SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING THE TRACKING AND DISPENSING OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION
First Claim
1. A system for tracking and dispensing of medication relating to prescriptions from a pharmacy to multiple healthcare facilities, comprising:
- a secure website and one or more data communication links between one or more computers at each healthcare facility and the website, and one or more data communication links between one or more computers at the pharmacy and the website, for the transfer of prescription data between the healthcare facilities and the pharmacy wherein prescriptions are ordered from the healthcare facilities via the website;
a first computer at the pharmacy for generating prescription labels for medication containers in response to the prescription data received from each healthcare facility and the labels being generated having thereon machine readable code of the prescription data including a prescription number, a patient'"'"'s name, the healthcare facility, an identification of a drug prescribed, and a medication dosage;
wherein the first computer, or a second computer in communication with the first computer, generates a verification table of the prescriptions ordered over a predetermined time period for each healthcare facility wherein the verification table is displayed on a first or second computer monitor and includes the prescription data for each healthcare facility received over the predetermined time period;
one or more first readers that are linked to the first computer, or the second computer at the pharmacy, for reading the machine readable code on the prescription labels after the medication containers have been filled and sorted by each respective healthcare facility, and wherein the first or second computer is configured with software to compare the prescription data received from the machine readable code to the prescription data on the verification table for the respective healthcare facility in order to verify that all prescriptions ordered for the respective healthcare facility have been filled and sorted for delivery;
a database containing data relative to each healthcare facility including the name and location of the healthcare facility, the name of each patient relative to each healthcare facility, medication information associated with each patient including the type and dosage of a medication, and a shipment status of the prescriptions, wherein the prescription data of the verification table is uploaded to the database from the first or second computer and the shipment status is uploaded to the database upon verification that all of the ordered prescriptions for each healthcare facility have been properly sorted for shipment; and
a third computer at the healthcare facility and one or more second readers that are linked to the third computer which is configured to access the database to download the prescription data, wherein a second verification table is displayed on a monitor linked to the third computer, and the one or more second readers are configured to read the machine readable code on the prescription labels of medication containers delivered to the healthcare facility, and the third computer is configured to compare the prescription data from the machine readable code with the prescription data in the verification table for the healthcare facility to verify that all prescriptions ordered by the healthcare facility over the predetermined time period have been received at the healthcare facility, the third computer configured to update the shipment status of the database upon receiving and reading the labels of the containers.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for tracking and dispensing of prescription medication. A secure website is provided and a data communication link to a computer at each healthcare facility and pharmacy. Prescriptions are ordered from the healthcare facility computer, after which labels with machine readable code are generated by the pharmacy computer for each prescription container. A verification table is generated of all ordered prescriptions over a predetermined time to each respective healthcare facility, a reader scans the machine readable code of each prescription container, and the pharmacy computer verifies that all ordered prescriptions are sorted for delivery. The verification table of the verified prescriptions sorted for delivery is uploaded to a database. Upon delivery at the healthcare facility, the verification table is downloaded from the database, a reader scans the machine readable code of each prescription container, and the healthcare facility computer verifies that all ordered prescriptions were received.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for tracking and dispensing of medication relating to prescriptions from a pharmacy to multiple healthcare facilities, comprising:
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a secure website and one or more data communication links between one or more computers at each healthcare facility and the website, and one or more data communication links between one or more computers at the pharmacy and the website, for the transfer of prescription data between the healthcare facilities and the pharmacy wherein prescriptions are ordered from the healthcare facilities via the website; a first computer at the pharmacy for generating prescription labels for medication containers in response to the prescription data received from each healthcare facility and the labels being generated having thereon machine readable code of the prescription data including a prescription number, a patient'"'"'s name, the healthcare facility, an identification of a drug prescribed, and a medication dosage; wherein the first computer, or a second computer in communication with the first computer, generates a verification table of the prescriptions ordered over a predetermined time period for each healthcare facility wherein the verification table is displayed on a first or second computer monitor and includes the prescription data for each healthcare facility received over the predetermined time period; one or more first readers that are linked to the first computer, or the second computer at the pharmacy, for reading the machine readable code on the prescription labels after the medication containers have been filled and sorted by each respective healthcare facility, and wherein the first or second computer is configured with software to compare the prescription data received from the machine readable code to the prescription data on the verification table for the respective healthcare facility in order to verify that all prescriptions ordered for the respective healthcare facility have been filled and sorted for delivery; a database containing data relative to each healthcare facility including the name and location of the healthcare facility, the name of each patient relative to each healthcare facility, medication information associated with each patient including the type and dosage of a medication, and a shipment status of the prescriptions, wherein the prescription data of the verification table is uploaded to the database from the first or second computer and the shipment status is uploaded to the database upon verification that all of the ordered prescriptions for each healthcare facility have been properly sorted for shipment; and a third computer at the healthcare facility and one or more second readers that are linked to the third computer which is configured to access the database to download the prescription data, wherein a second verification table is displayed on a monitor linked to the third computer, and the one or more second readers are configured to read the machine readable code on the prescription labels of medication containers delivered to the healthcare facility, and the third computer is configured to compare the prescription data from the machine readable code with the prescription data in the verification table for the healthcare facility to verify that all prescriptions ordered by the healthcare facility over the predetermined time period have been received at the healthcare facility, the third computer configured to update the shipment status of the database upon receiving and reading the labels of the containers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15)
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12. A method for tracking and dispensing of medication relating to prescriptions from a pharmacy to multiple healthcare facilities, comprising:
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generating prescription labels at the pharmacy for medication containers in response to prescription orders received from each healthcare facility, said labels having a machine readable code for prescription data including a prescription number, a patient'"'"'s name, the healthcare facility, an identification of a drug prescribed, and a medication dosage; storing the prescription data on a computer; scanning the machine readable code on the prescription labels after the medication containers have been filled and sorted according to each respective healthcare facility; comparing the data received from the machine readable code to the stored prescription data for the respective healthcare facility in order to verify that all prescriptions ordered for the respective healthcare facility have been filled and sorted for delivery; providing a database containing prescription data relative to each healthcare facility including a prescription number, the name and location of the healthcare facility, the name of each patient relative to each healthcare facility, medication information associated with each patient including the type and dosage for the medication, and a shipment status of the prescriptions; updating the database with the prescription data and the shipment status upon verification that all of the ordered prescriptions for each healthcare facility have been sorted according to the respective healthcare facilities; upon receipt of the medications at a healthcare facility, reading the machine readable code on the prescription labels of medication containers delivered to the healthcare facility; comparing the prescription data from the machine readable code to the prescription data in the database for the healthcare facility, to verify that all prescriptions ordered by the healthcare facility over the predetermined time period have been received at the healthcare facility; and updating the shipment status of the database upon receiving and reading the prescription labels of the medication containers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for tracking and dispensing of prescription medication from a pharmacy to multiple healthcare facilities and to patients at the facilities, comprising:
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providing a machine readable code on a prescription label for a prescription having been filled at the pharmacy for each patient at each healthcare facility, wherein the machine readable code includes data relative to a prescription number and for each prescription number there is data relative to the name of the patient, name of the healthcare facility where the patient is located, identification and dosage of a medication associated with the prescription and the date the prescription was filled; applying the prescription label with the machine readable code to a prescription medication container having the medication associated with the prescription; sorting the prescription medication containers, having prescription labels with the machine readable code, according to the healthcare facility having ordered the prescriptions in preparation of shipping the prescription medication containers to the healthcare facilities; providing a database including data relative to a prescription number and for each prescription number there is data relative to the name of the patient, name of the healthcare facility where the patient is located, the date the prescription was previously filled and the date the prescription was previously shipped from the pharmacy to the healthcare facility; reading the machine readable code on the prescription labels, from one or more computers equipped with one or more first readers at the pharmacy, to verify that all the prescriptions ordered from a healthcare facility during a predetermined time duration have been properly sorted according to respective healthcare facilities; updating the database including updating the data relative to the date the prescription was shipped to a corresponding healthcare facility; reading the machine readable code on the prescription labels, from one or more computers equipped with one or more second readers at the healthcare, to verify that all the prescriptions ordered from a healthcare facility during the predetermined time duration have been have been received at the healthcare facility; and updating the database including updating the data relative to the date the prescription was received at the respective healthcare facility. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A container for holding prescription medication, comprising:
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a plurality of compartments, each compartment configured to hold the prescription medication; a backing surface configured to enclose each of the compartments, said backing surface configured to extend from a first edge to a second edge along the container; and a prescription label generated with a machine readable code of prescription data related to the prescription medication, said prescription label positioned on the container and spaced from the backing surface by at least a minimum separation from the second edge. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification