System and method for management of pharmacy workflow
First Claim
1. A system for optimized management of workflow associated with fulfillment of medication prescription orders in a personnel-driven pharmacy operation, and for minimizing a pharmacy workflow cost function associated with the fulfillment of the prescription orders, the pharmacy including at least two separate and different storage devices each having at least one medication storage location associated therewith, each medication storage location configured to store at least one medication, the system comprising:
- a control computer electronically connected to a pharmacy information system, said control computer configured to receive the prescription orders provided by the pharmacy information system and being programmed to perform the workflow optimization, said control computer including;
a medication inventory database for describing the medications stored at each storage location within the pharmacy;
a prescription order database for storing the received prescription orders;
wherein the control computer is configured to select the medication storage location from which to obtain the medication required to fulfill each prescription within the prescription order;
wherein the control computer is configured to determine a prescription sequence corresponding to the sequence in which each prescription is fulfilled, first to last, within the prescription order, the prescription sequence determined to minimize the cost function associated with fulfillment of the prescription order;
wherein the control computer is configured to present, in human-readable form, the prescription sequence for the prescription order and the storage location for each sequenced prescription within the prescription order to direct the personnel to the storage locations, first to last, according to the prescription sequence; and
wherein the control computer is configured to generate a print-label command; and
a label printer electronically connected to the control computer configured to print a label including prescription information and machine-readable indicia for each sequenced prescription responsive to the print-label command, said label for application to a container for each prescription within the prescription order.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for optimized management of pharmacy workflow, specifically, workflow associated with fulfillment of prescription orders for medications and health-related products in a pharmacy environment. A computer-controlled system coordinates and controls pharmacy workflow to sequence prescriptions for fulfillment in a most efficient path thereby minimizing a cost function associated with fulfillment of the prescription order. The system coordinates and controls prescription order fulfillment from automated and non-automated storage locations and can be easily adapted to the specific layout and level of automation desired by the operator.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A system for optimized management of workflow associated with fulfillment of medication prescription orders in a personnel-driven pharmacy operation, and for minimizing a pharmacy workflow cost function associated with the fulfillment of the prescription orders, the pharmacy including at least two separate and different storage devices each having at least one medication storage location associated therewith, each medication storage location configured to store at least one medication, the system comprising:
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a control computer electronically connected to a pharmacy information system, said control computer configured to receive the prescription orders provided by the pharmacy information system and being programmed to perform the workflow optimization, said control computer including; a medication inventory database for describing the medications stored at each storage location within the pharmacy; a prescription order database for storing the received prescription orders; wherein the control computer is configured to select the medication storage location from which to obtain the medication required to fulfill each prescription within the prescription order; wherein the control computer is configured to determine a prescription sequence corresponding to the sequence in which each prescription is fulfilled, first to last, within the prescription order, the prescription sequence determined to minimize the cost function associated with fulfillment of the prescription order; wherein the control computer is configured to present, in human-readable form, the prescription sequence for the prescription order and the storage location for each sequenced prescription within the prescription order to direct the personnel to the storage locations, first to last, according to the prescription sequence; and wherein the control computer is configured to generate a print-label command; and a label printer electronically connected to the control computer configured to print a label including prescription information and machine-readable indicia for each sequenced prescription responsive to the print-label command, said label for application to a container for each prescription within the prescription order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of managing pharmacy workflow for fulfillment of prescription orders in a personnel-drive pharmacy operation and minimizing a cost function associated with said prescription order fulfillment, comprising the steps of:
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storing medication in medication storage locations of at least two separate and different storage devices; receiving a prescription order into an electronic database stored on a control computer, the prescription order comprising at least one individual prescription; using the control computer for selecting the medication storage location from which to obtain the medication required to fulfill each prescription within the prescription order to minimize the cost function associated with fulfillment of the prescription order; using the control computer for determining a prescription sequence corresponding to the sequence in which each prescription is fulfilled, first to last, within the prescription order, the prescription sequence determined to minimize the cost function associated with fulfillment of the prescription order; presenting, in human-readable form, the prescription sequence for the prescription order and the storage location for each sequenced prescription within the prescription order to direct the personnel to the storage locations, first to last, according to the prescription sequence; and fulfilling each individual prescription in the prescription sequence, first to last, for the prescription order by; obtaining the required medication from the selected storage location; printing a label including information and machine-readable indicia identifying the individual prescription; and applying the label to a container holding the required medication. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An integrated pharmacy workflow system in a personnel-driven pharmacy operation including automated and manual processes for fulfillment of medication prescription orders, each prescription order including at least one individual prescription, such system for minimizing a pharmacy workflow cost function associated with fulfillment of the prescription orders, the system comprising:
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at least one automated dispensing apparatus, each apparatus automatically dispensing medications from a plurality of medication storage locations; at least one manually-accessed medication storage apparatus, each apparatus having a plurality of spaced-apart medication storage locations, each medication storage location configured to store at least one medication; a visual display and an input device; at least one label printer; a controller electronically connected to; (1) a pharmacy information system for providing prescription orders; (2) the at least one automated dispensing apparatus; (3) the visual display device and the input device; (4) the at least one label printer; (5) a medication inventory database for describing the medications stored at each storage location; and (6) a prescription order database adapted to store prescription orders received from the pharmacy information system, said controller configured to; select the medication storage location from which to obtain the medication required to fulfill each prescription within the prescription order; determine a prescription sequence corresponding to the sequence in which each prescription is fulfilled, first to last, within the prescription order, the prescription sequence determined to minimize the cost function associated with fulfillment of the prescription order; display on the visual display device the prescription sequence for the prescription order and the storage location for each sequenced prescription within the prescription order to direct the personnel to the storage locations, first to last, according to the prescription sequence; and generate a print-label command to the at least one label printer for each individual prescription in the prescription order, said command including prescription information for application to the label. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification