AUTOMATED PRESCRIPTION FILLING SYSTEM/METHOD WITH AUTOMATED LABELING AND PACKAGING SYSTEM/METHOD AND AUTOMATED ORDER CONSOLIDATION SYSTEM/METHOD

• US 20090132083A1
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Original Assignee: Medco Health Solutions Incorporated (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: LASHER, Christopher J., HOWELL, Robert G., HESS, E. Christian, SZESKO, Michael Joseph, RICE, Dennis Wayne, BONKENBURG, Thomas P., WALTON, Douglas W., MONKHOUSE, Peter, BOOLER, Andrew P., BELL, Michael W.G., SHUPERT, P. Thomas, LEU, Chih-Jen, MCERLEAN, James G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,136,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/215
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/20 for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents adding unpacking elements B65B61/18
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/0018 Preparing the labels
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/0015 Preparing the labels or articles, e.g. smoothing, removing air bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/22 by wetting, e.g. by applying liquid glue or a liquid to a dry glue coating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1002 with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1028 by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1033 Flexible sheet to cylinder lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 by folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1326 Severing means or member secured thereto also bonds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1339 Delivering cut part in sequence to serially conveyed articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1768 Means simultaneously conveying plural articles from a single source and serially presenting them to an assembly station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1771 Turret or rotary drum-type conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1773 For flexible sheets

Abstract

Computer assisted systems, methods and mediums for filling one or more orders. One embodiment of the present invention is a system that includes an order consolidation station configured to receive at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and/or at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the orders when the package was created and/or at least one literature pack optionally including patient specific information. The order consolidation station is further configured to combine automatically the received bottle and/or package and/or literature pack into a container to be sent to a recipient including, for example, mail order pharmacies, wholesalers and/or central fill dealers for subsequent distribution or sale including retailer distribution or sale. The bottle is specifically designated for the order, and the order generally includes at least one prescription for the package.

Claims

1. A method for filling at least one order, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one literature pack containing printed literature relating to the at least one order, patient specific information and first identification corresponding to the order and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products and second identification corresponding to the package, and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package,

automatically combining the at least one literature pack and the at least one package by comparing the first and second identification to send the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order; and

receiving at least one bottle containing pills and combining the at least one literature pack with the at least one bottle and the at least one package responsive to comparing the third identification with at least one of the first and second identification, and wherein the at least one bottle is specifically designated for the at least one order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pharmaceutical products comprises a non-countable form.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pharmaceutical products comprises at least one of a liquid pharmaceutical package, a box, and a pre-packaged bulk bottle.

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

printing at least one label for the at least one package, wherein the label is printed with patient specific information including instructions by a prescribing doctor to the patient.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

configuring the at least one label into a sufficiently small footprint to be affixed on the at least one package.

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

detecting and reading the label affixed on the at least one package; and

rejecting the at least one package and the label if an incorrect label is affixed thereto.

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

detecting the presence of a metallic substance in the at least one bottle; and

rejecting the at least one bottle if a metallic substance is detected therein.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

opening a container to receive the at least one bottle and the at least one package into the container.

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

printing an address or internal control information; and

affixing the address or the internal control information on the container.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

scanning a barcode on at least one of the at least one literature pack and the at least one package.

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

scanning a barcode on the at least one bottle.

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

printing at least one label for the combined at least one literature pack and the at least one package wherein the label comprises indicia substantially similar to indicia on at least one of the at least one literature pack and the at least one package.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a first indicia on the at least one package comprising the medication information and the customer associated therewith and a second indicia on the at least one literature pack comprising the medication information, instruction for using the medication information and the customer associated therewith; and

matching the first and second indicia and when the first and second indicia match, placing the at least one package and the at least one literature pack in a container for sending to the customer.

14. A method for filling at least one order, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one literature pack via a first transport mechanism containing printed literature relating to the at least one order, patient specific information and first identification information corresponding to the order and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having to be pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created and second identification information corresponding to the package, and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package;

automatically combining the at least one literature pack and the at least one package by comparing the first and second identification to send the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order; and

receiving at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical product via a second transport mechanism and the at least one literature pack and automatically combining responsive to comparing the third identification with at least one of the first and second identification the at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical product having third identification corresponding to a particular prescription order and the at least one literature pack having another first identification corresponding to the same particular prescription order into at least one container corresponding to the same prescription order, to thereby fill the at least one order.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

printing at least one label for the at least one package, wherein the label is printed with patient specific information including instructions by a prescribing doctor to the patient.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

configuring the at least one label into a sufficiently small footprint to be affixed on the at least one package.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

detecting and reading the label affixed on the at least one package; and

rejecting the at least one package and the label if an incorrect label is affixed thereto.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of a metallic substance in the at least one bottle; and

rejecting the at least one bottle if a metallic substance is detected therein.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

opening a container to receive the at least one bottle and the at least one package into the container.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

printing an address or internal control information; and

affixing the address or the internal control information on the container.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

scanning a barcode on at least one of the at least one literature pack and the at least one package.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

scanning a barcode on the at least one bottle.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the pharmaceutical products comprises a non-countable form.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the pharmaceutical products comprises at least one of a liquid pharmaceutical package, a box, and a pre-packaged bulk bottle.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

printing at least one label for the combined at least one literature pack and the at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical wherein the label comprises indicia substantially similar to indicia on at least one of the at least one literature pack and the at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

providing a first indicia on the at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical comprising the medication information and the customer associated therewith and a second indicia on the at least one literature pack comprising the medication information, instruction for using the medication information and the customer associated therewith; and

matching the first and second indicia and when the first and second indicia match, placing the at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical and the at least one literature pack in a container for sending to the customer.

