An Automated Pharmacy Admixture System (APAS) may include a manipulator that transports medical containers such as bags, vials, or syringes about a substantially aseptic admixing chamber. In a preferred implementation, a gripper assembly is configured to substantially universally grasp and retain syringes, IV bags, and vials of varying shapes and sizes. In an illustrative embodiment, a gripping device may include claws configured to grasp a plurality of different types of IV bags, each type having a different fill port configuration. Embodiments may include a controller adapted to actuate a transport assembly to place a fill port of the bag, vial or syringe into register with a filling port such as a cannula located at a filling station, or be equipped with carousel transport systems that are adapted to convey bags, vials, and syringes to the admixture system and deliver constituted medications in bags, vials or syringes to an egress area.

Automated pharmacy admixture system (APAS)

A system and method of managing therapy provided to patients in an institution. The system monitors all aspects of the medication delivery to a patient, as well as other information related to the patient, such as values of vital signs, laboratory results and patient factors such as history, diagnosis, allergies and the like. The system includes one or more databases of information, including institutionally developed rules, guidelines and protocol representing the best medical practices of the institution. The system provides alerts and/or recommendations based on the application of the rules to the information being monitored, and alerts care givers accordingly, providing for dynamic adjustment of the patient's therapy. The system also monitors the status of the alerts, and if no action is taken in a selected period of time, may escalate the priority of the alert and/or halt the delivery of medication to the patient until the alert is resolved.

System and method for dynamically adjusting patient therapy

A method and system is disclosed for operating a medical device with or without a cassette in place. A method is disclosed for adding additional VTBI to an ongoing infusion without stopping the infusion and with maintaining the infusion parameters. A method and system is disclosed for changing the CCA without having to interrupt or completely stop an ongoing infusion. Quick titration buttons are provided to allow improved navigation between various delivery display screens.

User interface improvements for medical devices

A radioactive emission probe in communication with a position tracking system and the use thereof in a variety of systems and methods of medical imaging and procedures, are provided. Specifically, wide aperture collimation—deconvolution algorithms are provided, for obtaining a high-efficiency, high resolution image of a radioactivity emitting source, by scanning the radioactivity emitting source with a probe of a wide-aperture collimator, and at the same time, monitoring the position of the radioactive emission probe, at very fine time intervals, to obtain the equivalence of fine-aperture collimation. The blurring effect of the wide aperture is then corrected mathematically. Furthermore, an imaging method by depth calculations is provided, based on the attenuation of photons of different energies, which are emitted from the same source, coupled with position monitoring.

Radioactive emission detector equipped with a position tracking system

A system for preparing and managing patient-specific dose orders includes an order processing server configured to receive the patient-specific dose orders, define a queue of dose orders and distribute the dose orders to at least one dose preparation station. The dose preparation station is in bi-directional communication with the order processing server and has an interface for providing an operator with a protocol associated with each received drug order and specifying a set of steps to fill the drug order. Steps to fill the drug order are captured at the station and a display, positionable independent of the station outputs the dose order queue and metrics concerning activity at the dose preparation station. Systems for preparing patient-specific doses and a method for telepharmacy in which data captured while following the protocol are provided to a remote site for review and approval by a pharmacist.

Management, reporting and benchmarking of medication preparation

In one exemplary embodiment, an automated medication preparation system including automated syringe preparation that involves reconstitution of the medication is provided. The system includes: (1) a first automated gripping means for removing a tip cap from a barrel of one syringe and placing the removed tip cap at a first location; (2) an automated device for delivering a prescribed dosage amount of medication to the syringe by delivering the medication through the uncapped barrel in a just-in-time for use manner; (3) a controller in communication with the automated device and including a database for storing reconstitution information that is executable with the automated device for reconstituting the medication prior to it being injected into the syringe, wherein the reconstitution information include at least a concentration of the resultant medication and a mixing time for agitating the medication; and (4) a second automated gripping means for replacing the removed tip cap on the syringe barrel after the medication is injected therein.

Automated apparatus and process for reconstitution and delivery of medication to an automated syringe preparation apparatus

An automated medication preparation system for preparing a prescribed dosage of medication in a drug delivery device. The system 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.

Automated drug preparation apparatus including syringe loading, preparation and filling

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.

Automated drug preparation apparatus including automated drug reconstitution

In one exemplary embodiment, an automated medication preparation is provided and typically involves the preparation and dispensing of drug products, whether they are in a bag, a syringe or via some other type of administration vehicle. The system includes: an automated device for delivering a prescribed unit dose of medication to a drug product container from a drug container. A label containing medication information (medication identifying indicia) is disposed about an outer surface, e.g., a circumference, of the drug container. The automated system includes a vision system for detecting and processing the medication identifying indicia that is found on the label, the vision system is capable of reading a bar code that is formed on the label and includes a second optical device for producing a rollout image of the label as the drug vial is rotated on a turntable, as well as an optical recognition system (software) for reading a particular coordinate location of the rollout image and for detecting and recognizing characters that represent medication information associated with the drug container as well as bar code information. When the occurrence of a prescribed event is detected by one of the first and second optical devices, a controller prevents the unit dose from being delivered from the drug container to the drug product container.

Automated use of a vision system to unroll a label to capture and process drug identifying indicia present on the label

In one exemplary embodiment, an automated syringe preparation mechanism for an automated medication preparation system is provided and the mechanism includes (1) a first automated gripping mechanism having a pair of adjustable gripper arms for removing a tip cap from a barrel of one syringe and placing the removed tip cap at a first location and (2) a second automated gripping mechanism having a pair of adjustable gripper arms for replacing the removed tip cap on the syringe barrel after the medication is injected therein.

Joel A. Osborne

Papers

Automated apparatus and process for reconstitution and delivery of medication to an automated syringe preparation apparatus

Automated drug preparation apparatus including syringe loading, preparation and filling

Automated drug preparation apparatus including automated drug reconstitution

Automated use of a vision system to unroll a label to capture and process drug identifying indicia present on the label

Automated means for removing, parking and replacing a syringe tip cap from a syringe