Method and apparatus for automatically generating advisory information for pharmacy patients

• US 6,240,394 B1
• Filed: 12/12/1996
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventiv Health Incorporated (Syneos Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing International Incorporated (Catalina Marketing Corporation)
• Inventors: Ward, Michael James, Byerly, Baxter Hayes Jr., Uecker, Robert Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Application Number:
  US08/764,139
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients

Abstract

A system for generating targeted advisory messages for pharmacy patients based on selected monitored data components of each transaction. When a pharmacy computer prints transaction data, the system monitors the data using printer data capture hardware interposed between the pharmacy computer and its printer. An additional processor compares selected components of the monitored transaction data with preselected combinations of the these components in a database. The database associates the preselected combinations of transaction data components with advisory message components retrieved from the database and used to build an advisory message for output to a printer, which may be the pharmacy computer or an additional printer. Targeting of the advisory messages is based on selected combinations of the identity of the drug being dispensed to the patient, the patient'"'"'s age and gender, the new or renewal status of the prescription, and the identity of the party primarily responsible for payment to the pharmacy for the transaction.

Claims

1. A method for generating targeted messages to pharmacy patients, said method comprising the steps of:

capturing a data record transmitted to a pharmacy printer from a pharmacy computer, said data record including components pertaining to a pharmacy transaction in which a pharmacy product is dispensed to a patient;

comparing selected components of said captured data record with components in a database to determine contents of an advisory message;

building said advisory message based on determinations made in said comparing step; and

transmitting said advisory message to said pharmacy printer, so as to print said advisory message based on said selected components of said captured data record.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing step comprises comparing selected components of said captured data record including an age of said patient and an identity of said pharmacy product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing step comprises comparing selected components of said captured data record including a gender of said patient and an identity of said pharmacy product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing step comprises comparing selected components of said captured data record including an identity of an entity primarily responsible for payment to said pharmacy for said pharmacy transaction and an identity of said pharmacy product.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing step comprises comparing selected components of said captured data record including an indication of whether said pharmacy transaction includes a new or a refill prescription for said pharmacy product, and an identity of said pharmacy product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing step comprises comparing selected components of said captured data record including an identity of said pharmacy product and at least one of an age of said patient, a gender of said patient, an identity of an entity primarily responsible for payment to said pharmacy for said pharmacy transaction, and whether said pharmacy transaction includes a new or a refill prescription for said pharmacy product.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of distributing to said patient a product sample to accompany said advisory message.

8. An apparatus for generating targeted messages to pharmacy patients, for use in a pharmacy computer system having a pharmacy processor and at least one printer, the apparatus comprising:

a hardware interface coupled between said pharmacy processor and said at least one printer, for capturing a data record transmitted to said at least one printer from said pharmacy computer system, said data record including components pertaining to a pharmacy transaction in which a pharmacy product is dispensed to a patient;

a database containing components used for building an advisory message; and

an additional processor coupled to said database and said hardware interface, for comparing selected components of said captured data record with said components in said database to determine contents of said advisory message, and for building said advisory message;

wherein one of said hardware interface and said additional processor includes means for transmitting said advisory message to said at least one printer, whereby said advisory message is printed on said at least one printer based on said selected components of said captured data record.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said selected components of said captured data record include an age of said patient and an identity of said pharmacy product.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said selected components of said captured data record include a gender of said patient and an identity of said pharmacy product.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said selected components of said captured data record include an identity of an entity primarily responsible for payment to said pharmacy for said pharmacy transaction and an identity of said pharmacy product.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said selected components of said captured data record include an indication of whether said pharmacy transaction includes a new or a refill prescription for said pharmacy product, and an identity of said pharmacy product.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said selected components of said captured data record include an identity of said pharmacy product and at least one of an age of said patient, a gender of said patient, an identity of an entity primarily responsible for payment to said pharmacy for said pharmacy transaction, and whether said pharmacy transaction includes a new or a refill prescription for said pharmacy product.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said pharmacy computer system transmits said data record in parallel format to said at least one printer;

said hardware interface includes a parallel-to-serial data converter coupled to said means for transmitting, for capturing said data record transmitted in parallel format, and for transmitting said data record in serial format to said additional processor; and

said means for transmitting transmits said advisory message to said at least one printer and includes a parallel data connection to said additional processor for receiving said advisory message in parallel format, and further includes means for mediating printer conflicts arising between data records transmitted from said pharmacy computer system and advisory messages received from said additional processor.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said pharmacy computer system transmits said data record in serial format to said at last one printer;

said hardware interface includes a serial tap for capturing said data record transmitted in serial format, and for transmitting said data record in serial format to said additional processor and said at least one printer;

said additional processor transmits said advisory message in parallel format to said at least one printer; and

said least one printer further includes means for mediating printer conflicts arising between data records transmitted from said serial tap of said hardware interface and advisory messages received from said additional processor.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one printer comprises a first printer for printing said advisory message and a second printer for printing a label for said pharmacy product;

said pharmacy computer system transmits said data record in serial format to said first and second printers;

said hardware interface includes a serial tap for capturing said data record transmitted in serial format to said first printer, and for transmitting said data record in serial format to said additional processor and said first printer;

said additional processor transmits said advisory message in parallel format to said first printer; and

said first printer further includes means for mediating printer conflicts arising between data records transmitted from said serial tap of said hardware interface and advisory messages received from said additional processor.