Systems and methods for dispensing medical products

• US 6,735,497 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• 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, Piantedosi, Steve, Buciuman-Coman, Liana
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US10/105,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/232, 700/236, 700/237, 700/241, 221/2, 221/3, 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 drug sample dispenser comprising:

a dispenser housing in which a plurality of packaged medical products are stored, the dispenser housing having a door that opens to provide access to the packaged medical products;

a computer mounted within the housing; and

a control system that opens and closes the door of the dispenser housing in response to an instruction from the computer.

2. The drug sample dispenser of claim 1 wherein the drug dispenser further comprises at least one door mounted to the housing the, at least one door having a plurality of bins.

3. The drug sample dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispenser further comprises a barcode reader.

4. The drug sample dispenser of claim 1 wherein the at least one door comprises a proximity sensor.

5. The drug sample dispenser of claim 1 wherein the computer is in communication with a database data processor.

6. The drug sample dispenser of claim 5 wherein the communication between the computer and the database data processor includes transmission using one of at least the Internet, a telephone system, a satellite system, a wireless system, and a pager system.

7. The drug sample dispenser of claim 1 wherein the drug dispenser further comprises a camera.

8. The drug sample dispenser of claim 7 wherein the drug dispenser comprises a proximity detector coupled to the camera.

9. The drug sample dispenser of claim 7 wherein the drug sample dispenser comprises a user identification system coupled to the camera.

10. The drug sample dispenser of claim 7 wherein the camera is coupled to the at least one door such that opening of the at least one door causes the camera to take a picture.

11. The drug sample dispenser of claim 7 wherein the drug sample dispenser comprises a control system connected to the camera.

12. The drug sample dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispenser further comprises a user identification system.

13. The drug sample dispenser of claim 12 wherein the user identification system comprises a keypad.

14. The sample dispenser of claim 12 wherein the user identification system comprises a card reader.

15. The drug sample dispenser of claim 12 wherein the drug dispenser comprises a control system connected to the identification system.

16. A method for obtaining drug samples from a drug sample dispenser comprising the steps of:

providing a drug sample dispenser housing with a plurality of drug samples stored in the housing;

providing a valid user identification to a database interfaced with the drug sample dispenser;

inputting request signals to dispense a drug sample;

selecting a drug sample to be removed from the drug sample dispenser from the database;

removing the selected drug sample from the drug sample dispenser; and

automatically closing the dispenser housing with a control system to prevent further access to drug samples stored in the housing.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of entering a prescriber'"'"'s name into the database interfaced with the drug sample dispenser.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of entering a patient'"'"'s name into the database interfaced with the drug sample dispenser.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of providing the user access to the drug samples by opening a door on the housing.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of securing the drug samples from further access by closing a pair of doors on the dispenser with a control system.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of user identification includes using a fingerprint identification system.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of user identification includes using a card identification system.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprises automatically closing the doors after a programmed period of time.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising accessing the database with a computer in the dispenser housing.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising actuating a control system to open and close a door to the housing with the computer.

26. A method for dispensing drug samples from a drug sample dispenser comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of drug samples in a drug sample dispenser having a computer;

verifying a user'"'"'s identification and access to remove drug samples from the drug sample dispenser;

using a control system in response to a first instruction from the computer to open a housing door to provide user access to the drug samples;

allowing a user to remove the drug samples and record the removed samples in a database; and

using the control system to prevent further user access to the drug samples in response to a second instruction from the computer to close the door.