MEDICATION DISPENSING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A medication dispensing system for providing one or more medications prescribed by a health care provider at a pharmacy location proximate to a health care provider office, the medication dispensing system comprising a prescription computer for communicating with the health care provider, receiving prescription information, transacting with an insurance company system, and determining a cash price owed, the prescription computer comprising:
- (a) a prescription communicator for receiving the prescription information and(b) a processor for communicating with the prescription communicator and processing the prescription information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medication dispensing system provides convenient patient access to health care provider prescribed medications without traveling to an off-site retail pharmacy. A physician input system such as a PDA receives prescription information from the health care provider and communicates the prescription information to at least a prescription computer. The prescription computer performs at least one transaction with at least one insurance company system and subsequently determines the cash price owed by the patient for the medication. The prescription computer also causes a prescription label printer to print a prescription label to be affixed to the vial containing the filled prescription. A technician fills the prescription based on the prescription information and completes a transaction with the patient for the cash price owed on the prescription. An order computer uses the prescription information to order medications to replenish the medications prescribed from a medication wholesaler, and a report printer prints a log of the activity of the medication dispensing system.
20 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A medication dispensing system for providing one or more medications prescribed by a health care provider at a pharmacy location proximate to a health care provider office, the medication dispensing system comprising a prescription computer for communicating with the health care provider, receiving prescription information, transacting with an insurance company system, and determining a cash price owed, the prescription computer comprising:
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(a) a prescription communicator for receiving the prescription information and (b) a processor for communicating with the prescription communicator and processing the prescription information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for providing one or more prescribed medications at a pharmacy location proximate to a health care provider office using a medication dispensing system having a prescription computer, the method comprising:
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(a) communicating prescription information to the prescription computer; (b) assessing a monetary price to the patient based at least in part on the prescription information; (c) filling a prescription based at least in part on the prescription information; and (d) completing a transaction with the patient based at least in part on the assessed monetary price. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for providing one or more medications prescribed by a health care provider at a pharmacy location proximate to a health care provider office using a medication dispensing system having a prescription computer, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for communicating prescription information to the prescription computer; (b) means for assessing a monetary price to the patient based at least in part on the prescription information at the prescription computer; (c) means for filling a prescription based at least in part on the prescription information; and (d) means for completing a transaction with the patient based at least in part on the assessed monetary price. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification