Remote prescription refill system

• US 20020052762A1
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digital Pharmacist, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TeleManager Technologies, Inc. (Digital Pharmacist, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobylevsky, Paul, Gurovich, Valery
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A central station is provided to which the pharmacy can forward calls at the convenience of the pharmacy. A caller will call in to the pharmacy to request a refill and the call will be automatically routed to the central facility unbeknownst to the caller. The central station will obtain the refill information required, preferably by means of an automated computer system as is known in the art. This information can then be transferred to the pharmacist in a number of ways, such as by periodically faxing the information to the pharmacy. Voice messages could be flagged and the pharmacist would have to call into the central facility to obtain the voice mail message. Alternatively, a PC could be installed in the pharmacy having a reduced version of a complete, stand-alone program. The refill information can then be sent to the pharmacy by modem and the pharmacist could see a computer display of the refill orders and could hear voice messages. Alternatively, the information could be e-mailed to the pharmacy. Finally, a pager system may be utilized to alert the pharmacist to retrieve orders by telephone with a password. It should also be noted that orders could be taken by the central station over the Internet rather than merely through customer calls. The central station can communicate with a pharmacy management service to obtain prescription refill authorization.

Claims

1. A system for automatically receiving customer prescription refill orders comprising:

a central station remote from a pharmacy for receiving telephone calls relating to prescription refills;

means at said central station for prompting a caller to provide prescription refill information;

means for the central station to communication with a pharmacy management system, remote from the central station, for verifying the prescription refill information; and

means for transferring said prescription refill information to said pharmacy for refilling.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the means for transferring is at the central station.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the means for transferring is at the pharmacy management system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein if the prescription refill is not authorized by the pharmacy management system, the central station contacts a doctor'"'"'s office to seek refill authorization.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the central station advises the customer of relevant information received by the central station from the pharmacy management system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the central station communicates with the pharmacy management system over a modem.

7. A system for automatically receiving customer prescription refill orders and transmitting the prescription refill information to a pharmacy comprising:

a central station remote from the pharmacy for receiving telephone calls which have been call forwarded from the pharmacy;

means at said central station for prompting a caller to provide prescription refill information;

means for the central station to communicate with a pharmacy management system, remote from the central station, for verifying prescription refill information;

means at said central station for transmitting said prescription refill information to said pharmacy;

said transmitting means including means for periodically transmitting said prescription refill information to said pharmacy by facsimile transmission, E-mail, and/or pager; and

means at said central station for indicating to said pharmacy whether said caller left a voice message for said pharmacy.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein if the prescription refill is not authorized by the pharmacy management system, the central station contacts a doctor'"'"'s office to seek refill authorization.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the central station advises the customer of relevant information received by the central station from the pharmacy management system.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the central station communicates with the pharmacy management system over a modem.

11. A method for refilling prescriptions comprising:

providing a central station remote from a pharmacy;

allowing a user to communicate with the central station;

gathering refill information from the user at the central station;

establishing communication between the central station and a pharmacy management system for obtaining refill authorization by the central station;

transmitting the refill information to the pharmacy; and

re-filling the prescription at the pharmacy.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the central station transmits the refill information to the pharmacy.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the refill information is transmitted over the Internet.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the pharmacy management system transmits the refill information to the pharmacy.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the refill information is transmitted over the Internet.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the pharmacy management system resides at the pharmacy.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein if the prescription refill is not authorized by the pharmacy management system, the central station contacts a doctor'"'"'s office to seek refill authorization.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the central station advises the customer of relevant information received by the central station from the pharmacy management system.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the communication line established between the central station and the pharmacy management service comprises a modem connection.