Integrated system and method of vending prescription medications using a network of remotely distributed, automated dispensing units

• US 6,330,491 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1999
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dennis E, Jr Goldasich
• Original Assignee: Nicholas Lion
• Inventors: Lion, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/358,063
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/232, 700/237, 700/241, 700/244, 221/2
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/40 for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A network of interactive, self-service, medication dispensing kiosks that are each adaptable to contain an inventory of, for example, 200 to 1600 different drugs, as may be currently obtained directly from a local storefront, mail order, or “cyber” pharmacy. With the exception of periodic maintenance or inventory replenishment, the kiosks constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention are unmanned. By strategically locating the dispensing kiosks of the present invention in easily accessible public locations on a regional or national basis, and stocking the same with an inventory of frequently prescribed medications for which a patient is likely to have an exigent need, an on-line (Internet) or mail order pharmacy may offer a level of convenient access to emergency medications and pharmaceutical services that is at least as complete and comprehensive as that offered by the conventional storefront pharmacy.

Claims

1. A system for unattended dispensing of medications, comprising:

a remote vending maching (RVM) unit adapted to dispense at least one of a plurality of drugs contained therein in accordance with an authorized prescription Rx, said dispensing unit including a data entry device for entering a patient identification key code (PtID) corresponding to a particular patient;

a centralized control facility operative to associate a PtID code with at least one authorized Rx request to supply a drug and to transmit an enabling signal to the RVM unit when a corresponding match is identified; and

a database operatively associated with said centralized control facility and adapted to store information relating to said at least one authorized Rx_request,

wherein said RVM unit is operative, in response to entry of said PtID code, to initiate a vending session by transmitting a signal representative of said PtID code to said centralized control facility, and

wherein said RVM unit is further operative, in response to receipt of the enabling signal to dispense the prescribed medication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the database is further adapted to store a unique transaction identification key code (RxID) corresponding to each respective authorized Rx request, wherein said enabling signal is representative of encrypted information relating to said at least one authorized Rx request, and wherein said RVM unit is adapted to decode encrypted information relating to each respective authorized Rx request using a corresponding RxID code.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of drugs are in the form of at least one of a solid, liquid, cream, and ointment.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said data entry device comprises at least one of a numeric keypad and a magnetic card reader.

5. An integrated medication distribution system, comprising:

a centralized control facility operative to associate at least one of a plurality of unique patient identification (PtID) key codes, each corresponding to a respective patient, with at least one authorized prescription Rx request to supply a drug to a patient;

a database operatively associated with said centralized control facility and adapted to store a respective patient prescription record corresponding to an individual request to digitally fill a prescription and a corresponding unique transaction identification key code (RxID), and

a plurality remote vending machine (RVM) units each remotely located from the remote controller and each adapted to dispense at least one of a plurality of drugs contained therein in accordance with an authorized prescription, said dispensing unit including a data entry device for entering a PtID code to initiate a drug dispensing session, wherein any of said plurality of RVM units is operative to transmit a signal representative of said PTID code to said centralized control facility in response to actuation of a corresponding data entry device, and wherein an originating one of said plurality of RVM units is further operative, in response to receipt of an enabling signal, to dispense the prescribed Rx drug.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said enabling signal is representative of encrypted information relating to a specific Rx request and wherein said RVM unit is adapted to decode encrypted information relating to each respective Rx request using a corresponding unique RxID code.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the data entry device of each RVM unit comprises at least one of a numeric keypad and a magnetic card reader.

8. A method of dispensing medication to a patient at a selected drug disperising unit, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a first location, a request to supply a patient with at least one package containing a drug prescribed by a physician;

validating the request received during said receiving step to ensure the patient is authorized to receive a prescribed medication;

providing a patient authorized to receive a prescribed medication with a unique identifier;

in response to entry of the unique identifier at a second location remotely disposed relative to the first location, causing a drug dispensing unit to dispense the medication specified in the request received during the receiving step for distribution to the patient.

9. The method of claim 8, further including a step of accepting payment from the patient by debiting a credit card account.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of accepting payment is performed at said first location.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of accepting payment is performed at said second location.

12. The method of claim 8, further including a step of identifying the amount of delay permissible before a patient must receive a drug identified in a request received during the receiving step.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said receiving step includes receiving a request for a drug via one of a data transmission network, a facsimile transmission, or by mail, further including a step of supplying a drug identified in the received request by one of regular mail and express courier in the event a permissible delay exceeding an applicable threshold identified during said step of identifying.

14. The method of claim 8, comprising a step of storing, at each of a plurality of prescription medication dispensing units remotely located from one another, an inventory of frequently prescribed medications including at least some drugs which a patient is advised to take as soon as practicable after issuance of a prescription by a physician.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the drugs stored during the storing step are in a form selected from the group consisting of solids, liquids, ointments, and creams.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of causing a drug dispensing unit to dispense comprises transmitting, from the drug dispensing unit, a signal representative of an entered key code to a remote controller operative to associate a corresponding patient identification key code with a particular validated prescription.

17. The method of claim 16, further including a step of storing, for each request to dispense a drug, an encrypted enabling signal and a corresponding transaction key code unique to each particular request for decrypting instructions for filling a request at the dispensing unit, wherein in response to receipt of the signal transmitted during said transmitting step, the remote controller performs a step of transmitting the encrypted enabling signal and transaction key code to the prescription medication dispensing unit when a corresponding match is identified, said dispensing unit being responsive to receipt of the enabling signal and transaction key code to decode instructions for filling a request and to dispense a corresponding drug in accordance with said decoded instructions.

18. The method of claim 8, further comprising a step of:

establishing a communication link between a pharmacist at a centralized location and a patient disposed proximate a remote drug dispensing unit, said drug dispensing unit containing a plurality of drugs available by physician prescription;

wherein said step of remotely operating is performed from the centralized location, the drug dispensing unit being responsive to remotely transmitted commands so as to dispense to the patient a drug specified in the request received during the receiving step.