System and software of enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities and related methods

• US 20070250210A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tech Pharmacy Services, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tech Pharmacy Services Incorporated (Partners Pharmacy LLC)
• Inventors: Martin, James, Moncrief, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/241
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/30 Devices or methods for controlling or determining the quantity or quality or the material fed or filled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• 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 40/67 for remote operation

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.

Claims

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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:

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.

35. A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the step of restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures, further comprises the step of:

transmitting a digital image of an actual pharmaceutical prescription order from a prescription document processor associated with one of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts over a virtual private network to the long-term care facility remote pharmacy, providing an exact image of the physician prescription order to a long-term care facility remote pharmacy pharmacist, to allow the remote pharmacist to separately interpret the prescription order interpreted by the facility staff member to thereby reduce errors due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of the pharmaceutical prescription order.

36. A method as defined in claim 35, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures, further comprises the steps of:

entering patient prescription requirements obtained from the digital image of the actual pharmaceutical prescription order into a memory of a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server positioned remote from the plurality of long-term care facilities;

queuing the pharmaceutical prescription order for examination by a remote pharmacy pharmacist associated with the long-term care facility remote pharmacy;

examining the pharmaceutical prescription order for correctness and conflicts; and

transmitting the patient prescription requirements extracted from the pharmaceutical prescription order to the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart, if so correct.

37. A method as defined in claim 36, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures further comprises the step of:

analyzing patient prescription requirements against a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, a patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists.

38. A method as defined in claim 35, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures further comprises the steps of:

maintaining a medication inventory for each pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart;

notifying the long-term care facility pharmacy over the virtual private network of a replenishment requirement, if so existing, for each respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart; and

delivering pharmaceuticals by long-term care facility remote pharmacy vehicle both to replenish a plurality of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and to provide those pharmaceuticals according to the patient prescription requirements not stored by the respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart.

39. A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the step of restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between the long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility remote pharmacy, further comprises the steps of:

selectively remotely controlling functions available to a facility staff member from a terminal of one of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts over a virtual private network to provide training to the facility staff member;

providing visual feedback to pharmacy personnel with a video input device positioned adjacent a plurality of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and positionable to display over a virtual private network a video image of the facility staff member to further enhance training of the facility staff member; and

troubleshooting visually accessible functional components of the pharmaceutical storage electronic dispensing cart by manipulating the video input device adjacent a functional component requiring troubleshooting the video input device.

40. A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the step of restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between the long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility pharmacy comprises the step of providing a medication pass list and a new or changed order report to synchronize pharmacy and long-term care facility documentation to thereby reduce errors due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of pharmaceutical prescription orders.

41. A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures comprises the step of consolidating medication intervals into at least four medication pass time blocks, each block having specific medication administration times within the respective block.

42. A method as defined in claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

dispensing medication according to patient prescription requirements for each of a plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities;

providing separate billing records for the plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities; and

submitting medication claims to a reimbursement provider and a patient representative for each of the plurality of patients.

43. A method as defined in claim 42, further comprising the step of consolidating billing data for each of the plurality of long-term care patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities.

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58. A method of providing pharmaceutical services to a plurality of long-term care facilities, the method comprising the steps of:

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;

dispensing medication according to patient prescription requirements for each of a plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities;

providing separate billing records for the plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities; and

submitting medication claims to a reimbursement provider and a patient representative for each of the plurality of patients.

59. A method as defined in claim 58, wherein the step of restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between the long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility pharmacy comprises the step of providing a medication pass list and a new or changed order report to synchronize pharmacy and long-term care facility documentation to thereby reduce errors due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of pharmaceutical prescription orders.

60. A method as defined in claim 58, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures comprises the step of consolidating medication intervals into a plurality of medication pass time blocks, each block having specific medication administration times within the respective block.

61. A method as defined in claim 58, further comprising the step of consolidating billing data for each of the plurality of long-term care patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities.

62. A method of providing pharmaceutical services to one or more long-term care facilities, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a pharmacy remote from one or more long-term care facilities to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy;

installing a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart at each of the one or more long-term care facilities to be used by long-term care facility staff, each pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart being in communication with the long-term care facility remote pharmacy;

dispensing medication according to patient prescription requirements for each of a plurality of patients at each of the one or more long-term care facilities;

providing separate billing records for the plurality of patients at each of the one or more long-term care facilities; and

submitting medication claims to a reimbursement provider and a patient representative for each of the plurality of patients after dispensing of the medication.

63. A method as defined in claim 62, further comprising the step of consolidating billing data for each of the plurality of long-term care patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities.

64. A method as defined in claim 63, further comprising restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility remote pharmacy.

65. A method as defined in claim 64, further comprising restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures within the plurality of long-term care facilities.

66. A method as defined in claim 65, wherein the step of restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between the long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility pharmacy comprises the step of providing a medication pass list and a new or changed order report to synchronize pharmacy and long-term care facility documentation to thereby reduce errors due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of pharmaceutical prescription orders.

67. A method as defined in claim 66, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures comprises the step of consolidating medication intervals into a plurality of medication pass time blocks, each block having specific medication administration times within the respective block.