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WO2017114717A1 - Infusion system and method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient - Google Patents

Infusion system and method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017114717A1
WO2017114717A1 PCT/EP2016/082129 EP2016082129W WO2017114717A1 WO 2017114717 A1 WO2017114717 A1 WO 2017114717A1 EP 2016082129 W EP2016082129 W EP 2016082129W WO 2017114717 A1 WO2017114717 A1 WO 2017114717A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
infusion
multiplicity
devices
infusion devices
control device
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/EP2016/082129
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Maxime BURLAT
Estelle PERRIGOUARD
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fresenius Vial SAS
Original Assignee
Fresenius Vial SAS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fresenius Vial SAS filed Critical Fresenius Vial SAS
Publication of WO2017114717A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017114717A1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
    • A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
    • A61M5/14—Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
    • A61M5/168—Means for controlling media flow to the body or for metering media to the body, e.g. drip meters, counters ; Monitoring media flow to the body
    • A61M5/16804—Flow controllers
    • A61M5/16827—Flow controllers controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
    • A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
    • A61M5/14—Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
    • A61M5/1414—Hanging-up devices
    • A61M5/1415—Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
    • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
    • G16H20/00—ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
    • G16H20/10—ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
    • G16H20/17—ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients delivered via infusion or injection
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
    • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
    • G16H40/00—ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or operation of medical equipment or devices
    • G16H40/60—ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or operation of medical equipment or devices for the operation of medical equipment or devices
    • G16H40/63—ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or operation of medical equipment or devices for the operation of medical equipment or devices for local operation
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
    • A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
    • A61M2205/35—Communication
    • A61M2205/3546—Range
    • A61M2205/3561—Range local, e.g. within room or hospital

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an infusion system for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient.
  • An infusion system of this kind comprises a multiplicity of infusion devices and an organization device comprising a multiplicity of slots for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices.
  • the multiplicity of infusion devices can be arranged in the slots of the organization device, which for example may be constituted as a rack for organizing the infusion devices in a vertical stack at the bedside of a patient.
  • slot in the context of this text shall be understood generally as a receptacle suitable for receiving an infusion device.
  • the organization device generally is constituted to mechanically hold multiple infusion devices in an organized manner, wherein the organization device in addition may provide for an electric connection for the multiplicity of infusion devices to for example provide for a power supply and for a communication link allowing for a communication of the infusion devices with the organization device and, for example, with a communication network of for example a hospital.
  • a control device is constituted to control the infusion operation of the multiple infusion devices.
  • the control device herein comprises a storage device, for example a database, for storing infusion parameters to control the infusion operation of the multiplicity of infusion devices.
  • the control device for example comprises an input device via which a user can enter commands to program a specific infusion device to infuse a particular medical fluid such as a medication to a patient.
  • the user herein may for example enter a type of drug which shall be infused, may enter an infusion rate and an infusion dosage and may cause the control device to start the infusion operation.
  • a user for example a nurse, conventionally has to program multiple infusion devices separately, which generally takes time and may be prone to mistakes, in particular in view of the fact that in an intensive care unit the set-up of the infusion devices must take place fast to start infusing as early as possible.
  • a user places infusion devices on an organization device and programs the infusion devices individually. After programming, i.e. after inputting the type of drug to be infused, the infusion rate and the dosage and other infusion parameters for example relating to the patient and its constitution, the infusion process is started.
  • a drug library comprising drug library data characterizing a drug, its ingredients, rules for compatibility and rules for administration or the like.
  • a drug library may for example comprise a list of drugs in which each drug is associated with parameters defining for example boundary values for administration by means of an infusion device.
  • boundary values may for example relate to a minimum and maximum dosage for administering a particular drug, a minimum and maximum rate for administering a drug, a minimum and maximum time of administration and the like.
  • the boundary values may be dependent on the age, weight and gender of a patient and, hence, may be patient-specific.
  • the operation of a medical device such as an infusion pump for administering a particular drug to a patient is controlled in that the medical device may be operated by a nurse only within the boundaries posed by the drug library.
  • the nurse identifies the drug to the medical device, upon which the medical device automatically loads the respective rules and boundary values from a drug library installed on the medical device.
  • WO 2005/036447 A2 discloses a medication management system including a medication management unit associated with a medical device.
  • the medication management unit is set up to compare a medication order information from a first input means to machine readable delivery information from a second input means and to download a medication order to the medical device only if the information from the first input means matches the information from the second input means.
  • the medication management unit also comprises a drug library editor enabling a user to import, export and edit whole drug libraries and individual drug library values to control and customize a drug library according to hospital preferences.
  • WO 2010/132617 A2 a computer-implemented method of interacting with a medical device in conjunction with a user device is known.
  • a certified medical application is received at a user device and is stored in a secure memory segment.
  • a communication link is established from the user device to the medical device in order to execute the certified medical application on the medical device.
  • the storage device of the control device stores information relating to a desired allocation of at least a portion of the multiplicity of infusion devices to the slots of the organization device, wherein the control device is constituted, for setting up the infusion operation, to provide instructions to a user, according to the desired allocation, how to allocate the infusion devices to the slots of the organization device.
  • a desired allocation of infusion devices to the slots of the organization device can be derived, and according to this desired allocation a user can be instructed to place the infusion devices in the slots of the organization device when setting up the infusion operation.
  • the infusion devices may have different types.
  • the infusion devices may for example include syringe pumps and volumetric (peristaltic) infusion pumps.
  • a syringe pump a syringe is installed on the pump and a plunger of the syringe is mechanically moved into a cylindrical tube of the syringe in order to move a medical fluid from the cylindrical tube via an infusion line towards the patient.
  • a pump mechanism acts onto an infusion line connecting the patient to a medical container such as a flexible bag containing the medical fluid to be infused to the patient.
  • the organization device may for example be a rack comprising a multiplicity of vertically aligned slots for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices.
  • a rack of this kind may for example comprise 6, 8 or 12 slots and may be constituted to receive different infusion devices such that a vertical stack of infusion devices is formed to arrange the infusion devices in an organized fashion for example at the bedside of a patient.
  • the desired allocation of the multiplicity of infusion devices may for example be derived from a therapy stack defining medical fluids to be infused to the patient.
  • a therapy stack may for example define that (a) Noradrenaline shall be infused using a syringe pump, (b) Propofol shall be infused using a syringe pump, (c) Furosemide shall be infused using a syringe pump, (d) Glucose shall be infused using a volumetric pump, and (e) Vancomycine shall be infused using a volumetric pump.
  • a syringe pump assigned to infusing Noradrenaline in a first slot of the organization device a syringe pump assigned to infusing Noradrenaline, in a second slot a syringe pump assigned to infuse Propofol, in a third slot a syringe pump assigned to infuse Furosemide, in a fourth slot a volumetric pump assigned to infuse Glucose, and in a fifth slot a volumetric pump assigned to infuse Vancomycine is to be placed.
  • the control device may issue instructions to a user such that the user is enabled to place the corresponding infusion devices in the respective slots of the organization device.
  • the storage device may store a predefined allocation sequence assigning the infusion devices to consecutive slots of the organization device.
  • the control device determines and issues instructions for instructing the user to arrange predefined infusion devices assigned to the infusion of particular medical solutions in consecutive slots of the organization device. Hence, a cohesive arrangement of infusion devices is obtained on the organization device.
  • the desired allocation is not restricted to consecutive slots, but the user may also be instructed to place infusion devices in non-consecutive slots on the organization device.
  • the instructions to the user may for example include adding an infusion device of a predefined kind to an empty slot of the organization device.
  • a new infusion device which previously has not been present on the organization device is added to an empty slot of the organization device.
  • a user may be instructed to add a syringe pump or a volumetric pump to a particular empty slot of the infusion device.
  • control device may instruct the user to move an infusion device of a predefined kind from a first slot to a second slot of the organization device.
  • an infusion device which is already installed on the organization device and which for example may already conduct an infusion operation may be caused to be moved on the organization device, hence being rearranged from a first slot to a second slot.
