Pharmacy supply tracking and storage system

• US 7,747,477 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GSL Solutions, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: GSL Solutions, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Louie, Shelton, Garrett, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F. Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALMATRAHI, FARIS S
• Application Number:
  US10/928,756
• Time in Patent Office: 2,133 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• 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 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: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A pharmacy supply container tracking system that automatically detects and tracks a pharmacy supply container within a pharmacy is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment the system also detects and tracks prescription orders of customers, and automatically verifies that the correct pharmacy supply is used to fill a particular prescription order. One disclosed system includes using tags, such as Radio-Frequency Identification (“RFID”) tags, and their related readers to locate objects through electromagnetic interrogation of a spatial region to determine the presence of an object within that special region.

Claims

1. A prescription supply container tracking system for use in a retail pharmacy having a first station therein for filling the prescription order and a storage device for holding supply containers therein when not in use;

said tracking system including;

a computer system having a display;

a tag operably secured to the prescription supply container; and

a first tag reader positioned near the first station in the retail pharmacy and in communication with said computer system, said first tag reader able to automatically detect the presence of said tag when said tag is moved by hand to a position in close proximity of said first tag reader and send a first signal to said computer system;

such that said computer system automatically detects said first signal and automatically processes said signal under control of said computer system to display the presence of said tag at said first station within the retail pharmacy, thereby displaying the location of said prescription supply container;

said storage device includes;

a storage bin having a plurality of cubbies, each said cubby having an individual identifier, and having a cubby tag reader in communication with said computer system, such that the presence of said tag within one of said plurality of cubbies is automatically detected by that cubby'"'"'s tag reader and sends a cubby location signal to said computer system, said cubby location signal including the individual identifier of said one of said plurality of cubbies;

such that said computer system processes said first signal and said cubby location signal to display the location of said tag at one of said first location or said one of said plurality of cubbies thereby allowing the location of said supply container within said storage device; and

wherein said computer system determines the identity of the supply container sought by a pharmacy worker and verifies that said supply container removed from the storage device is the same as the identity of the supply container sought by the pharmacy worker.

2. The prescription order tracking system of claim 1, further including:

a second station spaced apart from said first station; and

wherein said second station has a second tag reader positioned within the retail pharmacy and in communication with said computer system, said second tag reader able to automatically detect the presence of said tag when said tag is moved by hand to a second position in close proximity of said second tag reader and send a second signal to said computer system;

such that said computer system automatically detects said second signal and automatically processes said first signal and said second signal to display the location of said tag at one of said first and second stations within said retail pharmacy, thereby displaying the location of said prescription supply container.

3. The prescription supply container tracking system of claim 1, wherein the computer system alerts the pharmacy worker if the supply container removed from the storage device is different from the identity of the supply container sought by the pharmacy worker.

4. The prescription supply container tracking system of claim 3, wherein the computer system correlates expiration date information about the material within the supply container with the supply container;

and verifies that the expiration date has not passed when the supply container is removed from the storage container.

5. The prescription supply container tracking system of claim 4, wherein said computer system alerts a pharmacy worker if the expiration date has passed.

6. The prescription supply container tracking system of claim 1, wherein said tag is a radio frequency identification tag and said tag reader is a radio frequency identification tag reader.