27. A method for filling at least one order, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one literature pack containing printed literature relating to the at least one order and patient specific information and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products, and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package;

automatically combining the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to send the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order.

28. A method for filling at least one order, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one literature pack via a first transport mechanism containing printed literature relating to the at least one order and patient specific information having at least one identification information and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having to be pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created having at least another identification information, and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package;

receiving at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical product via a second transport mechanism and the at least one literature pack and automatically combining the at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical product having identification information corresponding to a particular prescription order and the at least one literature pack having another identification information corresponding to the same particular prescription order into at least one container corresponding to the same prescription order, to thereby fill the at least one order.

29. A method for filling at least one mail service pharmacy order, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one literature pack containing printed literature relating to the at least one mail service pharmacy order, patient specific information and first identification corresponding to the order and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having to be pre-designated for the at least one mail service pharmacy order when the at least one package was created and second identification corresponding to the package, and wherein the at least one mail service pharmacy order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package,

automatically combining the at least one literature pack and the at least one package by comparing the first and second identification to send the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one mail service pharmacy order, to thereby fill the at least one mail service pharmacy order.

30. A method for filling at least one mail service pharmacy order, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one literature pack via a first transport mechanism containing printed literature relating to the at least one mail service pharmacy order, patient specific information and first identification information corresponding to the order and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having to be pre-designated for the at least one mail service pharmacy order when the at least one package was created and second identification information corresponding to the package, and wherein the at least one mail service pharmacy order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package;

automatically combining the at least one literature pack and the at least one package by comparing the first and second identification to send the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order;

receiving at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical product via a second transport mechanism and the at least one literature pack and automatically combining the at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical product having identification information corresponding to a particular prescription order and the at least one literature pack having another identification information corresponding to the same particular prescription into at least one container corresponding to the same prescription order, to thereby fill the at least one mail service pharmacy order.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of detecting the presence of a metallic substance in the at least one order.

32. A system for filling at least one prescription order, said system comprising at least one order consolidation station configured to:

receive at least one literature pack containing printed literature relating to the at least one order, patient specific information and first identification corresponding to the order, receive at least one package containing pharmaceutical products and second identification corresponding to the package, and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package, and automatically combining the at least one literature pack and the at least one package by comparing the first and second identification to send the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order, and said at least one order consolidation station configured to;

receive at least one bottle containing pills and combining the at least one literature pack with the at least one bottle and the at least one package responsive to comparing the third identification with at least one of the first and second identification, and wherein the at least one bottle is specifically designated for the at least one order.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one order consolidation station is further configured to:

print at least one customized literature pack for the at least one prescription order comprising patient specific information; and

insert automatically the at least one literature pack into the container.

34. The system according to claim 32, further comprising at least one identifier detector to detect the identifications used to determine whether the at least one bottle, the at least one package, the at least one customized literature pack, and the container belong to the at least one prescription order.

35. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

a package storage device having an array of locations and configured to store the at least one package into one of the array of locations; and

a package dispenser configured to identify the one of the array of locations, obtain the at least one package from the one of the array of locations and provide the at least one package to a transport system.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the package dispenser further includes a package label printer to print at least one label for the at least one package, wherein the label is printed with patient specific information.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the package dispenser further includes a labeler to affix a label on the at least one package.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the package dispenser further includes an error detection system configured to detect the label affixed on the at least one package and reject the at least one package if an error is detected.

39. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

a bottle storage device having an array of locations and configured to store the at least one bottle into one of the array of locations; and

a bottle dispenser configured to identify the one of the array of locations and dispense the at least one bottle from the one of the array of the locations.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the bottle dispenser comprises a bottle buffer configured to receive the at least one bottle belonging to the one of at least one prescription order, wherein the bottle buffer is disposed and configured to release the received at least one bottle to the first transport system.

41. The system of claim 32, further comprising a metal detector configured to detect a metallic substance in the at least one bottle, wherein the bottle is transported to a quality assurance area if a metallic substance is detected.

42. The system of claim 32, further comprising a packager configured to open the container to receive the at least one bottle and at least one package.

43. The system of claim 33, wherein the at least one prescription order consolidation station is further configured to:

print at least one customized literature pack for the at least one prescription order comprising patient specific information; and

insert automatically the at least one literature pack for the at least one bottle and the at least one package into the container.

44. A system for filling at least one prescription order, said system comprising:

means for receiving at least one literature pack containing printed literature relating to the at least one order and patient specific information and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products, and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package;

means for automatically combining the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to send the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order.

45. A system for filling at least one prescription order, said system comprising:

a literature pack system providing at least one literature pack containing printed literature relating to the at least one order and patient specific information having at least one identification information;

a prepackaged pharmaceutical system providing at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical product comprising at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having to be pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created, and the at least one package having at least another identification information, and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package;

at least one order consolidation station configured to;

the receive at least one literature pack and the at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical product, and automatically combine the at least one prepackaged pharmaceutical product having identification information corresponding to a particular prescription order and the at least one literature pack having another identification information corresponding to the same particular prescription order into at least one container corresponding to the same prescription order, to thereby fill the at least one prescription order.