Medication sorting and packaging system and method

• US 10,387,620 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exact Care Pharmacy, LLC
• Original Assignee: Exact Care Pharmacy, LLC
• Inventors: Wollschleger, Dale M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Logan, Kyle O
• Application Number:
  US15/296,576
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 700223
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A method and system for inputting, verifying, and communicating order data associated with a patient that may include an order for a patient to take a plurality of medications at various times of the day. The system includes an array of a medication sorting devices configured to communicate with a tracking system for receiving an order and dispensing a plurality of medicaments into a plurality of aligned pouches associated with the order information. The tracking system includes an optimization engine for selecting a medication sorting device to process each order to process a high volume of orders. An inspection assembly that is configured to analyze the plurality of medications within the medication pouches to detect and compare with the order information. The plurality of pouches may be arranged into a dispense package to dispense each pouch as arranged by the order information including medication type, dosage, and time.

Claims

1. A method of processing orders for customized medicament packages, the method comprising:

inputting at least a first order data and a second order data into a tracking system having an optimization engine;

verifying the first order data and second order data with a third party;

analyzing an array of medicament sorting devices by the optimization engine;

selecting a medicament sorting device from the array of medicament sorting devices by the optimization engine for processing the first order data and the second order data;

processing the first order data at a first medicament sorting device to package a plurality of medicaments in a first plurality of aligned pouches; and

processing the second order data at a second medicament sorting device to package a plurality of medicaments in a second plurality of aligned pouches wherein the first order data and second order data is representative of an order for a medication dispenser package or medicament wherein the method is configured to process over 50,000 orders within about 8 hours.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising inspecting the first plurality of aligned pouches at a first inspection assembly.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising inspecting the second plurality of aligned pouches at a second inspection assembly.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing the first plurality of pouches in a dispense package.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising placing the second plurality of pouches in a dispense package.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising selecting non-routine medicaments to be packaged and shipped to an individual with the dispense package.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is configured to process over 250,000 orders up to 500,000 orders within about 8 hours.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the order data is at least one of a type of medicament, amount, prescription, and dosing schedule.

9. A system for processing orders for customized medicament packages, the system comprising:

a tracking system for receiving a plurality of order data from a plurality of individuals or third parties, the tracking system including an optimization engine wherein the optimization engine is configured to compare information from the plurality of order data, wherein the order data is representative of an order for a medication dispenser package or medicament; and

an array of medicament sorting devices each configured to place a plurality of medicaments into a plurality of aligned pouches associated with an order data, wherein the optimization engine is configured to communicate with the array of medicament sorting devices to analyze and select the medicament sorting device to an order wherein the system is configured to process over 50,000 orders within about 8 hours.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising at least one inspection assembly that is configured to analyze the plurality of medicaments within the plurality of pouches to detect and compare with the associated order data.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a dispense package configured to receive the plurality of pouches and to dispense each pouch as arranged by the order information including medication type, dosage, and time.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a conveyor system for translating the dispense packages from the inspection assembly to a non-routing medicament workstation.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the system is configured to process over 250,000 orders up to 500,000 orders in a span of about 8 hours.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the order data is at least one of a type of medicament, amount, prescription, and dosing schedule.