  • This may for example serve to obtain a desired, predefined order of the infusion devices on the organization device.
  • This for example may also serve to move an existing infusion device infusing a particular medical fluid which is not part of the standard therapy stack out of the range of the desired allocation by which the infusion devices shall be placed on the organization device.
  • the instructions to be provided to the user are determined by the control device according to an algorithm taking into account various constraints existing for the arrangement of infusion devices on an organization device.
  • One constraint for example may be that a syringe pump already conducting an infusion operation and already being arranged on the organization device can typically be easily moved and rearranged on the organization device.
  • Another constraint may be that a volumetric pump conducting an infusion operation and already being installed on the organization device cannot be easily moved because lines extending between a medical container and the patient must be rearranged in that case.
  • Yet another constraint may be that it generally is easier to add a new pump than to rearrange an existing pump already installed on the organization device and currently performing an infusion operation.
  • Another constraint may be that an infusion device being part of a multi-channel infusion protocol shall not be moved. Another constraint may be that it is preferred to move an infusion device which currently is not performing an infusion operation than to add a new infusion device to the organization device.
  • Other constraints may exist according to which the instructions for arranging or rearranging the infusion devices on the organization device may be determined.
  • the instructions may be provided to the user by the control device in different ways, for example visually or acoustically.
  • the control device may for example comprise a display device which, step-by-step, instructs the user how to arrange or rearrange infusion devices on the organization device.
  • step-by-step instructions may be provided, for example instructing the user in a first step to add a particular infusion device to a first slot, in a second step to rearrange an infusion device from a second slot to a third slot, in a third step to rearrange an infusion device from a fourth slot to the second slot and so on, such that in the end an arrangement of infusion devices on the organization device according to the desired allocation is obtained.
  • the arrangement and rearrangement of the infusion devices on the organization device serves to set up an infusion operation and hence takes place prior to actually performing the infusion operation.
  • the control device may then program the infusion devices arranged on the organization device according to the desired allocation for administering a predefined multiplicity of different medical fluids to the patient.
  • the programming herein may take place according to predefined infusion parameters stored in the storage device of the control device for example in the context of a drug library.
  • the infusion devices are initialized for performing the infusion operation of the multiple medical fluids.
  • a user only needs to place corresponding medicational containers on the infusion devices, may adapt the infusion rates or dosages and may be prompted to confirm the dilution, upon which the infusion operation can start.
  • a drug library is to be understood as a list of drugs in which each of the drugs is associated with parameters defining operational boundaries for administering the particular drug to a patient. Such parameters may depend on the patient demographics, for example the patient's age, weight or gender.
  • the object is also achieved by a method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient employing an infusion system, the method comprising: arranging a multiplicity of infusion devices on an organization device, the organization device comprising a multiplicity of slots for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices, and
  • the control device for controlling an infusion operation of the multiple infusion devices, the control device comprising a storage device for storing infusion parameters to control the infusion operation of the multiplicity of infusion devices.
  • the database stores information related to a desired allocation of at least a portion of the multiplicity of infusion devices to the slots of the organization device, wherein the control device provides, for setting up the infusion operation, instructions to a user, according to the desired allocation, how to allocate the infusion devices to the slots of the organization device.
  • infusion system comprising the features of claim 1 1.
  • the control device is constituted to program the infusion devices for administering a predefined multiplicity of different medical fluids to the patient.
  • a multiplicity of infusion devices are automatically programmed using a control device.
  • Each programmed infusion device reflects an infusion of a therapeutic protocol or prescription involving multiple infusions, such that by the auto-programming multiple infusion devices can be set up automatically to perform a multiplicity of infusions in a concerted fashion.
  • the infusion devices hence are programmed together in a coordinated manner for performing a complex infusion operation involving a multiplicity of infusions in a therapeutic protocol stack.
  • the programming may take place according to predefined infusion parameters stored in the storage device of the control device for example in the context of a drug library.
  • the infusion devices are initialized for performing the infusion operation of the multiple medical fluids.
  • a user only needs to place corresponding medicational containers on the infusion devices, may adapt the infusion rates or dosages and may be prompted to confirm the dilution, upon which the infusion operation can start.
  • a user is facilitated to easily program a multiplicity of infusion devices according to a standard therapy boot protocol such that an individual programming of the different infusion devices by the user is not necessary.
  • the setting up of a concerted infusion operation becomes easy and less prone to mistakes for a user.
  • the control device may for example transmit data to the infusion devices relating to patient information, drug prescription information, infusion protocol order information, and/or drug library information.
  • Patient information may for example relate to those data which are entered to identify the patient, for example the patient's name, age, gender, body weight or the like. This data may be centrally input into the control device and passed on from the control device to all infusion devices.
  • Drug prescription information may relate to those data identifying a drug or a multiplicity of drugs to be administered to a patient.
  • Infusion protocol order information may relate to an order of a protocol stack, i.e., the order in which certain drugs shall be administered to the patient.
  • Drug library information may relate to information of a drug library, for example posing infusion limits such as limits for the dosage, the dose rate and the infusion time and so on.
  • the infusion devices may have different types.
  • the infusion devices may for example include syringe pumps and volumetric (peristaltic) infusion pumps.
  • a syringe is installed on the pump and a plunger of the syringe is mechanically moved into a cylindrical tube of the syringe in order to move a medical fluid from the cylindrical tube via an infusion line towards the patient.
  • a pump mechanism acts onto an infusion line connecting the patient to a medical container such as a flexible bag containing the medical fluid to be infused to the patient.
  • the organization device may for example be a rack comprising a multiplicity of vertically aligned slots for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices.
  • a rack of this kind may for example comprise 6, 8 or 12 slots and may be constituted to receive different infusion devices such that a vertical stack of infusion devices is formed to arrange the infusion devices in an organized fashion for example at the bedside of a patient.
  • the object is also achieved by a method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient employing an infusion system, the method comprising that the control device programs the infusion devices for administering a predefined multiplicity of different medical fluids to the patient.
  • Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a multiplicity of infusion devices arranged at a bed side of a patient in a hospital environment
  • Fig. 2 shows a view of a system comprising multiple organization devices in the shape of racks, each rack holding a multiplicity of infusion devices, and a control device for entering control commands relating to the infusion devices
  • Fig. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method to set up an infusion operation
  • Fig. 4 shows a schematic drawing showing the arrangement and rearrangement of infusion devices on an organization device
  • Fig. 5 shows a schematic drawing of the results obtained from the arrangement and rearrangement procedure as illustrated in Fig. 4.
  • Fig. 1 shows in a schematic drawing a scenario as it typically can be found in a hospital environment, for example an intensive care unit of a hospital.
  • infusion devices 20 constituted for example as infusion pumps, such as syringe pumps or volumetric pumps, are located and connected to a patient via infusion lines 21 .
  • the infusion devices 20 serve to administer a fluid such as a medication or nutrients for example contained in containers 6 via infusion lines 21 to the patient, the infusion lines 21 (especially in the environment of an intensive care unit of a hospital) possibly being vital to the patient such that they under all conditions must remain connected to the patient to ensure the required administration of medication, nutrients or the like.
  • the infusion devices 20 constituted as infusion pumps are organized in an organization device 2 in the shape of a rack to form a predefined arrangement (such as a vertical stack or a horizontally aligned arrangement) of infusion devices 20 which is fixed for example to a stand 4.
  • the stand 4 may comprise wheels such that the stand 4 at least to some extent is movable with respect to the patient's bed B or together with the patient's bed B.
  • the stand 4 may comprise a pole 40 to which the organization device 2 for carrying the infusion devices 20 is attached and comprises, at its top end, fastening means in the shape of hooks to fasten a number of containers 6 containing medication or nutrients or other fluids to be administered to the patient.
  • the organization device 2 serves to arrange the infusion devices 20 in an organized fashion at the bedside of the patient.
  • the organization device 2 herein provides a power supply for the infusion devices 20, ensures a secure and reliable fixation of the infusion devices 20, and provides a communication of the infusion devices 20 among each other and with an external communication network and with external periphery devices such as a nurse call, a printer, a computer, a monitor or the like.
