US 5,171,977 AGranted

Portable medical specimen data collection system

AssigneeSunquest Information Systems, Inc.

InventorRobert L. Morrison

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system for collecting data relating to medical specimens includes a hand-held terminal incorporating a bar code reader and a keyboard for receiving information for identifying a medical specimen and a medical specimen source, an internal memory within the hand-held terminal for storing information including information identifying medical specimens and corresponding medical specimen sources, and application software operating within the hand-held terminal responsive to the input devices and the internal memory for verifying that the medical specimen identified by the received information should properly be collected from the medical specimen source identified by the received information. An LCD display, LEDs and an audible signal indicate whether the medical specimen identified by the received information should properly be collected from the medical specimen source identified by the received information. The hand-held terminal also functions to store in its internal memory information identifying a time at which the medical specimen is collected from the medical specimen source and information identifying alphanumeric codes relating to procedures performed in collecting the medical specimen from the medical specimen source.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A portable data collection system for collecting data relating to medical specimens, comprising:

input means for receiving first identifying information from a medical specimen label identifying a medical specimen and for receiving second identifying information from a patient's person identifying a patient;
memory means for storing verification information, said verification information including information relating medical specimens to patients;
means responsive to said input means and said memory means for comparing said verification information to said first identifying information and for confirming that the medical specimen identified by said first identifying information is to be collected from the patient identified by said second identifying information;
output means responsive to said means for comparing for indicating whether the medical specimen identified by said first identifying information is to be collected from the patient identified by said second identifying information;
first means responsive to user data entry at said input means for selectively storing in said memory means information identifying a time at which the confirmed medical specimen is collected from the patient;
second means responsive to user data entry at said input means for selectively storing in said memory means information identifying alphanumeric codes relating to procedures performed in collecting the confirmed medical specimen from the patient;
and
third means responsive to suer data entry at said input means for selectively storing in said memory means information identifying data relating to laboratory tests to be performed on the confirmed medical specimen.

5 more elements

A method for collecting data relating to medical specimens, comprising the steps of:

receiving first identifying information from a medical specimen label identifying a medical specimen;
storing verification information, said verification information including information relating medical specimens to patients;
comparing said verification information to said first identifying information to identify a patient associated with the medical specimen;
receiving second identifying information from a patient's person identifying a patient;
confirming that the medical specimen identified by said first identifying information is to be collected from the patient identified by said second identifying information;
indicating whether the medical specimen identified by said first identifying information is to be collected from the patient identified by said second identifying information;
selectively storing in response to user data entry information identifying a time at which the confirmed medical specimen is collected from the patient;
selectively storing in response to user data entry information identifying alphanumeric codes relating to procedures performed in collecting the confirmed medical specimen from the patient;
and
selectively storing in response to user data entry information identifying data relating to laboratory tests to be performed on the confirmed medical specimen.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/523,109Filed 14 May 1990
Granted: 15 Dec 1992
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A61B 90/90
Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00,…
G16H 10/20
ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of patient-related medical or healthcare data: for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
G16H 10/40
ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of patient-related medical or healthcare data: for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g.…
G16H 10/60
ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of patient-related medical or healthcare data: for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic…