Sales system and method for prescription products

• US 20040128166A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Toshio, Nishi, Koju, McMorrow, Christopher C., Aguilar, Evelyn R., Plapp, Janet J., Morigaki, Tadashi, Takehana, Emi, Pugh, Randall B.
• Application Number:
  US10/681,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128166A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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

The present invention relates to a system for ordering at least one prescribed product comprising: an authorized reseller system comprising an authorized reseller registration system wherein at least one prescription is entered; a consumer system comprising a consumer registration system and a prescribed product order placement system; and

a prescription management system comprising a prescription verification function which comprises performing at least one calculation on the at least one prescription entered by the reseller to generate a calculated approved prescription for the at least one product for the at least one patient wherein the calculated approved prescription includes a maximum purchase amount of prescribed product that may be purchased under the calculated approved prescription and an actual wear schedule wherein said authorized reseller system, said consumer system and said prescription management system are communicatively linked so that the consumer may order prescribed products directly from a manufacturer of prescribed product so long as the amount of prescribed products ordered does not exceed the maximum purchase amount or the actual wear schedule.

Claims

1. A method comprising of selling a prescribed product to a consumer via an online ordering system managed by or on behalf of a prescribed product manufacturer, comprising the steps of:

(a) registering at least one authorized reseller of at least one product;

(b) registering at least one consumer to purchase at least one product on behalf of at least on patient for whom said product has been prescribed;

(c) assessing at least one approved prescription writer for the at least one product for the at least one patient;

(d) accepting an approved prescription for the at least one product for the at least one patient from the approved prescription writer;

(e) performing at least one calculation on the approved prescription to generate a calculated approved prescription for the at least one product for the at least one patient wherein the calculated approved prescription includes a maximum amount of prescribed product that may be purchased under the calculated approved prescription and an actual wear schedule;

(f) issuing the at least one product to the consumer in accordance with the calculated approved prescription;

wherein said registering the at least one consumer is responsive to inviting of the at least one consumer by the at least one authorized reseller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising managing at least two prescriptions, each directly correspondent to one of at least two patients, in accordance with said performing at least one calculation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one product comprises contact lenses.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising managing, by the manufacturer, of said registering steps and said performing of at least one calculation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said issuing comprises selling the at least one product to the at least one consumer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said issuing further comprises delivering the at least one product to the at least one consumer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said issuing comprises selling the at least one product to the at least one authorized reseller, and delivering the at least one product to the at least one consumer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said selling to the at least one authorized reseller comprises charging a charge account dedicated to the at least one authorized reseller.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising setting up the charge account of the charged authorized reseller during said registration of the at least one authorized reseller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said assessing at least one approved prescription writer comprises registering at least one doctor affiliated with at least one of the at least one authorized reseller and that cares for at least one of the at least one consumer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said inviting of the at least one consumer comprises:

(a) receiving a calculated approved prescription from the at least one authorized reseller;

(b) assessing that the at least one consumer related to the calculated approved prescription is not registered;

(c) receiving, from the authorized reseller, at least one contact item for the at least one consumer related to the calculated approved prescription;

(d) inviting the at least one consumer related to the calculated approved prescription to register based upon the at least one contact item.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said inviting of the at least one consumer comprises:

(a) assessing that the at least one consumer related to the calculated approved prescription is not registered;

(b) receiving, from the authorized reseller, at least one contact item for the at least one consumer related to the calculated approved prescription;

(c) inviting the at least one consumer related to the calculated approved prescription to register based upon the at least one contact item;

(d) receiving a calculated approved prescription from the at least one authorized reseller.

13. The method of one of claims 1, 11, or 12, wherein said inviting comprises an email invitation.

14. The method of one of claims 1, 11, or 12, wherein said inviting comprises an telephonic invitation.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the consumer may order products for multiple patients.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the multiple products are shipped to said consumer in one shipment.

17. A system for ordering at least one prescribed product comprising:

an authorized reseller system comprising an authorized reseller registration system wherein at least one prescription is entered;

a consumer system comprising a consumer registration system and a prescribed product order placement system; and

a prescription management system comprising a prescription verification function which comprises performing at least one calculation on the at least one prescription entered by the reseller to generate a calculated approved prescription for the at least one product for the at least one consumer wherein the calculated approved prescription includes a maximum purchase amount of prescribed product that may be purchased under the calculated approved prescription and an actual wear schedule wherein said authorized reseller system, said consumer system and said prescription management system are communicatively linked so that the consumer may order prescribed products directly from a manufacturer of prescribed product so long as the amount of prescribed products ordered does not exceed the maximum purchase amount or the actual wear schedule.