  • the infusion devices 20 can be fixed to the organization device 2 and for this are mechanically and electrically connected to the organization device 2 such that via the organization device 2 each medical device 20 can be supplied with power and may communicate with other infusion devices 20 and with external devices and/or an external communication network.
  • the organization device 2 hence serves as a communication spine providing a communication facility and an electric power supply and embedding the infusion devices 20 into a hospital environment including a hospital communication network and a hospital management system.
  • Fig. 2 shows a system 1 comprising multiple organization devices 2, 3 in the shape of racks, each rack being constituted to receive a multiplicity of infusion devices 20, 30 to arrange the infusion devices 20, 30 as vertical stacks.
  • the organization devices 2, 3 are arranged on poles 40, 50 of individual stands 4, 5 and may together be placed at the bed side of a patient in a hospital environment.
  • the infusion devices 20, 30 may, in particular, be constituted as syringe pumps or volumetric pumps.
  • the infusion devices 20, 30 hence serve to administer different medical fluids such as drugs, nutritional fluids or any other fluid to a patient.
  • infusion lines 21 may extend from the infusion devices 20, 30 towards a patient and towards infusion bags 6 such that medical fluids may be delivered from the infusion bags 6 to the patient.
  • the infusion devices 20, 30 are controlled by means of a central control device 7, which in the shown embodiment is arranged on one of the stands 4 and 5 and via communication lines 71 , 72 is communicatively connected to the organization devices 2, 3 and the infusion devices 20, 30 arranged thereon.
  • the control device 7 comprises a storage device 73, for example in the shape of a database, comprising for example drug library data for programming the infusion devices 20, 30 and may exchange data with the organization devices 2, 3 and the infusion devices 20, 30 arranged thereon, such that control commands may be transmitted from the control device 7 towards the infusion devices 20, 30 and operational data may be transmitted from the infusion devices 20, 30 towards the control device 7 for example for displaying on a display 70 of the control device 7.
  • Drug libraries serve to provide rules to infusion devices 20, 30 for administering drugs to a patient.
  • drug libraries in the context of infusion devices 20, 30 contain a list of drugs in which each drug is associated with parameters that define, characterize and impose boundary values on an infusion device 20, 30 for administering the particular drug to a patient.
  • boundary values may relate to the dosage, the rate of administration and the time of administration for a drug and may vary for different drugs and also for different types of patients, for example dependent on the age, weight and gender of a patient.
  • the drug libraries are installed on the infusion devices 20, 30 and/or on the database 73 of the control device 7, such that during operation of an infusion device 20, 30 parameters set by the drug library for a certain drug can be applied.
  • a nurse is not enabled to choose a dosage rate outside a range of dosage rates defined by the applied drug library for a certain drug. If a certain drug is to be administered to a patient, a nurse can choose administration parameters only within the boundaries defined by the drug library.
  • an intensive care unit it may occur that multiple medical fluids such as drugs or other medical solutions shall be infused to a patient making use of multiple infusion devices 20, 30 simultaneously.
  • the infusion devices 20, 30 for such simultaneous infusion of multiple medical fluids to the patient are to be set up and programmed individually, this is cumbersome for a user U, for example a nurse, because the user U must install the infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3, must program the particular infusion device 20, 30 for infusing a particular drug at a particular infusion rate and a particular dosage, must connect the infusion device 20, 30 to a corresponding container containing the medical fluid, and must start the infusion operation. If this is to be done individually for the individual infusion devices 20, 30, a significant time for setting up the infusion operations is necessary, and in addition errors may occur or the set-up and start of an infusion operation may even be forgotten.
  • the proposed standard therapy boot procedure originates from the finding that, for a given therapeutic indication, a predefined set of medical fluids shall be typically infused to a patient. It therefore is possible to predefine a therapy stack of medical fluids which, for a given therapeutic indication, shall at the same time be set up for infusion to the patient.
  • infusion devices 20, 30 such as syringe pumps or volumetric infusion pumps.
  • infusion devices 20, 30 For setting up the infusion operations, hence, infusion devices 20, 30 must be assigned to medical fluids to be infused to the patient, the assignment taking into account the specific requirements for infusing a particular medical fluid such as a drug or the like.
  • the infusion devices 20, 30 associated to particular medical fluids shall be placed in a predefined allocation sequence and order in slots 201 -208 of the organization device 2, 3 as schematically illustrated in Fig. 4.
  • the proposed system and method therefore allows a user U to in an easy and comfortable manner place infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 by providing instructions to the user U how to arrange and potentially rearrange infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2, 3 in order to end up at a pattern of infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2, 3 which matches a predefined, desired pattern.
  • the infusion devices 20, 30 are not placed in an arbitrary order on the organization device 2, 3, but in a defined order such that a particular infusion device 20, 30 assigned to infuse a particular medical fluid may always be found at the same slot 201 -208 of the organization device 2, 3.
  • the user U may hence easily make out which infusion devices 20, 30 are arranged on an organization device 2, 3 and are assigned to infusing which medical fluids.
  • Fig. 3 shows a flow chart of an example of a standard therapy boot procedure.
  • steps S1 , S2 are concerned with the creation of a so-called therapy boot which defines a set of medical fluids which together in a concerted fashion shall be administered to a patient for a given therapeutic indication.
  • different therapy boots may be defined, such that for different therapeutic indications different sets of medical fluids to be administered to the patient are grouped together.
  • step S1 medical fluids such as drugs are selected from a drug library and are added to the therapy boot. Together with the selection of the medical fluids, the type of infusion device 20, 30 to be used for administering the particular medical fluid is selected, in particular if different types of infusion devices 20, 30 are available for administering the medical fluid. If only one type of infusion device 20, 30 can be used for infusing a medical fluid (because a particular drug may for example be infused only by using a syringe pump), the step of selecting the infusion device 20, 30 may be omitted.
  • step S2 upon having created the therapy boot by defining a set of medical fluids and its corresponding infusion devices 20, 30, the therapy boot is sent to a particular control device 7 associated with one or multiple organization devices 2, 3.
  • the creation of one or multiple therapeutic boots may take place at a central location in a hospital and may be distributed to control devices 7 of local infusion systems via for example a hospital communication network such as an Intranet.
  • Steps S3 to S5 are concerned with the setting up of an infusion operation for the actual infusion of medical fluids to a patient.
  • a user U selects a particular, predefined therapy boot via an input device such as a touch sensitive display 70 of the control device 7.
  • a particular therapy boot is selected for setting up and programming a multiplicity of infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2, 3.
  • step S4 a patient record is created.
  • step S5 the control device 7 provides instructions to the user U how to install infusion devices 20, 30 associated with the selected therapy boot (step S3) and assigned to the infusion of the medical fluids of the therapy boot on an organization device 2, 3.
  • a therapy stack comprising a number of different medical fluids such as, in the example of Fig. 4, Noradrenaline, Propofol, Furosemide, Glucose and Vancomycine.
  • infusion devices 20, 30 are infusion devices 20, 30 in the shape of syringe pumps (SP) or volumetric pumps (VP).
  • SP syringe pumps
  • VP volumetric pumps
  • a particular organization device 2, 3 may have a pattern of infusion devices SP, VP installed on the slots 201 -208 of the organization device 2, 3, wherein some of these infusion devices SP, VP may already be infusing and wherein some of the slots 201 -208 of the organization device 2, 3 may be empty, indicated by a cross (X) in Fig. 4 on the left.
  • a cross (X) in Fig. 4 on the left.
  • the syringe Pump SP installed in slot 203 of the organization device 2 is currently infusing Dopamine
  • the syringe pump SP installed in slot 205 of the organization device 2 is currently infusing Propofol
  • the syringe pump SP installed in slot 206 of the infusion device 2 is currently infusing Furosemide.
  • These instructions may be issued step by step, hence each instruction instructing the user U to rearrange an existing infusion device 20, 30 from one slot 201 -208 to another or to add a new infusion device 20, 30 to an empty slot 201 -208 of the organization device 2.
