Abstract:
An assembly and method of identifying and visually associating individuals and medical equipment includes a computing device having a software algorithm that determines a unique combination of one or more human cognitive identifiers to avoid confusion and displays the determined selection on an electronic skin located on the individual or medical equipment so that identities and associations amongst individuals and equipment can be understood readily.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/411,563 filed Nov. 9, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to a medical identification assembly. More specifically this invention relates to an assembly and method of utilizing an algorithm to correctly identify individuals, medical devices, other medical items, and associations therebetween in a medical setting. 
         [0003]    In a typical hospital thousands of patients are admitted and taken care of by caregivers on a daily basis. Oftentimes patients can have similar names, diagnosis and prescriptions. Similarly when a patient is in surgery many caregivers can be in the operating room each using one or more medical devices or items to assist the patient. Sometimes these devices can be similar in style and all be attached to an IV pole or plugged into similar outlets. All of these similarities lead to confusion within the hospital. Prescriptions and medicines can be provided to an incorrect patient. In the heat of a surgery a caregiver can grab and utilize the wrong medical device causing time to be wasted and mistakes to be made. 
         [0004]    In one attempt to address these concerns, hospitals have developed protocols in an attempt to insure confusion is minimal. Wristbands with patients&#39; names and other identifiers such as bar codes are used. These wristbands have even been color coded to provide further information to a caregiver. Other solutions have also included using post-it notes on different medical devices and charts to help associate medicine with patients and machines with caregivers. 
         [0005]    Despite these protocols and methods, mistakes still occur. Patients receive incorrect medicines and caregivers use incorrect medical devices, placing the patient in dangerous situations. Thus, a need in the art exists for a medical identification assembly and method of identifying an individual in a medical facility to correctly identify individuals, medical devices, other medical items, and associations therebetween in a medical setting that minimizes mistakes and cost. 
         [0006]    Thus a principle object of the present invention is to provide a medical identification and association assembly that minimizes identification mistakes. 
         [0007]    These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from the specification and claims. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A medical identification assembly and method of using the same is described herein. The assembly utilizes a computing device that has software with an algorithm that sorts through patient and/or caregiver information and determines a combination of human cognitive identifiers to associate with an individual such as a patient or caregiver. The combination of human cognitive identifiers is then placed on a medium to identify an individual. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the invention the assembly utilizes the computing device and software algorithm to sort through patient, caregiver, medical device or other medical item information and determine a combination of human cognitive identifiers to associate patients or caregivers with devices or other medical items for identification and control purposes. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a system diagram of a medical identification assembly; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a medical identification assembly; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of the method of identifying an individual in a medical facility. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    The figures show a medical identification assembly  10  having a computing device  12 . While shown in the system diagram in  FIG. 1  as a central processing unit the computing device  12  may be a controller, a microprocessor, a hand held device (optionally equipped with VERISCAN™ software available from Hospira, Inc. of Lake Forest, Ill., USA), or the like without falling outside of this disclosure. The computing device  12  has software  13  that utilizes an algorithm  14 . 
         [0014]    Computing device  12  is configured to receive and the algorithm  14  is able to sort through both patent and caregiver information and identify similarities of attributes of the patients and caregivers. For example, the algorithm  14  can identify when patients have the same or similar names, when patients have the same or similar diagnosis, are on the same floor of the hospital, are in the same wing or area of the hospital, have the same or similar birthdays, have the same doctor, nurse or other caregiver, or the like. 
         [0015]    Then based on these similarities the algorithm  14  generates one or more identifiers  16  or a unique combination of human cognitive identifiers  16 . Human cognitive human readable identifiers are identifiers that a person can instantly recognize such as a color or a shape. These identifiers  16  are not like a bar code that one must utilize a scanner to identify. Examples of human cognitive identifiers include, but are not limited to shapes, colors, fonts, line patterns, icons, shadings, symbols, backgrounds, borders and the like. Thus the algorithm  14  ensures that if a first patient named John Smith is identified by the color blue and a rectangular shape that a second patient named John Smith will not be identified with blue or color similar to blue, such as green, and will not be identified with a shape such as a rectangle or square. So the algorithm could choose a pink background with a triangular shaped icon for the second John Smith. 
         [0016]    The computing device  12  also can have or be in communication with a display  18 , utilize an LED  20  and can be powered by a power supply  22  such as a battery, electrical outlet or the like. The computing device  12  is electrically connected to and/or is in communication with devices  24  that can place the identifiers  16  on a medium  26 . For example device  24  can be a color printer that generates prescription labels or generates wrist bands. Medium  26  can include but is not limited to wrist bands, badges, electronic skins, electronic medical records (EMR records), prescription labels and the like. 
         [0017]    In one embodiment the medium  26  is in communication with or electrically connected to the computing device  12 . For example an electric skin is a type of flexible display that has electronic components that can be operated to present different images thereon. An example of an electric skin can be seen at http://www.kentdisplays.com/products/lcdelectronicskins.html and is incorporated herein. The electric skin can be placed over a medical device  28 , including but not limited to a medical pump, ventilator, patient-connected monitoring or diagnostic equipment and the like, such that the identifiers on the skin may be seen in three dimensions. The electric skin can be included on one or more visible surfaces of the medical device  28 . By placing the electric skin on a plurality of surfaces that face in a plurality of directions, the skin can be seen from a variety of directions and viewing of the skin can be independent of the direction of the display  18 . Thus in an embodiment, such as shown in  FIG. 2 , where a patient is being operated on and a plurality of caregivers are in an operating room, each having a medical device  28  that they attached to an IV pole  30  or plugged into a similar outlet  32 , the electric skin provides an automatic cognitively recognized identification means for each medical device  28 . This minimizes or even eliminates the chance of a caregiver mistakenly using another caregivers&#39; medical device  28 . 
