System for controlling the distribution of pharmaceuticals

• US 20060259363A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Imraan Feisal Jhetam
• Original Assignee: Imraan Feisal Jhetam
• Inventors: Jhetam, Imraan Feisal
• Application Number:
  US11/416,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20060259363A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.170
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system for controlling the distribution of pharmaceuticals involves tracking the distribution of pharmaceutical products and managing pharmaceutical rebates via the internet. The system provides for the verification, payment and auditing of the rebates. Before the pharmacy can participate in the rebate scheme they must first undergo an initial registration process 110. Following registration, the pharmacy may purchase pharmaceutical products which are supplied from the manufacturer via a supply chain 120. The pharmaceuticals are supplied at a standard supply price, irrespective of the country in which the retailers are located. When the pharmaceuticals are supplied to an end user, e.g. a patient, the pharmacy enters a rebate claim 130, which is processed by an international clearing centre 140. Provided the processing has a successful outcome, the pharmacy receives a rebate payment 150, the size of which depends upon the country in which the pharmacist is located. This allows the dispensing of prescription pharmaceuticals at a discount to the patient and reduces the prevalence of parallel importation.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the distribution of pharmaceuticals in which:

pharmaceutical products are each marked with an identifying code prior to distribution to retail outlets via a supply chain, which code is distinguished from identifying codes applied to other pharmaceutical products of the same kind;

the identifying codes are stored on a product database, accessible by a clearing centre, together with the destinations to which the products are sent;

the clearing centre maintains a register of retail outlets located in regions where the products are sold at a reduced price, said register including the geographical locations of the registered retail outlets;

the registered retail outlets read the identifying codes from the products before the products are issued to end users;

the registered retail outlets send rebate claims including the identifying codes to the clearing centre; and

the clearing centre checks the identifying codes in the received rebate claims against the product database and, provided the geographical location of the retail outlet which made the claim matches the product destination as stored in the product database, authorises payment of a monetary rebate to the retail outlet.

2. A system according to claim 1 in which the retail outlets must undergo a registration process to be entered in the register of retail outlets.

3. A system according to claim 2 in which the registration process is carried out using a computer which communicates with the clearing centre via the internet.

4. A system according to claim 2 in which the registration process includes recording the identity and geographical location of the retail outlet in the register of retail outlets.

5. A system according to claim 2 in which the registration process includes recording banking details of the retail outlet in the register of retail outlets.

6. A system according to claim 2 in which, following registration, the retail outlets communicate with the clearing centre via a secure password-protected internet connection.

7. A system according to claim 6 in which the rebate claims submitted by the retail outlets are communicated to the clearing centre using the secure password-protected internet connection.

8. A system according to claim 1 in which the identifying codes marked on the pharmaceutical products are unique to each product item which constitutes an individual packaged quantity of the product to be issued to an end user.

9. A system according to claim 1 in which the identifying codes are applied to the products in a machine-readable form.

10. A system according to claim 9 in which the identifying codes are applied to the products in the form of a barcode.

11. A system according to claim 10 in which the identifying codes are read by each retail outlet using a barcode scanner.

12. A system according to claim 1 in which the identifying codes applied to the products are accompanied by a code which identifies the specific presentation and the particular manufacturer of the pharmaceutical product.

13. A system according to claim 12 in which the code which identifies the specific presentation and the particular manufacturer of the pharmaceutical product is read by each retail outlet and sent to the clearing centre in the rebate claim along with the identifying code.

14. A system according to claim 1 in which the codes read by the retail outlets are subjected to an electronic integrity check before being passed to the clearing centre.

15. A system according to claim 1 in which the identifying codes received by the clearing centre are entered on a clearing database.

16. A system according to claim 15 in which the clearing centre checks the received identifying codes against the clearing database and rejects any rebate claims made with identifying codes which have already been used.

17. A system according to claim 15 in which rebate claims for which payment of a monetary rebate has been authorised are entered on the clearing database.

18. A system according to claim 15 in which registered retail outlets can access the clearing database to check the status of rebate claims which they have submitted.

19. A system according to claim 1 in which the clearing centre stores a record of rebate claims to be audited.

20. A system according to claim 19 in which rejected rebate claims are added to the record of rebate claims to be audited.

21. A system according to claim 19 in which a sample of rebate claims for which payment of a monetary rebate has been authorised are added to the record of rebate claims to be audited.

22. A system according to claim 1 in which, in the case of prescription pharmaceuticals, the identity of the prescribing doctor is transmitted to the clearing centre in the rebate claim.

23. A system according to claim 22 in which identification data relating to a patient for which the prescription pharmaceuticals have been prescribed is transmitted to the clearing centre in the rebate claim.

24. A system according to claim 19 in which, in the case of prescription pharmaceuticals, the identity of the prescribing doctor is transmitted to the clearing centre in the rebate claim and the clearing centre authenticates rebate claims which are held in the record of rebate claims to be audited by contacting the medical practice of the prescribing doctor to check whether the pharmaceuticals have in fact been prescribed.

25. A system according to claim 1 in which the rebate claims communicated to the clearing centre include a request for payment of a monetary rebate value.

26. A system according to claim 25 in which, for rebate claims for which payment of a monetary rebate has been authorised, the requests for payment of a monetary rebate value are checked and, if necessary, adjusted to a value which is appropriate for the geographical area in which the rebate claim was made.

27. A system according to claim 1 in which, for rebate claims for which payment of a monetary rebate has been authorised, a monetary rebate is paid to the retail outlet concerned.

28. A system according to claim 27 in which the clearing centre pays the monetary rebate to the retail outlet.

29. A system according to claim 27 in which the clearing centre receives payments from the product manufacturer.

30. A system according to claim 27 in which the payment is made by electronic bank transfer direct to a bank account which is associated with the retail outlet in the register of retail outlets.

31. A system for controlling the distribution of pharmaceuticals which includes:

maintaining a register of retail outlets located in regions where pharmaceutical products are to be sold at a reduced price, said register including the geographical locations of the registered retail outlets;

accessing a product database containing identifying codes which are applied to pharmaceutical products prior to distribution to retail outlets via a supply chain, which codes are distinguished from identifying codes applied to other pharmaceutical products of the same kind, and the destinations to which the products are sent;

receiving rebate claims from registered retail outlets, which rebate claims include identifying codes read from the products by the retail outlets before the products are issued to end users; and

checking the identifying codes in the received rebate claims against the product database and, provided the geographical location of the retail outlet which made the claim matches the product destination as stored in the product database, authorising payment of a monetary rebate to the retail outlet.

32. A system according to claim 31 in which the retail outlets are entered in the register of retail outlets by means of a registration process.

33. A system according to claim 32 in which the registration process is carried out via the internet.

34. A system according to claim 32 in which the registration process includes recording the identity and geographical location of the retail outlet in the register of retail outlets.

35. A system according to claim 32 in which the registration process includes recording banking details of the retail outlet in the register of retail outlets.

36. A system according to claim 32 in which, following registration, communication with the retail outlets takes place via a secure password-protected internet connection.

37. A system according to claim 36 in which the rebate claims are received from the retail outlets using the secure password-protected internet connection.

38. A system according to claim 31 in which the product database which is accessed contains identifying codes, marked on the pharmaceutical products, which are unique to each product item which constitutes an individual packaged quantity of the product to be issued to an end user.

39. A system according to claim 31 in which the product database which is accessed contains identifying codes which are applied to the products in a machine-readable form.

40. A system according to claim 39 in which the product database which is accessed contains identifying codes which are applied to the products in the form of a barcode.

41. A system according to claim 40 in which the rebate claims received from retail outlets include identifying codes which are read from the products using a barcode scanner.

42. A system according to claim 31 in which the product database which is accessed links the identifying codes with a code which identifies the specific presentation and the particular manufacturer of the pharmaceutical product.

43. A system according to claim 42 in which the rebate claims received from retail outlets include codes which identify the specific presentation and the particular manufacturer of the pharmaceutical product.

44. A system according to claim 31 in which the rebate claims received from retail outlets include codes which have been subjected to an electronic integrity check.

45. A system according to claim 31 in which the identifying codes received from retail outlets are entered on a clearing database.

46. A system according to claim 45 in which the received identifying codes are checked against the clearing database and any rebate claims made with identifying codes which have already been used are rejected.

47. A system according to claim 45 in which rebate claims for which payment of a monetary rebate has been authorised are entered on the clearing database.

48. A system according to claim 45 in which the clearing database is made accessible to registered retail outlets to check the status of rebate claims which they have submitted.

49. A system according to claim 31 which includes storing a record of rebate claims to be audited.

50. A system according to claim 49 in which rejected rebate claims are added to the record of rebate claims to be audited.

51. A system according to claim 49 in which a sample of rebate claims for which payment of a monetary rebate has been authorised are added to the record of rebate claims to be audited.

52. A system according to claim 31 in which, in the case of prescription pharmaceuticals, the rebate claims received from retail outlets include the identity of the prescribing doctor.

53. A system according to claim 52 in which the rebate claims received from retail outlets include identification data relating to a patient for which the prescription pharmaceuticals have been prescribed.

54. A system according to claim 49 in which, in the case of prescription pharmaceuticals, the rebate claims received from retail outlets include the identity of the prescribing doctor and which includes authenticating rebate claims which are held in the record of rebate claims to be audited by contacting the medical practice of the prescribing doctor to check whether the pharmaceuticals have in fact been prescribed.

55. A system according to claim 31 in which the rebate claims received from retail outlets include a request for payment of a monetary rebate value.

56. A system according to claim 55 in which, for rebate claims for which payment of a monetary rebate has been authorised, the requests for payment of a monetary rebate value are checked and, if necessary, adjusted to a value which is appropriate for the geographical area in which the rebate claim was made.

57. A system according to claim 31 in which, for rebate claims for which payment of a monetary rebate has been authorised, a monetary rebate is paid to the retail outlet concerned.

58. A system according to claim 57 which includes receiving payments from the product manufacturer.

59. A system according to claim 57 in which the payment is made by electronic bank transfer.

60. A system according to claim 59 in which the payment is made direct to a bank account which is associated with the retail outlet in the register of retail outlets.

61. A system for controlling the distribution of pharmaceuticals which includes:

obtaining entry on a register of retail outlets located in regions where pharmaceutical products are sold at a reduced price maintained by a clearing centre, which includes geographical locations of such retail outlets;

reading an identifying code from a pharmaceutical product before the product is issued to an end user, which code is distinguished from identifying codes applied to other pharmaceutical products of the same kind, and which identifying codes are stored on a product database, accessible by the clearing centre, together with the destinations to which the products are sent;

submitting rebate claims including the identifying codes to the clearing centre so that the clearing centre may check the identifying codes in the received rebate claims against the product database and, provided the geographical location of said entry matches the product destination as stored in the product database, authorise payment of a monetary rebate; and

receiving payment of said monetary rebate.

62. A system according to claim 61 which includes undergoing a registration process to be entered in the register of retail outlets.

63. A system according to claim 62 in which the registration process is carried out using a computer which communicates with the clearing centre via the internet.

64. A system according to claim 62 in which the registration process includes supplying an identity and geographical location to be recorded in the register of retail outlets.

65. A system according to claim 62 in which the registration process includes supplying banking details to be recorded in the register of retail outlets.

66. A system according to claim 62 in which, following registration, communication with the clearing centre is carried out via a secure password-protected internet connection.

67. A system according to claim 66 which includes submitting the rebate claims to the clearing centre using the secure password-protected internet connection.

68. A system according to claim 61 in which the identifying codes marked on the pharmaceutical products are unique to each product item which constitutes an individual packaged quantity of the product to be issued to an end user.

69. A system according to claim 61 in which the identifying codes are applied to the products in a machine-readable form.

70. A system according to claim 69 in which the identifying codes are applied to the products in the form of a barcode.

71. A system according to claim 70 in which the identifying codes are read using a barcode scanner.

72. A system according to claim 61 in which the identifying codes applied to the products are accompanied by a code which identifies the specific presentation and the particular manufacturer of the pharmaceutical product.

73. A system according to claim 72 in which the code which identifies the specific presentation and the particular manufacturer of the pharmaceutical product is read and sent to the clearing centre in the rebate claim.

74. A system according to claim 61 which includes subjecting the codes to an electronic integrity check before being passed to the clearing centre.

75. A system according to claim 61 which includes accessing a clearing database containing identifying codes received by the clearing centre to check the status of rebate claims which have been submitted.

76. A system according to claim 61 in which, in the case of prescription pharmaceuticals, the identity of the prescribing doctor is transmitted to the clearing centre in the rebate claim.

77. A system according to claim 76 in which identification data relating to a patient for which the prescription pharmaceuticals have been prescribed is transmitted to the clearing centre in the rebate claim.

78. A system according to claim 61 in which the rebate claims communicated to the clearing centre include a request for payment of a monetary rebate value.

79. A system according to claim 61 which includes receiving the monetary rebate from the clearing centre.

80. A system according to claim 65 which includes receiving the monetary rebate from the clearing centre and in which the payment is received by electronic bank transfer direct to a bank account, details of which were supplied to the clearing centre in the registration process to be recorded in the register of retail outlets.

81. A system for controlling the distribution of pharmaceuticals which includes:

marking pharmaceutical products with an identifying code prior to distribution to retail outlets via a supply chain, which code is distinguished from identifying codes applied to other pharmaceutical products of the same kind; and

storing the identifying codes on a product database, accessible by a clearing centre, together with the destinations to which the products are sent.

82. A system according to claim 81 in which the identifying codes marked on the pharmaceutical products are unique to each product item which constitutes an individual packaged quantity of the product to be issued to an end user.

83. A system according to claim 81 in which the identifying codes are applied to the products in a machine-readable form.

84. A system according to claim 83 in which the identifying codes are applied to the products in the form of a barcode.

85. A system according to claim 81 in which the identifying codes applied to the products are accompanied by a code which identifies the specific presentation and the particular manufacturer of the pharmaceutical product.

86. A system according to claim 81 which includes sending payments to the clearing centre.

87. A pharmaceutical product which is marked with an identifying code, which code is distinguished from identifying codes applied to other pharmaceutical products of the same kind, and said identifying codes are stored on a product database, accessible by a clearing centre, together with the destinations to which the products are sent.

88. A pharmaceutical product according to claim 87 in which the identifying code is unique to each product item which constitutes an individual packaged quantity of the product to be issued to an end user.

89. A pharmaceutical product according to claim 87 in which the identifying code is applied to the product in a machine-readable form.

90. A pharmaceutical product according to claim 89 in which the identifying code is applied to the product in the form of a barcode.

91. A pharmaceutical product according to claim 87 in which the identifying code is accompanied by a code which identifies the specific presentation and the particular manufacturer of the pharmaceutical product.