Computerized unit dose medication dispensing cart
First Claim
1. A computerized unit dose medication dispensing cart for use in a medical facility comprising:
- a cart for transporting prepackaged unit dose medications;
an input device mounted on said cart for generating a request signal to initiate the dispensing of the prepackaged unit dose medications for a patient;
a computer system mounted on said cart and coupled to the input device, the computer system having memory means for storing medication information relating to the patient and means for generating a dispense signal in response to the request signal;
a plurality of dispensing means mounted on said cart and coupled to said computer system, each dispensing means including a motor coupled to a plurality of rollers, the motor rotating the rollers in response to the dispense signal from said computer system, the rollers advancing a prepackaged unit dosage of a medication over the rollers and through a slit in the dispensing means from a stack of prepackaged unit dose medications stored in the dispensing means, each prepackaged unit dose medication dispensed through the slit being separable from the stack, said computer system transmitting the dispense signal only to the dispensing means dispensing a prepackaged unit dosage of a medication to be dispensed to the patient based on the medication information relating to the patient stored in said memory means; and
detection means mounted on said dispensing means and coupled to said computer system for detecting the dispensing of the prepackaged unit dose medications from said dispensing means, the computer system recording in the memory means that the dispensing of the prepackaged unit dose medication to the patient has occurred.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computerized medication dispensing cart and system for dispensing prepackaged unit-dose medications to a patient in a medical facility including a computer system on the cart for storing medication information regarding each patient provided by a pharmacy and a plurality of dispensers on the cart that automatically dispense prepackaged unit dosages of prescribed medications at the request of nursing personnel while making rounds. A separate dispenser on the cart is used to dispense each type of medication. An input device, such as a touch screen monitor, is mounted on the cart to permit nursing personnel to access the medication information regarding the patient and to request that the cart dispense the prescribed medications. A detector is mounted on each dispenser that detects the administration of the medications to the patient and records the time and date that the medications were administered.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A computerized unit dose medication dispensing cart for use in a medical facility comprising:
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a cart for transporting prepackaged unit dose medications;
an input device mounted on said cart for generating a request signal to initiate the dispensing of the prepackaged unit dose medications for a patient;
a computer system mounted on said cart and coupled to the input device, the computer system having memory means for storing medication information relating to the patient and means for generating a dispense signal in response to the request signal;
a plurality of dispensing means mounted on said cart and coupled to said computer system, each dispensing means including a motor coupled to a plurality of rollers, the motor rotating the rollers in response to the dispense signal from said computer system, the rollers advancing a prepackaged unit dosage of a medication over the rollers and through a slit in the dispensing means from a stack of prepackaged unit dose medications stored in the dispensing means, each prepackaged unit dose medication dispensed through the slit being separable from the stack, said computer system transmitting the dispense signal only to the dispensing means dispensing a prepackaged unit dosage of a medication to be dispensed to the patient based on the medication information relating to the patient stored in said memory means; and
detection means mounted on said dispensing means and coupled to said computer system for detecting the dispensing of the prepackaged unit dose medications from said dispensing means, the computer system recording in the memory means that the dispensing of the prepackaged unit dose medication to the patient has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for dispensing prepackaged unit-dose medications to a patient for use in a medical facility comprising:
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transporting prepackaged unit-dose medications on a cart;
storing medication information relating to the patient in a computer system mounted on said cart;
generating a request signal to initiate the dispensing of prepackaged unit-dose medications for the patient from an input device mounted on said cart;
receiving the request signal at said computer system;
generating a dispense signal at said computer system in response to the request signal;
transmitting the dispense signal from said computer system to a plurality of dispensers storing a plurality of prepackaged unit dosages of a medication to be dispensed to the patient;
receiving the dispense signal at each of said plurality of dispensers;
rotating a plurality of rollers located within each of said plurality of dispensers in response to the dispense signal to advance a prepackaged unit dosage of a medication over the rollers and through a slit in each dispenser from a stack of prepackaged unit dose medications stored in each dispenser; and
detecting that the prepackaged unit-dose medications were dispensed from each dispenser. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification