Apparatus and method for providing a conscious patient relief from pain and anxiety associated with medical or surgical procedures

A system for electronically tracking recurring revenues generated by a drug delivery device, said system comprising:

• a drug delivery apparatus, said drug delivery apparatus comprising a controllable drug delivery device adapted to deliver a drug to a patient, an electronic controller connected to the drug delivery device for varying the rate of delivery of drug to the patient, and a patient health monitoring device adapted to generate a signal reflecting the health status of the patient;
• and wherein said electronic controller is adapted to receive said signal and vary delivery of the drug to the patient in accord with said signal so as to ensure safety of the patient;
• an on-site electronic revenue tracking unit attached to said apparatus and adapted to read data including metered operation values and patient information from said drug delivery apparatus;
• and
• a remote revenue processing center electronically connected to said revenue tracking unit and adapted to receive said data from said revenue tracking unit;
• wherein said remote revenue processing center is adapted to calculate a revenue based on said metered operation values, and provide a record reflecting said revenue and patient information.

A method for electronically tracking recurring revenues generated by use of a drug delivery apparatus at the location of a user and patient, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing the drug delivery apparatus at the location of the user and the patient, said apparatus having a user access device and a memory device, said memory device storing data representing metered operation values, informational data regarding the patient, and control parameter data establishing safe and undesirable parameters regarding a responsiveness level of the patient during the administering of pain or anxiety relieving drugs, said drug delivery apparatus being adapted to electronically monitor the level of responsiveness of the patient and electronically manage the delivery of said pain or anxiety relieving drugs to the patient in accord with a comparison of the monitored level of responsiveness of the patient and said parameters;
• recording metered operation values that reflect the amount of drug delivered to the patient;
• reading said metered operation values and patient informational data;
• calculating a revenue based on said metered operation values;
• and
• providing a record reflecting said revenue and patient informational data.