Interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing prescriptions

• US 20040225528A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles W. Brock
• Original Assignee: Charles W. Brock
• Inventors: Brock, Charles W.
• Application Number:
  US10/191,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225528A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions through a network of member health care providers, a central web site and member pharmacies operatively coupled by a data communication link capable of transferring data and information therebetween wherein each member health care provider has a computer including information processing and storage capabilities to create and validate individual patient prescriptions to be provided to any member pharmacy, the central web site has a computer including information processing and data storage capabilities for processing and storing individual patient prescription data communicated thereto by member health care providers and member pharmacies and to verify the authenticity of individual patient prescriptions upon receipt of a request from any member pharmacy and each member pharmacy has a computer including information processing and storage capabilities to generate a request to verify the authenticity of individual patient prescriptions from the central web site created by any member health care provider and to receive verification from the central web site of the authenticity of individual patient prescriptions prior to dispensing the individual patient prescriptions.

Claims

1. An interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions through a network of member health care providers, a central web site and member pharmacies operatively coupled by a data communication link capable of transferring data and information therebetween wherein each member health care provider has a computer including information processing and storage capabilities to create and validate individual patient prescriptions to be provided to any member pharmacy, the central web site has a computer including information processing and data storage capabilities for processing and storing individual patient prescription data communicated thereto by member health care providers and member pharmacies and to verify the authenticity of individual patient prescriptions upon receipt of a request from any member pharmacy and each member pharmacy has a computer including information processing and storage capabilities to generate a request to verify the authenticity of individual patient prescriptions from the central web site created by any member health care provider and to receive verification from the central web site of the authenticity of individual patient prescriptions prior to dispensing the individual patient prescriptions.

2. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 1 wherein each health care person authorized to write prescriptions under the system has a unique identifier and unique machine readable code.

3. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 2 wherein the central web site has each unique identifier and corresponding unique machine readable code to compare against requests from member pharmacies to generate the verification and authentication message.

4. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 3 wherein said unique machine-readable code is a bar code.

5. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 2 wherein the unique identifier and unique machine readable code is changed periodically.

6. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 2 wherein after entering the central web site, a member pharmacy enters the patient name and medication name and then enters the machine readable code information by use of code reader.

7. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 6 wherein information is uploaded to the central web site and de-encrypted, processed, then specific information regarding the patient, medication, dosage, dispense number and physician is then downloaded back to the requesting member pharmacy.

8. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 7 wherein the member pharmacy verifies that this information matches the prescription as written by comparing the text of the prescription with the text returned from the central web site to authenticate the prescription.

9. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 8 the member pharmacy is then queried by the central web site to determine if the prescription was filled and, if filled, the medication is added to the patient'"'"'s list with all relevant information in the database of both the member pharmacy and the central web site.

10. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 7 wherein the central web site generates and transmits a monitor flag to the requesting member pharmacy if the prescription writer'"'"'s unique identifier does not match the encrypted machine readable code for that particular prescription.

11. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 7 wherein the medication will also be compared to data bank list compiled for the patient and potential medication interactions will be identified and flagged for the requesting member pharmacy.

12. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 7 wherein controlled mediations are flagged for the requesting member pharmacy if registry notes filling of same or similar medication with a predetermined period of time.

13. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 7 wherein the central web site generates and transmits a monitor flag to the requesting member pharmacy if the prescription writer'"'"'s unique identifier does not match the encrypted machine readable code for that particular prescription and wherein the medication will also be compared to data bank list compiled for the patient and potential medication interactions will be identified and flagged for the requesting member pharmacy

14. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 13 wherein controlled mediations are also flagged for the requesting member pharmacy if registry notes filling of same or similar medication with a predetermined period of time.

15. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 7 wherein the medication will also be compared to data bank list compiled for the patient and potential medication interactions will be identified and flagged for the requesting member pharmacy and wherein controlled mediations are also flagged for the requesting member pharmacy if registry notes filling of same or similar medication with a predetermined period of time.

16. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 7 wherein the central web site generates and transmits a monitor flag to the requesting member pharmacy if the prescription writer'"'"'s unique identifier does not match the encrypted machine readable code for that particular prescription and wherein controlled mediations are also flagged for the requesting member pharmacy if registry notes filling of same or similar medication with a predetermined period of time such as thirty (30) days.

17. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 1 includes authorizing health care provider and pharmacy members to the network;

entry of member health care provider information and member pharmacy information into central web site database upon becoming authorizing members of the network;

medical diagnosis by member health care provider;

member health care provider enters individual patient prescription into member health care provider computer;

machine readable coded individual patient prescription is printed and delivered to a member pharmacy or electronic transmission to member pharmacy;

coded individual patient prescription is transmitted from member pharmacy to central web site for authorization and verification;

central web site processes verification request;

individual patient prescription is compared to a data bank list compiled for the patient;

central web site transmits verification of an authenticated machine readable coded individual patient prescription to originating member pharmacy or transmits an unauthorized prescription message to requesting member pharmacy;

information regarding the patient, medication, dosage, dispense number and physician is transmitted to the requesting member pharmacy;

member pharmacy verifies that this information matches the prescription as written and authenticated;

member pharmacy fills the verified machine readable coded individual patient prescription;

member pharmacy dispenses the verified machine readable coded individual patient prescription.

18. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 17 wherein potential medication interactions are identified and flagged.

19. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 18 wherein controlled medications are flagged if registry notes filling of same or similar medication within a predetermined period to requesting member pharmacy.

20. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 19 wherein member pharmacy is queried by central web site if prescription was filled and, if filled, medication is added to the individual patient'"'"'s list with all relevant information for future medication.

21. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 17 wherein member pharmacy is queried by central web site if prescription was filled and, if filled, medication is added to the individual patient'"'"'s list with all relevant information for future medication.

22. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 21 wherein controlled medications are also flagged if registry notes filling of same or similar medication within a predetermined period to requesting member pharmacy.

23. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 17 wherein controlled medications are flagged if registry notes filling of same or similar medication within a predetermined period to requesting member pharmacy.

24. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 17 includes authorizing health care provider and pharmacy members to the network;

entry of member health care provider information and member pharmacy information into central web site database upon becoming authorizing members of the network;

medical diagnosis by member health care provider;

member health care provider enters individual patient prescription into member health care provider computer;

machine readable coded individual patient prescription is printed and delivered to a member pharmacy or electronic transmission to member pharmacy;

coded individual patient prescription is transmitted from member pharmacy to central web site for authorization and verification;

central web site processes verification request;

individual patient prescription is compared to a data bank list compiled for the patient;

central web site transmits verification of an authenticated machine readable coded individual patient prescription to originating member pharmacy or transmits an unauthorized prescription message to requesting member pharmacy;

information regarding the patient, medication, dosage, dispense number and physician is transmitted to the requesting member pharmacy;

member pharmacy verifies that this information matches the prescription as written and authenticated;

member pharmacy fills the verified machine readable coded individual patient prescription;

member pharmacy dispenses the verified machine readable coded individual patient prescription.

25. The interactive method of claim 1 wherein said method comprises the steps of authorizing health care provider and pharmacy members to the network;

entry of member health care provider information and member pharmacy information into central web site database upon becoming authorizing members of the network;

medical diagnosis by member health care provider;

member health care provider enters individual patient prescription into member health care provider computer;

machine readable coded individual patient prescription is printed and delivered to a member pharmacy or electronic transmission to member pharmacy;

coded individual patient prescription is transmitted from member pharmacy to central web site for authorization and verification;

central web site processes verification request;

individual patient prescription is compared to a data bank list compiled for the patient;

central web site transmits verification of an authenticated machine readable coded individual patient prescription to originating member pharmacy or transmits an unauthorized prescription message to requesting member pharmacy;

information regarding the patient, medication, dosage, dispense number and physician is transmitted to the requesting member pharmacy;

potential medication interactions are identified and flagged, controlled medications are also flagged if registry notes filling of same or similar medication within a predetermined period to requesting member pharmacy;

member pharmacy verifies that this information matches the prescription as written and authenticated;

member pharmacy fills the verified machine readable coded individual patient prescription;

member pharmacy dispenses the verified machine readable coded individual patient prescription;

member pharmacy prints and affixes label to container of the dispensed medication;

member pharmacy delivers prescribed drug with printed instructions;

member pharmacy is queried by central web site if prescription was filled; and

if filled, this medication is added to the individual patient'"'"'s list with all relevant information for future medication.

26. The interactive method and system for creating, validating, verifying and dispensing or filling patient prescriptions of claim 25 wherein said unique machine-readable code is a bar code.