Method for verification of a patient and of a medical treatment to be delivered to this patient

Abstract

A method is provided for verification of the identity of a patient to which a medical treatment is to be delivered. The identity of the patient is verified and the treatment to be delivered is checked. In some embodiments, an identifying element such as patient chart or patient photograph is provided for the patient which includes a patient identifier, e.g., a barcode, capable of being read by a reader device located within the treatment room. In these embodiments, the patient identifier is read by the reader device in the treatment room and a characteristic audio signal, previously assigned to the patient and known to the patient, is generated in response to the reading of the identifying element when there is a match between the patient identifier and a stored identifier for the patient. Treatment of the patient is at least temporarily withheld if any audio signal generated in response to reading of the patient identifier by the reader device is not the characteristic audio signal assigned to the patient. A special patient chart with a removable identifier can be used.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.