  • the control device 7 instructs the user U to arrange the syringe pump SP currently infusing Propofol from slot 205 to slot 202.
  • the user U is instructed to move the volumetric pump VP from slot 207 to slot 205.
  • the user U is instructed to move the syringe pump SP currently infusing Dopamine from slot 203 to the slot 208 at the bottom of the organization device 2.
  • the user U is instructed to move the syringe pump SP currently infusing Furosemide from slot 206 to slot 203.
  • the user U is instructed to add a new volumetric pump VP to the empty slot 204.
  • the pattern of Fig. 5 is achieved, in which the infusion devices SP, VP associated with the therapy stack (Fig. 4 on the right) are assigned in the top five slots of the organization device 2.
  • the instructions are determined by the control device 7 making use of an algorithm which takes into account constraints for rearranging infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3.
  • constraints may for example be that an infusing volumetric pump VP is hard to move, whereas in infusing syringe pump SP is easy to move.
  • Another constraint may be that an infusion device 20, 30 involved in a multichannel infusion procedure is forbidden to be rearranged.
  • Another constraint may be that it is preferable to rearrange a non-infusing pump rather than adding a new pump. Furthermore, it may be taken into account what infusion operations are currently going on such that for example a warning may be issued if it is found that drugs of the same category, such as for example Dopamine and Noradrenaline, are about to be simultaneously infused. As indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the rearrangement procedure has the goal to achieve a pattern of infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2, 3 which as closely as possible matches the pattern of the therapy stack.
  • the infusion devices 20, 30 hence are arranged on the organization device 2, 3 in a predefined order, which makes it easy for a user U to gain an oversight of infusion operations currently going on and generally of the arrangement of infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2.
  • the control device 7, in step S6 programs the infusion devices 20, 30 associated with the defined therapy boot. This takes place by the control device 7 without a user interaction being necessary, such that no individual programming of the infusion devices 20, 30 by a user U is required.
  • the infusion devices 20, 30 are configured and hence initialized for the infusion operation of the medical fluids in that a drug setting is loaded from a drug library, together with a predefined default infusion rate, a dosage and other default infusion settings.
  • step S7 the user then is instructed to place the infusion containers comprising the medical fluids to be administered on the corresponding infusion devices 20, 30, and the user is prompted to confirm the particular medical solution for each infusion device 20, 30, and to potentially modify the dilution and the infusion settings if necessary and desired.
  • the proposed procedure makes a fast set up of infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 possible.
  • the arrangement of the infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 is facilitated, and the programming of infusion devices 20, 30 may take place automatically according to a predefined standard therapy boot protocol.
  • the standard therapy boot protocol created in steps S1 and S2 of the flow chart of Fig. 3 may be stored for example in the database 73 in the context of a drug library. Hence, a user U may select a predefined therapy boot protocol upon entering the drug library on the control device 7 via the touch sensitive display 70 of the control device 7.
  • a standardized set-up of infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 is achieved, which may help to reduce errors, wherein a standardized pattern may be used throughout an entire hospital such that in different areas, for example in different wards and different patient's bedrooms, of a hospital the same standardized set-up and pattern of infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 can be found.
  • the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but may be implemented in an entirely different fashion.
  • a system and method as described herein may be employed for a wide variety of different therapeutic indications making use of a variety of different medical fluids.
  • the particular drugs stated herein merely serve as an example and shall not limit the invention in any kind.

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Abstract

An infusion system for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient comprises: a multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30); an organization device (2, 3) comprising a multiplicity of slots (201-208) for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30); and a control device (7) for controlling an infusion operation of the multiple infusion devices (20, 30), the control device (7) comprising a storage device (73) for storing infusion parameters to control the infusion operation of the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30). Herein, the storage device (73) stores information relating to a desired allocation of at least a portion of the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30) to the slots (201 -208) of the organization device (2, 3), wherein the control device (7) is constituted, for setting up the infusion operation, to provide instructions to a user (U), according to the desired allocation, how to allocate the infusion devices (20, 30) to the slots (201- 208) of the organization device (2, 3). In this way an infusion system for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient is provided which facilitates the set-up of an infusion operation for a user in particular when multiple medical fluids shall be administered to a patient using multiple different infusion devices at the same time.

Description

Infusion system and method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient
Description
The invention relates to an infusion system for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient. An infusion system of this kind comprises a multiplicity of infusion devices and an organization device comprising a multiplicity of slots for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices. The multiplicity of infusion devices can be arranged in the slots of the organization device, which for example may be constituted as a rack for organizing the infusion devices in a vertical stack at the bedside of a patient.
It is to be noted that the term slot in the context of this text shall be understood generally as a receptacle suitable for receiving an infusion device. The organization device generally is constituted to mechanically hold multiple infusion devices in an organized manner, wherein the organization device in addition may provide for an electric connection for the multiplicity of infusion devices to for example provide for a power supply and for a communication link allowing for a communication of the infusion devices with the organization device and, for example, with a communication network of for example a hospital.
A control device is constituted to control the infusion operation of the multiple infusion devices. The control device herein comprises a storage device, for example a database, for storing infusion parameters to control the infusion operation of the multiplicity of infusion devices. The control device for example comprises an input device via which a user can enter commands to program a specific infusion device to infuse a particular medical fluid such as a medication to a patient. The user herein may for example enter a type of drug which shall be infused, may enter an infusion rate and an infusion dosage and may cause the control device to start the infusion operation.
In particular within the environment of an intensive care unit of a hospital it may be necessary to infuse multiple medical solutions at the same time. For this, a user, for example a nurse, conventionally has to program multiple infusion devices separately, which generally takes time and may be prone to mistakes, in particular in view of the fact that in an intensive care unit the set-up of the infusion devices must take place fast to start infusing as early as possible. Typically, for setting up an infusion operation, a user places infusion devices on an organization device and programs the infusion devices individually. After programming, i.e. after inputting the type of drug to be infused, the infusion rate and the dosage and other infusion parameters for example relating to the patient and its constitution, the infusion process is started. Because every user may have his or her preference how to place infusion devices on an organization device, the set-up of infusion devices for performing an infusion operation may differ significantly between different users, hence making it difficult to make out what medical fluids actually are infused during an infusion operation. There hence is a desire to provide a solution which facilitates the setting up of an infusion operation to a user and makes the set-up procedure less prone to errors.
To control the operation of infusion devices for administering drugs to a patient, so called drug libraries are installed on the infusion devices, a drug library comprising drug library data characterizing a drug, its ingredients, rules for compatibility and rules for administration or the like. A drug library may for example comprise a list of drugs in which each drug is associated with parameters defining for example boundary values for administration by means of an infusion device. Such boundary values may for example relate to a minimum and maximum dosage for administering a particular drug, a minimum and maximum rate for administering a drug, a minimum and maximum time of administration and the like. In addition, the boundary values may be dependent on the age, weight and gender of a patient and, hence, may be patient-specific. By using drug libraries the operation of a medical device such as an infusion pump for administering a particular drug to a patient is controlled in that the medical device may be operated by a nurse only within the boundaries posed by the drug library. For this, for administering a drug to a patient, the nurse identifies the drug to the medical device, upon which the medical device automatically loads the respective rules and boundary values from a drug library installed on the medical device.
WO 2005/036447 A2 discloses a medication management system including a medication management unit associated with a medical device. The medication management unit is set up to compare a medication order information from a first input means to machine readable delivery information from a second input means and to download a medication order to the medical device only if the information from the first input means matches the information from the second input means. The medication management unit also comprises a drug library editor enabling a user to import, export and edit whole drug libraries and individual drug library values to control and customize a drug library according to hospital preferences.
From WO 2010/132617 A2 a computer-implemented method of interacting with a medical device in conjunction with a user device is known. Within the method a certified medical application is received at a user device and is stored in a secure memory segment. A communication link is established from the user device to the medical device in order to execute the certified medical application on the medical device. It is an object of the instant invention to provide an infusion system and a method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient which facilitate the set-up of an infusion operation for a user in particular when multiple medical fluids shall be administered to a patient using multiple different infusion devices at the same time. This object is achieved by an infusion system comprising the features of claim 1 .
Accordingly, the storage device of the control device stores information relating to a desired allocation of at least a portion of the multiplicity of infusion devices to the slots of the organization device, wherein the control device is constituted, for setting up the infusion operation, to provide instructions to a user, according to the desired allocation, how to allocate the infusion devices to the slots of the organization device. It has been found that, for example within an intensive care unit, very often the same set of medical fluids shall be administered to a patient for a given therapeutic indication. It hence is possible to create a list of medical fluids that by standard shall be administered to a patient and to assign particular infusion devices to this predefined list of medical fluids. From this predefined list of medical fluids to be infused to a patient, a desired allocation of infusion devices to the slots of the organization device can be derived, and according to this desired allocation a user can be instructed to place the infusion devices in the slots of the organization device when setting up the infusion operation. Hence, an arrangement of infusion devices on the organization device of a predefined order and structure results, making it easier and less prone to mistakes for a user to set up the infusion operation.
Generally, the infusion devices may have different types. The infusion devices may for example include syringe pumps and volumetric (peristaltic) infusion pumps. Within a syringe pump a syringe is installed on the pump and a plunger of the syringe is mechanically moved into a cylindrical tube of the syringe in order to move a medical fluid from the cylindrical tube via an infusion line towards the patient. Within a volumetric infusion device a pump mechanism acts onto an infusion line connecting the patient to a medical container such as a flexible bag containing the medical fluid to be infused to the patient.
The organization device may for example be a rack comprising a multiplicity of vertically aligned slots for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices. A rack of this kind may for example comprise 6, 8 or 12 slots and may be constituted to receive different infusion devices such that a vertical stack of infusion devices is formed to arrange the infusion devices in an organized fashion for example at the bedside of a patient.
The desired allocation of the multiplicity of infusion devices may for example be derived from a therapy stack defining medical fluids to be infused to the patient. A therapy stack may for example define that (a) Noradrenaline shall be infused using a syringe pump, (b) Propofol shall be infused using a syringe pump, (c) Furosemide shall be infused using a syringe pump, (d) Glucose shall be infused using a volumetric pump, and (e) Vancomycine shall be infused using a volumetric pump. Within the desired allocation it may be defined that in a first slot of the organization device a syringe pump assigned to infusing Noradrenaline, in a second slot a syringe pump assigned to infuse Propofol, in a third slot a syringe pump assigned to infuse Furosemide, in a fourth slot a volumetric pump assigned to infuse Glucose, and in a fifth slot a volumetric pump assigned to infuse Vancomycine is to be placed. According to this desired allocation and assignment of the infusion devices the control device may issue instructions to a user such that the user is enabled to place the corresponding infusion devices in the respective slots of the organization device.
In one example, the storage device may store a predefined allocation sequence assigning the infusion devices to consecutive slots of the organization device. Hence, the control device determines and issues instructions for instructing the user to arrange predefined infusion devices assigned to the infusion of particular medical solutions in consecutive slots of the organization device. Hence, a cohesive arrangement of infusion devices is obtained on the organization device.
Generally, however, the desired allocation is not restricted to consecutive slots, but the user may also be instructed to place infusion devices in non-consecutive slots on the organization device.
The instructions to the user may for example include adding an infusion device of a predefined kind to an empty slot of the organization device. Hence, a new infusion device which previously has not been present on the organization device is added to an empty slot of the organization device. For example, a user may be instructed to add a syringe pump or a volumetric pump to a particular empty slot of the infusion device.
In addition or alternatively the control device may instruct the user to move an infusion device of a predefined kind from a first slot to a second slot of the organization device. Hence, an infusion device which is already installed on the organization device and which for example may already conduct an infusion operation may be caused to be moved on the organization device, hence being rearranged from a first slot to a second slot. This may for example serve to obtain a desired, predefined order of the infusion devices on the organization device. This for example may also serve to move an existing infusion device infusing a particular medical fluid which is not part of the standard therapy stack out of the range of the desired allocation by which the infusion devices shall be placed on the organization device.
The instructions to be provided to the user, in one aspect, are determined by the control device according to an algorithm taking into account various constraints existing for the arrangement of infusion devices on an organization device. One constraint for example may be that a syringe pump already conducting an infusion operation and already being arranged on the organization device can typically be easily moved and rearranged on the organization device. Another constraint may be that a volumetric pump conducting an infusion operation and already being installed on the organization device cannot be easily moved because lines extending between a medical container and the patient must be rearranged in that case. Yet another constraint may be that it generally is easier to add a new pump than to rearrange an existing pump already installed on the organization device and currently performing an infusion operation. Another constraint may be that an infusion device being part of a multi-channel infusion protocol shall not be moved. Another constraint may be that it is preferred to move an infusion device which currently is not performing an infusion operation than to add a new infusion device to the organization device. Other constraints may exist according to which the instructions for arranging or rearranging the infusion devices on the organization device may be determined. The instructions may be provided to the user by the control device in different ways, for example visually or acoustically. The control device may for example comprise a display device which, step-by-step, instructs the user how to arrange or rearrange infusion devices on the organization device. In this way different step-by-step instructions may be provided, for example instructing the user in a first step to add a particular infusion device to a first slot, in a second step to rearrange an infusion device from a second slot to a third slot, in a third step to rearrange an infusion device from a fourth slot to the second slot and so on, such that in the end an arrangement of infusion devices on the organization device according to the desired allocation is obtained. The arrangement and rearrangement of the infusion devices on the organization device serves to set up an infusion operation and hence takes place prior to actually performing the infusion operation. After placement of the infusion devices in the assigned slots according to the instructions provided by the control device, the control device may then program the infusion devices arranged on the organization device according to the desired allocation for administering a predefined multiplicity of different medical fluids to the patient. The programming herein may take place according to predefined infusion parameters stored in the storage device of the control device for example in the context of a drug library. Hence, by the programming the infusion devices are initialized for performing the infusion operation of the multiple medical fluids. After the programming, a user only needs to place corresponding medicational containers on the infusion devices, may adapt the infusion rates or dosages and may be prompted to confirm the dilution, upon which the infusion operation can start. In the context of this text a drug library is to be understood as a list of drugs in which each of the drugs is associated with parameters defining operational boundaries for administering the particular drug to a patient. Such parameters may depend on the patient demographics, for example the patient's age, weight or gender.
In this way, a user is facilitated to easily program a multiplicity of infusion devices according to a standard therapy boot protocol such that an individual programming of the different infusion devices by the user is not necessary. In particular in scenarios in which many medical fluids shall be infused to a patient using a large number of infusion devices at the same time the setting up of a concerted infusion operation becomes easy and less prone to mistakes for a user.
The object is also achieved by a method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient employing an infusion system, the method comprising: arranging a multiplicity of infusion devices on an organization device, the organization device comprising a multiplicity of slots for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices, and
- providing a control device for controlling an infusion operation of the multiple infusion devices, the control device comprising a storage device for storing infusion parameters to control the infusion operation of the multiplicity of infusion devices. Herein, the database stores information related to a desired allocation of at least a portion of the multiplicity of infusion devices to the slots of the organization device, wherein the control device provides, for setting up the infusion operation, instructions to a user, according to the desired allocation, how to allocate the infusion devices to the slots of the organization device.
The advantages and advantageous embodiments described above for the infusion system equally apply also to the method such that it shall be referred to the above.
The object is also achieved by infusion system comprising the features of claim 1 1.
Accordingly, the control device is constituted to program the infusion devices for administering a predefined multiplicity of different medical fluids to the patient. Hence, instead of (as nowadays common) programming each infusion device separately by a user, a multiplicity of infusion devices are automatically programmed using a control device. Each programmed infusion device reflects an infusion of a therapeutic protocol or prescription involving multiple infusions, such that by the auto-programming multiple infusion devices can be set up automatically to perform a multiplicity of infusions in a concerted fashion. By means of the control device the infusion devices hence are programmed together in a coordinated manner for performing a complex infusion operation involving a multiplicity of infusions in a therapeutic protocol stack.
As already noted above, it has been found that, for example within an intensive care unit, very often the same set of medical fluids shall be administered to a patient for a given therapeutic indication. It hence is possible to create a list of medical fluids that by standard shall be administered to a patient and to assign particular infusion devices to this predefined list of medical fluids. According to the standard list and setup an automatic programming of a multiplicity of infusion devices to carry out the infusion operations takes place controlled by the control device.
The programming may take place according to predefined infusion parameters stored in the storage device of the control device for example in the context of a drug library. Hence, by the programming the infusion devices are initialized for performing the infusion operation of the multiple medical fluids. After the programming, a user only needs to place corresponding medicational containers on the infusion devices, may adapt the infusion rates or dosages and may be prompted to confirm the dilution, upon which the infusion operation can start. In this way, a user is facilitated to easily program a multiplicity of infusion devices according to a standard therapy boot protocol such that an individual programming of the different infusion devices by the user is not necessary. In particular in scenarios in which many medical fluids shall be infused to a patient using a large number of infusion devices at the same time the setting up of a concerted infusion operation becomes easy and less prone to mistakes for a user.
For the programming, the control device may for example transmit data to the infusion devices relating to patient information, drug prescription information, infusion protocol order information, and/or drug library information. Patient information may for example relate to those data which are entered to identify the patient, for example the patient's name, age, gender, body weight or the like. This data may be centrally input into the control device and passed on from the control device to all infusion devices. Drug prescription information may relate to those data identifying a drug or a multiplicity of drugs to be administered to a patient. Infusion protocol order information may relate to an order of a protocol stack, i.e., the order in which certain drugs shall be administered to the patient. Also, data relating to the identification of the infusion station, i.e., the infusion system including the rack and the infusion devices placed thereon, may be passed on to the infusion devices. Drug library information may relate to information of a drug library, for example posing infusion limits such as limits for the dosage, the dose rate and the infusion time and so on. Generally, the infusion devices may have different types. The infusion devices may for example include syringe pumps and volumetric (peristaltic) infusion pumps. Within a syringe pump a syringe is installed on the pump and a plunger of the syringe is mechanically moved into a cylindrical tube of the syringe in order to move a medical fluid from the cylindrical tube via an infusion line towards the patient. Within a volumetric infusion device a pump mechanism acts onto an infusion line connecting the patient to a medical container such as a flexible bag containing the medical fluid to be infused to the patient.
The organization device may for example be a rack comprising a multiplicity of vertically aligned slots for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices. A rack of this kind may for example comprise 6, 8 or 12 slots and may be constituted to receive different infusion devices such that a vertical stack of infusion devices is formed to arrange the infusion devices in an organized fashion for example at the bedside of a patient. The object is also achieved by a method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient employing an infusion system, the method comprising that the control device programs the infusion devices for administering a predefined multiplicity of different medical fluids to the patient. The idea underlying the invention shall subsequently be described in more details with regard to the embodiments shown in the figures. Herein
Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a multiplicity of infusion devices arranged at a bed side of a patient in a hospital environment; Fig. 2 shows a view of a system comprising multiple organization devices in the shape of racks, each rack holding a multiplicity of infusion devices, and a control device for entering control commands relating to the infusion devices; Fig. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method to set up an infusion operation;
Fig. 4 shows a schematic drawing showing the arrangement and rearrangement of infusion devices on an organization device; Fig. 5 shows a schematic drawing of the results obtained from the arrangement and rearrangement procedure as illustrated in Fig. 4.
Fig. 1 shows in a schematic drawing a scenario as it typically can be found in a hospital environment, for example an intensive care unit of a hospital. Next to the bed B of a patient a number of infusion devices 20 constituted for example as infusion pumps, such as syringe pumps or volumetric pumps, are located and connected to a patient via infusion lines 21 . The infusion devices 20 serve to administer a fluid such as a medication or nutrients for example contained in containers 6 via infusion lines 21 to the patient, the infusion lines 21 (especially in the environment of an intensive care unit of a hospital) possibly being vital to the patient such that they under all conditions must remain connected to the patient to ensure the required administration of medication, nutrients or the like.
Typically, the infusion devices 20 constituted as infusion pumps are organized in an organization device 2 in the shape of a rack to form a predefined arrangement (such as a vertical stack or a horizontally aligned arrangement) of infusion devices 20 which is fixed for example to a stand 4. The stand 4 may comprise wheels such that the stand 4 at least to some extent is movable with respect to the patient's bed B or together with the patient's bed B. The stand 4 may comprise a pole 40 to which the organization device 2 for carrying the infusion devices 20 is attached and comprises, at its top end, fastening means in the shape of hooks to fasten a number of containers 6 containing medication or nutrients or other fluids to be administered to the patient.
The organization device 2 serves to arrange the infusion devices 20 in an organized fashion at the bedside of the patient. The organization device 2 herein provides a power supply for the infusion devices 20, ensures a secure and reliable fixation of the infusion devices 20, and provides a communication of the infusion devices 20 among each other and with an external communication network and with external periphery devices such as a nurse call, a printer, a computer, a monitor or the like.
Conventionally, the infusion devices 20 can be fixed to the organization device 2 and for this are mechanically and electrically connected to the organization device 2 such that via the organization device 2 each medical device 20 can be supplied with power and may communicate with other infusion devices 20 and with external devices and/or an external communication network. The organization device 2 hence serves as a communication spine providing a communication facility and an electric power supply and embedding the infusion devices 20 into a hospital environment including a hospital communication network and a hospital management system.
Fig. 2 shows a system 1 comprising multiple organization devices 2, 3 in the shape of racks, each rack being constituted to receive a multiplicity of infusion devices 20, 30 to arrange the infusion devices 20, 30 as vertical stacks. The organization devices 2, 3 are arranged on poles 40, 50 of individual stands 4, 5 and may together be placed at the bed side of a patient in a hospital environment.
The infusion devices 20, 30 may, in particular, be constituted as syringe pumps or volumetric pumps. The infusion devices 20, 30 hence serve to administer different medical fluids such as drugs, nutritional fluids or any other fluid to a patient. For this, infusion lines 21 (see Fig. 1 ) may extend from the infusion devices 20, 30 towards a patient and towards infusion bags 6 such that medical fluids may be delivered from the infusion bags 6 to the patient.
The infusion devices 20, 30 are controlled by means of a central control device 7, which in the shown embodiment is arranged on one of the stands 4 and 5 and via communication lines 71 , 72 is communicatively connected to the organization devices 2, 3 and the infusion devices 20, 30 arranged thereon. The control device 7 comprises a storage device 73, for example in the shape of a database, comprising for example drug library data for programming the infusion devices 20, 30 and may exchange data with the organization devices 2, 3 and the infusion devices 20, 30 arranged thereon, such that control commands may be transmitted from the control device 7 towards the infusion devices 20, 30 and operational data may be transmitted from the infusion devices 20, 30 towards the control device 7 for example for displaying on a display 70 of the control device 7. Drug libraries, as they are conventionally known, serve to provide rules to infusion devices 20, 30 for administering drugs to a patient. In particular, drug libraries in the context of infusion devices 20, 30 contain a list of drugs in which each drug is associated with parameters that define, characterize and impose boundary values on an infusion device 20, 30 for administering the particular drug to a patient. For example, such boundary values may relate to the dosage, the rate of administration and the time of administration for a drug and may vary for different drugs and also for different types of patients, for example dependent on the age, weight and gender of a patient. The drug libraries are installed on the infusion devices 20, 30 and/or on the database 73 of the control device 7, such that during operation of an infusion device 20, 30 parameters set by the drug library for a certain drug can be applied. For example, a nurse is not enabled to choose a dosage rate outside a range of dosage rates defined by the applied drug library for a certain drug. If a certain drug is to be administered to a patient, a nurse can choose administration parameters only within the boundaries defined by the drug library.
