Semi-automated medication dispenser

• US 5,490,610 A
• Filed: 04/13/1995
• Issued: 02/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Capsa Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Walter G. Pearson
• Inventors: Pearson, Walter G.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US08/421,456
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 221/7, 221/9, 221/15, 221/211, 221/278, 221/127, 221/126, 221/2
• US Class Current: 221/2
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2031/003 with drawers, trays or shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2031/006 Medication carts
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/001 Trolleys for transport of medicaments, food, linen, nursing supplies carts specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis A61B50/13; hand carts B62B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0463 for multiple patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2209/04 Indication location means
• 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: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A semi-automated medication dispenser is disclosed that greatly simplifies the logistics of correctly dispensing multiple medications to multiple patients in the correct dosages at the correct times, in a manner that is cost-efficient and labor-efficient, that greatly reduces the probability of errors, and that inhibits pilferage. The novel dispenser can be loaded with many days'"'"' worth of medication (e.g., 30 days) at one time, and requires no special packaging for the medications. The novel dispenser is controlled by a computer. Patient information and physician orders are entered into the computer'"'"'s memory. Medications needed by all the patients in a ward are loaded into individual compartments, for example by a pharmacist. Many days'"'"' worth of medication may often be loaded at once. After the medications are loaded into the dispenser, access to the individual compartments is controlled by the computer. When a proper password is entered--for example by the dispensing nurse--followed by identifying information for a particular patient, the computer allows access to only those compartments containing medications that are appropriate for the individual patient at that time. In many cases, the computer controls the dosage of the medication being dispensed as well, by controlling the number of pills dispensed. Thus each patient receives all appropriate medications, and only the appropriate medications. The computer also simultaneously makes a record of the medications administered to each patient. In the entire process, human hands need never touch the tablets or capsules being dispensed to the patient.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing appropriate medications in pill form to each of a plurality of patients, comprising:

(a) a plurality of compartments, wherein each of said compartments is adapted to hold one or more pills freely;

(b) means for inputting to the apparatus medication orders for each of the patients;

(c) means for compiling the input patient medication orders, and for outputting the total numbers of each pill anticipated to be consumed by the patients during a selected period of time, so that the total numbers of pills of each type of medication may be placed in said compartments, with no more than one type of medication per compartment;

(d) means for authorizing an operator of the apparatus to dispense medications from the apparatus, wherein the apparatus will not dispense medications until the operator has been authorized;

(e) means for correlating the time and a patient'"'"'s identity to the dosages of each pill appropriate for the patient at that time in accordance with the medication orders, and for authorizing the operator of the apparatus to have access to the said compartments containing the pills appropriate for the patient at the time; and

(f) a tube connected to a partial vacuum, wherein said tube is adapted to enter each of the authorized said compartments and to retrieve a pill from each of the said compartments through the action of the partial vacuum.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, additionally comprising means for confirming, while said tube remains within one of the said compartments, whether said tube has successfully retrieved a pill.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said confirming means comprises an optical sensor to detect the presence of a pill by the interruption of a beam of light.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, additionally comprising:

(a) a plurality of second compartments, wherein each of said second compartments is adapted to hold a medication not in pill form;

(b) means for outputting the total amounts of each medication not in pill form anticipated to be consumed by the patients during a selected period of time, so that the total amounts of each type of medication not in pill form may be placed in said second compartments, with no more than one type of medication per second compartment; and

(c) means for correlating the time and a patient'"'"'s identity to the dosages of each medication not in pill form appropriate for the patient at that time in accordance with the medication orders, and for authorizing the operator of the apparatus to have access to the said second compartments containing the medications not in pill form appropriate for the patient at the time.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said inputting means, compiling means, authorizing means, and correlating means comprises a computer, or operates under the control of a computer.

6. An apparatus for dispensing appropriate medications to each of a plurality of patients, comprising:

(a) a plurality of first compartments, wherein each of said first compartments is adapted to hold one or more pills freely;

(b) means for inputting to the apparatus medication orders for each of the patients;

(c) means for compiling the input patient medication orders, and for outputting the total numbers of each pill anticipated to be consumed by the patients during a selected period of time, so that the total numbers of pills of each type of medication may be placed in said first compartments, with no more than one type of medication per first compartment;

(d) means for authorizing an operator of the apparatus to dispense medications from the apparatus, wherein the apparatus will not dispense medications until the operator has been authorized;

(e) means for correlating the time and a patient'"'"'s identity to the dosages of each pill appropriate for the patient at that time in accordance with the medication orders;

(f) means for dispensing the proper numbers of each appropriate pill to the patient, wherein said dispensing means does not require contact between the pill and a human before the pill is consumed by the patient, and wherein the patients may be dispensed pills in any order, and wherein the order of the patients need not be selected prior to dispensing the pills;

(g) a plurality of second compartments, wherein each of said second compartments is adapted to hold a medication not in pill form;

(h) means for outputting the total amounts of each medication not in pill form anticipated to be consumed by the patients during a selected period of time, so that the total amounts of each type of medication not in pill form may be placed in said second compartments, with no more than one type of medication per second compartment; and

(i) means for correlating the time and a patient'"'"'s identity to the dosages of each medication not in pill form appropriate for the patient at that time in accordance with the medication orders, and for authorizing the operator of the apparatus to have access to the said second compartments containing the medications not in pill form appropriate for the patient at the time.