SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPERSING MEDICATIONS USING A SINGLE POINT REPLENISHMENT

• US 20090281823A1
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wellpartner, Inc. (CVS Health Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wellpartner, Inc. (CVS Health Corporation)
• Inventors: Hardaway, Jason Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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

Abstract

A computer system and methods manages the dispersal and replenishment of medications. Participating pharmacies are associated with a code that corresponds to medication units dispersed by the pharmacies. The amount of medication units corresponding to the code and dispersed by the pharmacies is tracked. When the amount of dispersed medication units reaches a replenishment threshold, replacement medication units are ordered.

Claims

1. A computer system to manage the dispersal and replenishment of medications, the system comprising:

a processor;

an output device in electrical communication with the processor; and

a memory in electrical communication with the processor, the memory including,

an operating system, and

a monitoring module to perform the method of,

associating a plurality of pharmacies with a code, the code corresponding to medication units dispersed by the pharmacies;

monitoring an amount of medication units corresponding to the code and dispersed by the plurality of pharmacies;

determining when an amount of dispersed medication units reaches a replenishment threshold; and

upon reaching the replenishment threshold, initiating an order for a replacement container corresponding to the code.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the code is the national drug code.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the code identifies a type of medication and a quantity of medication units.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the method performed by the monitoring module further comprises:

upon reaching the replenishment threshold, instructing the output device to provide notification to a user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the pharmacies have a business relationship with each other.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the entities are eligible for reduced cost medication to thereby enable purchase of the replenishment container at a reduced cost.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein monitoring the amount of medication units corresponding to the code and dispersed by the plurality of pharmacies includes reading bar codes corresponding to dispersed medication units.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein monitoring the amount of medication units corresponding to the code and dispersed by the plurality of pharmacies includes communicating with the pharmacies over a network.

9. A computer readable storage medium, having stored thereon computer readable instruction code for performing a method of managing the dispersal and replenishment of medications, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of pharmacies with a code, the code corresponding to medication units dispersed by the pharmacies;

monitoring an amount of medication units corresponding to the code that is dispersed by the plurality of pharmacies;

determining when an amount of dispersed medication units reaches a replenishment threshold; and

upon reaching the replenishment threshold, initiating an order for a replacement container corresponding to the code.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the code is the national drug code.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the code identifies a type of medication and a quantity of medication units.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

upon reaching the replenishment threshold, providing notification to a user.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the pharmacies have a business relationship with each other.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the entities are eligible for reduced cost medication to thereby enable purchase of the replenishment container at a reduced cost.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein monitoring the amount of medication units corresponding to the code that is being dispersed by the plurality of pharmacies includes reading bar codes corresponding to dispersed medication units.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein monitoring the amount of medication units corresponding to the code that is being dispersed by the plurality of pharmacies includes communicating with the pharmacies over a network.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein the pharmacies have a business relationship with each other.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the entities are eligible for reduced cost medication to thereby enable purchase of the replenishment container at a reduced cost.

23. The method of claim 9, wherein monitoring the amount of medication units corresponding to the code that is being dispersed by the plurality of pharmacies includes reading bar codes corresponding to dispersed medication units.

24. The method of claim 9, wherein monitoring the amount of medication units corresponding to the code that is being dispersed by the plurality of pharmacies includes communicating with the pharmacies over a network.

17. A method of managing the dispersal and replenishment of medications, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of pharmacies with a code to enable the pharmacies to disperse medication units corresponding to the code;

the plurality of pharmacies dispersing the medication units corresponding to the code to one or more entities;

monitoring an amount of medication units corresponding to the code that the plurality of pharmacies are dispersing;

determining when an amount of dispersed medication units reaches a replenishment threshold; and

upon reaching the replenishment threshold, initiating an order for a replacement container corresponding to the code.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the code is the national drug code.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the code identifies a type of medication and a quantity of medication units.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

upon reaching the replenishment threshold, providing notification to a user.

25. A method of managing the dispersal and replenishment of medications, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of pharmacies with a national drug code that identifies a type of medication and a quantity of medication units to enable the pharmacies to disperse medication units corresponding to the national drug code;

the plurality of pharmacies dispersing the medication units corresponding to the national drug code to one or more entities;

monitoring an amount of medication units corresponding to the national drug code that the plurality of pharmacies are dispersing;

determining when an amount of dispersed medication units reaches a replenishment threshold; and

upon reaching the replenishment threshold, initiating an order for a replacement container corresponding to the national drug code.