Method for controlling a drug dispensing system

• US 6,814,255 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telepharmacy Solutions, Inc. (Cencora, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telepharmacy Solutions, Inc. (Cencora, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wallace, Robert L., Bossi, Enea W., Liff, Harold J., Berube, Arthur A., Hart, Brian T., Hart, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US10/412,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 221/3, 221/7, 221/13, 221/9, 221/92, 221/124, 221/131, 221/75, 221/76, 221/79, 700/232, 700/233, 700/234
• US Class Current: 221/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• 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 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An automated drug dispensing system includes a cabinet adapted to store a variety of prepackaged pharmaceuticals in a plurality of bins for filling patient prescriptions. Each bin stores a particular variety of packaged multiple-dose pharmaceutical. Each variety of pharmaceutical is associated with a particular code. A controller receives request signals and in response generates dispense signals. Each bin includes a dispenser coupled to the controller for dispensing the packaged pharmaceuticals therefrom in response to a dispense signal sent from the controller. After a package is dispensed, a code reader determines the code of the dispensed package and verifies whether the code on the dispensed package matches the code of the requested package.

Claims

1. A dispensing system for packaged medical products comprising:

a dispenser housing having a helix dispenser in which packaged medical products are stored;

a code reader;

a system computer connected to the code reader, and the helix dispenser, the system computer being programmed to receive an instruction from a network connection and control a dispensing operation of a prescription from the helix dispenser, and that records the code on a dispensed packaged medical product.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a card reader connected to the computer system.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a wireless communication device such that dispensing information is transmitted using a wireless connection.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller connected to the helix dispenser and the computer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer is connected to a pharmacy computer having a database of patient medical data.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein patient medical data are accessed by the user through a graphical user interface.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer is programmed to receive a request to fill a prescription.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer is programmed to receive a request to fill a prescription that is transmitted using a wireless network.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a wireless connection to a communication device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the communication device comprises a hand-held computer.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the hand-held computer comprises a personal digital assistant.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispensing system comprises a dispenser housing, a display mounted to the dispenser housing, and a plurality of drawers within the dispenser housing, each drawer containing at least one helix dispenser that is loaded with a plurality of coded packaged medical products.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the dispenser housing comprises a first dispensing area for a plurality of helix dispensers and a second dispensing area for a second plurality of dispensers.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the system computer is connected to a memory that stores patient data and drug interaction data.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising a label printer that prints bar coded labels.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a touch screen display.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a lockable cabinet.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the code reader comprises a hand-held bar code reader.

19. The system of claim 1 further comprising a dispensing port on the housing at which a user retrieves a dispensed bottle or package.

20. The system of claim 13 further comprising a second dispenser system having a dual valve dispenser.

21. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of screens to be displayed including a password screen.

22. A dispensing system for packaged medical products comprising:

a helix dispenser in which packaged medical products are stored;

a bar code reader;

a label printer that prints bar coded labels;

a system computer connected to the code reader, the helix dispenser, and a display, the system computer controlling a dispensing operation of the helix dispenser and recording the bar code on a dispensed packaged medical product, the system computer being connected to a second computer with a communication link.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising a card reader connected to the dispensing system that reads a card.

24. The system of claim 22 further comprising a wireless communication device such that dispensing information is transmitted using a wireless network.

25. The system of claim 22 further comprising a controller connected to a plurality of helix dispensers and the computer.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the computer is connected to a database of patient medical data.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein patient medical data are accessed by the user through a graphical user interface.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein the computer is programmed to receive an instruction from a network to dispense a prescription.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein the computer is programmed to receive a request to fill a prescription using an electronic card.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein the computer is programmed to receive a request to fill a prescription that is transmitted using a wireless network.

31. The system of claim 22 further comprising a wireless connection to a communication device.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the communication device comprises a hand-held computer.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the hand-held computer comprises a personal digital assistant.

34. The system of claim 22 wherein the dispensing system comprises a dispenser housing, a display mounted to the dispenser housing, and a plurality of drawers within the dispenser housing, each drawer containing at least one helix dispenser that is loaded with a plurality of coded packaged medical products.

35. The system of claim 22 wherein the dispenser housing comprises first group of dispensers that drop packaged medical products onto a dispensing area and a second group of dispensers that drop packaged medical products onto a second dispensing area.

36. The system of claim 22 wherein the system computer is connected to a memory that stores patient data and drug interaction data.

37. The system of claim 22 wherein the printer.

38. The system of claim 22 wherein the housing comprises a lockable cabinet.

39. The system of claim 22 wherein the code reader comprises a hand-held bar code reader.

40. The system of claim 22 wherein the system computer is mounted in the housing.

41. The system of claim 22 further comprising a separately accessible dispensing ports for dispensers at which a user retrieves a dispensed bottle or package.

42. The system of claim 22 further comprising a plurality of screens to be displayed including a password screen.

43. A dispensing system for packaged medical products comprising:

a plurality of drawers, each drawer having a plurality of helix dispensers in which packaged medical products are stored;

a hand-held bar code reader;

a system computer connected to the code reader, the dispenser, and a display, the system computer being programmed with a software program that controls dispensing operations of the helix dispensers and records the bar code on a dispensed packaged medical product.

44. The dispensing system of claim 43 wherein each drawer includes a plurality of helix dispensers that drop packaged onto a dispensing area.

45. The system of claim 43 further comprising a card reader connected to the dispensing system.

46. The system of claim 43 further comprising a wireless communication device such that dispensing information is transmitted using a wireless network.

