Universal medication carrier

• US 20050237222A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EMMA Health Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: INRange Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Rogers, C. David, Downey, Harvey E., Grafius, Gerald R., Bossi, Christopher E., Bogash, Robert C., Vereb, Christopher J., Coon, Dennis, Papp, Mary Anne
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.70
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags

Abstract

A medication carrier for administering individual doses of therapeutic products to a patient, in a non-sequential fashion. The medication carrier comprises a receptacle which stores individually sealed, unit dose packages in random order, allowing each unit dose package to be easily accessed and released in response to automated or manual extraction. The medication carrier includes an array of stalls and retaining means for securing the sealed unit dose packages within the stalls until a scheduled dosing time. The unit dose packages are oriented such that identifiers imprinted thereon can be easily read without removing the packages from the carrier.

Claims

1. A method of tracking individual doses of therapeutic products, comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of sealed unit dose packages that each contain an individual dose of a therapeutic product, wherein each package includes an identifier on a surface thereof for tracking the package;

(b) loading said plurality of sealed unit dose packages into a receptacle capable of holding said packages such that,

(i) the package identifiers are capable of being read without removing the unit dose packages from said receptacle, and

(ii) each of said sealed unit dose packages is capable of being non-consecutively and independently released from the receptacle without disrupting the other packages contained within the receptacle; and

(c) recording the identifier of each unit dose package within the receptacle.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said therapeutic product comprises a medication, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, diagnostic material, solid dose, liquid dose, or injection device containing doses.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising recording said package and receptacle identifiers in electronic storage for subsequent retrieval.

6. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising recording the location of each unit dose package within the receptacle.

7. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said package identifier comprises a bar code or radio frequency identification tag containing information regarding the therapeutic product contained within the unit dose package.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said information includes a serial number, manufacturer'"'"'s lot number, expiration date, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising recording the package identifier or the location of a unit dose package at the time the package is removed from the receptacle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising recording the date and time that the unit dose package is removed from the receptacle.

11. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said package identifiers are oriented in the same plane.

12. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said receptacle comprises a plurality of partially open, individual stalls and each of the sealed unit dose packages occupies an individual stall thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said package identifiers are used to identify a unit dose package for recall.

2. A method of tracking individual doses of therapeutic products, comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of sealed unit dose packages that each contain an individual dose of a therapeutic product, wherein each package includes an identifier on a surface thereof for tracking the package;

(b) loading said plurality of sealed unit dose packages into a receptacle capable of holding said packages such that,

(i) the package identifiers are capable of being read without removing the unit dose packages from said receptacle, and

(ii) each of said sealed unit dose packages is capable of being non-consecutively and independently released from the receptacle without disrupting the other packages contained within the receptacle;

(c) assigning an identifier to the receptacle and correlating each of said package identifiers with said receptacle identifier; and

(d) recording the package identifiers and the receptacle identifier.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising recording said correlation in electronic storage for subsequent retrieval.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein said package identifiers are used to charge a patient for delivery of a specific unit dose package.

15. The method of claim 2, further comprising using said correlation to locate a receptacle containing a desired unit dose package.

16. A method of non-sequentially storing individual doses of therapeutic products, comprising:

a) providing a plurality of sealed unit dose packages that each contain an individual dose of a therapeutic product, wherein each package includes an identifier on a surface thereof for tracking the package; and

(b) loading said plurality of sealed unit dose packages into a receptacle capable of holding said packages such that,

(i) the package identifiers are capable of being read without removing the unit dose packages from said receptacle, and

(ii) each of said sealed unit dose packages is capable of being non-consecutively and independently released from the receptacle without disrupting the other packages contained within the receptacle.

18. The method of claim 16 or 17, further comprising recording said package identifiers in electronic storage for subsequent retrieval.

19. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein said therapeutic product comprises a medication, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, diagnostic material, solid dose, liquid dose, or injection device containing doses.

20. The method of claim 16 or 17, further comprising assigning an identifier to the receptacle and correlating each of said package identifiers with said receptacle identifier.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising recording said correlation in electronic storage for subsequent retrieval.

22. The method of claim 16 or 17, further comprising recording the location of each unit dose package within the receptacle.

23. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein said package identifier comprises a bar code or radio frequency identification tag containing information regarding the therapeutic product contained within the unit dose package.

24. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein said package identifier includes a serial number, manufacturer'"'"'s lot number, expiration date, or a combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising recording the package identifier or recording the location of a unit dose package at the time the package is removed from the receptacle.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising recording the date and time that the unit dose package is removed from the receptacle.

27. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein said package identifiers are oriented in the same plane.

28. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein said receptacle comprises a plurality of partially open, individual stalls and each of the sealed unit dose packages occupies an individual stall thereof.

29. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein said package identifiers are used to charge a patient for delivery of a specific unit dose package.

30. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein said package identifiers are used to identify a unit dose package for recall.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising using said correlation to locate a receptacle containing a desired unit dose package.

17. A method of non-sequentially administering or delivering individual doses of therapeutic products, comprising:

a) providing a plurality of sealed unit dose packages that each contain an individual dose of a therapeutic product, wherein each package includes an identifier on a surface thereof for tracking the package;

(b) loading said plurality of sealed unit dose packages into a receptacle capable of holding said packages such that,

(i) the package identifiers are capable of being read without removing the unit dose packages from said receptacle, and

(ii) each of said sealed unit dose packages is capable of being non-consecutively and independently released from the receptacle without disrupting the other packages contained within the receptacle; and

(c) releasing a sealed unit dose package from the receptacle by applying pressure to the surface of said package, such that the package is released from the receptacle on the opposite side from which the pressure is applied.

32. A receptacle for non-sequentially storing and administering individual doses of therapeutic products, comprising:

(a) a container having top and bottom surfaces and having an array of individual, partially open stalls interposed therein, each stall being suitably sized to receive a sealed unit dose package that contains an individual dose of therapeutic product, said package including an identifier on a surface thereof for tracking the package;

(b) each stall further comprising sidewalls, a partially open cover being generally flush with the top surface of the container, and an aperture for allowing access to said stall; and

(c) two or more generally horizontal protruding members being mounted to opposing sidewalls of the stall in substantial alignment, and being proximate the top surface of said container, wherein said protruding members receive the seal of the unit dose package and supportably engage said seal such that the seal is confined between said protruding members and said cover.

33. The receptacle of claim 32, wherein said package identifiers are capable of being read without removing the unit dose packages from the receptacle;

and

each of the sealed unit dose packages is capable of being non-consecutively and independently released from the receptacle without disrupting the other packages contained within the receptacle.

34. The receptacle of claim 32, wherein the sealed unit dose package is released from said receptacle by applying pressure to the surface of said package, such that the package is released from the receptacle on the opposite side from which the pressure is applied.

35. The receptacle of claim 32, wherein said container comprises a generally planar surface.

36. The receptacle of claim 32, further comprising support ribs which traverse the lower surface of the container.

37. The receptacle of claim 36, wherein said support ribs extend between said partially open stalls and border peripheral edges of said container.

43. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, wherein said therapeutic product comprises a medication, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, diagnostic material, solid dose, liquid dose, or injection device containing doses.

44. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, further comprising recording said package identifiers in electronic storage for subsequent retrieval.

45. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, further comprising assigning an identifier to the container and correlating each of said package identifiers with said container identifier.

46. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, further comprising recording said correlation in electronic storage for subsequent retrieval.

47. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, further comprising recording the location of each unit dose package within the container.

48. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, wherein said package identifier comprises a bar code or radio frequency identification tag containing information regarding the therapeutic product contained within the unit dose package.

49. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, wherein said package identifier includes a serial number, manufacturer'"'"'s lot number, expiration date, or a combination thereof.

50. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, further comprising recording the package identifier or recording the location of a unit dose package at the time the package is removed from the container.

51. The receptacle of claim 50, further comprising recording the date and time that the unit dose package is removed from the container.

52. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, wherein said package identifiers are oriented in the same plane.

53. The receptacle of claim 32 or 38, wherein said package identifiers are used to identify a unit dose package for recall.

38. A receptacle for non-sequentially storing and administering individual doses of therapeutic products, comprising:

(a) a container having top and bottom surfaces and having an array of individual, partially open stalls interposed therein, each stall being suitably sized to receive a sealed unit dose package containing an individual dose of therapeutic product, said package having an identifier on a surface thereof for tracking the package;

(b) each stall further comprising sidewalls, a partially open cover being generally flush with the top surface of the container, and an aperture for allowing access to said stall; and

(c) a support frame adapted to engage the bottom surface of said container and having a series of clearance slots in register with said stalls, each clearance slot including two or more generally horizontal protruding members being mounted to sidewalls of the clearance slot, in substantial alignment, and extending subjacent to said stall, wherein said protruding members supportably engage the unit dose package such that said package is confined between said protruding members and said cover.

39. The receptacle of claim 38, wherein said package identifiers are capable of being read without removing the unit dose packages from the receptacle;

and

each of the sealed unit dose packages is capable of being non-consecutively and independently released from the receptacle without disrupting the other packages contained within the receptacle.

40. The receptacle of claim 38, wherein the sealed unit dose package is released from said receptacle by applying pressure to the surface of said package, such that the package is released from the receptacle on the opposite side from which the pressure is applied.

41. The receptacle of claim 38, wherein said container comprises a generally planar surface.

42. The receptacle of claim 38, further comprising support ribs which traverse the lower surface of the container.