Method and apparatus for pharmaceutical management and tracking

• US 20070145130A1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group LLC (Cencora, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ASD Specialty Healthcare Incorporated (AmerisourceBergen Corporation)
• Inventors: Danilewitz, Dale
• Application Number:
  US11/607,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20070145130A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• 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 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A product inventory management cabinet including a cabinet chassis configured to contain an inventory of product units having RFID tags, a reader configured to wirelessly detect the RFID tags, and a data processing system connected to communicate with the reader and to maintain a product inventory list and a consumed product list according to the detected RFID tags. There is also a method for product inventory management, including detecting a plurality of RFID tags in a cabinet, each RFID tag associated with a product unit and creating a current inventory list comprising identifiers corresponding to the detected plurality of RFID tags.

Claims

1. A product inventory management cabinet, comprising:

a cabinet chassis configured to contain an inventory of product units having RFID tags;

a reader configured to wirelessly detect the RFID tags; and

a data processing system connected to communicate with the reader and to maintain a product inventory list and a consumed product list according to the detected RFID tags.

2. The product inventory management cabinet of claim 1, wherein the product inventory list comprises identifiers corresponding to detected RFID tags.

3. The product inventory management cabinet of claim 1, wherein the consumed product list comprises identifiers corresponding to RFID tags previously on the product inventory list that are not detected by the reader.

4. The product inventory management cabinet of claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes a door that is at least partially transparent.

5. The product inventory management cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a network interface connected to the data processing system to enable the data processing system to communicate with a server system over a network.

6. The product inventory management cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a sensor device connected to communicate with the data processing system.

7. The product inventory management cabinet of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is configured to transmit the product inventory list to a server system.

8. The product inventory management cabinet of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is configured to receive cabinet control instructions from a server system.

9. The product inventory management cabinet of claim 1, wherein the consumed product list comprises identifiers corresponding to RFID tags previously on the product inventory list that are not detected by the reader for at least 24 hours.

10. The product inventory management cabinet of claim 1, wherein the product units are pharmaceuticals.

11. A method for product inventory management, comprising:

detecting a plurality of RFID tags in a cabinet, each RFID tag associated with a product unit;

creating a current inventory list comprising identifiers corresponding to the detected plurality of RFID tags.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising creating a consumed product list comprising identifiers corresponding to RFID tags previously on the product inventory list that are not detected as one of the plurality of RFID tags.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a notification, from the cabinet, that product units have been added or removed from the cabinet inventory.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating with a server system over a network.

15. The method of claim 11, creating a consumed product list comprising identifiers corresponding to RFID tags previously on the product inventory list that are not detected as one of the plurality of RFID tags for a predetermined amount of time.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending cabinet status data to a server system.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving cabinet control instructions from a server system.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving sensor data from at least one sensor device.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending the product inventory list to a server system.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending the consumed product list to a server system.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the product units are pharmaceuticals.