In an intensive care unit it may occur that multiple medical fluids such as drugs or other medical solutions shall be infused to a patient making use of multiple infusion devices 20, 30 simultaneously. This requires potentially a large number of infusion devices 20, 30 to be set up for performing an infusion operation, wherein in particular within an intensive care unit it may be of importance that an infusion operation is started quickly to provide suitable treatment to the patient. If the infusion devices 20, 30 for such simultaneous infusion of multiple medical fluids to the patient are to be set up and programmed individually, this is cumbersome for a user U, for example a nurse, because the user U must install the infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3, must program the particular infusion device 20, 30 for infusing a particular drug at a particular infusion rate and a particular dosage, must connect the infusion device 20, 30 to a corresponding container containing the medical fluid, and must start the infusion operation. If this is to be done individually for the individual infusion devices 20, 30, a significant time for setting up the infusion operations is necessary, and in addition errors may occur or the set-up and start of an infusion operation may even be forgotten.
In order to facilitate the setting up of multiple infusion operations at the same time, it is therefore proposed to apply a standard therapy boot procedure which supports the user U in setting up the infusion operations. By applying such standard boot procedure, the setting up of the infusion operations becomes easy and efficient for the user U, and errors may be avoided. The proposed standard therapy boot procedure originates from the finding that, for a given therapeutic indication, a predefined set of medical fluids shall be typically infused to a patient. It therefore is possible to predefine a therapy stack of medical fluids which, for a given therapeutic indication, shall at the same time be set up for infusion to the patient.
Different medications require different infusion devices 20, 30 such as syringe pumps or volumetric infusion pumps. For setting up the infusion operations, hence, infusion devices 20, 30 must be assigned to medical fluids to be infused to the patient, the assignment taking into account the specific requirements for infusing a particular medical fluid such as a drug or the like.
In one aspect, for a given therapy stack the infusion devices 20, 30 associated to particular medical fluids shall be placed in a predefined allocation sequence and order in slots 201 -208 of the organization device 2, 3 as schematically illustrated in Fig. 4. The proposed system and method therefore allows a user U to in an easy and comfortable manner place infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 by providing instructions to the user U how to arrange and potentially rearrange infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2, 3 in order to end up at a pattern of infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2, 3 which matches a predefined, desired pattern.
By causing the user U to place the infusion devices 20, 30 in a predefined pattern on the organization device 2, 3, the infusion devices 20, 30 are not placed in an arbitrary order on the organization device 2, 3, but in a defined order such that a particular infusion device 20, 30 assigned to infuse a particular medical fluid may always be found at the same slot 201 -208 of the organization device 2, 3. The user U may hence easily make out which infusion devices 20, 30 are arranged on an organization device 2, 3 and are assigned to infusing which medical fluids.
Fig. 3 shows a flow chart of an example of a standard therapy boot procedure. Herein, steps S1 , S2 are concerned with the creation of a so-called therapy boot which defines a set of medical fluids which together in a concerted fashion shall be administered to a patient for a given therapeutic indication. Herein, for different therapeutic indications different therapy boots may be defined, such that for different therapeutic indications different sets of medical fluids to be administered to the patient are grouped together.
In step S1 medical fluids such as drugs are selected from a drug library and are added to the therapy boot. Together with the selection of the medical fluids, the type of infusion device 20, 30 to be used for administering the particular medical fluid is selected, in particular if different types of infusion devices 20, 30 are available for administering the medical fluid. If only one type of infusion device 20, 30 can be used for infusing a medical fluid (because a particular drug may for example be infused only by using a syringe pump), the step of selecting the infusion device 20, 30 may be omitted.
In step S2, upon having created the therapy boot by defining a set of medical fluids and its corresponding infusion devices 20, 30, the therapy boot is sent to a particular control device 7 associated with one or multiple organization devices 2, 3. Generally, the creation of one or multiple therapeutic boots may take place at a central location in a hospital and may be distributed to control devices 7 of local infusion systems via for example a hospital communication network such as an Intranet.
Steps S3 to S5 are concerned with the setting up of an infusion operation for the actual infusion of medical fluids to a patient.
Herein, in step S3 a user U selects a particular, predefined therapy boot via an input device such as a touch sensitive display 70 of the control device 7. In dependence on a specific therapeutic indication, a particular therapy boot is selected for setting up and programming a multiplicity of infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2, 3.
If the infusion operation is to be performed on a new patient, i.e. a patient which currently is not subject to an infusion operation via the infusion system, in step S4 a patient record is created.
In step S5, then, the control device 7 provides instructions to the user U how to install infusion devices 20, 30 associated with the selected therapy boot (step S3) and assigned to the infusion of the medical fluids of the therapy boot on an organization device 2, 3.
This is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. As indicated in Fig. 4 on the right, within a therapy boot a therapy stack is defined comprising a number of different medical fluids such as, in the example of Fig. 4, Noradrenaline, Propofol, Furosemide, Glucose and Vancomycine. Assigned to these medical fluids are infusion devices 20, 30 in the shape of syringe pumps (SP) or volumetric pumps (VP). It is the aim of step S5 in the flow chart of Fig. 3 to arrange the infusion devices 20, 30 assigned to the infusion of the medical fluids in the predefined order of the therapy stack on the associated organization device 2, 3.
As illustrated in Fig. 4 on the left, a particular organization device 2, 3 may have a pattern of infusion devices SP, VP installed on the slots 201 -208 of the organization device 2, 3, wherein some of these infusion devices SP, VP may already be infusing and wherein some of the slots 201 -208 of the organization device 2, 3 may be empty, indicated by a cross (X) in Fig. 4 on the left. In the example of Fig. 4, the syringe Pump SP installed in slot 203 of the organization device 2 is currently infusing Dopamine, the syringe pump SP installed in slot 205 of the organization device 2 is currently infusing Propofol, and the syringe pump SP installed in slot 206 of the infusion device 2 is currently infusing Furosemide.
The control device 7, for example by displaying corresponding messages on the display device 70, within the context of step S5 instructs the user U to rearrange the infusion devices 20, 30 on the slots 201 -208 of the organization device 2. These instructions may be issued step by step, hence each instruction instructing the user U to rearrange an existing infusion device 20, 30 from one slot 201 -208 to another or to add a new infusion device 20, 30 to an empty slot 201 -208 of the organization device 2.
In the example of Fig. 4, in a first step the control device 7 instructs the user U to arrange the syringe pump SP currently infusing Propofol from slot 205 to slot 202. In a second step the user U is instructed to move the volumetric pump VP from slot 207 to slot 205. In a third step the user U is instructed to move the syringe pump SP currently infusing Dopamine from slot 203 to the slot 208 at the bottom of the organization device 2. In a fourth step the user U is instructed to move the syringe pump SP currently infusing Furosemide from slot 206 to slot 203. And in the fifth step the user U is instructed to add a new volumetric pump VP to the empty slot 204. After this rearranging procedure, the pattern of Fig. 5 is achieved, in which the infusion devices SP, VP associated with the therapy stack (Fig. 4 on the right) are assigned in the top five slots of the organization device 2. The instructions are determined by the control device 7 making use of an algorithm which takes into account constraints for rearranging infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3. Such constraints may for example be that an infusing volumetric pump VP is hard to move, whereas in infusing syringe pump SP is easy to move. Hence, it may be preferable to add a new pump rather than moving a currently infusing volumetric pump VP. Another constraint may be that an infusion device 20, 30 involved in a multichannel infusion procedure is forbidden to be rearranged. Another constraint may be that it is preferable to rearrange a non-infusing pump rather than adding a new pump. Furthermore, it may be taken into account what infusion operations are currently going on such that for example a warning may be issued if it is found that drugs of the same category, such as for example Dopamine and Noradrenaline, are about to be simultaneously infused. As indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the rearrangement procedure has the goal to achieve a pattern of infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2, 3 which as closely as possible matches the pattern of the therapy stack. The infusion devices 20, 30 hence are arranged on the organization device 2, 3 in a predefined order, which makes it easy for a user U to gain an oversight of infusion operations currently going on and generally of the arrangement of infusion devices 20, 30 on the organization device 2.
