Medication packaging method and system

• US 10,002,234 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CVS Pharmacy Incorporated (CVS Health Corporation)
• Original Assignee: CVS Pharmacy Incorporated (CVS Health Corporation)
• Inventors: Adler, Deborah
• Primary Examiner(s): Najarian, Lena
• Application Number:
  US14/203,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20140195042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/50 using icons or symbolic figures, e.g. by a graphical representation symbolising the type of pathology or the organ by an image
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0288 Labels or tickets consisting of more than one part, e.g. with address of sender or other reference on separate section to main label; Multi-copy labels
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/90 Medical record

Abstract

A method for packaging a medication including receiving a prescription for a patient including a name of the medication for the patient and a name of the patient, wherein the patient is one of a plurality of family members. The method further comprises receiving a family member listing from the patient identifying one or more other ones of the plurality of family members, assigning a color to the patient that differs from any of one or more colors assigned to any of the other ones of the plurality of family members identified in the family member listing, and packaging the medication for delivery to the patient including securing a color-coded member to the container for the medication. The color-coded member is the color assigned to the patient.

Claims

1. A system for providing a packaged medication to a patient, the system comprising:

a form requesting a family member listing identifying a different color for each family member of a plurality of family members including the patient;

a record including the family member listing identifying the different color for each family member of the plurality of family members;

a medication container for a medication prescribed for the patient, the medication container comprising a curved front wall and a planar rear wall; and

a color-coded identifier secured to the curved front wall of the medication container and a medication information card secured in a slot adjacent to the planar rear wall of the medication container prior to delivery of the packaged medication to the patient, the color-coded identifier corresponding to the color recorded for the patient in the family member listing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the medication information card secured in the slot adjacent to the planar rear wall includes a portion that extends beyond an outer edge of the medication container to be viewable from a front side of the medication container.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a warning sticker attached to the planar rear wall of the medication container.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the slot includes a magnifying lens configured to magnify information on the medication information card.