47. The system of claim 43 wherein the computer is connected to a database of patient medical data.

48. The system of claim 43 wherein patient medical data are accessed by the user through a graphical user interface.

49. The system of claim 43 wherein the computer is programmed to receive an instruction from a network to dispense a prescription.

50. The system of claim 43 wherein the computer is programmed to receive a request to fill a prescription using an electronic card.

51. The system of claim 43 wherein the computer is programmed to receive a request to fill a prescription that is transmitted using a wireless network.

52. The system of claim 43 further comprising a wireless connection to a communication device.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein the communication device comprises a hand-held computer.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein the hand-held computer comprises a personal digital assistant.

55. The system of claim 43 wherein the dispensing system comprises a dispenser housing, a display mounted to the dispenser housing, and a plurality of drawers within the dispenser housing, each drawer containing at least one helix dispenser that is loaded with a plurality of coded packaged medical products.

56. The system of claim 55 wherein the dispenser housing comprises one group of drawers stacked upon.

57. The system of claim 43 wherein the system computer is connected to a memory that stores patient data and drug interaction data.

58. The system of claim 43 further comprising a label printer that prints coded labels.

59. The system of claim 43 wherein the housing comprises a lockable cabinet.

60. The system of claim 43 wherein the code reader comprises a bar code reader.

61. The system of claim 43 further comprising a dispensing port on the housing at which a user retrieves a dispensed bottle or package.

62. The system of claim 61 further comprising a second dispensing port at which a user retrieves a dispensed bottle or package.

63. A method for dispensing a packaged medical product comprising:

providing a dispensing system including a helix dispenser, a label printer and a system computer having a graphical user interface;

loading a plurality of different packaged medical products into the dispensing system using a code reader;

providing a database of patient medical data;

accessing the database of patient medical data;

selecting a medical product to be dispensed;

dispensing a packaged medical product from the dispensing system;

attaching a printed label having a bar code to the packaged medical product;

reading a code of the dispensed packaged medical product with a code reader; and

verifying that the requested packaged medical product was dispensed by comparison of the code read by the code reader to a reference code.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking allergy information.

65. The method of claim 63 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking refill information.

66. The method of claim 63 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking disease information.

67. The method of claim 63 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking medication history.

68. The method of claim 63 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking drug interactions.

69. The method of claim 63 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of monitoring patient compliance.

70. The method of claim 63 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data is performed using the graphical user interface.

71. The method of claim 63 further comprising the step of providing a patient education monograph.

72. The method of claim 63 further comprising the step of maintaining a current inventory of packaged medical products.

73. The method of claim 72 further comprising the step of updating the current inventory after dispensing each packaged medical product.

74. The method of claim 73 further comprising the step of communicating the updated inventory of packaged medical products to another computer using a network.

75. The method of claim 63 wherein the graphical user interface has a plurality of folders.

76. The method of claim 63 further comprising providing a graphical user interface having a plurality of windows including a main menu, a password screen, and an operation selection screen.

77. The method of claim 63 further comprising providing a wireless connection to the computer to perform a dispensing operation.

78. The method of claim 77 wherein the dispensing operation comprises entering prescription information to the computer.

79. A method for delivering a prescribed packaged pharmaceutical comprising:

providing a dispensing system having a helix dispenser containing a plurality of coded packaged medical products, a label printer, a system computer having a graphical user interface and connected to a second computer;

providing a database of patient medical data;

receiving a patient request for a prescription;

accessing the database of patient medical data;

sending authorization signals that are received by the system computer;

generating a dispense order in response to the received signals to dispense a packaged medical product;

reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; and

verifying that the requested package was dispensed by comparison of the code read by the code reader to a reference code.

80. The method of claim 79 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking allergy information.

81. The method of claim 79 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking refill information.

82. The method of claim 79 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking disease information.

83. The method of claim 79 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking medication history.

84. The method of claim 79 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of checking drug interactions.

85. The method of claim 79 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data comprises the step of monitoring patient compliance.

86. The method of claim 79 wherein the step of accessing the database of patient medical data is performed using a graphical user interface.

87. The method of claim 79 further comprising the step of providing a patient education monograph.

88. The method of claim 79 further comprising the step of maintaining an inventory of packaged medical products.

89. The method of claim 88 further comprising the step of updating the inventory of packaged medical products.

90. The method of claim 89 further comprising the step of communicating the updated inventory of packaged medical products to another computer.

91. The method of claim 79 wherein a patient request for a refill of a prescription is received using a communications link.

92. The method of claim 79 wherein the automated dispensing system comprises a card reader connected to the dispensing system that reads an electronic card.

93. The method of claim 92 wherein the patient request for a prescription is received by the card reader connected to the dispensing system that reads an electronic card.

94. The method of claim 93 further comprising transporting a packaged medical product within the housing to an access port for retrieval by a user.

95. The method of claim 79 wherein the code on each package comprises a bar code including a National Drug Code.

96. The method of claim 79 providing a controller connected to the system computer.

97. The method of claim 79 further comprising loading packages into the housing, the packages being scanned with a bar code reader during scanning.

98. The method of claim 79 further comprising providing a rotating dispenser.

99. The method of claim 79 further comprising providing a motor that transports packages in the housing.

100. The method of claim 79 further comprising accessing databases in the second computer.

101. The method of claim 79 further comprising sensing a product in the housing with a sensor.