Systems and methods for drug dispensing

• US 6,564,121 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ArXium, Inc. (Van Humbeck Family)
• Original Assignee: Telepharmacy Solutions, Inc. (Cencora, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wallace, Robert L., Liff, Harold J., Berube, Arthur A., Hart, Brian T., Hart, Richard D., Dowling, James, Buciuman-Coman, Liana
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US09/454,359
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/236, 700/237, 700/241, 700/244, 221/2, 221/3, 221/5, 221/7, 221/15
• US Class Current: 700/231
• 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 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• 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: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for the remote dispensing of packaged and non-packaged medical products using networked communications systems. A preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes a network to provide for the secure delivery of confidential patient information and the sending of dispense instructions to a remote dispensing station. A preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to systems and methods of dispensing samples of drugs or other medical products. Another preferred embodiment of the invention provides a system and method for dispensing non-prescription medications.

Claims

1. A system for remote dispensing of a medical product, comprising:

an authorization node to authorize dispensing of the medical product at a first location, the authorization node being in communication with a web server;

a dispensing node to distribute the medical product at a second location, the dispensing node having a processor in communication with the web server, the processor further having a browser to control the dispensing of the medical product;

a controlling node which interfaces with the authorization and dispensing nodes, the controlling node having the web server co-located therewith to control the flow of information between the authorization node and the dispensing node; and

a transmission medium between the nodes.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a transfer protocol used in the transmission medium is a HyperText Transfer Protocol.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is a customized server.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein a transfer protocol used in the transmission medium is a File Transfer Protocol.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmission medium includes a satellite system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmission medium includes a pager system.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmission medium includes a wireless system.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the controlling node is located at a third location.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the controlling node is co-located with the authorization node.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispensing of the medical product is initiated at the dispensing node.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispensing of the medical product is initiated at the authorization node.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispensing of the medical product is initiated at the controlling node.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the medical product is a prescription pharmaceutical.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispensing node includes a dispenser controller and a housing having a plurality of bins;

each bin storing an encoded plurality of packages of medical products.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein a code reader is coupled to said controller for reading a code of a dispensed medical product.

16. The method for dispensing of a medical product comprising:

authorizing the dispensing of the medical product at a first location;

controlling the transmission of the authorization via a transmission medium using one of a plurality of transfer protocols to a second location; and

dispensing the medical product using a browser at the second location.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmission medium includes a network such as the Internet.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the the plurality of transfer protocols includes one of HyperText Transfer Protocol and File Transfer Protocol.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmission medium includes a satellite system.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmission medium includes a pager system.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmission medium includes a wireless system.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the medical product is a prescription pharmaceutical.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the dispensing of the medical product is initiated at the second dispensing location.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein the dispensing of the medical product is initiated at the first authorizing location.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein the dispensing of the medical product is initiated at the third controlling location.

26. The method of claim 16 further comprising controlling the dispensing of the medical product.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein controlling the dispensing of the medical product is performed at the first location.

28. The method of claim wherein controlling the dispensing of the medical product is performed at a third location.

29. A dispense system for a medical product which is connected to a global communication network, comprising:

an authorization node to authorize dispensing of the medical product at a first location, the authorization node being in communication with a web server;

a dispensing node to distribute the medical product at a second location, the dispensing node having a processor in communication with the web server, the processor further having a browser to control the dispensing of the medical product;

a controlling node which interfaces with the authorization and dispensing nodes, the controlling node having the web server co-located therewith to control the flow of information between the authorization node and the dispensing node; and

a transmission medium between the nodes.

30. The dispense system of claim 29 wherein the global communication network includes the Internet.

31. The dispense system of claim 29 wherein the global communication network includes a telephone system.

32. The dispense system of claim 29 wherein the global communication network includes a satellite system.

33. The dispense system of claim 29 wherein the global communication network includes a pager system.

34. The dispense system of claim 29 wherein the global communication network includes a wireless system.

35. The dispense system of claim 29 wherein an authorizing system is in communication with the dispense system via the global communication network.

36. The dispense system of claim 29 wherein the medical product is a prescription pharmaceutical.

37. In a computer network formed of a communication channel and a plurality of digital data processors coupled to the communication channel for communication thereon and a computer apparatus dispensing a medical product comprising:

an authorizing data processor at a first location to authorize the dispensing of the medical product, the authorizing data processor being in communication with a web server;

a dispensing data processor at a second location connected to a housing having a plurality of medical products, the dispensing data processor being in communication with the web server, the dispensing data processor further having a browser to control the dispensing of the medical product; and

a controlling data processor which is in communication with the authorizing and dispensing data processors to control the dispense of the medical product when authorized, the controlling data processor having the web server co-located therewith to control the flow of information between the authorizing data processor and the dispensing data processor.

38. The computer apparatus of claim 37 wherein the data processors communicate via a network and are further operative with a set of executable instructions to authorize and dispense the medical product.

39. The computer apparatus of claim 37 wherein the dispensing data processor is integral with the housing having a plurality of pharmaceuticals.

40. The computer apparatus of claim 37 wherein the medical product is a prescription pharmaceutical.

41. The computer apparatus of claim 37 further comprising an interface data processor to parse communications from the authorizing data processor.

42. The computer apparatus of claim 41 wherein the interface data processor is in communication with the controlling data processor.