Apparatuses, systems, and methods for transporting medications from a central pharmacy to a patient in a healthcare facility
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving at a storage device, a plurality of trays in a vertically stacked arrangement, each tray comprising plurality of medications, wherein each of a plurality of locations within each tray is uniquely identified by a controller, and each uniquely identified location within the tray is associated with a medication received within the respective location;
accessing a first tray of the storage device;
scanning contents of at least one of the one or more locations of the first tray using a robotic retrieval device comprising a scanning device;
retrieving a first medication from a first one of the one or more locations of the tray using the robotic retrieval device;
advancing the first medication to a staging area with the robotic retrieval device;
accessing a second tray of the storage device;
scanning contents of at least one of the one or more locations of the second tray using a robotic retrieval device comprising a scanning device;
retrieving a second medication from one of the one or more locations using the robotic retrieval device;
advancing the second medication to the staging area with the robotic retrieval device; and
transferring the first medication and the second medication to an output container.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provided herein are various apparatuses, systems, and methods for improving the efficiency of medication distribution within a healthcare facility. In particular, embodiments may provide for dispensing medications needed and medications anticipated to be needed to an authorized medical person for administration to a patient in a healthcare facility. Methods may include receiving an indication of one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by a patient; retrieving the one or more unit dose medications from a unit storage device; loading the one or more unit dose medications onto a transport device; transporting the one or more unit dose medications from the unit storage device to a location proximate the patient; and transferring the one or more unit dose medications from the transport device to a staging area at the location proximate the patient.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
receiving at a storage device, a plurality of trays in a vertically stacked arrangement, each tray comprising plurality of medications, wherein each of a plurality of locations within each tray is uniquely identified by a controller, and each uniquely identified location within the tray is associated with a medication received within the respective location; accessing a first tray of the storage device; scanning contents of at least one of the one or more locations of the first tray using a robotic retrieval device comprising a scanning device; retrieving a first medication from a first one of the one or more locations of the tray using the robotic retrieval device; advancing the first medication to a staging area with the robotic retrieval device; accessing a second tray of the storage device; scanning contents of at least one of the one or more locations of the second tray using a robotic retrieval device comprising a scanning device; retrieving a second medication from one of the one or more locations using the robotic retrieval device; advancing the second medication to the staging area with the robotic retrieval device; and transferring the first medication and the second medication to an output container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A system for dispensing medication, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of trays, each tray comprising a plurality of medications ,wherein each of a plurality of locations within the tray is uniquely identified by a controller, and each unique identified location within the tray is associated with a medication received within the respective location; a storage device configures to store the plurality of tray of unit dose medications wherein each of the plurality of unit dose medications stored within the storage device comprises a unit dose medication label having unique identifying indicia disposed thereon; a controller configured to receive an order including a first medication and a second medication; a robotic retrieving device; and a scanning tool attached to the robotic retrieving device, wherein the scanner is configured to scan the identifying indicia of each unit dose medication label prior to retrieval; wherein the robotic retrieving device is configured to; scan contents of at least one of the one or more locations of a first tray; retrieve the first medication from one of the one or more locations of the first tray; advance the first medication to a staging area; scan contents of another of the one or more locations of a second tray; retrieve the second medication from the another of the one or more locations of the second tray; and advance the second medication to the staging area. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification