Abstract: A system implementable in a network including a plurality of electronic devices coupled to each other via a communication medium includes a consumer configured to advertise at least one characteristic of the consumer. The system further includes a producer configured to initiate the creation of an event-channel by a core services element and provide a service to the consumer based on the at least one characteristic.

Abstract: A method of tracking dispensed medical items for use by patients associated with a health care institution. The method includes storing in a data store in connection with a computer, data representative of patients and medical items prescribed for the patients. A record is included in the data store of prescribed medical items for patients that have been dispensed. The dispensed medical items are tracked to the point of giving the item to the patients using portable terminals that are carried to the bedside of the patients. The activity of giving the appropriate medical item to each respective patient is recorded in the portable terminal as the medical items are given to the patients. The data stored in the portable terminal is communicated to the data store to provide a record that the medical items dispensed for a patient were actually administered.

Abstract: A medication order processing system (10) includes a plurality of nursing stations (12, 14, 16). Physician orders prescribing medications for patients are faxed from the nursing stations to a computer which is included in an interchange fax station (28) located at the pharmacy. The interchange fax station is operative to prioritize the orders and to present them to pharmacists working at pharmacist work stations (40, 42). Pharmacist work stations are enabled to review, electronically annotate, and input orders reviewed at the pharmacy work station into a pharmacy order system of the facility. Input to the pharmacy order system results in the medication being administered to the patient. Data related to each patient to which a medication order pertains is captured from screen outputs from the pharmacy order system. The captured data is analyzed to produce data that is stored in a database of the medication order system in correlated relation with image data corresponding to images of medication orders.

Abstract: An in-memory tuple-space is created for a primary data store or access by information content versus content location. A very-small-imprint hypervisor or other implementation of a MILS architecture is created underneath the space or other store and used for store and transport of messages and/or information. This provides scalability, performance and solves the problem of delays in development authorization in multilevel security applications.

Abstract: A method, implementable in a system coupled to a display device and a network, includes generating in a first region of a screen of the display device a user-interface portion associated with a first electronic destination address. The user-interface portion is configured to receive from a second region of the screen, in response to a command by a user of the system, a first icon representing a data set. In response to the user-interface portion receiving the first icon, a copy of the data set, or the data set itself, is electronically transferred over the network to the first destination address.

Abstract: A system implementable in a network including a plurality of electronic devices coupled to each other via a communication medium includes a consumer configured to advertise at least one characteristic of the consumer. The system further includes a producer configured to initiate the creation of an event-channel by a core services element and provide a service to the consumer based on the at least one characteristic.

Abstract: The system for monitoring and dispensing medical items which are dispensed for administration to patients includes a data terminal (76, 338) which is connected through a network (82, 328) to at least one remote computer (84, 324) having a processor and a data store. The system also includes a reading device (348) which is connected to the network. A user of the data terminal or the reading device is enabled to select a patient for whom medical items will be used, and responsive to a request to dispense items the requested items are dispensed from dispensing devices (96, 100, 344, 346, 450, 527) connected to the data terminal. A report generating device (384) generates reports (388) which include machine readable indicia corresponding to patients and/or medical items. Users may select patients and dispense medications by reading the indicia from the reports using the reading device.

Abstract: A Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Communication Model (CM) allows a service producer to seek out service consumer types and to send them information. The consumer, actively or passively, is also configured to “advertise.” The information that is advertised could come (passively) from information already in a system, such as an application architecture, comprising the roles and attributes in a consumer's security certificate(s). The information could come (actively) from a registry of users with a system-user ontology that is created especially for this purpose and otherwise is not already in the system. This approach will allow a producer to initiate sending information to a consumer.

Abstract: An in-memory tuple-space is created for a primary data store or access by information content versus content location. A very-small-imprint hypervisor or other implementation of a MILS architecture is created underneath the space or other store and used for store and transport of messages and/or information. This provides scalability, performance and solves the problem of delays in development authorization in multilevel security applications.

Abstract: A system is implementable in a network including a plurality of electronic devices coupled to each other via a communication medium. The system includes a first mobile agent object executable on an electronic device of the plurality and operable to perform a first operation on a data set. A second mobile agent object is executable on an electronic device of the plurality and operable to perform a second operation on a data set. A composition object is operable to enable the first mobile agent object to provide the data set to the second mobile agent object if the first mobile agent object and second mobile agent object are executing on the same electronic device of the plurality. At least one bridging object is operable to enable the first mobile agent object to provide the data set to the second mobile agent object if the first mobile agent object and second mobile agent object are executing on different electronic devices of the plurality.

Abstract: An exemplary medication order processing system (10) includes a plurality of nursing stations (12, 14, 16). Physician orders prescribing medications for patients are faxed from the nursing stations to a computer which is included in an interchange fax station (28) located at the pharmacy. Physician orders for medications are selectively sent to either a priority or normal fax number based on the urgency associated with delivering the medication to the patient. The interchange fax station is operative to prioritize the orders and to present them to pharmacists working at pharmacist work stations (40, 42). Pharmacist work stations are enabled to review, electronically annotate, and input orders reviewed at the pharmacy work station into a pharmacy order system of the facility. Input to the pharmacy order system results in the medication being administered to the patient.