Referring back to Fig. 3, after the arrangement of the infusion devices 20, 30 on the associated organization device 2, 3 in step S5, the control device 7, in step S6, programs the infusion devices 20, 30 associated with the defined therapy boot. This takes place by the control device 7 without a user interaction being necessary, such that no individual programming of the infusion devices 20, 30 by a user U is required. Within the programming the infusion devices 20, 30 are configured and hence initialized for the infusion operation of the medical fluids in that a drug setting is loaded from a drug library, together with a predefined default infusion rate, a dosage and other default infusion settings.
In step S7 the user then is instructed to place the infusion containers comprising the medical fluids to be administered on the corresponding infusion devices 20, 30, and the user is prompted to confirm the particular medical solution for each infusion device 20, 30, and to potentially modify the dilution and the infusion settings if necessary and desired. The proposed procedure makes a fast set up of infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 possible. In particular, the arrangement of the infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 is facilitated, and the programming of infusion devices 20, 30 may take place automatically according to a predefined standard therapy boot protocol.
The standard therapy boot protocol created in steps S1 and S2 of the flow chart of Fig. 3 may be stored for example in the database 73 in the context of a drug library. Hence, a user U may select a predefined therapy boot protocol upon entering the drug library on the control device 7 via the touch sensitive display 70 of the control device 7.
By the proposed rearrangement procedure, a standardized set-up of infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 is achieved, which may help to reduce errors, wherein a standardized pattern may be used throughout an entire hospital such that in different areas, for example in different wards and different patient's bedrooms, of a hospital the same standardized set-up and pattern of infusion devices 20, 30 on an organization device 2, 3 can be found.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but may be implemented in an entirely different fashion.
A system and method as described herein may be employed for a wide variety of different therapeutic indications making use of a variety of different medical fluids. The particular drugs stated herein merely serve as an example and shall not limit the invention in any kind.
List of Reference Numerals
1 System
2, 3 Organization device
20, 30 Infusion device
201 -208 Slots
21 Infusion lines
4, 5 Stand
40, 50 Pole
6 Infusion bags
7 Control device
70 Input device (touch-sensitive display)
71 , 72 Communication line
73 Storage device (database)
B Patient's bed
S1 -S7 Steps
SP syringe pump
U User
VP Volumetric pump

Claims

Claims:
Infusion system for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient, comprising:
- a multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30),
- an organization device (2, 3) comprising a multiplicity of slots (201 -208) for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30), and
- a control device (7) for controlling an infusion operation of the multiple infusion devices (20, 30), the control device (7) comprising a storage device (73) for storing infusion parameters to control the infusion operation of the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30), characterized in that the storage device (73) stores information relating to a desired allocation of at least a portion of the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30) to the slots (201 -208) of the organization device (2, 3), wherein the control device (7) is constituted, for setting up the infusion operation, to provide instructions to a user (U), according to the desired allocation, how to allocate the infusion devices (20, 30) to the slots (201 - 208) of the organization device (2, 3).
Infusion system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30) includes at least one syringe pump and/or at least one volumetric pump.
Infusion system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the organization device (2, 3) is a rack comprising a multiplicity of slots (201 -208) for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30).
Infusion system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the storage device (73) stores a predefined allocation sequence assigning the infusion devices (20, 30) to consecutive slots (201 -208) of the organization device (2, 3). Infusion system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (7) is constituted to provide instructions to a user (U)
- to add an infusion device (20, 30) of a predefined kind to an empty slot (201 -208) of the organization device (2, 3) and/or
- to move an infusion device (20, 30) of a predefined kind from a first slot (201 - 208) to a second slot of the organization device (2, 3).
Infusion system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (7) is constituted to determine the instructions, for providing the instructions to the user (U), according to predefined constraints, in particular by taking into account information relating to an existing arrangement of infusion devices (20, 30) already placed on the organization device (2, 3) and information relating to an already ongoing infusion operation.
Infusion system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (7) comprises a display device (70) for visually providing the instructions to the user (U).
Infusion system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (7) is constituted, after providing the instructions and after placement of the infusion devices (20, 30) in the assigned slots (201 -208) by the user (U), to program the infusion devices (20, 30) for administering a predefined multiplicity of different medical fluids to the patient.
Infusion system according to claim 8, characterized in that the programming is performed according to predefined infusion parameters stored in the storage device (73).
10. A method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient employing an infusion system, the method comprising: - arranging a multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30) on an organization device (2, 3), the organization device (2, 3) comprising a multiplicity of slots (201 -208) for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30), and
- providing a control device (7) for controlling an infusion operation of the multiple infusion devices (20, 30) , the control device (7) comprising a storage device (73) for storing infusion parameters to control the infusion operation of the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30), characterized in that the storage device (73) stores information relating to a desired allocation of at least a portion of the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30) to the slots (201 -208) of the organization device (2, 3), wherein the control device (7) provides, for setting up the infusion operation, instructions to a user (U), according to the desired allocation, how to allocate the infusion devices (20, 30) to the slots (201 -208) of the organization device (2, 3).
1 1 . Infusion system for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient, comprising:
- a multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30),
- an organization device (2, 3) comprising a multiplicity of slots (201 -208) for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30), and
- a control device (7) for controlling an infusion operation of the multiple infusion devices (20, 30), the control device (7) comprising a storage device (73) for storing infusion parameters to control the infusion operation of the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30), characterized in that the control device (7) is constituted to program the infusion devices (20, 30) for administering a predefined multiplicity of different medical fluids to the patient.
12. Infusion system according to claim 1 1 , characterized in that the control device (7) is constituted to program the infusion devices (20, 30) according to predefined infusion parameters stored in the storage device (73). Infusion system according to claim 1 1 or 12, characterized in that the control device (7) is constituted, for the programming, to transmit data to the infusion devices (20, 30) relating to patient information, drug prescription information, infusion protocol order information, and/or drug library information.
Infusion system according to one of claims 1 1 to 13, characterized in that the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30) includes at least one syringe pump and/or at least one volumetric pump.
Infusion system according to one of claims 1 1 to 14, characterized in that the organization device (2, 3) is a rack comprising a multiplicity of slots (201 -208) for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30).
A method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient employing an infusion system, the method comprising:
- arranging a multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30) on an organization device (2, 3), the organization device (2, 3) comprising a multiplicity of slots (201 -208) for receiving the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30), and
- providing a control device (7) for controlling an infusion operation of the multiple infusion devices (20, 30) , the control device (7) comprising a storage device (73) for storing infusion parameters to control the infusion operation of the multiplicity of infusion devices (20, 30), characterized in that the control device (7) programs the infusion devices (20, 30) for administering a predefined multiplicity of different medical fluids to the patient.
PCT/EP2016/082129 2015-12-30 2016-12-21 Infusion system and method for administering multiple medical fluids to a patient Ceased WO2017114717A1 (en)

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EPEP15307178.2 2015-12-30

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US20210322674A1 (en) * 2020-04-20 2021-10-21 Ivenix, Inc Delivery of multiple fluids from multiple fluid pumps
CN115151287A (en) * 2020-02-20 2022-10-04 费森尤斯维尔公司 Systems and methods for administering medical fluids to patients
WO2025026700A1 (en) * 2023-07-28 2025-02-06 Fresenius Vial Sas Infusion system and method of operation of an infusion system

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EP0960627A2 (en) * 1998-05-25 1999-12-01 B. Braun Melsungen Ag Central Infusion Pump Controlling and/or Monitoring Device
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CN115151287A (en) * 2020-02-20 2022-10-04 费森尤斯维尔公司 Systems and methods for administering medical fluids to patients
US20210322674A1 (en) * 2020-04-20 2021-10-21 Ivenix, Inc Delivery of multiple fluids from multiple fluid pumps
WO2025026700A1 (en) * 2023-07-28 2025-02-06 Fresenius Vial Sas Infusion system and method of operation of an infusion system

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