Method and apparatus for providing prescription verification

• US 10,543,152 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2014
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cotter, Nichole R., Christie, Donnamarie A., Gordon, Averill D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisenfeld, Aryan E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blanchette, Joshua B
• Application Number:
  US14/521,236
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• 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 system, apparatus, and method for providing an auditing feature capable of verifying a prescription has been correctly dispensed by a pharmacy are disclosed. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a system, apparatus, and/or method for automatically checking a customer'"'"'s prescription information against known information related to the customer and/or the prescription contents in order to verify that the dispensed prescription is correct. It follows that an attentive and accurate dispensing process may be made available for a pharmacy to dispense prescriptions.

Claims

1. A computing device for auditing a prescription filling order of a prescription processed by an order filling device located at a pharmacy, comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive prescription information from the order filling device via a communications network, the prescription information describing information having been identified by the pharmacy and inputted into the order filling device, the prescription information describing information included in the prescription of the prescription filling order that identifies at least one of a medication to be dispensed by the pharmacy to a specific customer and instructions for taking the medication, wherein the instructions include routes of administration;

a memory configured to store known information, wherein the known information comprises an audit rule and acceptable instructions for the medication in view of a medical health profile of the specific customer, wherein the medical health profile includes known medical conditions or past medical procedures pertaining to the specific customer; and

a processor in communication with the communication interface and memory, the processor configured to automatically perform a two-stage audit of the prescription filling order by;

obtaining the acceptable instructions and the audit rule, wherein the audit rule defines unacceptable instructions for taking the medication that is known for being taken through a first route of administration through a second route of administration;

obtaining the identified instructions for taking the identified medication;

determining that the identified instructions cannot be automatically confirmed by evaluating that the identified instructions does not match the acceptable instructions at a first stage of the two-stage audit;

in response to determining that the identified instructions cannot be automatically confirmed, determining that the identified instructions can be automatically confirmed by evaluating that the identified instructions matches the second route of administration provided by the audit rule at a second stage of the two-stage audit;

generating an auditing flag in response to determining that the identified instructions can be automatically confirmed; and

transmitting, in response to the generated auditing flag, an instruction signal to the order filling device through the communication interface, wherein the order filling device is prevented from dispensing of the identified medication in the prescription until a verification completion signal is input to the order filling device.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the prescription information includes at least one of instructional information describing medication usage instructions for taking one or more medications identified in the prescription information, or dosage information describing medication dosage instructions for one or more medications identified in the prescription information.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instruction signal provides an indication for the prescription filling order to, at least temporarily, not proceed with the prescription filling order.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the known information further comprises at least one of known recommended medication dosage information, known recommended medication usage information, know medication reaction information, or known medication recommended therapy information.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the auditing flag when an analysis between the prescription information and the known information identifies a discrepancy between the medication described in the prescription information and prescription filling history information for the customer described in the known information.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the auditing flag when an analysis between the prescription information and the known information identifies a discrepancy between instructions for taking the medication described in the prescription information and recommended medication usage information described in the known information.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the auditing flag when an analysis between the prescription information and the known information identifies a discrepancy between dosage information for the medication described in the prescription information and recommended medication dosage information described in the known information.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein

the instruction signal includes instructions for implementing a remedial procedure that includes generating a message describing the auditing flag, controlling a display of the auditing flag, and requiring an acknowledgement input to be received before the prescription filling order is allowed to proceed.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to prompt a message to be displayed at the pharmacy that further describes the acceptable instructions described in the known information.

17. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first route of administration and the second route of administration comprise oral ingestion and topical application, respectively.

