Automatic prescription drug dispenser

• US 20040164146A1
• Filed: 02/23/2004
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Instymeds Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mendota Healthcare, Inc.
• Inventors: Rosenblum, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 7,469,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

An automatic prescription drug dispenser including a remote dispenser, a prescription entry system, and a communications network. The remote dispenser transmits and receives information from the communications network and dispenses prescription drugs to the patient. The prescription entry system transmits and receives information from the communications network and provides an input system for the doctor to electronically enter individual prescriptions for each patient. The communications network coordinates communications between the doctor, insurance carrier, and the remote dispenser. The remote dispenser stores, retrieves, and labels prescription drug and over-the-counter products directly to patients through a remote automated vending machine, a remote dispenser, a prescription entry system, and a communications network. The remote dispenser transmits and receives information from the communications network and dispenses prescription drugs to the patient. The prescription entry system transmits and receives information from the communications network and provides an input system for the doctor to electronically enter individual prescriptions for each patient. The communications network coordinates communications between the doctor, insurance carrier, and the remote dispenser.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending prescription information for a therapeutic agent for a patient to a dispensing apparatus;

giving the patient a unique authorization code that is not capable of being reused;

the patient entering the authorization code into the dispensing apparatus; and

the patient receiving the prescribed therapeutic agent from the dispensing apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient receives the prescribed therapeutic agent from the dispensing apparatus without the intervention of a pharmacist.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique authorization code is given to the patient by a health care provider at a health care facility.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique authorization code is given to the patient by a pharmacist or pharmacy technician at a pharmacy.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the patient paying for at least a portion of the therapeutic agent at the dispenser.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique authorization code is unique to the prescription and only associated with a single prescription.

7. A method comprising:

providing a dispenser containing an inventory of therapeutic products;

transmitting a proposed prescription for a patient to a server;

authorizing dispensing of at least a portion of the proposed prescription out of the inventory in the dispenser if the prescription includes at least one therapeutic product available in the inventory of the dispenser;

providing to the patient an authorization code unique to the authorized prescription, the authorization code not capable of being reused for other prescriptions;

the patient inputting the authorization code into the dispenser; and

the dispenser delivering the available therapeutic product to the patient in response to the patient inputting the authorization code.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the authorization step is done without the intervention of a pharmacist.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the patient receives the therapeutic agent from the dispenser without the intervention of a pharmacist.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the authorization code is given to the patient by a health care provider at a health care facility.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the authorization code is given to the patient by a pharmacist or pharmacy technician at a pharmacy.

12. A method of dispensing therapeutic products to a patient, the method comprising:

providing a dispenser containing an inventory of the therapeutic products;

adjudicating a proposed prescription into an adjudicated prescription;

authorizing dispensing of at least a portion of the adjudicated prescription out of the inventory in the dispenser if the adjudicated prescription includes at least one therapeutic product available in the inventory of the dispenser, wherein authorizing is done without the intervention of a pharmacist;

the patient inputting data at the dispenser to retrieve the authorized prescription; and

the dispenser delivering the therapeutic product to the patient.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data includes a one-time-use authorization code associated with only the adjudicated prescription.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the data includes a unique authorization code that is not capable of being reused.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the therapeutic product is delivered to the patient without the intervention of a pharmacist.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein adjudicating the proposed prescription into an adjudicated prescription is done without the intervention of a pharmacist.