Automatic prescription drug dispenser

• US 6,766,218 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mendota Healthcare, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mendota Healthcare, Inc.
• Inventors: Rosenblum, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US10/328,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 700/213, 700/225, 700/231, 700/232, 700/235, 700/237, 235/381, 235/385, 221/2, 221/7, 221/9, 221/13, 221/75, 221/100
• US Class Current: 700/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

An automatic prescription drug dispenser including a remote dispenser, a prescription entry system, and a communications network. The remote dispenser transmits and receives information from the communications network and dispenses prescription drugs to the patient. The prescription entry system transmits and receives information from the communications network and provides an input system for the doctor to electronically enter individual prescriptions for each patient. The communications network coordinates communications between the doctor, insurance carrier, and the remote dispenser. The remote dispenser stores, retrieves, and labels prescription drug and over-the-counter products directly to patients through a remote automated vending machine, a remote dispenser, a prescription entry system, and a communications network. The remote dispenser transmits and receives information from the communications network and dispenses prescription drugs to the patient. The prescription entry system transmits and receives information from the communications network and provides an input system for the doctor to electronically enter individual prescriptions for each patient. The communications network coordinates communications between the doctor, insurance carrier, and the remote dispenser.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing therapeutic products to a patient, comprising:

providing a dispenser containing an inventory of the therapeutic products,

transmitting the proposed prescription to a central server,

adjudicating the proposed prescription into an adjudicated prescription,

authorizing dispensing of at least a portion of the adjudicated prescription out of the inventory in the remote dispenser if the adjudicated prescription includes at least one therapeutic product available in the inventory of the remote dispenser,

providing an authorization code unique to the adjudicated prescription,

receiving from the patient at the remote dispenser the authorization code, the dispenser labeling the therapeutic product with information unique to the adjudicated prescription, and

providing the available therapeutic product to the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a formulary.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the dispenser verifying a container of the therapeutic product before labeling the therapeutic product.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the dispenser automatically verifying the labeled therapeutic product prior to dispensing the therapeutic product.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring with respect to the remote dispenser at least one of temperature, interruption, to normal line voltage power supply, and physical access.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least one of images, animation and audiovisual works.

7. A method comprising:

providing a dispenser having a housing holding a plurality of therapeutic products in containers, wherein at least some of the containers are labeled with a first code indicating the product in the container;

a user entering information into the dispenser to receive one of the therapeutic products;

the dispenser verifying that a container is the proper container for the therapeutic product, wherein verifying includes scanning the first code while the therapeutic product is still in the housing;

the dispenser labeling the verified container with a patient-specific label having at least one bar code printed in the dispenser, wherein the dispenser labels the verified container while it is still in the housing and wherein the patient-specific label includes patient-specific information;

scanning the patient-specific label on the verified container to check the verified container prior to releasing the verified container from the housing, and rejecting the verified container so as to prevent the verified container from being released from the housing if the patient-specific label does not check correctly; and

dispensing the labeled container to the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of therapeutic products include one or more products which require a prescription.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein scanning the patient-specific label includes verifying the at least one bar code of the patient specific label prior to dispensing the labeled container.

10. A method comprising:

providing a dispenser having a housing holding a plurality of pre-packaged therapeutic products in containers, wherein at least some of the containers are labeled with a first code indicating the product in the container;

a user entering input information into the dispenser to receive one of the plurality of therapeutic products;

the dispenser retrieving a given container presumed to contain the selected therapeutic product;

the dispenser verifying that the container is the proper container for the selected therapeutic product, wherein verifying includes scanning the first code while the therapeutic product is still in the housing;

the dispenser labeling the verified container with a patient-specific label having at least one bar code printed in the dispenser, wherein the dispenser labels the verified container while it is still in the housing and wherein the patient-specific label includes patient-specific information;

scanning the patient-specific label on the verified container to check the verified container prior to releasing the verified container from the housing, and rejecting the verified container so as to prevent the verified container from being released from the housing if the patient-specific label does not check correctly; and

dispensing the labeled container to the user.

11. The method of claim 10, dispenser wherein scanning the patient-specific label includes verifying the at least one bar code of the patient-specific label prior to dispensing the labeled container.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the dispenser verifies the container by scanning a manufacturer'"'"'s bar code on the container.

13. A method comprising:

providing a dispenser having a housing having a plurality of rows, each row holding one or more containers of a single type of pre-packaged therapeutic product, wherein at least some of the containers are labeled with a first code indicating the product in the container;

a user entering information into the dispenser to receive one of the therapeutic products;

the dispenser retrieving a given container from a row which is presumed to hold containers having the therapeutic product;

the dispenser verifying that the container retrieved is the proper container for the therapeutic product selectcd by the user, wherein verifying includes scanning the first code while the therapeutic product is still in the housing;

the dispenser labeling the verified container with a patient-specific label having at least one bar code printed in the dispenser, wherein the dispenser labels the verified container while it is still in the housing and wherein the patient-specific label includes patient-specific information;

scanning the patient-specific label on the verified container to check the verified container prior to releasing the verified container from the housing, and rejecting the verified container so as to prevent the verified container from being released from the housing if the patient-specific label does not check correctly; and

dispensing the labeled container to the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the dispenser verifies by scanning a manufacturer'"'"'s bar-code on the retrieved container.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein scanning the patient-specific label includes verifying the at least one bar code of the patient-specific label before dispensing the labeled container to the user.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of rows includes the containers held within magazines.