SECURE MEDICAMENT DISPENSING CABINET, METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20160019368A1
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Shows, Paul Randall, Parks, Robert, Kaintz, Ryan, Holmes, Eric Lamont, Goodworth, Matthew, Beale, Matthew Stuart, Bergeron, Michael A., Jankowski, Stan, Morgan, Stuart
• Granted Patent: US 9,529,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/30 two or more magazines having independent delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A medicament dispensing cabinet is comprised of a frame, at least one controller, and a plurality of drawers each movably carried by the frame and each defining a plurality of dispensing cells. A plurality of removable dispensing devices is provided with each one carried by one of the dispensing cells. Each of the dispensing cells further comprises a motor for providing rotary motion to one of the removable dispensing devices in response to the controller, a sensor operating in conjunction with the controller for counting medicament dispensed from one of the removable dispensing devices, a chute for receiving medicament dispensed from one of the removable dispensing devices and a chute gate for controlling access to the chute. The cabinet may additionally comprise a chute gate release responsive to the controller for controlling the chute gate and a chute gate sensor connected to the controller and responsive to the position of the chute gate. The cabinet may be used in conjunction with a number of processes including dispensing, secure-pickup (insuring the person picking up the dispensed medicament is authorized to do so), back-end verification (verifying the identity of the person picking up the dispensed medicament), a process for removing a dispensing device from a drawer, and a process for inserting a dispensing device into a drawer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

reading a first identifier that identifies a dispensing device to be replenished with medicament;

reading a second identifier that identifies an operator;

electronically comparing the first and second identifiers to confirm that the operator is authorized to replenish medicament in the dispensing device;

in response to confirming that the operator is authorized to replenish medicament in the dispensing device, identifying the medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device;

electronically confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in a bulk stock container; and

electronically unlocking a drawer in which the dispensing device is located to allow the operator access to the dispensing device for replenishment in response to confirming that the operator is authorized to replenish medicament in the dispensing device and in response to confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container comprises:

reading a third identifier that identifies the bulk stock container; and

electronically comparing the third identifier with information stored in a database of approved identifiers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container comprises comparing a lot number of medicament in the bulk stock container with a lot number of medicament remaining in the dispensing device to determine if the lot number of medicament in the bulk stock container and the lot number of medicament remaining in the dispensing device match.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container is in response to determining that the lot numbers of the medicament in the bulk stock container and the medicament remaining in the dispensing device match.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container comprises confirming that the medicament in the bulk stock container and the medicament remaining in the dispensing device can be mixed in response to determining that the lot numbers of the medicament in the bulk stock container and the medicament remaining in the dispensing device do not match.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container comprises confirming that the medicament in the bulk stock container has not expired.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to confirming that the operator is authorized to replenish medicament in the dispensing device, displaying location information for a bulk storage area including the bulk storage container.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein unlocking the drawer in which the dispensing device is located to allow the operator access to the dispensing device for replenishment is also in response to confirming that the operator is authorized to access all dispensing devices in the drawer.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising directing the operator to the dispensing device after confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after electronically confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container and before unlocking a drawer in which the dispensing device is located to allow the operator access to the dispensing device for replenishment:

reading the first identifier that identifies the dispensing device;

reading the second identifier that identifies the operator;

electronically comparing the first and second identifiers to again confirm that the operator is authorized to replenish medicament in the dispensing device.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after unlocking the drawer in which the dispensing device is located to allow the operator access to the dispensing device for replenishment:

monitoring a drawer locking mechanism associated with the drawer; and

electronically determining that the drawer has been returned to a locked position based on the monitoring; and

permitting dispensing of medicament from dispensing devices within the drawer only after it has been determined that the drawer has been returned to a locked position.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the drawer contains a plurality of dispensing devices, the method further comprising monitoring a dispensing device switch to insure that the dispensing device to be replenished is the only dispensing device in the drawer that is opened.

13. A method comprising:

electronically confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in a dispensing device is available in a bulk stock container;

directing the operator to the dispensing device in response to confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container;

reading a first identifier that identifies the dispensing device;

reading a second identifier that identifies the operator;

comparing the first and second identifiers to confirm that the operator is authorized to replenish medicament in the dispensing device; and

unlocking a drawer in which the dispensing device is located to allow the operator access to the dispensing device for replenishment in response to confirming that the operator is authorized to replenish medicament in the dispensing device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is available in the bulk stock container comprises:

reading a third identifier that identifies the bulk stock container; and

electronically comparing the third identifier with information stored in a database of approved identifiers.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

inputting a lot number of the medicament in the bulk stock container in a dispensing computer; and

electronically comparing the lot number of the medicament in the bulk stock container with a lot number of medicament remaining in the dispensing device;

wherein confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is in response to comparing the lot number of the medicament in the bulk stock container with the lot number of medicament remaining in the dispensing device.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising inputting an expiration date of the medicament in the bulk stock container in a dispensing computer, wherein confirming that the correct medicament to be replenished in the dispensing device is in response to electronically determining that the medicament in the bulk stock container has not expired.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising, after unlocking the drawer in which the dispensing device is located to allow the operator access to the dispensing device for replenishment:

monitoring a drawer locking mechanism associated with the drawer; and

electronically determining that the drawer has been returned to a locked position based on the monitoring; and

permitting dispensing of medicament from dispensing devices within the drawer only after it has been determined that the drawer has been returned to a locked position.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the drawer contains a plurality of dispensing devices, the method further comprising monitoring a dispensing device switch to insure that the dispensing device to be replenished is the only dispensing device in the drawer that is opened.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising directing the operator to a bulk storage location including the bulk storage container.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

directing the operator to the bulk storage location comprises displaying location information for the bulk storage container on a dispensing computer; and

/or

directing the operator to the dispensing device comprises displaying location information for the dispensing device on a dispensing computer.