System and method for comparing drug product information

• US 7,597,247 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX Ultimate Parent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX Ultimate Parent Corp.)
• Inventors: Magruder, William R, Helmin, Robert P
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol; Paultep
• Application Number:
  US11/537,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20080078828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

A system and method for comparing vast amounts of drug product information at granular levels is provided. This comparison is facilitated by the creation of a unique key that maintains the integrity of the comparison system. The unique key may contain a therapeutic class identifier, a clinical formulation identifier, an additional detail identifier, a package equivalent size identifier, a unit dose identifier, and a package quantity identifier.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first data feed;

a second data feed;

a processing engine configured to;

receive the first data feed and the second data feed;

parse the first data feed into first data and the second data feed into second data;

assemble a first unique key based upon the first data, wherein the first unique key comprises at least one of a package quantity identifier, a therapeutic class identifier, a clinical formulation identifier, an additional detail identifier, a package size equivalent identifier, or a unit dose identifier;

assemble a second unique key based upon the second data, wherein the second unique key comprises at least one of a package quantity identifier, a therapeutic class identifier, a clinical formulation identifier, an additional detail identifier, a package size equivalent identifier, or a unit dose identifier;

determine a relationship between the first data and the second data by comparing the first unique key and the second unique key;

analyze the relationship to create output data, wherein the output data comprises at least one of;

a cost effectiveness of purchasing a drug product from different suppliers, a determination of a lowest cost per unit of the drug product, a manufacturer market share for the drug product, or a strategy for submitting a contract bid for the drug product;

a database configured to store the first unique key, the second unique key and the output data; and

,

a reporting engine configured to generate reports based at least partially on the output data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first unique key is 25 characters in length.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the package quantity identifier is 3 characters in length.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data feed comprises national drug code data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first unique key comprises the therapeutic class identifier, the clinical formulation identifier and the unit dose identifier.

6. A method comprising:

parsing a first data feed into first data;

parsing a second data feed into second data;

assembling a first unique key based upon the first data, wherein the first unique key comprises a package quantity identifier and at least one of a therapeutic class identifier, a clinical formulation identifier, an additional detail identifier, a package size equivalent identifier, or a unit dose identifier;

assembling a second unique key based upon the second data, wherein the second unique key comprises at least one of a package quantity identifier, a therapeutic class identifier, a clinical formulation identifier, an additional detail identifier, a package size equivalent identifier, or a unit dose identifier; and

,

determining a relationship between the first data and the second data by comparing the first unique key and the second unique key;

receiving report criteria;

analyzing the report criteria and the relationship to create report data, wherein the report data comprises at least one of;

a cost effectiveness of purchasing a drug product from different suppliers, a determination of a lowest cost per unit of the drug product, a manufacturer market share for the drug product, or a strategy for submitting a contract bid for the drug product;

storing the first unique key, the second unique key and the report data in a database; and

,

outputting the report data to a user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the package quantity identifier is 3 characters in length and the first unique key is 25 characters in length.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first unique key comprises a package quantity identifier, a therapeutic identifier, a clinical formulation identifier, a unit dose identifier and at least one of an additional detail identifier and a package size equivalent identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first unique key is 25 characters in length.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the package quantity identifier is 3 characters in length.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the report data comprises national drug code data.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the report data is grouped according to the report criteria.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the report data is further grouped according to bid price.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the first data feed and the second data feed are each received from at least one of a pharmaceutical supplier or a healthcare supplier.