Prescription Order Position Tracking System and Method
First Claim
1. A method for tracking physical location of prescription orders through a pharmacy having a plurality of physically spaced apart locations for filling the prescription order, the plurality of spaced apart location being positioned along a workflow stream, the prescription orders being moved between at least two of the plurality of spaced apart locations by at least one pharmacy worker'"'"'s hand, said method including the following steps:
- receiving a prescription order at a first location;
operably securing a separate machine-readable tag to the prescription order, the tag staying with the prescription order while being moved through the workflow stream, each tag having a unique identifier that is readable by a rag reader in proximity to the tag regardless of its orientation relative to the tag reader;
associating the unique identifier of each tag with customer information stored in a computer system in association with the prescription order;
moving the prescription by hand to a second location within the pharmacy, the second location having a second location tag reader in communication with the computer system;
automatically detecting the presence of the prescription order at the second location by reading the unique identifier of the remote tage with said second location tag reader regardless of the orientation of said tag and automatically recording at the computer system the location of the prescription order at said second location;
whereas the step of associating the unique identifier of each tag with customer information and the step of automatically detecting the presence of the prescription order are performed by or under control of the computer system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An economical prescription order tracking system automatically monitors and tracks hand-carried prescription orders through a pharmacy. The system includes a tracking tag having a unique identifier associated with it secured near the prescription order such that it travels with the order through various locations within the pharmacy. Tag reading devices are positioned at key locations throughout the pharmacy to detect the location of each tag, and its associated attached prescription order. The detected locations are compiled via a computer system and associated with the customer, such that at any given time the location of the prescription order within the pharmacy can be determined, thereby facilitating the efficient operation of the pharmacy. The time each prescription order remains at each location and worker identity information at each location can be recorded and compiled to facilitate workflow and worker efficiency monitoring of the pharmacy.
112 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for tracking physical location of prescription orders through a pharmacy having a plurality of physically spaced apart locations for filling the prescription order, the plurality of spaced apart location being positioned along a workflow stream, the prescription orders being moved between at least two of the plurality of spaced apart locations by at least one pharmacy worker'"'"'s hand, said method including the following steps:
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receiving a prescription order at a first location; operably securing a separate machine-readable tag to the prescription order, the tag staying with the prescription order while being moved through the workflow stream, each tag having a unique identifier that is readable by a rag reader in proximity to the tag regardless of its orientation relative to the tag reader; associating the unique identifier of each tag with customer information stored in a computer system in association with the prescription order; moving the prescription by hand to a second location within the pharmacy, the second location having a second location tag reader in communication with the computer system; automatically detecting the presence of the prescription order at the second location by reading the unique identifier of the remote tage with said second location tag reader regardless of the orientation of said tag and automatically recording at the computer system the location of the prescription order at said second location; whereas the step of associating the unique identifier of each tag with customer information and the step of automatically detecting the presence of the prescription order are performed by or under control of the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A prescription order tracking system for use in a retail pharmacy having a first station therein for filling the prescription order, said tracking system including:
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a computer system having a display; a machine-readable tag operably secured to the prescription order; and a first tag reader positioned near the first station and in communication with said computer system, said first tag reader able to automatically detect the presence of said tag when said tag is moved, by hand, to within close proximity of said first tag reader and send a first signal to said computer system; and
,wherein said computer system processes said signal to display the presence of said tag at said first station, thereby displaying the location of said prescription order. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A prescription order tracking system for use in a retail pharmacy having a first station therein for filling the prescription order, said tracking system including:
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a computer system having a display; a machine-readable tag operably secured to the prescription order; and a first tag reader positioned near the first station and in communication with said computer system, said first tag reader able to automatically detect the presence of said tag when said tag is moved by hand in close proximity to said first tag reader and send a first signal to said computer system; a storage bin having a plurality of cubbies, each said cubby having an individual identifier, and having a cubby tag reader in communication with said computer system, such that the presence of said tag within one of said plurality of cubbies is automatically detected by that cubby'"'"'s tag reader and sends a cubby location signal to said computer system, said cubby location signal including the individual identifier of said one of said plurality of cubbies; wherein said computer system process said first signal and said cubby location signal to display the location of said tag at one of said first location or said one of said plurality of cubbies. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification