Apparatus and method for processing phone-in prescriptions

• US 20060229915A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Original Assignee: Medco Health Solutions Incorporated (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: Kosinski, Diana L., Sullivan, Mark W., McNamara, Steven M., Russo, Melissa
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,525 B2
• 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 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for processing phone-in prescription requests. The apparatus is in the form of a prescription processing network that includes a prescription processing system and a communication device remotely located from the prescription processing system. The communication device is used to establish a communication channel with the prescription processing system and submit a prescription request over the communication channel. A pharmacist, associated with the prescription processing system, prepares a completed prescription form based, at least in part, on the submitted prescription request. The prescription processing network also includes a pharmacy for receiving the completed prescription form, and filling the prescription request based on the completed prescription form.

Claims

1. A method of processing prescription requests comprising the steps:

establishing a connection to a remotely located prescription processing system;

submitting a prescription request to the prescription processing system;

capturing the prescription request for subsequent manipulation;

converting the captured prescription request to a digitized form at at the prescription processing system to obtain a digitized prescription request;

storing the digitized prescription request on a database maintained by the prescription processing system;

independently assessing by personnel associated with the prescription processing system correctness of the prescription request, said personnel comprising a non-physician user electronically signing a patient'"'"'s orders resulting from said independently assessing;

sending completed prescription information to a filling pharmacy; and

filling the prescription request, at the filling pharmacy, based on the completed prescription information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transcribing the captured prescription request.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of preparing is performed based, at least partially, on a content of the transcribed prescription request.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps:

creating an identification file, including identification data, for the digitized prescription request; and

concatenating the identification file with the digitized prescription request to form a prescription file.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of prompting a user to input information associated with the prescription.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of prompting comprises the steps:

requesting physician information;

requesting user information; and

requesting a member ID number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the prescription request is to submit a new prescription, and further comprising the steps:

submitting member information;

submitting patient information;

submitting medication information;

determining if there is an existing unique prescription number for renewal; and

requesting the existing unique prescription number if it is available.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps:

determining if there is a change in patient therapy that would affect one or more aspects of the prescription request; and

if there is no change inpatient therapy, then performing the steps;

reviewing the submitted prescription request to obtain the user'"'"'s approval, and

closing the prescription request.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein there is a change in therapy, and further comprising the steps:

requesting new medication information from the user; and

reviewing the new medication information.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of closing the prescription request, including the steps:

determining if the user would like to submit a new prescription request;

repeating the steps of submitting, preparing, sending, and filling if the user would like to submit a new prescription request; and

terminating the connection if the user would not like to submit an a new prescription request.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps:

printing a form pre-populated with the verified information;

assigning the form a unique identifier which associates the form with the prescription request; and

submitting the pre-populated form to the user via facsimile.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps:

comparing, at the prescription processing system, a physician'"'"'s phone number and a prescription number; and

if the physician'"'"'s phone number and the prescription number result in a predetermined relationship, wherein the predetermined relationship is a match between the physician'"'"'s phone number and the prescription number and a stored physician'"'"'s phone number and a stored prescription number stored at the prescription processing system then filling the prescription request using an automated entry agent associated with the prescription processing system.

13. A method of processing a submitted prescription request, comprising the steps:

receiving a request from a remote source to establish a connection with a local prescription processing system;

establishing a connection with the remote source;

receiving a prescription request;

preparing, by a pharmacist, a completed prescription information based, at least partially, on the prescription request;

sending the completed prescription information to a pharmacy to be filled; and

when the physician'"'"'s phone number and a prescription identifier result in a predetermined relationship, wherein the predetermined relationship is a match between the physician'"'"'s phone number and the prescription identifier and a stored physician'"'"'s phone number and a stored prescription number stored at the prescription processing system then filling the prescription request, at the predetermined pharmacy, based on the completed prescription information.

14. A prescription processing network comprising:

a prescription processing system;

a communication device for establishing a communication channel with said prescription processing system and submitting a prescription request over said communication channel, said communication device being remotely located from said prescription processing system;

said prescription processing system being accessible by one of a pharmacist and personnel capable of independently assessing correctness of the prescription request for preparing a completed prescription information based, at least in part, on the submitted prescription request, and said prescription processing system includes a header entry agent for retrieving general information from a prescription request, wherein said submitted prescription is digitized into said digitized prescription request, and transcribing said general information, wherein said general information comprises non-medication related information comprising at least one of member'"'"'s name, member'"'"'s identification number, physician information, and patient information; and

a pharmacy for receiving said completed prescription information, and filling said prescription request based on the completed prescription information.

15. A prescription processing system comprising:

a telephone for receiving an audible prescription request;

a computer for capturing the audible prescription request and for receiving a digitized prescription request, the computer creating an identification file, including identification data, for the at least one of the digitized prescription request and the audible prescription request and associating the identification file and the at least one of the digitized prescription request and the audible prescription request to form a prescription file;

a header entry agent for retrieving general information from at least one of the digitized prescription request and the audible prescription request after the audible prescription request has been converted to a digitized format at the prescription processing system, and the general information is transcribed, and wherein said general information comprises non-medication related information comprising at least one of member'"'"'s name, member'"'"'s identification number, physician information, and patient information;

a user interface enabling personnel associated with the prescription processing system to independently assesses correctness of at least one of the digitized prescription request and the audible prescription request and prepares a completed prescription information based on the at least one of the digitized prescription request and the audible prescription request; and

a pharmacy for receiving said completed prescription information, and filling said prescription request based on the completed prescription information, and when the physician'"'"'s phone number and the prescription number result in a predetermined relationship, wherein the predetermined relationship is a match between the physician'"'"'s phone number and the prescription number and a stored physician'"'"'s phone number and a stored prescription number stored at the prescription processing system then filling the prescription request, at the predetermined pharmacy, based on the completed prescription information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the header entry agent comprises at least one of a person or an intelligent software program.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the personnel comprises at least one of a pharmacist, a medical doctor, and a licensed physician assistant.