CA2229997A1 - Method and apparatus for managing disposable medical supplies appropriate for a single patient visit - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for managing disposable medical supplies appropriate for a single patient visit Download PDFInfo
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- CA2229997A1 CA2229997A1 CA002229997A CA2229997A CA2229997A1 CA 2229997 A1 CA2229997 A1 CA 2229997A1 CA 002229997 A CA002229997 A CA 002229997A CA 2229997 A CA2229997 A CA 2229997A CA 2229997 A1 CA2229997 A1 CA 2229997A1
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- disposable
- container
- visit
- patient
- health care
- Prior art date
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B50/00—Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B50/00—Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers
- A61B50/30—Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
- A61B50/31—Carrying cases or bags, e.g. doctors' bags
- A61B50/312—Doctors' or nurses' bags
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
- A61B90/90—Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
- A61B90/94—Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags coded with symbols, e.g. text
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
- A61B90/90—Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
- A61B90/94—Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags coded with symbols, e.g. text
- A61B90/96—Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags coded with symbols, e.g. text using barcodes
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
- B65F1/00—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor
- B65F1/14—Other constructional features; Accessories
- B65F1/1484—Other constructional features; Accessories relating to the adaptation of receptacles to carry identification means
-
- 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
- G16H40/20—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 management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B50/00—Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers
- A61B2050/005—Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers with a lid or cover
- A61B2050/0051—Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers with a lid or cover closable by rotation
- A61B2050/0056—Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers with a lid or cover closable by rotation about a lateral axis in the lid plane
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B50/00—Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers
- A61B50/30—Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
- A61B2050/3011—Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments having carrying handles
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B50/00—Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers
- A61B50/30—Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
- A61B50/31—Carrying cases or bags, e.g. doctors' bags
- A61B2050/311—Cases
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B50/00—Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers
- A61B50/30—Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
- A61B50/36—Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for collecting or disposing of used articles
Abstract
A method of supplying health care workers with disposable supplies (44) determines a requirement for a patient during a single visit by a health care worker. An accounting code corresponding to the disposable supplies (44) and associated with the visit is recorded in an accouting database (36). The supplies (44) are placed in a disposable container prior to the visit by the health care worker (52) to a first site (60). The container is subsequently delivered to a second site (76) for disposal. Movement of the disposable container is recorded in a computer database (36). Means are disposed on the outside of the disposable container for identifying the container so that it is trackable by an inventory tracking system. Means also are disposed on the outside of the container for indicating a delivery address. Means are provided for sealing the container after use and for covering the address once the container is sealed.
Description
W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 METEIOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING DISPOSABLE MEDICAL
SUPPLII~S APPROPRIA 1~ FOR A SINGLE PATIENT VISIT
BACKGROUND OF TIIE INVENTION
~ 1. TechnicalField The present invention relates to health care, and specifically to :i~p~lyillg health care wull~el~ with disposable supplies applop-ia~e for a single patient visit.
SUPPLII~S APPROPRIA 1~ FOR A SINGLE PATIENT VISIT
BACKGROUND OF TIIE INVENTION
~ 1. TechnicalField The present invention relates to health care, and specifically to :i~p~lyillg health care wull~el~ with disposable supplies applop-ia~e for a single patient visit.
2. The Prior Art Cullt;llLly, health care wolkel~ visit p~ti~ntC in the home, and other locations(such as nursing homes, care f~iliti~e, etc.), to pel~llll certain health care-related tasks.
Most of these workers take some kind of bag, similar to a nurses bag or a doctor's black bag, with them to carry the supplies n~cçee~ry for a visit. The health care worker typically fills one bag with supplies at a central location (or takes supplies from a supply colllailler in the trunk of her car) and takes it with her to treat several difreu ellL p~fi~nte This bag will typically contain re~ ted disposable supplies (e.g, syringes), non-re~ll~ted disposable supplies (e.g, cotton balls) and non-disposable supplies (e.g., stethoscopes). When the visit is finiehetl the non-reg7-l~ted disposable supplies are typically thrown in a garbage container, which is either put into the hollsehold garbage or carted back to a predetermined location for shipment to a waste disposal facility, and the re~-l~ted disposable supplies are returned to a central location for subsequent controlled disposal.
Disadvantages of this situation include the potential for co. ~ tion when one bag is shared between several patients, the risk of exposure to medical hazards by the health care worker, poor inventory control, and the potential for patients being charged , 30 for supplies not actually used in a visit.
There is little or~ ;on to the distribution of disposable supplies in situationssuch as home health care. Several types of mer1i~.~l kit packs can be found in the prior SlJts;j 1 1 1 UTE SHEET (RULE 26) art. These are packs co..l~;..;..g llec~ y supplies for a single type of home care procedure, and they generally fall into one offour categories: (1) wound LleA~
packs; (2) urologicQl llc~l.n~..l packs; (3) intravenous packs; and (4) general care.
These packs assemble supplies, but they generally provide no me~ A ~ for disposal 5 and tracking.
Also, there is little fee(lb~cl~ from the off-site health care worker (off-site health care worker, as used herein, means a health care worker pelrcillllillg care tasks away from a hospital or other central health care location) to the system. Such feedb~
10 could be used in adjusting the ~ 1 regime and in dete---,i- ing the patient's e~uilGlllGIlls for future visits. It could also be useful for analytical purposes to more PfficiPntly allocate resources and as input for health care lesealcl..
Several d;sL-ibulion and tracking ~k;l-ls for merlic~l supplies and mP(lic~l waste 15 are found in the prior art. Many health care providers operate under a cost r~li~ul~elllGlll system that generally tracks general episodes of l-c~ .l rather than individual supplies used. However, nowhere in the prior art is found a system for ~;~G~ Gly dispGl-:~ing and tracking disposable m~P~ic~l supplies for use in health care.
Also, an effective system for i~ol~tin~ health care p~ti~ntc from supplies used in visits to 20 other p~tiPntC is not found in the prior art.
Thus, it would be desirable to have a co-..p, ~he..si~re system for ass~;...blhlg, ~Ail~ g delivering, tracking and disposing of disposable supplies used in a single patient visit by a health care worker.
