SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING QUALITY ASSURANCE OF BRANDING OF PHARMACEUTICAL/MEDICAL CONTAINERS AND COMPUTER ASSISTED SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BRANDING PHARMACEUTICAL/MEDICAL CONTAINERS

• US 20110132489A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Original Assignee: Medco Health Solutions Incorporated (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: McErlean, James G., Rice, Dennis W., LEU, Chih-Jen
• Granted Patent: US 8,322,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/26 by rotary conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/045 in bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/06 Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/20 for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents adding unpacking elements B65B61/18
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/26 for marking or coding completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/28 by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 1/026 and the article being moved out of its normal conveyance path towards the labelling head B65C1/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/0081 Means for forming a label web buffer, e.g. label web loop
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/0093 Devices switching between a peelable and a non peelable position
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/1876 and being transferred by suction means
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/44 by special means responsive to marks on labels or articles feed control in wrapping B65B
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/00 Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps caps per se B65D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

In some embodiments, quality assurance systems for verifying branding of at least one medication container associated with at least one of a prescription and medication order are provided. The systems including: a transport system that transports at least one first container branded with a particular branding among a plurality of brandings to and from a pharmaceutical and/or medical product dispensing system, and transports the at least one first container to the pharmaceutical and/or medical product dispensing system after correcting the particular branding when correction is performed; a scanning system including at least one scanner for scanning identification information associated with the at least one first container; a display that displays order information associated with the identification information received from the scanning system including information indicating a correct branding for the at least one first container; and a pharmacist station for determining whether the correct branding matches the particular branding and correcting the particular branding if the correct branding does not match the particular branding.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A computer assisted system for branding at least one medication container associated with at least one of a prescription and medication order, comprising:

A transport system that transports at least one first container to and from a pharmaceutical and/or medical product dispensing system and transports the at least one first container to the pharmaceutical and/or medical product dispensing system after branding the particular branding when branding is performed;

A scanning system including at least one scanner for scanning identification information associated with the at least one first container;

A display that displays order information associated with the identification information received from the scanning system including information indicating a particular branding among a plurality of brandings for the least one first container; and

A pharmacist station for branding the at least one first least container with the particular branding.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the branding includes capping the at least one first container with a cap of the particular branding.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the branding includes branding a blank cap already capped on the at least on first container.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the branding includes replacing the at least one first container with at least one second container capped with a cap of the particular branding.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the branding includes replacing a first cap of the at least one first container with a second cap of the particular branding.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the branding includes branding the body of the container.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the scanning system scans the identification information that is stored on the at least one first container using at least one of a barcode, and RFID, or text.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the display displays the order information including the reason the at least one first container has been diverted to the quality assurance system.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of brandings comprises at last two of graphics, third-party information, text, and blank caps.

18. The system of claim 9, further comprising a carrier conveying the at least one first container, and wherein the identification information includes carrier information associated with the carrier, and the scanner system determines order information associated with the at least one carrier based on the identification information, the carrier information, and a map of the locations of the plurality of containers held in the carrier.

19. (canceled)

20. A method for branding at least one medication container associated with at least one of a prescription and medication order, comprising:

Receiving at least one first container from a pharmaceutical and/or medical product dispensing system

Scanning identification information associated with the at least one first container;

displaying order information associated with the identification information including information indicating a particular branding among a plurality of brandings for the least one first container;

branding the at least one first container with the particular branding; and

transporting the at least one first container to the pharmaceutical and/or medical product dispensing system.