REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS(S)  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/526,810, filed Dec. 4, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention related to medical pumps, and more particularly to programming medical pumps with electronic standing order templates.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     In order to improve patient safety and overall efficiencies, hospitals oftentimes create standing orders for various types of drug delivery. These standing orders are usually for a therapy, not a drug. For example, standing orders for patient controlled analgesia oftentimes allow the doctor to choose from a list of drugs indicated for the therapy. Once the doctor has chosen a particular drug he/she fills in the blanks with the specific delivery parameters for that drug. The standing orders sheet is a paper worksheet that provides ranges and starting values along with other clinically pertinent information to aid the doctor in properly prescribing the particular therapy and the nurse in properly delivering and monitoring the therapy.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     In general terms, the present invention is directed to programming a medical pump by selecting a therapy from a memory.  
         [0005]     One aspect of the present invention is a computer readable medium in a computer apparatus. The computer readable medium contains a database, the database programmed to including a plurality of therapies, a plurality of therapeutic agents, at least one of the therapeutic agents being linked to at least one therapy, and a plurality of standing orders, each standing order including data for controlling operation of a programmable medical pump.  
         [0006]     Another aspect of the present invention is a computer readable medium in a programmable medical pump. The computer readable medium containing a database, the database programmed to including a plurality of therapies, a plurality of therapeutic agents, at least one of the therapeutic agents being linked to at least one therapy, and a plurality of standing orders, each standing order including data for controlling operation of a programmable medical pump.  
         [0007]     Another aspect of the present invention is a programmable pump for delivering fluid to a patient. The pump comprises a pump mechanism and a programmable circuit arranged to control the pump mechanism. Memory is in electrical communication with the programmable circuit. The memory is configured to store one or more therapies, one or more therapeutic agents, and links between at least one of the therapies and at least one of the therapeutic agents.  
         [0008]     Another aspect of the claimed invention is an apparatus for programming a medical pump. The apparatus comprises memory loaded with a database, the database including one or more therapies, one or more therapeutic agents, and one or more standing order templates. A data output is configured for data communication with a programmable medical pump. A processor is in electrical communication with the memory and the data output. The processor is configured to select a therapy from the memory; select a therapeutic agent from the memory after selection of a therapy; and generate a standing order corresponding to the selected therapy and the selected therapeutic agent.  
         [0009]     Yet another aspect of the claimed invention is a method of programming a medical pump, the method comprising: selecting a therapy from a memory; upon selection of a therapy, selecting a therapeutic agent for delivery; and generating a standing order, the standing order including data for controlling operation of the medical pump. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a system of one possible embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a table illustrating electronic standing orders.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of operations for one possible embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of operations for another possible embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views. Reference to the preferred embodiment does not limit the scope of the present invention.  
         [0015]     Additionally, the logical operations of the various embodiments of the invention described herein are implemented as: (1) a sequence of computer implemented steps running on a computing system; and/or (2) interconnected machine modules within the computing system. The implementation used is a matter of choice dependent on the performance requirements of the desk-top computer, server, mobile computing platform, and medical pump. Accordingly, the logical operations making up the embodiments of the invention described herein are referred to alternatively as operations, steps, or modules.  
         [0016]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , one possible embodiment includes a computer network  100  such as a local area network, to which a server  102  and a plurality of computers  104  are connected. Memory storing one or more databases  106  is in data communication with the server  102 . In one possible embodiment, the one or more databases  106  includes a standing order database  114  and a patient database  116 . Additionally, a mobile computing platform  108  such as a personal data device (PDA)  108   a  or tablet PC  108   b  can be connected to one of the computers  104  and information can be synchronized. In an alternative embodiment, the mobile computing platform  108  can be in data communication with the server through a wireless network link. The mobile computing platform  108  also can be in data communication with a medical pump  110  through either a wired or a wireless link  112  such as a radio frequency (RF) data link or an infrared data link.  
         [0017]     In an alternative embodiment, the medical pump  110  has a wireless network connector and can connect directly to the network  11  through a wireless link rather than through a computer  104  or a mobile computing platform  108 . In yet another possible embodiment, the medical pump  110  could include a hardwired network connection.  
         [0018]     The standing order database  114  includes a library of standing orders. Each standing order record includes information about the drug to which it relates, the therapy to which it relates, and a template for entering prescription information and pump operating parameters. The terms drug and medication are used interchangeably to refer to any fluid (e.g., pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, etc.) that a medical pump  110  might inject into a patient&#39;s body.  
         [0019]     The database can include rules defining the data that a user can enter. For example, one rule might limit the identity of a drug to only certain types of therapies. Another rule might limit the range of pump operating parameters for a particular drug. Yet another rule might set predefined patient care instructions for a particular therapy or drug.  
         [0020]     One possible embodiment of a standing orders template is shown in  FIG. 2 . Generally, the responsible person creates a standing order by naming it, for example “Standing Orders for adult patient controlled analgesia,” specifying the drug or drugs that can be used for this particular therapy, and specifying how the pump  110  should be programmed for this particular combination of therapy and drug. An advantage of this approach is that the drug is being used in context of the therapy specific standing order and therefore specific pump programming can be associated with the drug.  
         [0021]     Once a library of electronic standing orders is created, the orders can be stored in the standing order database  114  and stored on an individual computer  104 , stored on the server  102 . Additionally, the library of electronic standing orders can be synchronized to a device such as a mobile computer  108 , or downloaded into a medical pump  110 . In other embodiments, the library of electronic standing orders can be stored on the pump  110 . In yet other possible embodiments, only a smaller set of the electronic standing orders from the library of electronic standing orders is stored on the mobile computing platform  108  or the pump  110 .  
         [0022]     The patient database  116  includes a list of drugs and therapies prescribed to a particular patient. The patient database  116  includes a patient I.D. such as the patient name or identification number, patient care instructions specific to the patient, pump parameters, and a data key identifying the standing order template associated with the prescribed therapy and drug.  
         [0023]     In an alternative embodiment, if the medical pump  110  is connected directly to the network  100  through a wireless link, the user retrieves the electronic standing order form directly on the pump  110  by connecting the pump  110  to the network  100  through a wireless network connection. The user can then directly access the library of electronic standing order forms on the database  106 , select the desired electronic standing order form, and complete the electronic standing order form without having to synchronize the pump to a computer  104  or a mobile computing platform  108 .  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in use a caregiver prescribes a particular therapy and associated drug for a patient at operation  300 . The caregiver then retrieves the standing order template related to the prescribed therapy and drug at operation  302 . In one possible embodiment, the caregiver first selects the prescribed therapy from a menu that lists the therapies for which there is an electronic standing order. The user then selects the prescribed drug from a submenu that is hierarchically subservient to the menu item corresponding to the selected therapy. The submenu of drugs will list those drugs that are available for use with the selected therapy. The user selects the prescribed drug from this list. In this embodiment, the various drugs that the pump  110  can deliver are organized and listed as subsets of the various therapies that use the drugs, and both the therapy and drugs are electronically linked to a particular electronic standing order.  
         [0025]     The electronic standing order corresponding to the selected therapy and drug is produced for completion by the caregiver, operation  308 . If the pump  110  is connected directly to a computer  104 , the caregiver can fill in the standing order template, operation  308 , on the computer  104  itself. If the pump  110  is not connected to a computer  104 , the caregiver synchronizes the mobile computer with the database to download the standing order template, operation  306 . The caregiver can then fill in the standing order template, operation  308 , on the mobile computer  108 . In another alternative embodiment, the mobile computing platform  108  is connected to the network  100  via a wireless network link and can retrieve the standing order template from the database  106  without being synchronized with a computer  104 .  
         [0026]     After a caregiver electronically completes the standing order template by filling out the “Orders” fields, operation  308 , he or she saves the data of the standing order specific to a given patient. Patient data for the specific orders could then be found (perhaps by a scanning a patient&#39;s wristband), and sent to the pump  110 , operation  310 , and the patient can begin his or her therapy. The patient specific order is saved in the patient database  116 . In one possible embodiment, the patient specific data is synchronized with the computer  104  and stored in the patient database  116 , operation  312 . In another possible embodiment, the patient specific data is not synchronized, but is stored in the patient database  116  through a wireless network connection between the mobile computer  108  and the server  102 . Additionally, the “Orders” fields of a specific standing order/drug combination could be electronically filled out in advance by the physician or the nurse could fill in the blanks from written orders. The drug pump  110  could be programmed to require entries in all the “Orders” fields or be allowed to use default values.  
         [0027]     Standing orders also typically include other instructions for patient care. For example, the standing order may include instructions on how often to evaluate the patient&#39;s condition or what to do if the patient&#39;s respiration drops below a certain threshold. Some of this additional instruction, if entered in a structured way, could be used by the pump  110  and/or other equipment to aid in patient care. For example, if the standing order instructs the evaluate nurse to evaluate and the patient&#39;s condition every two hours, the mobile computer  108  used to program the pump  110  or the pump  110  could sound an alarm every two hours as a reminder to the nurse. If the standing orders specify a respiratory rate below which the nurse is instructed to take action, the pump  110  could be combined with a pulse oximeter and using the data in the standing orders sound an alarm if respiration falls below specified limit.  
         [0028]     Yet another possible method of use is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, the user creates one or more electronic standing order forms, operation  400 , and stores one or more of the electronic standing order forms on the medical pump  100 , operation  402 . Once a therapy and drug are prescribed, the caregiver selects the prescribed therapy from a menu selection on the pump, operation  404 , and then selects the prescribed drug, operation  406 . The pump  110  then retrieves the electronic standing order that corresponds to the selected therapy and drug and the user completes the retrieved standing order form, operation  408 .  
         [0029]     The user saves the completed electronic standing order form and activates the pump  110 , operation  410 . After the electronic standing order form is completed and activated, the pump  110  begins to deliver the drug using the delivery protocol set forth in the completed electronic standing order form. In one possible embodiment, the user can enter the patient&#39;s identification information into electronic standing order form so that it may be saved. One might store this information for historical purposes or so that the complete electronic standing order can be used to reprogram the pump  110  or a different pump  110  for that patient. The user also may upload the completed electronic standing order form and save it in the database  106 .  
         [0030]     The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the invention. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the present invention without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
A method of programming a medical pump, the method comprising: selecting a therapy from a memory; upon selection of a therapy, selecting a therapeutic agent for delivery; and generating a standing order, the standing order including data for controlling operation of the medical pump.