         [0018]    The electric skins or medium  26  can be associated with a plurality of medical devices  28  such that each medical device  28  has a unique identifier. Similarly the electronic skin  26  can be associated with a plurality of caregivers such that each caregiver has a unique identifier. Alternatively, the electric skins  26  can be associated with a plurality of patients such that each patient has a unique identifier. 
         [0019]    Furthermore, by utilizing the same unique identifier patients, medical devices  28  and/or caregivers can be associated with each other in logical and easily visually discernible groups according to the present invention. For example, a plurality of electronic medical devices  28  can be associated with a single patient or caregiver by use of the same unique identifier. A plurality of patients can be associated with a single caregiver or medical device by use of the same unique identifier. For purpose of identification, control or authorization, a plurality of caregivers or medical devices can be associated with a single patient by use of the same unique identifier assigned to the patient. One advantageous feature of using an electronic skin on a medical device or wearable identification media is that the identifiers can be modified and reused as needed. For example, the electronic skin on a patient&#39;s wristband can be electronically controlled to change its identifier to correspond with an identifier on one or more medical devices or one or more caregivers it is brought into proximity with. 
         [0020]    The computing or controlling device  12  controls the color/pattern of the skin  26  based on the context of the application. In general, the computing device  12  is connected to the power supply  22  and controls or sends a power signal to the electronic skin  26  to modify the skin as needed. Specifically the computing device  12  controls the power supply and only applies power to the skin  26  when skin change is required. Electric skin  26  can be a single monolithic unit that wraps around the medical device  28  or a plurality or a set of patches that attach and that are controlled individually. Therefore, when a patient leaves a room and a new patient arrives, the electric skin  26  on a medical device  28  in a room can be changed at the computing device  12  to provide new identifiers for the new patient. The computing device  12  can be located in the patient room or located remotely from the room. The computing device  12  is connected to the medical device  28  or caregiver or patient identification devices via a communication network that can be hard-wired, wireless or some combination thereof. 
         [0021]    In operation, a hospital admits a plurality of patients. The algorithm  14  of the computing device  12  determines attributes unique to each patient and determines where similarities of attributes exist between patients. The algorithm  14  then determines a unique identifier or combination of identifiers associated with each patient depending on the similarity of attributes. The algorithm ensures that where similarities exist very distinct and unique identifiers are provided so that patients having similarities can be easily distinguished by human cognitive identifiers. 
         [0022]    Once the algorithm  14  determines the human cognitive identifier for each patient the identifier is placed on a medium  26  in order to identify the patient. In one embodiment the medium  26  is an electronic skin such that the computing device  12  can be used to activate the electronic skin to generate the human cognitive identifier or combination of identifiers thereon. 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the computing device  12  can be used to activate electronic skins and identifiers on medical devices, caregivers and patients. The computing device  12  and algorithm  14  similarly can be used to identify caregivers associated with patients and/or medical devices in a room such as an operating room to provide human cognitive identifiers  16  for each caregiver authorized and associated with a particular patient or identify one or more medical devices  28  being used by a caregiver. Again, the algorithm  14  is able to choose distinctive identifiers so that similar medical devices  28  that are attached to an IV pole  30  together or plugged into a similar outlet  32  are easily identifiable by the caregivers. For example, the identifiers used on the electronic skins of the medical devices  28  can assist an anesthesiologist in identifying medical pumps they are using or are associated with and distinguish them from medical pumps a surgeon or nurse is using. 
         [0024]    In another embodiment a first medical device  28  is associated with and connected to a first individual and a second medical device  28  is associated with and connected to a second individual. A separate, distinct medium  26  such as an electronic skin is placed on or associated with each of the first and second medical devices  28 . In the embodiment using electronic skins, the electronic skins are in communication with a computing device  12  and in response to a control signal from the computing device  12  generate a combination of identifiers on each of the first medical device  28  and the second medical device  28  to indicate that the first individual and the second individual are associated. 
         [0025]    Thus provided is a medical identification assembly that allows for a method of identifying individuals, medical devices and other medical items in a medical facility. The assembly is tailored to provide human cognitive identifiers  16  that minimize the chances of mistake by caregivers when providing medication, treatments and surgery for a patient. The system is efficient, easy to use and reusable. Because an electronic skin may merely be changed with the push of a button the need to customize medical devices and constantly replace devices to ensure safety is no longer necessary. The expenses of manufacturing or printing disposable or static tags, labels, badges and the like can be substantially reduced or eliminated. Adhesive tags or labels often lose adhesion over time and fall off. Temporary labels may not be current and accurate. Up-to-date, accurate and dynamic human readable visual associations and identifiers are provided by the present invention. Thus much expense is eliminated while the chance of mistake is decreased. Thus at the very least all the stated objectives have been met. 
         [0026]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other various modifications could be made to the device, components, assemblies, systems and methods described above without departing from the scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby.