METHODS FOR FILLING PRESCRIPTIONS TO FULFILL A CUSTOMER ORDER

• US 20100089997A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicare Incorporated (CVS Health Corporation), Omnicare LLC (CVS Health Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omnicare Incorporated (CVS Health Corporation)
• Inventors: Carson, Bradley, Szesko, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,215,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1653 the picking arrangements being collecting buckets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1657 the picking arrangements using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

Methods for filling prescriptions in a customer order. Each of the products is marked with a product barcode containing information relating to a contained pharmaceutical. Prior to loading into a machine, each of the products is free of markings relating to patient prescriptions in the customer order. The method includes using the machine to read the product barcode on each of the products loaded into the machine. In response to reading the product barcode on each of the products, at least some of the products are labeled with information relating to a respective one of the prescriptions.

Claims

1. A method for filling prescriptions in a customer order by processing a plurality of products in a machine, each of the products containing a pharmaceutical and marked with a first barcode containing information relating to the pharmaceutical, and each of the products free of markings relating to the prescriptions prior to loading into the machine, the method comprising:

loading the products into the machine;

using the machine to read the first barcode on each of the products loaded into the machine; and

in response to reading the first barcode on each of the products, labeling each of at least some of the products with information relating to a respective one of the prescriptions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information contained by the first barcode encodes includes a first portion identifying either the first form factor or the second form factor, and a second portion representing a number of doses of the pharmaceutical contained in the product package.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the prescriptions is correlated with the pharmaceutical in a respective one of the products, and further comprising:

receiving the customer order with a host server; and

communicating a plurality of product requests correlated with the prescriptions in the customer order from the host server to the machine.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

comparing the information contained in the first barcode with tracking data relating to the customer order; and

based upon the comparison, determining whether each of the products either belongs in the customer order or does not belong in the customer order.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the machine is sited within a pharmacy, and further comprising:

communicating orders for the products from a host server to an internal product supplier located inside the pharmacy; and

using the internal product supplier to produce the products that are free of markings relating to the prescriptions and for use in filling the orders with the respective pharmaceutical.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving additional products at the pharmacy that are each filled with the respective pharmaceutical by a product supplier external to the pharmacy and that are each free of markings relating to the prescriptions.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein each of the prescriptions is correlated with the pharmaceutical in a respective one of the products, and further comprising:

communicating a plurality of product requests to the machine that are correlated with the prescriptions in the customer order.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the products are loaded into the machine based upon the product requests.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

stocking the products in a plurality of racks arranged adjacent to the machine.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the internal product supplier is an automated machine configured to automatically fill each of the products with the respective pharmaceutical.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the products is marked with a second barcode containing information relating to an expiration date of the pharmaceutical in each of the products, and further comprising:

using the machine to read the second barcode on each of the products loaded into the machine; and

in response to reading the second barcode on each of the products, determining whether the pharmaceutical is projected to be dispensed according to the respective one of the prescriptions by an end date occurring before the expiration date.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

if the expiration date occurs after the end date, rejecting the product to prevent labeling.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the second barcode encodes a two dimensional matrix of information, and the machine is configured to interpret the two dimensional matrix of information read from the second barcode.

14. A method for filling prescriptions in a customer order with a plurality of first products and at least one second product, each of the first products and the at least one second product containing a pharmaceutical and marked with a barcode containing information relating to the pharmaceutical, the method comprising:

stocking a plurality of locations in a pick-to-light system with the first products;

operating the pick-to-light system to provide a visual queue specifying the respective location for each of the first products in the customer order;

obtaining the at least one second product from a source other than the locations of the pick-to-light system;

loading the first products and the at least one second product into the machine for processing; and

using the machine to read the first barcode on each of the first products and the at least one second product loaded into the machine.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

in response to reading the first barcode on each of the products, using the machine to label each of the first products and the at least one second product with information relating to a respective one of the prescriptions.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein operating the pick-to-light system comprises:

lighting an indication light associated with the respective location.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein stocking the locations in the pick-to-light system with the first products comprises:

loading the first products onto a plurality of shelves.