PHARMACY MEDICATION VERIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20090138122A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micro Datastat, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Micro Datastat, Ltd.
• Inventors: Wagner, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,914,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/226
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/001 Trolleys for transport of medicaments, food, linen, nursing supplies carts specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis A61B50/13; hand carts B62B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• 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 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A pharmacy medication verification system is particularly useful for verifying medications to be dispensed to hospital patients while minimizing or eliminating verification by a pharmacist. Typically, a technician or robot picks the medications from storage bins in accordance with a medical prescription or stocking order and uses various sensors to ensure that the correct medication was picked and enters a medication container. The system typically provides correct and incorrect medication indicators as well as correct and incorrect entry indicators. Error reports may be generated when appropriate to communicate any relevant errors to the pharmacist, who can then verify that the correct medications are in the container. In one aspect, the containers are in the form of patient drawers which fit within a cart for delivery to hospital rooms. A containment device may be used to secure the drawer or other container during the verification process.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

causing entry of a first medication into a medication container; and

sensing the entry with an entry sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the container is one of a patient drawer configured for use with a hospital rolling cart and a bulk medication compartment of a medication dispensing cabinet.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a computer-generated prompt as to whether the container is empty before the step of causing.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of producing an incorrect entry indicator if an unauthorized object is sensed by the entry sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of positioning the container at a filling position;

and sensing with a position sensor that the container is in the filling position; and

wherein the steps of causing and sensing occur while the container is in the filling position.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of selecting the first medication in accordance with one of a medical prescription and a stocking order before the step of causing.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of opening a cover to provide access to an access opening formed in a wall above the container;

and wherein the step of causing comprises the step of dropping the first medication through the access opening.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of sensing with a cover sensor whether the cover is open or closed.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of providing a lid comprising a wall with an access opening formed therein above the container such that the access opening provides access suitable to allow movement of a medication into the container;

and opening the lid to provide access to the container which is distinct from the access provided by the access opening; and

wherein the step of causing comprises the step of moving the first medication through the access provided by opening the lid.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of sensing with a lid sensor whether the lid is open or closed.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of picking the first medication from a storage location in accordance with a computer database which specifies the first medication;

and identifying the picked first medication with a medication identifier sensor; and

wherein the step of causing comprises the step of causing entry of the identified first medication into the medication container.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the first medication with a medication identifier sensor only during manual engagement with a sensor-enablement device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of causing comprises the step of causing entry of the first medication into one of first and second compartments which are respectively associated with first and second time periods during which medications are to be administered to the patient.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the first medication with a first one of a plurality of medication identification sensors which are associated with respective different time periods during which medications are to be administered to the patient.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of causing occurs at a centralized location;

and further comprising the steps of transporting the first medication in the medication container to a decentralized location; and

dispensing the medication at the decentralized location.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of selecting the first medication in accordance with a medical prescription before the step of causing;

and administering the first medication to the patient without a pharmacist verifying the first medication after the step of causing.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of causing entry of a second medication of a different type than the first medication into the container;

and sensing the entry of the second medication with an entry sensor.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of causing comprises the step of causing the entry of the first medication by manipulating the first medication with a first hand while the first hand is on a first side of a barricade wall and a second hand is on a second opposed side of the barricade wall whereby the barricade wall provides a barricade to inadvertent movement of the second hand from the second side to the first side.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of causing comprises the step of causing the entry of the first medication by manipulating the first medication with a first hand;

and further comprising the step of viewing the first medication and first hand through a transparent wall during the step of causing.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of causing entry of a second medication into the container;

sensing the entry of the second medication with an entry sensor; and

verifying that the container contains the first and second medications by reading a machine readable code on the container with a sensor after the steps of causing and the steps of sensing.