1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to containers or vessels for collecting fluid samples from patients, that comprise means for containing and sharing information about the contents of the fluid samples in the container and the patient. More particularly, this invention relates to a means that is removably affixed to a vessel or container that can be linked electronically to the operating stations in a laboratory and/or removed mechanically and subsequently attached to another document or container.
2. Description of Related Art
Test specimens are typically collected by a medical technician, preferably at a medical facility, for testing in a container. Specimens, such as blood, are placed in containers called blood collection tubes and transported or shipped to a test facility together with test request documents.
It is important that once the specimen is collected in a container, that the donor of the specimen is properly identified. Incorrect identification could result in various misdiagnosis. Any indication that the specimen is not properly identified would require recollection. The test facility matches the blood collection tubes and test request documents received from the medical facility, performs the prescribed tests indicated by the test request document on the specimens and reports the test results to the medical facility.
Often, a physician may request multiple tests for one patient. Therefore, tests carried out by a test facility involve several thousand items, and the sizes and shapes of the containers that hold the specimens also include several dozen types. Therefore, laboratory facilities can be faced with managing thousands of requests per day. This presents many challenges in assuring that results are accurately transcribed back to the requesting physician and then ultimately to the patient.
In current laboratory settings, there are several ways that a container containing a specimen can arrive in a laboratory. For example, a container is transported from the collection site with a separate document such as a test request to the testing facility. The personnel at the testing facility receive these separate items and begin processing them together. This can involve entering data from the test request into a computer that electronically links test request information to information about the patient that is already available in the computer system. Additional steps may include obtaining some type of label and attaching it to the container.
These processing steps are subject to human error which could result with inaccurate information and tests results. Therefore, a need exists to link patient, test specimen and test request information that is efficient, cost effective, will enhance the accuracy of reporting test results and will eliminate the need for secondary labeling of containers.
Currently, collection containers are over-labeled with an identifier to control and monitor the specimens prior to and during processing. In most cases, and for those laboratories using integrated, automated systems for specimen processing, the identifier is a barcode.
There exists a need to improve the efficiency of systems for specimen processing whereby information can be easily found on the collection container.
The present invention is a means for providing electronic information onto or into substrates that can be placed onto, uncoded or embedded with a container prior to the container being used as a specimen collection device.
Preferably, the substrate may contain human readable information from the label or the collection vessel.
Preferably, the substrate may contain electronic information technology that can be activated, scanned, transferred and stored into other media.
Most preferably, the substrate includes a means for detaching a portion of the substrate for use with related documents or other related containers.
The present invention is a collection container comprising a label that comprises a machine readable barcode identification and a portion of the label and barcode can be removed from the container and subsequently affixed to test request forms and the like. The label of the present invention is able to create a direct link between the container, the patient and the test request forms.
Preferably, the label of the present invention comprises a permanent section and a peel away section. Most preferably, a double bar code is on the label wherein the permanent section and the peel away section of the label share the barcode information and features. In addition to the barcode information on the label, the label may also contain a writing area and/or be color coordinated with other information such as the type of container it is associated with.
Preferably, the bar code information contains information regarding the tube, the test requirements to be performed and/or patient identification.
Most preferably, the peel away section comprises a tab that allows the user to quickly and efficiently remove the peel away section from the label and attach it to a document or another container.
Most preferably, the size of the double bar code is such that it can surround the container with a wrap angle of up to about 360xc2x0. Therefore, misreading of the bar code by electronic devices is substantially minimized because alignment of the electronic device or scanner and label is not required. The bar code angle wrap provides an improved interface with both manual and automatic bar code scanning devices. In the testing laboratory, some automation tube handling systems will transport the tubes on a track to various testing stations in the laboratory environment. The tube, with a bar code label and a small angle wrap, is rotated while scanned to ensure high quality bar code reads at various points along the track. Therefore, the bar code label with a wide angle wrap minimizes the rotation necessary to read the bar code, thereby increasing the production rate of the testing stations in the laboratory.
Preferably, a bar code wrap angle of 360xc2x0 will provide a means for the automated equipment to read the bar code with minimal rotation and less time.
In use, the label is on a container that is subsequently used in a specimen collection procedure. The barcode on the label contains human readable information and/or electronic information that can be activated, scanned, transferred and stored into other media. Once a specimen is collected, the peel away section of the label is removed and applied to a test request form.
The label of the present invention minimizes the amount of curl-up associated with the inherent material characteristics of pulling and peeling action.
Most notably, the double barcode label of the present invention allows the customer to create a direct link between the patient form, patient and specimen/tube.