Management of pending medication orders

A method of detecting diversion of controlled medications, the method comprising the steps of;

• receiving a controlled-item-removed signal indicating that a controlled medication was removed from storage in an Automated Dispensing Machine (ADM), the controlled-item-removed signal comprising a medication identifier of the removed controlled medication;
• starting a controlled-item-removed transaction upon receipt of the controlled-item-removed signal;
• tracking an elapsed time since the receipt of the controlled-item-removed signal;
• stop tracking the elapsed time and resolving the controlled-item-removed transaction when a controlled-item-administration signal is received;
• issuing an alert signal when the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined threshold without receiving the controlled-item-administration signal indicating that the controlled medication identified in the controlled-item-removed signal was administered to a patient;
• and updating a medical transaction log to reflect a resolution of the alert when at least one of the following occurs:
• the controlled medication is returned to the ADM, or a wasted controlled medication is reported, wherein the medical transaction log comprises:
• a correction to an error in a medication administration data.

A system for managing pending medication orders pertaining to a patient located in a healthcare facility;

• the system comprising:
• an Automated Dispensing Machine (ADM) configured to store controlled medications and provide a controlled-item-removed signal when controlled medications are removed from the ADM, each controlled-item-removed signal comprising a medication identifier for the respective removed controlled medication;
• a server communicatively coupled to the ADM, the server configured to receive the controlled-item-removed signal from the ADM, and to start a controlled-item-removed transaction upon receipt of the controlled-item-removed signal;
• and an infusion pump communicatively coupled to the server, the infusion pump configured to acquire the medication identifier from a medication container and provide infusion data to the server when an infusion has been started;
• the infusion data comprising the medication identifier for the medication being administered by the infusion pump;
• wherein the server is further configured to monitor an elapsed time since receipt of the controlled-item-removed signal;
• stop monitoring the elapsed time and resolving the controlled-item-removed transaction when a controlled-item-administration signal is received and generate an alert signal when the controlled-item-administration signal is not received within a preselected amount of elapsed time, wherein the server is configured to update a medical transaction log to reflect a resolution of the alert when at least one of the following occurs:
• the controlled medication is returned to the ADM, or a wasted controlled medication is reported, and further wherein the medical transaction log comprises a correction to an error in the infusion data.