SUMMARY OF TEIE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention is a method of supplying health care workers with disposable supplies app.op.iate for a single patient visit. A re~luirG.Il~..L for 30 disposable me-iic~l supplies is determined for a patient for an associated health care worker single visit. An accounting code is recorded in an accounting ~t~hace, the code S~J~; 111 ~ITE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCTrUS96/13402 co~ onding to the disposable supplies determined to be associated with the visit. The disposable supplies detelll""cd to be associated with the visit are placed in a disposable co..l,~;..P r. The disposable conLai,~er and the disposable supplies are delivered to a first site, wLeleal a patient is to receive llr.~ prior to or simlllt~neously with the S rCsori~te(l single visit by the health care worker. The disposable conl~ler is delivered to a second site for disposal after the visit by the health care worker. Movement of the disposable collL~iner is recorded in a Ct~ lPr d~t~h~ce when the disposable co..~ l is delivered to the first site and to the second site.
In anoLller aspect, the present invention is a method of m~ns~ging supplies l~uihed by a health care worker during a single patient visit at a first predetermined site.
The procedures to be ,uc;lr~,lllled by the health worker during the single patient visit are dete.lllilled. A ~i~t~b~ce relating disposable supplies l-ecPss~.r in a specific procedure is accPssed The disposable supplies I~P~cess~ y for that procedure are placed in a 15 disposable co..~ r~ The dis~Gsable co..~ is delivered to the first predetermined site prior to the single patient visit.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is a parl~ge for use by a health care worker in providing health care services to a patient. The parl~ge complises a 20 disposable co"l~ner having an outside surface and ~Pfining an inside portion adapted to receive disposable supplies required by the health care worker for a single visit to a single patient. A means, such as a bar code, is disposed on the outside of the conL~,er for identifying the CQ-~ So that it is trackable by a tracking system. A means, such as a label, is disposed on the outside of the co"~aine, for inrlicating an address to which 25 the cont~inPr is to be delivered. A means, such as tape, is also provided for sealing the container after use so that any material disposed therein cannot be accee~ed without breaking a seal.
An advantage of the present invention is that it improves inventory m~n~gP.mPnt 30 of supplies used in health care visits.
S~J~;- 111 ~JTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 A further advantage of the present invention is that it isolates infectious materials en-,ollnt~red by health care wcll~w~, patients and waste disposal p~-~o,.nel.
A fi~rther advantage of the present invention is that it prevents a single sharps 5 CO--I*;-.f - from being used at several di~t:lc-lL tre~tm~nt sites for several p~tiPntc A further advantage of the present invention is that it allows tracking of m~
waste generated by health care.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides secure disposal of me~ l waste.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be disclosed fully in the det~iled desc.i~lion that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~IE ~IGURES OF T~E DRAWINGS
FIG I is a sch~m~tic diagram showing the steps employed in a method generally in acco, d~lce with the present invention.
FIG 2 is a flow chart det~iling the steps employed in a method in acco.dallce with a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a is a flow chart det~iling the steps employed in a method in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
~IG. 4A is a front pel ~pe~;lh~e view of a pac~ge in acco- dance with the present invention.
Sl,~S 111 LJTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 ~IG 4B is a front pel ~e.;Li~e view of a p~c~ge in acco, d~lce with the present invention as it is being sealed after use.
l~lG 4C is a front pe.~pecLi~e view of a pac~ e in accoldallce with the present invention after it has been sealed.
l~lG. 5A is a top plan view of a partitioned package in accorda~lce with the present invention :~hLJwing a represellLaLi~le selection of disposable supplies disposedtherein.
l~lG. 5B is a top plan view of a non-partitioned package in accol ~lance with the present invention showing a IGplesenLaLi~,re selection of disposable kit packs disposed therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The invention is now described in detail. R~;rellillg to the dlawillg~, like numbers intlic~te like parts throughout the views.
As used in the desc,l i~Lion herein and throughout the claims that follow, "a,"
'Lan," and "the" inclu(les plural It;rt;l~;nce unless the context clearly ~lict~tes otherwise.
The present invention is directed to a system for supplying health care workers (such as those who provide care in the patient's home or other locations) with disposable supplies necess~ry for a single patient visit, separate from non-disposable supplies. It will find its primary application in situations where a patient will receive several periodic visits from a health care worker (e.g, a nurse). As generally depicted in FIG. 1, the method ofthe present invention 10 begins with a medic~l plores~ional 20 ~ (e.g, a physician or a physical therapist) prescribing a course of Ll eA ~ for a patient to be performed at a first site, such as in the patient's home 60 or a health care facility, S~ UTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 by a health care worker 52. Instructions for the course of L~ are L ~n~ ed to a central CO~ r 30. The comrlltçr 30 afCçcces a plurality of ~tAb~ces 32, which include a first ll~t~h~ce 34 that relates the course of lle~ -l to a re~uhc...~ for disposable metlie~l supplies. A second ~ hAce 36 is an accounting d~t~bace that 5 .I~A;III;~;nC patient billing illrollllaLion and is used to post charges and acc.~unling codes to the patient's account when supplies are ~r~led for a patient visit. From h~llllaLion cor~lA;I~P~ in the first ~IAbACe 34, the cQmr~t~r 30 generates a list of supplies required for each patient visit and ll~lslllil~ the list to a patient visit supply procçssing Ol~ I;on 40. Other h~rc,lmalion may also be 11 n~IC~;I I e~l by the comr~lt~r 30, 10 in~ lin~ a list of procedures to be pelr~ lllled, a record of the patient's m~ l history, directions to the patient's home, etc.
The patient visit supply procescing Olg~ ,Al;on 40 comprises a visit supply kit assembly facility 42, where the supplies on the list genel~ed by the cQ...~ 30 are 15 &sse.llbl~' into a visit supply p?cl~ge 44. ~lth~lgh FIG. 1 shows the computer 30 as being s~&~le from both the health care prof~ cionAI~s 20 offlce and the supply processing Glg,~ n 40, it would be obvious to one skilled in the art that thecomputer 30 could be part of the data processing eqllipmçnt belonging to the health care pl~cc;on~l~s 20 office, the care providing ol~ ;on (e.g, a home nursing care 20 co...l)n.-~) or the supply procescing ol~ l;on 40.
Once the visit supply package 44 has been acc~mhled, it is made available to a delivery system 50. The delivery system 50 could colllplise the health care worker 52 physically picking up the visit supply p~ ge 44 at a depot 46 and taking it to the 25 patient's home 60 via her automobile 54, or other form of transportation, or the visit supply package 44 may be delivered to the patient's home 60 by the mail system 56, or other similar system, prior to, or cimlllt~neously with, the visit by the health care worker 52.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26 W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 The health care worker 52 may provide feedhaçl~ to the computer 30 with inro...laLion such as an accounting of the actual supplies used in each procedure pe.r~....cd Such i.~-...alion could be useful in op~ the supplies incorporated in future visit supply paC~ge~c 44 Other i..fol-nation could include i-~----~lion about the 5 patient's con~litiQn that could be inel~lded in the patient's mç~lic~l record and that could also effect the supplies required for the next visit It is not always l-ecç~s~y to get fee<lbart after any given visit, but f~edbaçl~ could effect supplies re~ ed for future visits After the visit is co---~ , the health care worker 52 can seal the supply pacL-~e 44, co .1~ the used disposable supplies, and dispose of it at a second site via a disposal system 70 The disposal system 70 could comprise depositing the supply pacl~ge 44 with a delivery service 72 for delivery to a waste disposal facility 74, such as a me.1ical in~ t.~lo~, the health care worker 52 delivering the supply par~ 44 15 directly to the disposal facility 74; or merely ll~uwi.~g the supply pac~ge 44 in a CC,ll~ . .l ;on~l garbage disposal site 76, if the situation would permit such disposal The supply package 44 could also be returned to the health care worker's 52 original place of b-lcinecc for subsequent disposal The disposal system 70 could then supply tracking inro. ll.alion to the computer 30 providing a record of the disposal of the supply 20 package 44 A more det~iled description of the process 98 of one embodiment of the present invention is depicte(l in FIG 2 One embodiment of the entire process 98 comprises five stages a referral stage 100, a p~ "; j~g stage 110, an inventory asse...blage and posting 25 stage 120, a supply .li~ g and waste collecting stage 130 and a waste disposal and manifesting stage 140 In the referral stage 100, the patient receives a referral 102 to a doctor, or other health care professional or facility The patient's problem is ~ nose~l 104 by the 30 profescion~l and a course of tre~t~n~nt 106 is specified, or p-~s-;-il>ed, by the SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) p~orec~:~ n~l At this stage data, in~ ing the course oftre~tmPnt and the patient's me-1ic~l history, is made available 108 to a health care or~ ;on.
In the pl~nning stage 110, the spe~ ed l~ is tied to a critical palhway 5 112, which is the L-es~ paLllway needed to most efflciently Pffe~l~tP a desired outcome for a given patient. The critical pathway 112 is then tied to the skill level of a health care provider 114 and to the frequency of visits and the overall episode 116, which is the coll~PctiQn of trç~tmpntc applied to a patient to achieve a desired result. The l-e~ is tied to the specific mPfiic~l supplies 118 historically required by similar 10 p~tiPntc with similar ~e~ .l req~ ;.nenl~.
In the hlv~Loly assemblage and posting stage 120, a Ll~ specific and patient-specific ;,l~,nlol y of disposable ~upplies is pre-a3se...bled into kit packs 122 at the supply kit assembly facility 42. The kit packs, sharps co..l~ , etc., are assembled 15 124 into patient bags, or supply pac~ Ps 44. The supply packages 44 are bar-coded 126 with tracking and acco~ i.lg ;-lrv-~,~A~;on and are made patient, l~e,.l.~l~nt, and visit specific with i.~rO~ l;on .eg~di-lg the visit for which the supply p~c~ ;e 44 is being ~cc~pmh!ic~ Then a list of the contents of the supply package 44 is posted 128 to the individual patient's account.
In the supply dispensing and waste collpctinE~ stage 130, the supply pac~ge 44 is given 132 either directly to the health care worker or shipped to the patient's home.
The health care worker di~.,nses 134 the mPtlic~l supplies and provides l-e~ ~I to the patient in the patient's home, with any dispensed me~ l supplies being considered 25 me~ l waste 136. The health care worker puts any medical waste into the supply package 44 which is now considered to be a me~ic~l waste container 138.
In the waste disposal and ...~I~;rP~ g stage 140, the health care worker pe...-~ tly seals the supply package 44 (now con~ Pred to be a me~ic~l waste 30 con~ain~l). A bar code on the supply package 44 acts as a ~--anir~ g identific~tion 144 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCTrUS96/13402 _ g _ for the supply p~cl~ge and the sealed supply paçL ~ge 44 is sent to a disposal site 146, such as a metlil;~l waste disposal facility. The disposal site then co.lrl-lns receipt 148 of the supply pac~g~ 44, returns any ~-ece~s~y accoulllil-g pap~;-wc,.k and disposes ofthe supply p~cl~ 44 through conv~ntion~l means.
As shown in FIG. 3, the procedure followed by the supply kit assembly facility 42 colllplises three stages. In the first stage 160, illcollling, pallets of kit packs 162 and nm~e-up supply p~ ges 164 are received by the supply kit assembly facility. In the second stage 170, incollling i.~....alion on each new patient is proc~s~ec~ by a computer 10 172, which then outputs data on each patient's supply p~çL ~e to a patient bag assembly area 174. In the patient bag assembly area, the supply p~ ges are assembled accoldil.~ to the h~llllalion provided in step 172. In the third stage 180, the ~s~mh~
supply p~çl~ges are ~l~ged by patient name and visit number 184 and are delivered 182 to either a ~ ing dock or a counter for pick-up by the health care worker.
As shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, the supply p~ç~ge 44 coll.p.ises a disposable co..l~i..e~ 202, preferably constructed from a disposable material such as cardboard, having an outside surface 204. The co..L~ler 202 has a pair of top flaps 218, a first flap 220 and a second fiap 222, that may colll~l;se a handle 224 to f~riiit~te cally~20 Printed, or otherwise disposed, on the outside surface are such things as means 206 for identify-ing the container 202. The idc.lliryillg means 206 may comprise a bar code 208, or other form of i.lro-.l.alion display (such as alpha-numeric characters), used in tracking the location of the cont~in~?r 202, and a visit number 210 idenliryillg where in the sequence of patient visits a given container 202 is to be used. The bar code 208 may 25 also con.~-ise a patient account number and a date by which the disposable container is to be delivered. Inrc,---.aLion, such as specific instructions 212 to the health care worker or delivery person, as well as a health care co..lpal-y service mark or other logo 216, may be printed on the outside surface 204. Rather than being printed, the identifying means 206 and other illr~ll''~Lion may be applied to the container 202 in the form of a 30 label or with any other method of applying il~-...alion to containers commonly known Slu~a 1 l l ulTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 to the art. Other i..rc,lll,aLion that may be applied to the outside surface 204 influcles postal codes; identifiers of re~ tions being complied with, a shipping ...~.;r~l and even a biohazard W~lllllng.
S The patient's name and address 214 may be provided on the first flap 220 to f~.ilit~te delivery and to prevent errors. It may be printed on the first flap 220 or printed on a label (e.g, a removable label) placed on the first flap 220. By plillLi~lg the patient's name and address 214 on the c~ 202, it indic~tes to the patient that an entire Gl~,....,~;on is involved in the patient's care. This offers the advantage of hl.,l~,a~;llg the 10 patient's confill~n~e in the health care o~ ;on A removable 1abel, or a label that can be p~. "~ lly covered up, may be desirable to protect the patient's privacy during the disposal process. As shown in lFlG 4B, upon comrletion of the patient visit by the health care worker, the first flap 220 may be folded down in direction of arrow A and the second flap 222 may be folded down on top of the first flap 220 in the direction of 15 alrow B thereby covering the patient's address 214. A strip oftwo-sided tape 226, or other sealing means, may be provided to the underside of the second flap 222 so that the second flap 222 will be pt;~ ntly sealed to the first flap 220 upon removing thebacl~ing of the tape 226 and folding the second flap 222 down. Any sealing means may be employed, e.g, pressure sensitive tape placed on the outside of the second flap 222, 20 merh~nic~l f~etçn~rs colll-r~ the first flap 220 and the second flap 222, glue or other adhesives, or any other method of sealing c~ commonly known to the art. As shown in FIG. 4C, the second fiap 222 may be provided with a label 228 jn~ic~tin~ the address of a waste disposal facility to which the CQ--I s~ er 202 is to uhim~tely be delivered once the co~ 202 is completely sealed. The label may also contain 25 instructions for safe h~n~llin~ and disposal of the conLalner 202.
As shown in FIG. SA, the container 202 (as seen from the top without showing the top flaps) comprises an outside surface 204 and an inside portion 244. Disposed within the inside portion 244 may be a disposable sharps container 246, which may or 30 may not be affixed to the inside portion 244 (one type of suitable disposable sharps Sll~S 1 l l IJTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 i n~ l may be of the type ~icclosed in U. S. Patent Nos. 5,163,375, 5,167,193 and 5,259,501, all issued to Withers, e~ al., and incolpo,~Led herein by ~c~lGIlce. As would be recognized to those skilled in the art, many other types of sharps c~ may also be used.), and a plurality of upright partitions 248 cl~finin~ a plurality of co,np~ l,-.e 5 250 Ll,e- ~GL~een. Placed in the colll~LInGnl~ 250 are the disposable supplies 252 ~e.luiled for the patient visit. Such supplies 252 may include such things as: a disposable emesis basin 254, sy,i"ges 256, tongue dep- essol ~ 258, a roll of adhesive tape 260, 4x4 sponges 262, cotton balls 264, rubber tubing 266, disposable bottles of antiseptic 268, single-use me~lic~tion packets 270, and any other disposable supplies used in health care.
10 As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, the above-listed supplies are only an illustrative selection of disposable supplies and the actual confi~lration of supplies would depend on the specific requi,.,."e.lLs for a given patient visit.
As shown in FIG. SB, an alternative embodiment of a non-partitioned co"La"~el-15 302 COIII~1;SGS an outside surface 304 and an inside portion 344. A non-affixed sharps co--L~i,.Gl 346, as well as a plurality of kit packs 308 may be disposed therein. As would be recognized by one skilled in the art, the features shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B may be readily intel challged without dep~ Lh~3 from the scope of the invention.
The above described embo-lim~ontc are given as illusLI~Li~e ~ .ples only. It will be readily app, t;.,iated that many deviations may be made from the specific embo~ c disclosed in this specifi~ti~n without depa, Lillg from the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embo~ above.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
Most of these workers take some kind of bag, similar to a nurses bag or a doctor's black bag, with them to carry the supplies n~cçee~ry for a visit. The health care worker typically fills one bag with supplies at a central location (or takes supplies from a supply colllailler in the trunk of her car) and takes it with her to treat several difreu ellL p~fi~nte This bag will typically contain re~ ted disposable supplies (e.g, syringes), non-re~ll~ted disposable supplies (e.g, cotton balls) and non-disposable supplies (e.g., stethoscopes). When the visit is finiehetl the non-reg7-l~ted disposable supplies are typically thrown in a garbage container, which is either put into the hollsehold garbage or carted back to a predetermined location for shipment to a waste disposal facility, and the re~-l~ted disposable supplies are returned to a central location for subsequent controlled disposal.
Disadvantages of this situation include the potential for co. ~ tion when one bag is shared between several patients, the risk of exposure to medical hazards by the health care worker, poor inventory control, and the potential for patients being charged , 30 for supplies not actually used in a visit.
There is little or~ ;on to the distribution of disposable supplies in situationssuch as home health care. Several types of mer1i~.~l kit packs can be found in the prior SlJts;j 1 1 1 UTE SHEET (RULE 26) art. These are packs co..l~;..;..g llec~ y supplies for a single type of home care procedure, and they generally fall into one offour categories: (1) wound LleA~
packs; (2) urologicQl llc~l.n~..l packs; (3) intravenous packs; and (4) general care.
These packs assemble supplies, but they generally provide no me~ A ~ for disposal 5 and tracking.
Also, there is little fee(lb~cl~ from the off-site health care worker (off-site health care worker, as used herein, means a health care worker pelrcillllillg care tasks away from a hospital or other central health care location) to the system. Such feedb~
10 could be used in adjusting the ~ 1 regime and in dete---,i- ing the patient's e~uilGlllGIlls for future visits. It could also be useful for analytical purposes to more PfficiPntly allocate resources and as input for health care lesealcl..
Several d;sL-ibulion and tracking ~k;l-ls for merlic~l supplies and mP(lic~l waste 15 are found in the prior art. Many health care providers operate under a cost r~li~ul~elllGlll system that generally tracks general episodes of l-c~ .l rather than individual supplies used. However, nowhere in the prior art is found a system for ~;~G~ Gly dispGl-:~ing and tracking disposable m~P~ic~l supplies for use in health care.
Also, an effective system for i~ol~tin~ health care p~ti~ntc from supplies used in visits to 20 other p~tiPntC is not found in the prior art.
Thus, it would be desirable to have a co-..p, ~he..si~re system for ass~;...blhlg, ~Ail~ g delivering, tracking and disposing of disposable supplies used in a single patient visit by a health care worker.
SUMMARY OF TEIE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention is a method of supplying health care workers with disposable supplies app.op.iate for a single patient visit. A re~luirG.Il~..L for 30 disposable me-iic~l supplies is determined for a patient for an associated health care worker single visit. An accounting code is recorded in an accounting ~t~hace, the code S~J~; 111 ~ITE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCTrUS96/13402 co~ onding to the disposable supplies determined to be associated with the visit. The disposable supplies detelll""cd to be associated with the visit are placed in a disposable co..l,~;..P r. The disposable conLai,~er and the disposable supplies are delivered to a first site, wLeleal a patient is to receive llr.~ prior to or simlllt~neously with the S rCsori~te(l single visit by the health care worker. The disposable conl~ler is delivered to a second site for disposal after the visit by the health care worker. Movement of the disposable collL~iner is recorded in a Ct~ lPr d~t~h~ce when the disposable co..~ l is delivered to the first site and to the second site.
In anoLller aspect, the present invention is a method of m~ns~ging supplies l~uihed by a health care worker during a single patient visit at a first predetermined site.
The procedures to be ,uc;lr~,lllled by the health worker during the single patient visit are dete.lllilled. A ~i~t~b~ce relating disposable supplies l-ecPss~.r in a specific procedure is accPssed The disposable supplies I~P~cess~ y for that procedure are placed in a 15 disposable co..~ r~ The dis~Gsable co..~ is delivered to the first predetermined site prior to the single patient visit.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is a parl~ge for use by a health care worker in providing health care services to a patient. The parl~ge complises a 20 disposable co"l~ner having an outside surface and ~Pfining an inside portion adapted to receive disposable supplies required by the health care worker for a single visit to a single patient. A means, such as a bar code, is disposed on the outside of the conL~,er for identifying the CQ-~ So that it is trackable by a tracking system. A means, such as a label, is disposed on the outside of the co"~aine, for inrlicating an address to which 25 the cont~inPr is to be delivered. A means, such as tape, is also provided for sealing the container after use so that any material disposed therein cannot be accee~ed without breaking a seal.
An advantage of the present invention is that it improves inventory m~n~gP.mPnt 30 of supplies used in health care visits.
S~J~;- 111 ~JTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 A further advantage of the present invention is that it isolates infectious materials en-,ollnt~red by health care wcll~w~, patients and waste disposal p~-~o,.nel.
A fi~rther advantage of the present invention is that it prevents a single sharps 5 CO--I*;-.f - from being used at several di~t:lc-lL tre~tm~nt sites for several p~tiPntc A further advantage of the present invention is that it allows tracking of m~
waste generated by health care.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides secure disposal of me~ l waste.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be disclosed fully in the det~iled desc.i~lion that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~IE ~IGURES OF T~E DRAWINGS
FIG I is a sch~m~tic diagram showing the steps employed in a method generally in acco, d~lce with the present invention.
FIG 2 is a flow chart det~iling the steps employed in a method in acco.dallce with a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a is a flow chart det~iling the steps employed in a method in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
~IG. 4A is a front pel ~pe~;lh~e view of a pac~ge in acco- dance with the present invention.
Sl,~S 111 LJTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 ~IG 4B is a front pel ~e.;Li~e view of a p~c~ge in acco, d~lce with the present invention as it is being sealed after use.
l~lG 4C is a front pe.~pecLi~e view of a pac~ e in accoldallce with the present invention after it has been sealed.
l~lG. 5A is a top plan view of a partitioned package in accorda~lce with the present invention :~hLJwing a represellLaLi~le selection of disposable supplies disposedtherein.
l~lG. 5B is a top plan view of a non-partitioned package in accol ~lance with the present invention showing a IGplesenLaLi~,re selection of disposable kit packs disposed therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The invention is now described in detail. R~;rellillg to the dlawillg~, like numbers intlic~te like parts throughout the views.
As used in the desc,l i~Lion herein and throughout the claims that follow, "a,"
'Lan," and "the" inclu(les plural It;rt;l~;nce unless the context clearly ~lict~tes otherwise.
The present invention is directed to a system for supplying health care workers (such as those who provide care in the patient's home or other locations) with disposable supplies necess~ry for a single patient visit, separate from non-disposable supplies. It will find its primary application in situations where a patient will receive several periodic visits from a health care worker (e.g, a nurse). As generally depicted in FIG. 1, the method ofthe present invention 10 begins with a medic~l plores~ional 20 ~ (e.g, a physician or a physical therapist) prescribing a course of Ll eA ~ for a patient to be performed at a first site, such as in the patient's home 60 or a health care facility, S~ UTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 by a health care worker 52. Instructions for the course of L~ are L ~n~ ed to a central CO~ r 30. The comrlltçr 30 afCçcces a plurality of ~tAb~ces 32, which include a first ll~t~h~ce 34 that relates the course of lle~ -l to a re~uhc...~ for disposable metlie~l supplies. A second ~ hAce 36 is an accounting d~t~bace that 5 .I~A;III;~;nC patient billing illrollllaLion and is used to post charges and acc.~unling codes to the patient's account when supplies are ~r~led for a patient visit. From h~llllaLion cor~lA;I~P~ in the first ~IAbACe 34, the cQmr~t~r 30 generates a list of supplies required for each patient visit and ll~lslllil~ the list to a patient visit supply procçssing Ol~ I;on 40. Other h~rc,lmalion may also be 11 n~IC~;I I e~l by the comr~lt~r 30, 10 in~ lin~ a list of procedures to be pelr~ lllled, a record of the patient's m~ l history, directions to the patient's home, etc.
The patient visit supply procescing Olg~ ,Al;on 40 comprises a visit supply kit assembly facility 42, where the supplies on the list genel~ed by the cQ...~ 30 are 15 &sse.llbl~' into a visit supply p?cl~ge 44. ~lth~lgh FIG. 1 shows the computer 30 as being s~&~le from both the health care prof~ cionAI~s 20 offlce and the supply processing Glg,~ n 40, it would be obvious to one skilled in the art that thecomputer 30 could be part of the data processing eqllipmçnt belonging to the health care pl~cc;on~l~s 20 office, the care providing ol~ ;on (e.g, a home nursing care 20 co...l)n.-~) or the supply procescing ol~ l;on 40.
Once the visit supply package 44 has been acc~mhled, it is made available to a delivery system 50. The delivery system 50 could colllplise the health care worker 52 physically picking up the visit supply p~ ge 44 at a depot 46 and taking it to the 25 patient's home 60 via her automobile 54, or other form of transportation, or the visit supply package 44 may be delivered to the patient's home 60 by the mail system 56, or other similar system, prior to, or cimlllt~neously with, the visit by the health care worker 52.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26 W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 The health care worker 52 may provide feedhaçl~ to the computer 30 with inro...laLion such as an accounting of the actual supplies used in each procedure pe.r~....cd Such i.~-...alion could be useful in op~ the supplies incorporated in future visit supply paC~ge~c 44 Other i..fol-nation could include i-~----~lion about the 5 patient's con~litiQn that could be inel~lded in the patient's mç~lic~l record and that could also effect the supplies required for the next visit It is not always l-ecç~s~y to get fee<lbart after any given visit, but f~edbaçl~ could effect supplies re~ ed for future visits After the visit is co---~ , the health care worker 52 can seal the supply pacL-~e 44, co .1~ the used disposable supplies, and dispose of it at a second site via a disposal system 70 The disposal system 70 could comprise depositing the supply pacl~ge 44 with a delivery service 72 for delivery to a waste disposal facility 74, such as a me.1ical in~ t.~lo~, the health care worker 52 delivering the supply par~ 44 15 directly to the disposal facility 74; or merely ll~uwi.~g the supply pac~ge 44 in a CC,ll~ . .l ;on~l garbage disposal site 76, if the situation would permit such disposal The supply package 44 could also be returned to the health care worker's 52 original place of b-lcinecc for subsequent disposal The disposal system 70 could then supply tracking inro. ll.alion to the computer 30 providing a record of the disposal of the supply 20 package 44 A more det~iled description of the process 98 of one embodiment of the present invention is depicte(l in FIG 2 One embodiment of the entire process 98 comprises five stages a referral stage 100, a p~ "; j~g stage 110, an inventory asse...blage and posting 25 stage 120, a supply .li~ g and waste collecting stage 130 and a waste disposal and manifesting stage 140 In the referral stage 100, the patient receives a referral 102 to a doctor, or other health care professional or facility The patient's problem is ~ nose~l 104 by the 30 profescion~l and a course of tre~t~n~nt 106 is specified, or p-~s-;-il>ed, by the SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) p~orec~:~ n~l At this stage data, in~ ing the course oftre~tmPnt and the patient's me-1ic~l history, is made available 108 to a health care or~ ;on.
In the pl~nning stage 110, the spe~ ed l~ is tied to a critical palhway 5 112, which is the L-es~ paLllway needed to most efflciently Pffe~l~tP a desired outcome for a given patient. The critical pathway 112 is then tied to the skill level of a health care provider 114 and to the frequency of visits and the overall episode 116, which is the coll~PctiQn of trç~tmpntc applied to a patient to achieve a desired result. The l-e~ is tied to the specific mPfiic~l supplies 118 historically required by similar 10 p~tiPntc with similar ~e~ .l req~ ;.nenl~.
In the hlv~Loly assemblage and posting stage 120, a Ll~ specific and patient-specific ;,l~,nlol y of disposable ~upplies is pre-a3se...bled into kit packs 122 at the supply kit assembly facility 42. The kit packs, sharps co..l~ , etc., are assembled 15 124 into patient bags, or supply pac~ Ps 44. The supply packages 44 are bar-coded 126 with tracking and acco~ i.lg ;-lrv-~,~A~;on and are made patient, l~e,.l.~l~nt, and visit specific with i.~rO~ l;on .eg~di-lg the visit for which the supply p~c~ ;e 44 is being ~cc~pmh!ic~ Then a list of the contents of the supply package 44 is posted 128 to the individual patient's account.
In the supply dispensing and waste collpctinE~ stage 130, the supply pac~ge 44 is given 132 either directly to the health care worker or shipped to the patient's home.
The health care worker di~.,nses 134 the mPtlic~l supplies and provides l-e~ ~I to the patient in the patient's home, with any dispensed me~ l supplies being considered 25 me~ l waste 136. The health care worker puts any medical waste into the supply package 44 which is now considered to be a me~ic~l waste container 138.
In the waste disposal and ...~I~;rP~ g stage 140, the health care worker pe...-~ tly seals the supply package 44 (now con~ Pred to be a me~ic~l waste 30 con~ain~l). A bar code on the supply package 44 acts as a ~--anir~ g identific~tion 144 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCTrUS96/13402 _ g _ for the supply p~cl~ge and the sealed supply paçL ~ge 44 is sent to a disposal site 146, such as a metlil;~l waste disposal facility. The disposal site then co.lrl-lns receipt 148 of the supply pac~g~ 44, returns any ~-ece~s~y accoulllil-g pap~;-wc,.k and disposes ofthe supply p~cl~ 44 through conv~ntion~l means.
As shown in FIG. 3, the procedure followed by the supply kit assembly facility 42 colllplises three stages. In the first stage 160, illcollling, pallets of kit packs 162 and nm~e-up supply p~ ges 164 are received by the supply kit assembly facility. In the second stage 170, incollling i.~....alion on each new patient is proc~s~ec~ by a computer 10 172, which then outputs data on each patient's supply p~çL ~e to a patient bag assembly area 174. In the patient bag assembly area, the supply p~ ges are assembled accoldil.~ to the h~llllalion provided in step 172. In the third stage 180, the ~s~mh~
supply p~çl~ges are ~l~ged by patient name and visit number 184 and are delivered 182 to either a ~ ing dock or a counter for pick-up by the health care worker.
As shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, the supply p~ç~ge 44 coll.p.ises a disposable co..l~i..e~ 202, preferably constructed from a disposable material such as cardboard, having an outside surface 204. The co..L~ler 202 has a pair of top flaps 218, a first flap 220 and a second fiap 222, that may colll~l;se a handle 224 to f~riiit~te cally~20 Printed, or otherwise disposed, on the outside surface are such things as means 206 for identify-ing the container 202. The idc.lliryillg means 206 may comprise a bar code 208, or other form of i.lro-.l.alion display (such as alpha-numeric characters), used in tracking the location of the cont~in~?r 202, and a visit number 210 idenliryillg where in the sequence of patient visits a given container 202 is to be used. The bar code 208 may 25 also con.~-ise a patient account number and a date by which the disposable container is to be delivered. Inrc,---.aLion, such as specific instructions 212 to the health care worker or delivery person, as well as a health care co..lpal-y service mark or other logo 216, may be printed on the outside surface 204. Rather than being printed, the identifying means 206 and other illr~ll''~Lion may be applied to the container 202 in the form of a 30 label or with any other method of applying il~-...alion to containers commonly known Slu~a 1 l l ulTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 to the art. Other i..rc,lll,aLion that may be applied to the outside surface 204 influcles postal codes; identifiers of re~ tions being complied with, a shipping ...~.;r~l and even a biohazard W~lllllng.
S The patient's name and address 214 may be provided on the first flap 220 to f~.ilit~te delivery and to prevent errors. It may be printed on the first flap 220 or printed on a label (e.g, a removable label) placed on the first flap 220. By plillLi~lg the patient's name and address 214 on the c~ 202, it indic~tes to the patient that an entire Gl~,....,~;on is involved in the patient's care. This offers the advantage of hl.,l~,a~;llg the 10 patient's confill~n~e in the health care o~ ;on A removable 1abel, or a label that can be p~. "~ lly covered up, may be desirable to protect the patient's privacy during the disposal process. As shown in lFlG 4B, upon comrletion of the patient visit by the health care worker, the first flap 220 may be folded down in direction of arrow A and the second flap 222 may be folded down on top of the first flap 220 in the direction of 15 alrow B thereby covering the patient's address 214. A strip oftwo-sided tape 226, or other sealing means, may be provided to the underside of the second flap 222 so that the second flap 222 will be pt;~ ntly sealed to the first flap 220 upon removing thebacl~ing of the tape 226 and folding the second flap 222 down. Any sealing means may be employed, e.g, pressure sensitive tape placed on the outside of the second flap 222, 20 merh~nic~l f~etçn~rs colll-r~ the first flap 220 and the second flap 222, glue or other adhesives, or any other method of sealing c~ commonly known to the art. As shown in FIG. 4C, the second fiap 222 may be provided with a label 228 jn~ic~tin~ the address of a waste disposal facility to which the CQ--I s~ er 202 is to uhim~tely be delivered once the co~ 202 is completely sealed. The label may also contain 25 instructions for safe h~n~llin~ and disposal of the conLalner 202.
As shown in FIG. SA, the container 202 (as seen from the top without showing the top flaps) comprises an outside surface 204 and an inside portion 244. Disposed within the inside portion 244 may be a disposable sharps container 246, which may or 30 may not be affixed to the inside portion 244 (one type of suitable disposable sharps Sll~S 1 l l IJTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 97/07473 PCT~US96/13402 i n~ l may be of the type ~icclosed in U. S. Patent Nos. 5,163,375, 5,167,193 and 5,259,501, all issued to Withers, e~ al., and incolpo,~Led herein by ~c~lGIlce. As would be recognized to those skilled in the art, many other types of sharps c~ may also be used.), and a plurality of upright partitions 248 cl~finin~ a plurality of co,np~ l,-.e 5 250 Ll,e- ~GL~een. Placed in the colll~LInGnl~ 250 are the disposable supplies 252 ~e.luiled for the patient visit. Such supplies 252 may include such things as: a disposable emesis basin 254, sy,i"ges 256, tongue dep- essol ~ 258, a roll of adhesive tape 260, 4x4 sponges 262, cotton balls 264, rubber tubing 266, disposable bottles of antiseptic 268, single-use me~lic~tion packets 270, and any other disposable supplies used in health care.
10 As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, the above-listed supplies are only an illustrative selection of disposable supplies and the actual confi~lration of supplies would depend on the specific requi,.,."e.lLs for a given patient visit.
As shown in FIG. SB, an alternative embodiment of a non-partitioned co"La"~el-15 302 COIII~1;SGS an outside surface 304 and an inside portion 344. A non-affixed sharps co--L~i,.Gl 346, as well as a plurality of kit packs 308 may be disposed therein. As would be recognized by one skilled in the art, the features shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B may be readily intel challged without dep~ Lh~3 from the scope of the invention.
