SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING MEDICATION

• US 20100004782A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MTS Medication Technologies, Inc. (Omnicell Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: MTS Medication Technologies, Inc. (Omnicell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Siegel, Todd, Rosenbaum, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 9,779,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/242
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medication storage/dispenser unit comprises a processor connected to medication package storage compartments. The storage compartments comprise a medication package, and preferably may also include a content reader, a medication information reader, and a medication package indicator. The processor receives a medication request from the medical information system, receives content and other medication from the storage compartments, processes the information and automatically opens the appropriate compartment with the correct medication.

Claims

1. An automated medication dispensing system, comprising in combination,

a medical information system;

and

a storage/dispenser unit, where said storage/dispenser unit comprises a processor and a compartment.

2. An automated medication dispensing system as in claim 1, where said medical information system is a computer.

3. An automated medication dispensing system as in claim 1, where said storage/dispenser unit further comprises an opening mechanism to automatically open said compartment.

4. An automated medication dispensing system as in claim 3, where said compartment further comprises a medication package receiver.

5. An automated medication dispensing system as in claim 4, where said compartment further comprises an information reader.

6. An automated medication dispensing system as in claim 5, where said medical information system is attached to said storage/dispenser unit.

7. An automated medication dispensing system as in claim 6, where said storage/dispenser unit comprises multiple said compartments.

8. An automated medication dispensing system as in claim 7, where each of multiple said compartments further comprises a medication package indicator.

9. An automated medication dispensing system, comprising in combination,

a means for retrieving prescription medication information;

and

a means for storing medication, where said means for storing medication comprises a means for processing information, with means for storing individual medication packages and a means for determining the content of said means for storing medication.

10. An automated medication dispensing system as in claim 9, where said means for storing medication further comprises a means for automatically opening said means for storing individual medication packages.

11. An automated medication dispensing system as in claim 10, where said means for storing individual medication packages further comprises a means for reading information about medication from the medication package.

12. A method of storing and dispensing medication comprising the steps of:

retrieving medication information from an information system;

communicating said medication information to a storage/dispenser unit with a processor and a compartment, where said processor retrieves information about the content of said compartment; and

said storage/dispenser unit automatically dispenses the medication in response to the medication information.

13. A method of storing and dispensing medication as in claim 12, further comprising the step of indicating a specific medication package within said compartment.