10. A method for auditing a prescription filling order of a prescription processed by an order filling device located at a pharmacy, comprising:

obtaining, by an information obtaining component in communication with the order filling device at the pharmacy, prescription information included in a prescription order, the prescription information describing information having been identified by the pharmacy and inputted into the order filling device;

storing, on a memory of the order filling device, the prescription information;

transmitting, by the order filling device, the prescription information to an auditing computing device;

automatically performing, by the auditing computing device, a two-stage audit of the prescription filling order by;

receiving, by the auditing computing device, the prescription information from the order filling device through a communication interface via a communications network, the prescription information describing information included in the prescription of the prescription filling order that identifies at least one of a medication to be dispensed by the pharmacy to a specific customer and instructions for taking the medication, wherein the instructions include routes of administration;

obtaining, by the auditing computing device, known information stored on a memory of the auditing computing device, wherein the known information comprises an audit rule and acceptable instructions for the medication in view of a medical health profile of the specific customer, wherein the audit rule defines unacceptable instructions for taking the medication that is known for being taken through a first route of administration through a second route of administration, wherein the medical health profile includes known medical conditions or past medical procedures pertaining to the specific customer;

determining, by the auditing computing device, that the identified instructions cannot be automatically confirmed by evaluating that the identified instructions does not match the acceptable instructions at a first stage of the two-stage audit;

in response to determining that the identified instructions cannot be automatically confirmed, determining, by the auditing computing device, that the identified instructions can be automatically confirmed by evaluating that the identified instructions matches the second route of administration provided by the audit rule at a second stage of the two-stage audit;

generating, by the auditing computing device, an auditing flag in response to determining that the identified instructions can be automatically confirmed; and

transmitting, by the auditing computing device, in response to the generated auditing flag, an instruction signal to the order filling device through the communication interface, wherein the order filling device is prevented from dispensing of the identified medication in the prescription until a verification completion signal is input to the order filling device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the instruction signal provides an indication for the prescription filling order to, at least temporarily, not proceed with the prescription filling order.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the auditing flag occurs when an analysis between the prescription information and the known information identifies a discrepancy between the medication described in the prescription information and prescription filling history information for the customer described in the known information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the auditing flag occurs when an analysis between the prescription information and the known information identifies a discrepancy between instructions for taking the medication described in the prescription information and recommended medication usage information described in the known information.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the instruction signal includes instructions for implementing a remedial procedure that includes generating a message describing the auditing flag, controlling a display of the auditing flag, and requiring an acknowledgement input to be received before the prescription filling order is allowed to proceed.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the first route of administration and the second route of administration comprise oral ingestion and topical application, respectively.

15. A system for auditing a prescription filling order of a prescription, comprising:

a computing device at the pharmacy for auditing prescription orders; and

an input device for filling prescription orders, configured to;

transmit prescription information to the computing device via a communications network, the prescription information describing information having been identified by the pharmacy and inputted into the input device, wherein the computing device is configured to automatically perform a two-stage audit of the prescription filling order, wherein the computing device is configured to;

receive the prescription information through a communication interface, the prescription information describing information included in the prescription of the prescription filling order that identifies at least one of a medication to be dispensed by the pharmacy to a specific customer and instructions for taking the medication, wherein the instructions include routes of administration;

access known information from a memory, wherein the known information comprises an audit rule and acceptable instructions for the medication in view of a medical health profile of the specific customer, wherein the audit rule defines unacceptable instructions for taking the medication that is known for being taken through a first route of administration through a second route of administration, wherein the medical health profile comprises known medical conditions or past medical procedures pertaining to the specific customer;

analyze the prescription information and the known information to at least one of;

determine whether the instructions for taking the medication identified in the prescription information is correct for the customer according to the medical health profile of the customer;

or determine whether the billing process that has occurred, or is occurring, with relation to the prescription filled, or currently being filled is the correct billing process for the prescription according to the billing protocol;

determine that the identified instructions cannot be automatically confirmed by evaluating that the identified instructions does not match the acceptable instructions at a first stage of the two-stage audit;

in response to a determination that the identified instructions cannot be automatically confirmed, determine that the identified instructions can be automatically confirmed by evaluating that the identified instructions matches the second route of administration provided by the audit rule at a second stage of the two-stage audit;

generate an auditing flag in response to determining that the identified instructions can be automatically confirmed; and

transmit, in response to the generated auditing flag, an instruction signal to the input device through the communication interface, wherein the input device is prevented from dispensing of the identified medication in the prescription until a verification completion signal is input to the input device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is further configured to prompt a message to be displayed at the pharmacy that further describes the acceptable instructions described in the known information.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first route of administration and the second route of administration comprise oral ingestion and topical application, respectively.