System and method for prescribing and conveying pharmaceuticals within the premises of a healthcare provider
First Claim
1. A method of prescribing and conveying regulated pharmaceuticals, comprising the steps of:
- providing a central processing unit;
providing a stock of pharmaceuticals that are prepackaged as units of use, wherein each unit of use is a sealed container that contains a single pharmaceutical type in a quantity equal to an average course of treatment of said pharmaceutical type for a particular patient type;
providing a vending machine that is controlled by said central processing unit, said vending machine storing said stock of pharmaceuticals therein, wherein each of said units of use can be independently vended and automatically dispensed from said vending machine upon the activation of said vending machine;
providing a data reading unit proximate said vending machine that electronically communicates with said central processing unit;
providing a data input terminal that communicates with said central processing unit and is remote from said vending machine;
entering prescription data into said data input terminal, wherein said prescription data is forwarded to said central processing unit, and wherein said prescription data identifies one of said units of use within said vending machine;
assigning a first vending code to said prescription data;
providing a portable data storage medium containing a second vending code that is matched to said first vending code;
reading said second vending code from said portable storage medium with said data reading unit;
activating said vending machine if said second vending code read from said portable storage medium is matched to said first vending code by said central processing unit;
vending one of said units of use identified by said prescription data assigned to said first vending code; and
printing a printout each time one of said units of use vends from said vending machine, wherein each said printout contains a label image.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of prescribing and conveying regulated pharmaceuticals. Prepackaged pharmaceuticals are kept in a vending machine. Upon the completion of a patient'"'"'s diagnosis, a physician may prescribe a regulated pharmaceutical. The physician enters the prescription into a terminal. The prescription is read by a central processing unit that controls the vending machine. The central processing unit identifies the location of the pharmaceutical in the vending machine and awaits a proper vending code. Once a physician enters a prescription into the system, the physician hands the patient an electronic key card. The key card is encoded with the vending code needed to activate the vending machine. The patient carries the key card to the vending machine. If the code on the key card matches the prescription code previously entered by a physician, the vending machine vends the prepackaged pharmaceutical.
30 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of prescribing and conveying regulated pharmaceuticals, comprising the steps of:
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providing a central processing unit; providing a stock of pharmaceuticals that are prepackaged as units of use, wherein each unit of use is a sealed container that contains a single pharmaceutical type in a quantity equal to an average course of treatment of said pharmaceutical type for a particular patient type; providing a vending machine that is controlled by said central processing unit, said vending machine storing said stock of pharmaceuticals therein, wherein each of said units of use can be independently vended and automatically dispensed from said vending machine upon the activation of said vending machine; providing a data reading unit proximate said vending machine that electronically communicates with said central processing unit; providing a data input terminal that communicates with said central processing unit and is remote from said vending machine; entering prescription data into said data input terminal, wherein said prescription data is forwarded to said central processing unit, and wherein said prescription data identifies one of said units of use within said vending machine; assigning a first vending code to said prescription data; providing a portable data storage medium containing a second vending code that is matched to said first vending code; reading said second vending code from said portable storage medium with said data reading unit; activating said vending machine if said second vending code read from said portable storage medium is matched to said first vending code by said central processing unit; vending one of said units of use identified by said prescription data assigned to said first vending code; and printing a printout each time one of said units of use vends from said vending machine, wherein each said printout contains a label image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of ensuring that a product vended from a vending machine is correct, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a printer that is connected to said vending machine; filling said vending machine with products that are each identified with a unique code pattern; activating said vending machine by entering a selection that corresponds to a chosen one of said products, therein receiving a vended product; creating a printout on said printer that identifies said unique code pattern for said chosen one of said products; and determining if said unique code pattern identified on said printout is the same as said unique code pattern on said vended product. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification