SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPERSING MEDICATIONS USING A SINGLE POINT PURCHASE

• US 20090281824A1
• 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 8,050,941 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: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A computer system and method manages the dispersal and replenishment of medications. Participating health care providers are associated with a code that corresponds to medication units dispersed by a pharmacy. The amount of medication units corresponding to the code and dispersed to patients of the health care providers 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 for a plurality of health care providers that in the course of providing health care services to patients generate pharmaceutical prescriptions, the system comprising:

a 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 health care providers with a national drug code, the national drug code corresponding to medication units;

monitoring the dispersal of the medication units to patients of the health care providers;

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.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

maintaining an account for the plurality of health care providers, the account reflecting the dispersal of the medication units, a charge associated with the dispersal of each medication unit, the orders for replacement containers corresponding to the national drug code, and the charge associated with the dispersal of each replacement container.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

determining each health care provider'"'"'s share of cost for the order for the replacement container.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

generating an invoice for each health care provider, each invoice reflecting a corresponding share of cost.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an output device in electrical communication with the processor and wherein the method further comprises:

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

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the health care providers are eligible for reduced cost medication to thereby enable purchase of the replacement container at a reduced cost.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein monitoring the dispersal of the medication units includes reading bar codes corresponding to the dispersed medication units.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein monitoring the dispersal of the medication units includes communicating with the health care providers over a network.

9. A computer readable storage medium, having stored thereon computer readable instruction code for performing a method of dispersing and replenishing medications for a plurality of health care providers that, in the course of providing health care services to patients, generate pharmaceutical prescriptions, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of health care providers with a national drug code, the national drug code corresponding to medication units;

monitoring the dispersal of the medication units to patients of the health care providers;

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.

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

maintaining an account for the plurality of health care providers, the account reflecting the dispersal of the medication units, a charge associated with the dispersal of each medication unit, the orders for replacement containers corresponding to the national drug code, and the charge associated with the dispersal of each replacement container.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprises:

determining each health care provider'"'"'s share of cost for the order for the replacement container.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

generating an invoice for each health care provider, each invoice reflecting a corresponding share of cost.

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

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

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

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein monitoring the dispersal of the medication units includes reading bar codes corresponding to the dispersed medication units.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein monitoring the dispersal of the medication units includes communicating with the health care providers over a network.

17. A computer-implemented method of dispersing and replenishing medications for a plurality of health care providers that, in the course of providing health care services to patients, generate pharmaceutical prescriptions, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of health care providers with a national drug code, the national drug code corresponding to medication units;

monitoring the dispersal of the medication units to patients of the health care providers;

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.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

maintaining an account for the plurality of health care providers, the account reflecting the dispersal of the medication units, a charge associated with the dispersal of each medication unit, the orders for replacement containers corresponding to the national drug code, and the charge associated with the dispersal of each replacement container.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

determining each health care provider'"'"'s share of cost for the order for the replacement container.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

generating an invoice for each health care provider, each invoice reflecting a corresponding share of cost.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

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

22. The method of claim 17, wherein monitoring the dispersal of the medication units includes reading bar codes corresponding to the dispersed medication units.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein monitoring the dispersal of the medication units includes communicating with the health care providers over a network.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the health care providers are eligible for reduced cost medication to thereby enable purchase of the replacement container at a reduced cost.

25. A computer-implemented method of dispersing and replenishing medications for a plurality of health care providers that, in the course of providing health care services to patients, generate pharmaceutical prescriptions, 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;

monitoring the dispersal of the medication units to patients of the health care providers;

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 by contacting a pharmacy; and

the pharmacy placing an order for a replacement container from a manufacturer.