted for in a subsequently performed medical procedure. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, a method for conveying information includes providing a radio frequency identification tag having drug data, transferring the drug data from the radio frequency identification tag to a radio frequency identification storage device, and retrieving the drug data from the radio frequency identification storage device such that the drug data can be accounted for in a subsequently performed medical procedure. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, a drug identification system includes a patient card, and a drug data bar code attached to the patient card. The drug data bar code includes drug data. The drug identification system also includes a bar code reader configured to read the drug data bar code and thereby obtain the drug data such that the drug data can be accounted for in a subsequently performed medical procedure. 
         [0007]    Various other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be made apparent to those skilled in the art from the accompanying drawings and detailed description thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a drug identification system in accordance with an embodiment; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a drug identification system in accordance with another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments that may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. 
         [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a drug identification system  10  is schematically shown in accordance with an embodiment. For purposes of this disclosure, the term “drug” should be interpreted to include prescription medications, over the counter medications, vitamins, nutrition supplements, any other known pharmaceutical substances, as well as implanted devices or biological materials (e.g., bone grafts). 
         [0012]    The drug identification system  10  includes one or more drug data bar codes  12   a - 12   n.  Each of the drug data bar codes  12   a - 12   n  corresponds to a separate drug being administered to the patient  14 . Each drug data bar code  12   a - 12   n  includes drug data such as the type of drug administered, the recommended dosage, the starting and ending dates for a prescription, the time at which the drug is to be administered, etc. 
         [0013]    According to one embodiment, the drug data bar codes  12   a - 12   n  are each adhesively applied as peel off labels to an information sheet  16   a - 16   n,  respectively. Each of the information sheets  16   a - 16   n  corresponds to a separate drug being administered to the patient  14 . Each information sheet  16   a - 16   n  may include drug data as well as information pertaining to the patient&#39;s name, the name of the pharmacy, the name of the prescribing physician, etc. An information sheet  16   a - 16   n  may, for example, be issued by a pharmacy when the patient  14  picks up a new prescription, and may be included in the packaging of over the counter drugs. 
         [0014]    Each drug data bar code  12   a - 12   n  is applied to a patient card  18 . According to the embodiment wherein the drug data bar codes  12   a - 12   n  are each adhesively applied as peel off labels to an information sheet  16   a - 16   n,  the patient  14  can peel off a drug data bar code  12   a - 12   n  upon receipt and adhesively apply it to the patient card  18 . In this manner, the patient card  18  should ultimately contain a separate drug data bar code  12   a - 12   n  for each drug the patient  14  is taking. After the patient  14  stops taking a given drug, the corresponding drug data bar code  12   a - 12   n  can be physically removed from the patient card  18  or covered up so that it is not readable. 
         [0015]    According to one embodiment, the patient card  18  is wallet sized such that the patient card  18  can be carried in the patient&#39;s wallet (not shown) and generally remains with the patient  14  at all times. According to another embodiment, the patient card  18  may optionally include a patient data bar code  20 . The patient data bar code  20  contains patient data such as, for example, the patient&#39;s name, age, weight, pre-existing medical conditions, allergies, etc. According to yet another embodiment, the patient card  18  may optionally include a uniform resource locator (URL) link  21 . The URL link  21  is a link to a server maintained by the patient&#39;s pharmacy that contains information such as the types of prescribed medications and the dates at which the prescriptions were filled. In this manner, The URL link  21  can act as a precautionary measure in case, for example, the patient  14  fails to apply one of the drug data bar codes  12   a - 12   n  to the patient card  18 , or the patient fails to remove or cover up a drug data bar code  12   a - 12   n  after he or she stops taking a particular drug. In a non-limiting manner, the URL link  21  may be displayed in plain text on the patient card  18 , and/or may be encoded and displayed as a bar code. 
         [0016]    When the patient  14  is being treated or cared for, a bar code reader  22  can be implemented to read the drug data bar codes  12   a - 12   n  and/or the patient data bar code  20  in order to obtain drug data and/or patient data. The bar code reader  22  may be attached to or incorporated into the design of a medical device  24  configured to diagnose, treat and/or care for the patient  14 . In this manner, the bar code reader  22  can obtain any potentially relevant information such as the types and dosages of drugs taken by the patient  14 , and generally immediately thereafter the medical device  24  can be implemented to diagnose, treat and/or care for the patient  14  in a manner that accounts for this information. Additionally, the drug data and patient data can be made available to a treating physician so that it can be considered in the analysis of any output from the medical device  24 . 
         [0017]    The previously described system for obtaining potentially relevant information from the patient card  18  may be implemented in emergency cases wherein the patient  14  is unconscious on incoherent. For example, if an unconscious or incoherent patient arrives at a hospital, staff members could obtain the patient card  18  and scan it in using the bar code reader  22  in order to obtain various forms of potentially relevant or critical data. More precisely, general information pertaining to the patient  14  could be obtained from the patient data bar code  20 , and information pertaining to the types and dosages of drugs taken by the patient  14  could be obtained form the drug data bar codes  12   a - 12   n.  It can be seen that, in such cases, the patient card  18  is particularly beneficial as it would otherwise be impossible for the unconscious or incoherent patient to convey any information at all. 
         [0018]    According to one embodiment, the medical device  24  is an electrocardiograph having a computer  26 . By incorporating the bar code reader  22  with the electrocardiograph  24 , the computer  26  can automatically account for the types and dosages of drugs taken by the patient  14  when analyzing electrocardiographic data. Therefore, the electrocardiographic data analysis can be more reliable, and the computer  26  can adjust a resultant interpretation based on the drug data. Additionally, the information obtained by the bar code reader  22  from the patient card  18  can be made available to the treating physician when evaluating the electrocardiographic data. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a drug identification system  30  is schematically shown in accordance with an embodiment. The drug identification system  30  includes one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags  32   a - 32   n.  Each of the RFID tags  32   a - 32   n  corresponds to a separate drug being administered to the patient  34 . Each RFID tag  32   a - 32   n  includes drug data such as the type of drug administered, the recommended dosage, the starting and ending dates for a prescription, the time at which the drug is to be administered, etc. The RFID tags  32   a - 32  may, for example, be independent devices provided with a newly acquired drug, or may be embedded in the container or other packaging of the drug. 
         [0020]    The drug data contained in each RFID tag  32   a - 32  is transferred to an RFID storage device  36 . Therefore, the RFID storage device  36  should ultimately contain drug data for each drug the patient  34  is taking. After the patient  34  stops taking a given drug, the corresponding drug data can be erased from the RFID storage device  36 . According to one embodiment, the RFID storage device  36  is sufficiently compact that it can conveniently remain with the patient  34  at all times. According to another embodiment, the RFID storage device  36  may optionally include patient data such as the patient&#39;s name, age, weight, pre-existing medical conditions, allergies, etc. 
         [0021]    When the patient  34  is being treated or cared for, an RFID reader  38  can be implemented to obtain drug data and/or patient data from the RFID storage device  36 . The RFID reader  38  may be attached to or incorporated into the design of a medical device  40  configured to diagnose, treat and/or care for the patient  34 . In this manner, the RFID reader  38  can obtain information such as the types and dosages of drugs taken by the patient  34 , and generally immediately thereafter the medical device  40  can be implemented to diagnose, treat and/or care for the patient  34  in a manner that accounts for this information. Additionally, the drug data and patient data can be made available to a treating physician so that it can be considered in the analysis of any output from the medical device  40 . 
         [0022]    While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain substitutions, alterations and omissions may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is meant to be exemplary only, and should not limit the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.