Abstract: A Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Communication Model (CM) allows a service producer to seek out service consumer types and to send them information. The consumer, actively or passively, is also configured to “advertise.” The information that is advertised could come (passively) from information already in a system, such as an application architecture, comprising the roles and attributes in a consumer's security certificate(s). The information could come (actively) from a registry of users with a system-user ontology that is created especially for this purpose and otherwise is not already in the system. This approach will allow a producer to initiate sending information to a consumer.

Abstract: A system is implementable in a network including a plurality of coupled electronic devices. The system includes a first mobile agent object executable on an electronic device and operable to perform a first operation on a data set. A second mobile agent object is executable on an electronic device and operable to perform a second operation on a data set. A composition object is operable to enable the first mobile agent object to provide the data set to the second mobile agent object if the first mobile agent object and second mobile agent object are executing on the same electronic device. At least one bridging object can enable the first mobile agent object to provide the data set to the second mobile agent object if the first mobile agent object and second mobile agent object are executing on different electronic devices.

Abstract: A system for monitoring and dispensing medical items includes a plurality of hook registers (10). Each of the hook registers includes sensors (48, 60, 62, 64) sensing the removal or addition of a medical item to the storage location on the hook register. Each hook register has a microprocessor (66) connected to the sensor which stores a count of the items added or removed from the location. The microprocessor also includes location identifying information specifically associated with the particular hook register. The microprocessor is periodically polled by a controller (72) which reads and stores the count and location identifying information from each of the hook registers. The controller information is periodically read by a data terminal (76) which is connected through a local area network (82) to a remote computer (84) having a processor and data store.

Abstract: The system for controlling and tracking medical items (830) includes a plurality of medical item storage cabinets (878). Each cabinet includes a plurality of doors (888-894). The doors control access to shelves (902, 904) and support modules (1210). Shelves and support modules include user interfaces (938, 1214). Authorized users desiring to take medical items from storage locations in cabinets for use in treating patients are enabled to provide inputs through a display terminal (880) adjacent to cabinets and/or interfaces to indicate the taking of medical items. Storage cabinets include visual indicators so that users may be guided to find a selected medical item for which information is input at an associated display terminal. Alternatively, authorized users gain access to the interior of the cabinet and indicate through appropriate inputs through interfaces on the shelves the types and quantities of items being taken.

Abstract: A medical item inventory system includes a plurality of different types of stored medical items. The system includes medical item dispenser devices which can be selectively operated to dispense requested medical items to authorized users. The system can monitor the medical item inventory to automatically determine a low supply of a particular medical item type. In response to a determination of a low supply of a particular medical item type, the system automatically electronically places a purchase order to a supplier of the particular medical item type. The purchase order includes the particular medical item type, a requested quantity, and a requested delivery date. The requested quantity and delivery date can both be calculated by the system based on a rate of use of the particular medical item type.

Abstract: A system for tracking and dispensing medical items (830) includes one or more computers and associated data stores including information concerning authorized users, patients, medical items that have been prescribed for patients, medical items available, storage locations for medical items and events associated with receiving, dispensing and providing medical items to patients. The system also provides for tracking medications from time of receipt by a pharmacy, through storage and compounding therein, to the storage locations from which the medical items are taken to be administered, to dispensing to medical personnel for administration and finally to patients. Further, returning, restocking and other activities affecting the disposition of medications are also tracked to assure that reliable information is recorded concerning the disposition of medical items.

Abstract: The system for controlling and tracking medical items (830) includes a plurality of medical item storage cabinets (878). Each cabinet includes a plurality of doors (888-894). The doors control access to shelves (902, 904) and support modules (1210). Shelves and support modules include user interfaces (938, 1214). Authorized users desiring to take medical items from storage locations in cabinets for use in treating patients are enabled to provide inputs through a display terminal (880) adjacent to cabinets and/or interfaces to indicate the taking of medical items. Storage cabinets include visual indicators so that users may be guided to find a selected medical item for which information is input at an associated display terminal. Alternatively, authorized users gain access to the interior of the cabinet and indicate through appropriate inputs through interfaces on the shelves the types and quantities of items being taken.

Abstract: A medical item inventory system includes a plurality of different types of stored medical items. The system can track a quantity of a medicinal substance type removed from its storage location, including the quantity used and the quantity returned to storage. The system can monitor the medical item inventory in real time to automatically determine a low supply of a particular medical item type. In response to a determination of a low supply of a particular medical item type, the system automatically electronically places a purchase order to a supplier of the particular medical item type. The purchase order includes the particular medical item type, a requested quantity, and a requested delivery date. The requested quantity and delivery date can both be calculated by the system based on a rate of use of the particular medical item type.

Abstract: The system for controlling and tracking medical items (830) includes one or more computers and associated data stores including information concerning authorized users, patients, medical items that have been prescribed for patients, medical items available, storage locations for medical items and events associated with receiving, dispensing, taking and returning medical items for patients. Authorized users taking medical items from storage locations are enabled to provide inputs through a display terminal (880) to indicate the taking of medical items for patients. Medical items are enabled to be taken from a plurality of storage cabinets (878). Storage cabinets are operative so that users may be guided to find a selected medical item for which corresponding information is input at an associated display terminal. Alternatively, users are enabled to gain access to the interior of the cabinet and indicate through appropriate inputs, the types and quantities of items that are being taken.