System and method for prescription management

• US 20040122712A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PDX, Inc. (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: PDX, Inc. (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hill, Kenneth A. Sr., Crosslin, Todd A., McCray, John T., Bloodgood, Sean P., Stalzer, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US10/326,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients

Abstract

A method and system for prescription management is described. At least one prescription is received at a pharmacy and an order associated with at least one of the prescriptions is generated. A shipping location associated with the order is determined and the order is communicated to a central fill facility for filling the prescriptions associated with the order. A cost associated with the order is received from the central fill facility. The cost includes a shipping cost and an order cost. Payment is settled for the order based on the cost.

Claims

1. A method for prescription management comprising:

receiving at least one prescription at a pharmacy;

generating an order associated with at least one of the prescriptions;

determining a shipping location associated with the order;

communicating the order to a central fill facility for filling the prescriptions associated with the order;

receiving a cost associated with the order from the central fill facility, the cost including a shipping cost and an order cost; and

settling payment for the order based on the cost.

2. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

determining, at the pharmacy system, an estimated cost associated with the order; and

authorizing, at the pharmacy system, payment based on the estimated cost.

3. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

determining an estimated cost associated with the order, the estimated cost including an estimated order cost based on the prescriptions associated with the order and an estimated shipping cost based on the shipping location associated with the order; and

determining whether sufficient funds are available to pay for the order based on the estimated cost and billing information associated with the order.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining whether sufficient funds are available comprises authorizing a credit card for the estimated cost when the billing information indicates that the credit card will be used to pay for the order.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining whether sufficient funds are available comprises determining whether sufficient funds are available for a check when the billing information indicates that the check will be used to pay for the order.

6. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

entering a set of prescription information respectively associated with each prescription received at the pharmacy into a pharmacy system associated with the pharmacy;

determining whether the prescription information has been properly entered; and

performing a drug utilization review on the order.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the order is associated with the respective sets of prescription information associated with the prescriptions associated with the order.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating the order comprises:

selecting at least one of the prescriptions for the order; and

associating the selected prescriptions with the order.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the selected prescriptions are for a single family.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the selected prescriptions are for a plurality of distinct patients who reside at a managed care facility.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the shipping location comprises:

selecting the pharmacy as the shipping location when the order is to be shipped to the pharmacy after the order has been filled; and

selecting a home delivery location based on the order when the order is to be shipped to a location associated with a patient associated with at least one of the prescriptions associated with the order after the order has been filled.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein determining the shipping location further comprises determining whether a state associated with the shipping location allows home delivery of the order.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein settling payment for the order comprises:

determining at least one payment technique associated with the order; and

charging the payment techniques for the order based on the payment technique.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the payment technique comprises a credit card.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the payment technique comprises a third-party payor.

16. A system for prescription management comprising:

software stored on a computer readable medium and operable to;

receive at least one prescription at a pharmacy;

generate an order associated with at least one of the prescriptions;

determine a shipping location associated with the order;

communicate the order to a central fill facility for filling the prescriptions associated with the order;

receive a cost associated with the order from the central fill facility, the cost including a shipping cost and an order cost; and

settle payment for the order based on the cost.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the software is further operable to:

determine, at the pharmacy system, an estimated cost associated with the order; and

authorize, at the pharmacy system, payment based on the estimated cost.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the software is further operable to:

determine an estimated cost associated with the order, the estimated cost including an estimated order cost based on the prescriptions associated with the order and an estimated shipping cost based on the shipping location associated with the order; and

determine whether sufficient funds are available to pay for the order based on the estimated cost and billing information associated with the order.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein determining whether sufficient funds are available comprises the software further operable to authorize a credit card for the estimated cost when the billing information indicates that the credit card will be used to pay for the order.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein determining whether sufficient funds are available comprises the software further operable to determine whether sufficient funds are available for a check when the billing information indicates that the check will be used to pay for the order.

21. The system according to claim 16, wherein the software is further operable to:

enter a set of prescription information respectively associated with each prescription received at the pharmacy into a pharmacy system associated with the pharmacy;

determine whether the prescription information has been properly entered; and

perform a drug utilization review on the order.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the order is associated with the respective sets of prescription information associated with the prescriptions associated with the order.

23. The system according to claim 16, wherein generating the order comprises the software further operable to:

select at least one of the prescriptions for the order; and

associate the selected prescriptions with the order.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the selected prescriptions are for a single family.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the selected prescriptions are for a plurality of distinct patients who reside at a managed care facility.

26. The system according to claim 16, wherein determining the shipping location comprises the software further operable to:

select the pharmacy as the shipping location when the order is to be shipped to the pharmacy after the order has been filled; and

select a home delivery location based on the order when the order is to be shipped to a location associated with a patient associated with at least one of the prescriptions associated with the order after the order has been filled.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein determining the shipping location further comprises the software further operable to determine whether a state associated with the shipping location allows home delivery of the order.

28. The system according to claim 16, wherein settling payment for the order comprises the software further operable to:

determine at least one payment technique associated with the order; and

charge the payment techniques for the order based on the payment technique.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the payment technique comprises a credit card.

30. The system according to claim 28, wherein the payment technique comprises a third-party payor.

31. A system for prescription management comprising:

means for receiving at least one prescription at a pharmacy;

means for generating an order associated with at least one of the prescriptions;

means for determining a shipping location associated with the order;

means for communicating the order to a central fill facility for filling the prescriptions associated with the order;

means for receiving a cost associated with the order from the central fill facility, the cost including a shipping cost and an order cost; and

means for settling payment for the order based on the cost.

32. A method for filling prescriptions comprising:

receiving an order from a pharmacy, the order having a shipping location and at least one set of prescription information;

generating at least one prescription label based on the order;

determining a shipping cost associated with the order based on the shipping location;

determining a cost for the order based on the shipping cost and the order;

shipping the order to the shipping location.

33. The method according to claim 32 and further comprising:

dispensing a pharmaceutical into a container based on the prescription information;

applying the prescription label to the container.

34. The method according to claim 33 and further comprising:

packaging the containers associated with the order into a package;

generating a shipping label based on the order;

applying the shipping label to the package; and

wherein shipping the order comprises shipping the package to the shipping location.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein the prescription label is customized based on a pharmacy associated with the order.

36. The method according to claim 32 and further comprising communicating the cost to the pharmacy.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein determining the shipping cost comprises:

determining a shipper cost for at least one shipper;

selecting the shipper for the order based on the shipper cost; and

determining a handling cost associated with the order.

38. The method according to claim 32, wherein determining the cost comprises:

determining a total cost for the order based on a price associated with each pharmaceutical to be dispensed; and

generating the cost based on the sum of the shipping cost and the total cost.

39. A system for filling prescriptions comprising:

software stored on a computer readable medium and operable to;

receive an order from a pharmacy, the order having a shipping location and at least one set of prescription information;

generate at least one prescription label based on the order;

determine a shipping cost associated with the order based on the shipping location;

determine a cost for the order based on the shipping cost and the order; and

ship the order to the shipping location.

40. The system according to claim 39, wherein the software is further operable to:

dispense a pharmaceutical into a container based on the prescription information;

apply the prescription label to the container.

41. The system according to claim 40, wherein the software is further operable to:

package the containers associated with the order into a package;

generate a shipping label based on the order;

apply the shipping label to the package; and

wherein shipping the order comprises the software further operable to ship the package to the shipping location.

42. The system according to claim 39, wherein the prescription label is customized based on a pharmacy associated with the order.

43. The system according to claim 39, wherein the software is further operable to communicate the cost to the pharmacy.

44. The system according to claim 39, wherein determining the shipping cost comprises the software further operable to:

determine a shipper cost for at least one shipper;

select the shipper for the order based on the shipper cost; and

determine a handling cost associated with the order.

45. The system according to claim 39, wherein determining the cost comprises the software further operable to:

determine a total cost for the order based on a price associated with each pharmaceutical to be dispensed; and

generate the cost based on the sum of the shipping cost and the total cost.

46. A system for filling prescriptions comprising:

means for receiving an order from a pharmacy, the order having a shipping location and at least one set of prescription information;

means for generating at least one prescription label based on the order;

means for determining a shipping cost associated with the order based on the shipping location;

means for determining a cost for the order based on the shipping cost and the order;

means for shipping the order to the shipping location.

47. A method for processing prescription requests, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of prescription requests;

creating a queue of prescription requests from the received plurality of prescription requests, each prescription request in the queue eligible to be filled by a central fill inventory;

filling a prescription request in the queue of prescription requests from the central fill inventory;

dispensing at least one drug from the central fill inventory;

generating a mailing label including mailing address information associated with an intended recipient of the at least one drug; and

affixing the mailing label to a package for mailing, the package for the dispensed at least one drug.

48. The method of claim 47 and further comprising processing a claim for payment for the at least one prescription request at a billing subsystem.

49. A system for processing prescription requests, comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of prescription requests;

means for creating a queue of prescription requests from the received plurality of prescription requests, each prescription request in the queue eligible to be filled by a central fill inventory;

means for filling a prescription request in the queue of prescription requests from the central fill inventory;

means for dispensing at least one drug from the central fill inventory;

means for generating a mailing label including mailing address information associated with an intended recipient of the at least one drug; and

means for affixing the mailing label to a package for mailing, the package for the dispensed at least one drug.

50. Software for processing prescription requests, the software embodied in a computer-readable medium and when executed operable to:

receive a plurality of prescription requests;

create a queue of prescription requests from the received plurality of prescription requests, each prescription request in the queue eligible to be filled by a central fill inventory;

fill a prescription request in the queue of prescription requests from the central fill inventory;

dispense at least one drug from the central fill inventory;

generate a mailing label including mailing address information associated with an intended recipient of the at least one drug; and

affix the mailing label to a package for mailing, the package for the dispensed at least one drug.