The above described embo-lim~ontc are given as illusLI~Li~e ~ .ples only. It will be readily app, t;.,iated that many deviations may be made from the specific embo~ c disclosed in this specifi~ti~n without depa, Lillg from the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embo~ above.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
Claims (35)
1. A method of supplying health care workers with disposable supplies appropriate for a single patient visit, comprising the steps of:
a. determining a requirement for disposable medical supplies for a patient for an associated single visit;
b. placing said disposable supplies determined to be associated with the visit in a disposable container;
c. delivering said disposable container and said disposable supplies to a first site, whereat a patient is to receive treatment, prior to the associated single visit by the health care worker;
d. delivering said disposable container to a second site for disposal after the visit by the health care worker; and e. recording movement of said disposable container in a computer database when said disposable container is delivered to the first site and to the second site.
a. determining a requirement for disposable medical supplies for a patient for an associated single visit;
b. placing said disposable supplies determined to be associated with the visit in a disposable container;
c. delivering said disposable container and said disposable supplies to a first site, whereat a patient is to receive treatment, prior to the associated single visit by the health care worker;
d. delivering said disposable container to a second site for disposal after the visit by the health care worker; and e. recording movement of said disposable container in a computer database when said disposable container is delivered to the first site and to the second site.
2. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of recording an accounting code in an accounting database, said code corresponding to said disposable supplies determined to be associated with the visit.
3. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of posting a charge for said disposable container and said disposable supplies contained therein to an account each time one of said disposable containers is delivered to a first site.
4. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of affixing a disposable sharps container to said disposable container.
5. The method of Claim 1, wherein the first site is the patient's residence.
6. The method of Claim 1, wherein the first site is a personal care facility.
7. The method of Claim 1, wherein the first site is a nursing home.
8. The method of Claim 1, wherein the first site is a distribution depot where the health care worker takes possession of said container.
9. The method of Claim 1, wherein the second site is a medical waste disposal facility.
10. The method of Claim 1, wherein the second site is a trash receptacle.
11. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving feedback information from the health care worker about the patient visit.
12. The method of Claim 11, wherein said feedback information comprises information about the condition of the patient.
13. The method of Claim 11, wherein said feedback information comprises information about the quantity of disposable supplies actually used during the visit.
14. A method of managing supplies required by a health care worker during a single patient visit at a first predetermined site, comprising the steps of:
a. determining the procedures to be performed by the health worker during the single patient visit;
b. accessing a database relating disposable supplies necessary for said procedures;
c. placing said disposable supplies necessary for said procedures in a disposable container; and d. delivering said disposable container to the first predetermined site prior to the single patient visit.
a. determining the procedures to be performed by the health worker during the single patient visit;
b. accessing a database relating disposable supplies necessary for said procedures;
c. placing said disposable supplies necessary for said procedures in a disposable container; and d. delivering said disposable container to the first predetermined site prior to the single patient visit.
15. The method of Claim 14, further comprising the step of delivering said disposable container to a second predetermined site subsequent to the patient visit.
16. The method of Claim 15, wherein said second site comprises a medical waste disposal facility.
17. The method of Claim 15, wherein said second site comprises a trash receptacle.
18. The method of Claim 14, further comprising the step of transmitting to the health care worker a list of procedures to be performed during the single patient visit.
19. The method of Claim 14, further comprising the step of transmitting to the health care worker directions to the patient's home.
20. The method of Claim 14, wherein the first predetermined site is the patient's residence.
21. A package for use by a health care worker in performing health care services to a patient, comprising:
a. a disposable container, having an outside surface and defining an inside portion, adapted to receive disposable supplies required by the health care worker for a single visit to a single patient;
b. means, disposed on the outside of said container, for identifying said container so that it is trackable by a tracking system;
c. means, disposed on the outside of said container, for indicating an address to which said container is to be delivered; and d. means for sealing said container after use so that any material disposed therein cannot be accessed without breaking a seal.
a. a disposable container, having an outside surface and defining an inside portion, adapted to receive disposable supplies required by the health care worker for a single visit to a single patient;
b. means, disposed on the outside of said container, for identifying said container so that it is trackable by a tracking system;
c. means, disposed on the outside of said container, for indicating an address to which said container is to be delivered; and d. means for sealing said container after use so that any material disposed therein cannot be accessed without breaking a seal.
22. The package of Claim 21, further comprising a disposable sharps container affixed to said inside portion of said disposable container.
23. The package of Claim 21, further comprising a disposable sharps container placed within said disposable container.
24. The package of Claim 21, wherein said sealing means covers said address indicating means once said container has been sealed by said sealing means.
25. The package of Claim 21, wherein said identifying means comprises a bar code printed on the outside of said disposable container.
26. The package of Claim 21, wherein said identifying means comprises a label applied to the outside of said disposable container.
27. The package of Claim 21, wherein said identifying means comprises alpha-numeric characters applied to the outside of said disposable container.
28. The package of Claim 21, wherein said identifying means comprises tracking information.
29. The package of Claim 28, wherein said tracking information includes a patient account number.
30. The package of Claim 28, wherein said tracking information includes delivery information.
31. The package of Claim 28, wherein said tracking information includes an identification of a visit number.
32. The package of Claim 28, wherein said tracking information includes a date by which said disposable container is to be delivered.
33. The package of Claim 21, wherein said address indicating means is a removable label.
34. The package of Claim 21, further comprising means for indicating an address of a waste disposal facility.
35. The package of Claim 34 wherein said indicating means is visible on the outside of said container only after said container has been sealed with said sealing means.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US08/516,873 US5752234A (en) | 1995-08-18 | 1995-08-18 | Method and apparatus for managing disposable medical supplies appropriate for a single patient visit |
| US08/516,873 | 1995-08-18 | ||
| PCT/US1996/013402 WO1997007473A1 (en) | 1995-08-18 | 1996-08-19 | Method and apparatus for managing disposable medical supplies appropriate for a single patient visit |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2229997A1 true CA2229997A1 (en) | 1997-02-27 |
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ID=24057457
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002229997A Abandoned CA2229997A1 (en) | 1995-08-18 | 1996-08-19 | Method and apparatus for managing disposable medical supplies appropriate for a single patient visit |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US5752234A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU6850796A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2229997A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1997007473A1 (en) |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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| WO1997007473A1 (en) | 1997-02-27 |
| US5752234A (en) | 1998-05-12 |
| AU6850796A (en) | 1997-03-12 |
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