INTEGRATED SYSTEM AND METHOD OF VENDING PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS USING A NETWORK OF REMOTELY DISTRIBUTED, AUTOMATED DISPENSING UNITS
First Claim
1. A system for unattended dispensing of medications, comprising:
- a remote vending machine (RVM) unit adapted to dispense at least one of a plurality of drugs contained therein in accordance with an authorized prescription, said dispensing unit including a data entry device of entering a patient identification key code (PtID) corresponding to a particular patient;
a remote controller operative to associate a PtlD code with at least one authorized Rx request to supply a drug and to transmit an enabling signal to the RVM unit when a corresponding match is identified; and
a database operatively associated with said remote controller and adapted to store information relating to said at least one request and a unique transaction identification key code (RxID), wherein said RVM unit is operative, in response to entry of said PtID code, to initiate a vending session by transmitting a signal representative of said PtID code to said remote controller, and wherein said RVM unit is further operative, in response to receipt of the enabling signal to dispense the prescribed medication.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network of interactive, self-service, medication dispensing kiosks that are each adaptable to contain an inventory of, for example, 200 to 1600 different drugs, as may be currently obtained directly from a local storefront, mail order, or “cyber” pharmacy. With the exception of periodic maintenance or inventory replenishment, the kiosks constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention are unmanned. By strategically locating the dispensing kiosks of the present invention in easily accessible public locations on a regional or national basis, and stocking the same with an inventory of frequently prescribed medications for which a patient is likely to have an exigent need, an on-line (Internet) or mail order pharmacy may offer a level of convenient access to emergency medications and pharmaceutical services that is at least as complete and comprehensive as that offered by the conventional storefront pharmacy.
129 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for unattended dispensing of medications, comprising:
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a remote vending machine (RVM) unit adapted to dispense at least one of a plurality of drugs contained therein in accordance with an authorized prescription, said dispensing unit including a data entry device of entering a patient identification key code (PtID) corresponding to a particular patient;
a remote controller operative to associate a PtlD code with at least one authorized Rx request to supply a drug and to transmit an enabling signal to the RVM unit when a corresponding match is identified; and
a database operatively associated with said remote controller and adapted to store information relating to said at least one request and a unique transaction identification key code (RxID), wherein said RVM unit is operative, in response to entry of said PtID code, to initiate a vending session by transmitting a signal representative of said PtID code to said remote controller, and wherein said RVM unit is further operative, in response to receipt of the enabling signal to dispense the prescribed medication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An integrated medication distribution system, comprising:
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a remote controller operative to associate at least one of a plurality of unique patient identification (PtID) key codes, each corresponding to a respective patient, with at least one authorized Rx request to supply a drug to a patient;
a data base operatively associated with said remote controller and adapted to store a respective patient prescription record correspond to an individual request to digitally fill a prescription and a corresponding unique transaction identification key code (RXID), and a plurality of remote vending machine (RVM) units each remotely located from the remote controller and each adapted to dispense at least one of a plurality of drugs contained therein in accordance with an authorized prescription, said dispensing unit including a data entry device for entering a PtID code to initiate a drug dispensing session, wherein any of said plurality of RVM units is operative to transmit a signal representative of said PtID code to said remote controller in response to actuation of a corresponding data entry device, and wherein an originating one of said plurality of RVM units is further operative, in response to receipt of an enabling signal to dispense the prescribed Rx drug. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method of dispensing medication to a patient at a selected drug dispensing unit, comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at a first location, a request to supply a patient with at least one package containing a drug prescribed by a physician;
validating the request received during said receiving step to ensure the patient is authorized to receive a prescribed medication;
providing a patient authorized to receive a prescribed medication with a unique identifier;
in response to entry of the unique identifier at a second location remotely disposed relative to the first location, causing a drug dispensing unit to dispense the medication specified in the request received during the receiving step for distribution to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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19. A method of dispensing medication to a patient, comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at a first location, an Rx request to supply a patient with at least one package containing a drug prescribed by a physician;
creating a record comprising an encrypted file containing information relating to an Rx request received during the receiving step and instructions for enabling a remote drug dispensing machine to dispense the drug specified by a physician; and
associating a unique Rx transaction key code with the record created during the creating step, said Rx transaction key code being adapted for use by a remote drug dispensing machine to decrypt said record.
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Specification