System and software of enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities and related methods
First Claim
1. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a plurality of long-term care facilities, the system comprising:
- a first data processing and management computer including a first memory to store data therein to thereby define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server;
long-term care facility pharmacy management software stored in the first memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities;
a communications network in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server;
a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server through the communication network to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility;
a second remote pharmacy group computer positioned remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts through the communication network, and including a second memory to store data therein to define a remote pharmacy group server; and
a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a long-term care facility remote separate from and in communication with the remote pharmacy server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, software and related methods of enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long term care facilities are provided. An embodiment of a system includes a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmacological operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities, a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication therewith, a remote pharmacy group server in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, and a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a long-term care facility and in communication with the remote pharmacy group server or the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a plurality of long-term care facilities, the system comprising:
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a first data processing and management computer including a first memory to store data therein to thereby define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server;
long-term care facility pharmacy management software stored in the first memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities;
a communications network in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server;
a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server through the communication network to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility;
a second remote pharmacy group computer positioned remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts through the communication network, and including a second memory to store data therein to define a remote pharmacy group server; and
a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a long-term care facility remote separate from and in communication with the remote pharmacy server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a long-term care facility, the system comprising:
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a pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server;
long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities;
a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility; and
a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a long-term care facility remote separate from and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a long-term care facility, the system comprising:
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a first pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server;
long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities;
a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in one of the plurality of long-term care facilities remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to store a plurality of different pharmaceuticals, package a plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals, and dispense the plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals to authorized facility medical personnel located at one of the plurality of long-term care facilities; and
a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility positioned remote from the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and associated with a second remote pharmacy group computer defining a remote pharmacy group server in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts through the communication network, having a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored therein, and having at least one vehicle positioned to deliver selected pharmaceuticals at the storage facility to each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts, responsive to a combination of individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions and medication inventory for each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. Long-term care facility pharmacy management software adapted to be stored on a storage media associated with a pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server for managing pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility and a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having at least one remote medication dispensing apparatus, the software comprising:
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a patient prescription receiver responsive to receipt of a digital image of a patient medication prescription order from a pharmaceutical prescription document processor associated with a remote medication dispensing apparatus to store the digital image of the patient medication prescription and to queue the digital image for prescription order processing;
a queue, positioned to receive the digital image of the patient medication prescription order, to hold the digital image of the patient medication prescription for processing and release by a remote pharmacy pharmacist associated with the remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility; and
a dispensing initiator, responsive to a medication inventory for the remote medication dispensing apparatus and the release performed by the remote pharmacy pharmacist, to transmit individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions to the respective remote medication dispensing apparatus over a network to thereby initiate patient medication dispensing. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. Long-term care facility pharmacy management software adapted to be stored on a storage media associated with a pharmacy group management computer to manage pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility and a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having a medication dispensing apparatus, and adapted to accept prescriptions from a physician, patient identification information and pharmaceutical inventory from the medication dispensing apparatus, and insurance information from the patient'"'"'s insurance company to control dispensing medication from the medication dispensing apparatus to an authorized health-care personnel in each of the long-term care facilities, to control inventory in the medication dispensing apparatus, to order delivery of pharmaceuticals from the remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility to restock the medication dispensing apparatus or for individually tailored prescription delivery for those prescriptions not stocked in the medication dispensing apparatus, and to electronically process medication claims with a reimbursement provider.
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29. A computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to manage pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility defining a remote pharmacy and in a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having at least one remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storing apparatus in communication with the computer and having a memory and a plurality of medication dispensing cartridges associated therewith, the computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations:
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establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy;
registering at least one patient for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility;
storing in memory of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus at least one medication type and an amount to be dispensed;
storing in memory of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus a medication dispensing time;
dispensing medication responsive to patient prescription requirements for each patient registered to the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at each respective long-term care facility; and
maintaining a record of medication dispensed and an inventory of medication remaining in each cartridge of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of providing pharmaceutical services to a plurality of long-term care facilities, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy;
restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility remote pharmacy;
restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures within the plurality of long-term care facilities;
installing a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities to be used by the long-term care facility staff; and
visiting each of the plurality of long-term care facilities on a preselected frequency from the long-term care facility remote pharmacy to assess performance and enhance communication. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities each devoid of an on-location pharmacy, the method comprising the steps of:
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reducing management overhead costs by;
assigning each of the plurality of long-term care facilities at least one automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart, assigning a plurality of the long-term care facilities to each of at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy, and assigning the at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy to a single long-term care facility pharmacy group manager, to thereby continuously monitor multiple long-term care facilities; and
reducing pharmaceutical delivery costs by;
delivering pharmaceuticals by long-term care facility remote pharmacy vehicle to replenish, in a single delivery iteration, each of a plurality of the automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing carts and to provide those pharmaceuticals according to the patient prescription requirements and not provided by each respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method of increasing sales to and generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities being devoid of an on-location pharmacy, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy;
positioning at least one pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus in each of the plurality of long-term care facilities to store and dispense pharmaceuticals to a patient living therein;
establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy;
registering patients for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a respective pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility, the database stored in memory of a data processing and management computer;
remotely programming at least one medication type and amount to be dispensed into each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus;
remotely programming a medication dispensing time into each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus;
dispensing medication according to patient prescription requirements for each associated registered patient; and
maintaining an inventory of medication dispensed and medication remaining in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57)
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Specification