Patent ID: 8560345

Claim:
A method for programming an infusion pump having a drug library including drug library rule sets, comprising the steps of: providing a scanner in communication with the infusion pump; providing a medication management computer in communication with both the infusion pump and a second computer remote from the infusion pump, the second computer containing order settings associated with one of a patient ID associated with a patient and an order ID and a medication ID on a medication container containing a medication; scanning a patient to acquire the patient ID; scanning the medication container to acquire at least one of the order ID and the medication ID; scanning the infusion pump to acquire a pump ID; transmitting a program pump message to the infusion pump, the program pump message including the pump ID, the clinician ID, the patient ID and at least one of an the order ID and the medication ID; providing a direct peer-to-peer communication between the infusion pump and the second computer; from the infusion pump requesting that the second computer provide the order settings that correspond to at least one of the patient ID, the order ID and the medication ID included in the program pump message; downloading the order settings in an order settings message from the second computer directly to the infusion pump, the order settings message including programmable settings for the infusion pump and a medication name and concentration; automatically selecting a drug library rule set from a drug library resident in a memory of the infusion pump based upon the medication name and concentration included in the program pump message wherein the drug library rule set comprises parameters against which the order settings can be tested for accuracy; automatically populating program setting fields on the infusion pump with the order settings received from the second computer and information transmitted by the scanner; manually supplementing and adjusting the order settings at the infusion pump to provide program settings; comparing the program settings to the drug library rule set; if there are any violations of the drug library rule set, generating an alert; undertaking one of the steps of adjusting the program settings and overriding the alert; repeating the comparing, generating, adjusting and overriding steps until all violations of the drug library rule set have been resolved; and confirming the program settings at the infusion pump.