System and Software of Enhanced Pharmaceutical Operations in Long-Term Care Facilities and Related Methods
First Claim
1. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a plurality of long-term care facilities, the system comprising:
- a first data processing and management computer including a first non-transitory memory to store data therein to manage and control a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts, each positioned remote therefrom and to thereby define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server;
long-term care facility pharmacy management program product stored in the first non-transitory memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and having a set of instructions that when executed by a computer perform the operations of managing pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities, processing distribution of pharmaceuticals stored in the dispensing carts during preselected dispensing time periods, and performing a pharmaceutical utilization review for individual patients at a long-term care facility responsive to added prescriptions so that each respective dispensing cart includes new approved prescriptions prior to the next preselected time periods;
a communications network in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server;
a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server through the communication network, to store a plurality of pharmaceuticals therein, and to individually retrieve at least one pharmaceutical of the plurality of pharmaceuticals stored in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart, load the at least one pharmaceutical of the plurality of pharmaceuticals into one of a plurality of disposable individual patient dosing packages, package the at least one pharmaceutical, and dispense the loaded and packaged one of the plurality of individual patient dosing packages for use by authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility;
a second pharmacy group computer positioned remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and remote from the long-term care facility, in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts through the communication network, and including a second non-transitory memory to store data therein to define a remote pharmacy group server; and
a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from and in communication with the remote pharmacy server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, software and related methods of enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long term care facilities are provided. An embodiment of a system includes a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmacological operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities, a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication therewith, a remote pharmacy group server in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, and a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a long-term care facility and in communication with the remote pharmacy group server or the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a plurality of long-term care facilities, the system comprising:
-
a first data processing and management computer including a first non-transitory memory to store data therein to manage and control a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts, each positioned remote therefrom and to thereby define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server; long-term care facility pharmacy management program product stored in the first non-transitory memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and having a set of instructions that when executed by a computer perform the operations of managing pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities, processing distribution of pharmaceuticals stored in the dispensing carts during preselected dispensing time periods, and performing a pharmaceutical utilization review for individual patients at a long-term care facility responsive to added prescriptions so that each respective dispensing cart includes new approved prescriptions prior to the next preselected time periods; a communications network in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server; a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server through the communication network, to store a plurality of pharmaceuticals therein, and to individually retrieve at least one pharmaceutical of the plurality of pharmaceuticals stored in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart, load the at least one pharmaceutical of the plurality of pharmaceuticals into one of a plurality of disposable individual patient dosing packages, package the at least one pharmaceutical, and dispense the loaded and packaged one of the plurality of individual patient dosing packages for use by authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility; a second pharmacy group computer positioned remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and remote from the long-term care facility, in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts through the communication network, and including a second non-transitory memory to store data therein to define a remote pharmacy group server; and a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from and in communication with the remote pharmacy server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a long-term care facility, the system comprising:
-
a pharmacy group management computer including non-transitory memory to store data therein, the pharmacy group management computer being positioned to manage and control a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned remote therefrom to thereby define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server; long-term care facility pharmacy management program product associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and having a set of instructions that when executed by a computer perform the operations of managing pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities, processing distribution of pharmaceuticals stored in the dispensing carts during preselected dispensing time periods, and performing a pharmaceutical utilization review for individual patients at a long-term care facility responsive to added prescriptions so that each respective dispensing cart includes new approved prescriptions prior to the next preselected time periods; a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to store a plurality of pharmaceuticals therein and to individually retrieve at least one pharmaceutical of the plurality of pharmaceuticals stored in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart, load the at least one pharmaceutical of the plurality of pharmaceuticals into one of a plurality of disposable individual patient dosing packages, package the at least one pharmaceutical, and dispense the loaded and packaged one of the plurality of individual patient dosing packages for use by authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility; and a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to manage pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility defining a remote pharmacy and in a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having at least one remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storing apparatus in communication with the computer and having a non-transitory memory and a plurality of medication dispensing cartridges associated therewith, the computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations:
-
establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy; registering at least one patient for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility; storing in non-transitory memory of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus at least one medication type and an amount to be dispensed; storing in non-transitory memory of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus a medication dispensing time; performing a pharmaceutical utilization review for individual patients at a long-term care facility responsive to added prescriptions so that each respective pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus includes new approved prescriptions prior to the next preselected time periods; individually retrieving at least one medication of a plurality of medications stored in the plurality of dispensing cartridges, loading the at least one medication into one of a plurality of disposable individual patient dosing packages, packaging the at least one medication, and dispensing the loaded and packaged one of the plurality of individual patient dosing packages during preselected dispensing time periods responsive to patient prescription requirements for each patient registered to the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at each respective long-term care facility; and maintaining a record of medication dispensed and an inventory of medication remaining in each cartridge of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of increasing sales to and generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities being devoid of an on-location pharmacy, the method comprising the steps of providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy;
-
positioning at least one pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus in each of the plurality of long-term care facilities to store and dispense pharmaceuticals to a plurality of patients living therein; establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy; providing a pharmacy group management computer being positioned remote from the plurality of long-term care facilities to manage and control a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing apparatuses defining a long-term care facility pharmacy management server; registering patients for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a respective pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility, the database stored in non-transitory memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy management computer; remotely programming by the long-term care facility pharmacy management server at least one medication type and amount to be dispensed into each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus; remotely programming by the long-term care facility pharmacy management server a medication dispensing time into each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus; individually retrieving at least one medication of a plurality of medications stored pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus, loading the at least one medication into one of a plurality of disposable individual patient dosing packages, packaging the at least one medication, and dispensing the loaded and packaged one of the plurality of individual patient dosing packages during preselected dispensing time periods responsive to patient prescription requirements for each associated registered patient; and maintaining an inventory of medication dispensed and medication remaining in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification