METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PHARMACY LOCATION

• US 20130054258A1
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Original Assignee: Express Scripts Incorporated (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: Cohan, Kevin C., Shutko, Alan T., Wilcox, Gary S., Cole, Elizabeth T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Methods and systems for pharmacy location are described. In one embodiment, a plurality of pharmacy network associations of a member is determined. The pharmacy network associations are associated with a drug benefit plan of the member. A pharmacy within a pharmacy network association of the plurality of pharmacy network associations is capable of fulfilling a prescription for a prescription drug. A location associated with the member is accessed. A display is generated based on the determination of the pharmacy network associations and the location of the member. The display includes a first indicator and a second indicator. A first network pharmacy of a first pharmacy network association is associated with the first indicator on the display. A second network pharmacy of a second pharmacy network association is associated with the second indicator on the display. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, on a processor, a plurality of pharmacy network associations of a member, the plurality of pharmacy network associations being associated with a drug benefit plan of the member, a pharmacy within a pharmacy network association of the plurality of pharmacy network associations being capable of fulfilling a prescription for a prescription drug;

accessing a location associated with the member; and

generating, on the processor, a display based on the determination of the plurality of pharmacy network associations and the location of the member, the display including a first indicator and a second indicator, a first network pharmacy of a first pharmacy network association being associated with the first indicator on the display, and a second network pharmacy of a second pharmacy network association being associated with the second indicator on the display, the first indicator being a different indicator than the second indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of pharmacy network associations comprises:

identifying the member;

identifying the client associated with the member; and

determining the plurality of pharmacy network associations of the client.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the drug benefit plan associated with the member,

wherein a determination of the plurality of pharmacy network associations of the member is based on a determination of the drug benefit plan associated with the member.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the location comprises:

receiving identification of the location associated with the member.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the location comprises:

determining the location of the member.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the processor is deployed within a mobile electronic device and determining the location comprises:

accessing location information associated with the mobile electronic device to determine the location of the member.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the processor is deployed within a mobile electronic device and determining the location comprises:

determining location information associated with the mobile electronic device to determine the location of the member.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving pharmacy data, the pharmacy data including location data regarding the plurality of pharmacy network associations,

wherein generation of the display is based on at least a part of the pharmacy data, the plurality of pharmacy network associations of the member, and the location of the member.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a pharmacy network association request, the pharmacy network association request based on the plurality of pharmacy network associations,

wherein receipt of the pharmacy data is in response to transmission of the pharmacy network association request.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a pharmacy network association request, the pharmacy network association request based on the plurality of pharmacy network associations and the location of the member,

wherein receipt of the pharmacy data is in response to transmission of the pharmacy network association request.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicator includes a first color and a second indicator includes a second color, the first color being a different color than the second color.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pharmacy network is a preferred pharmacy network of the plurality of pharmacy network associations and the second pharmacy network is an non-preferred pharmacy network of the pharmacy network associations.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first network pharmacy is in the preferred pharmacy network and the second network pharmacy is in the non-preferred pharmacy network and is not in the preferred pharmacy network.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a pharmacy network display criterion,

wherein generation of the display is based on the pharmacy network display criterion, the determination of the plurality of pharmacy network associations, and the location of the member.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pharmacy network display criterion includes identification of a plurality of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) preferred pharmacies, a plurality of PBM non-preferred pharmacies, a PBM preferred pharmacy organization, a PBM non-preferred pharmacy organization, or combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the pharmacy network display criterion includes identification of a plurality of client preferred pharmacies, a plurality of client non-preferred pharmacies, a client preferred pharmacy organization, a client non-preferred pharmacy organization, or combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the pharmacy network display criterion includes a distance rule, the distance rule defining a pharmacy existence guarantee between the location and the first network pharmacy.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the display further includes a current locator indicator.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the display includes a map, the map including the first indicator and the second indicator, further comprising:

generating the map based on the location of the member,

wherein generation of the display is based on generation of the map.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the display includes a pharmacy list, the pharmacy list includes the first indicator and the second indicator, further comprising:

generating the pharmacy list based on the location of the member,

wherein generation of the display is based on generation of the pharmacy list.

21. A method comprising:

receiving, on a processor, identification of a plurality of pharmacy network associations of a member, the plurality of pharmacy network associations being associated with a drug benefit plan of the member;

determining a location of the member; and

generating, on the processor, a display based on receipt of the identification of the plurality of pharmacy network associations and the location of the member, the display including a first indicator and a second indicator, a first network pharmacy of a first pharmacy network association being associated with the first indicator on the display, and a second network pharmacy of a second pharmacy network association being associated with the second indicator on the display, the first indicator being a different indicator than the second indicator.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

transmitting a pharmacy network association identification request to a network manager device,

wherein receipt of the identification of the plurality of pharmacy network associations of the member is in response to transmission of the pharmacy network association identification request.

23. A method comprising:

determining, on a processor, a plurality of pharmacy network associations of a member, the plurality of pharmacy network associations being associated with a drug benefit plan of the member, a pharmacy within a pharmacy network association of the plurality of pharmacy network associations being capable of fulfilling a prescription for a prescription drug;

accessing a location of the member;

accessing, on the processor, a pharmacy network display criterion;

generating, on the processor, a pharmacy list based on the location of the member; and

generating, on the processor, a display including the pharmacy list based on the determination of the plurality of pharmacy network associations and the location of the member, the pharmacy list including a first network pharmacy of a first pharmacy network association and a second network pharmacy of a second pharmacy network association.

24. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the following operations:

determine a plurality of pharmacy network associations of a member, the plurality of pharmacy network associations being associated with a drug benefit plan of the member, a pharmacy within a pharmacy network association of the plurality of pharmacy network associations being capable of fulfilling a prescription for a prescription drug;

access a location associated with the member; and

generate a display based on the determination of the plurality of pharmacy network associations and the location of the member, the display including a first indicator and a second indicator, a first network pharmacy of a first pharmacy network association being associated with the first indicator on the display, and a second network pharmacy of a second pharmacy network association being associated with the second indicator on the display, the first indicator being a different indicator than the second indicator.

25. A system comprising:

a processor and a memory coupled to the processor;

a network association module deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to determine a plurality of pharmacy network associations of a member, the plurality of pharmacy network associations being associated with a drug benefit plan of the member, a pharmacy within a pharmacy network association of the plurality of pharmacy network associations being capable of fulfilling a prescription for a prescription drug;

a location module deployed in the member and executed by the processor to access a location associated with the member; and

a display generation module deployed in the member and executed by the processor to generate a display based on the determination of the plurality of pharmacy network associations by the network association module and the location of the member as accessed by the location module, the display including a first indicator and a second indicator, a first network pharmacy of a first pharmacy network association being associated with the first indicator on the display, and a second network pharmacy of a second pharmacy network association being associated with the second indicator on the display, the first indicator being a different indicator than the second indicator.