System and method for performing pharmacy product filling using non-registered pharmacists

• US 8,145,501 B1
• Filed: 10/09/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Heald, Susan, Miller, Amylu, Goodall, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hiep V
• Application Number:
  US12/248,769
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2
• US Class Current: 705/2
• 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

Abstract

The method and system provides a single-role pharmacy product filling workflow that coordinates filling and inspection to increase the accuracy and consistency of released pharmacy products.

Claims

1. A method of filling a pharmacy product prescription using a pharmacy computing system comprising:

authenticating a non-registered pharmacist to the pharmacy computing system at a first computer to initiate a first authenticated computing session;

automatically prompting the non-registered pharmacist by the first computer during the first authenticated computing session to fill a customer delivery container with a type and an amount of a pharmacy product based on data of a pharmacy product prescription;

sensing with a first sensor one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container using at least a first sensor after the delivery container is filled by the non-registered pharmacist;

automatically prompting the non-registered pharmacist by one of the first computer or a second computer of the pharmacy computing system to inspect one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container after a first predetermined period has elapsed and after the sensing is performed using the first sensor, wherein the automatic prompting by the one of the first computer or the second computer includes generating a display that initiates an interaction mechanism between the non-registered pharmacist and the one of the first computer or the second computer to remove an influence of prior memory bias of the previous fill of the customer delivery container on the non-registered pharmacist;

receiving an input into the pharmacy computing system entered by the non-registered pharmacist viewing the generated display during the first authenticated computing session after the first predetermined period has elapsed and after the sensing is performed using the first sensor, wherein the input indicates one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container based on inspection of the delivery container by the non-registered pharmacist;

indicating a release status for the delivery container based on the first sensor data, the entered input from the non-registered pharmacist, and the data of the pharmacy product prescription.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined period of time includes a duration of the sensing using the first sensor of the pharmacy product in the delivery container.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined period is set based on a duration of the sensing of the pharmacy product in the delivery container.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the non-registered pharmacist to fill a customer delivery container comprises printing out a pharmacy product prescription label.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising alerting a registered pharmacist of a discrepancy between any of the first sensor data, the entered input, or the pharmacy product prescription data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating a non-registered pharmacist to the pharmacy computing system comprises periodically prompting the non-registered pharmacist to enter credentials to maintain validity of the authenticated computing session.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating a non-registered pharmacist to the pharmacy computing system comprises using at least one biometric sensor to identify the non-registered pharmacist.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor data comprises at least one of weight data, spectrographic data, olfaction data, pH data, toughness data, tensile strength data, composition data, temperature data, humidity data, or image data.

9. A method of filling a pharmacy product prescription using a pharmacy computing system comprising:

authenticating a non-registered pharmacist to the pharmacy computing system to initiate a first authenticated computing session;

automatically prompting the first non-registered pharmacist by the computing system during the first authenticated computing session to fill a customer delivery container with a type and an amount of a pharmacy product based on data of a pharmacy product prescription;

sensing with a first sensor at least one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container to provide first sensor data to the pharmacy computing system;

authenticating the non-registered pharmacist to the pharmacy computing system to initiate a second authenticated computing session after the sensing is performed using the first sensor;

automatically prompting the first non-registered pharmacist by the pharmacy computing system to inspect one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container during the second authenticated computing session after a first predetermined period has elapsed, wherein the automatic prompting by the pharmacy computing system includes generating a display that initiates an interaction mechanism between the non-registered pharmacist and the pharmacy computing system to remove an influence of prior memory bias of the previous fill of the customer delivery container on the non-registered pharmacist;

receiving an input into the pharmacy computing system entered by the non-registered pharmacist viewing the generated display during the second authenticated computing session after the first predetermined period has elapsed and after the sensing is performed using the first sensor, wherein the input indicates one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container based on inspection of the delivery container by the non-registered pharmacist;

indicating a release status for the delivery container based on the whether the first sensor data and the input entered by the non-registered pharmacist coincide with the pharmacy product prescription data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first predetermined period of time includes a duration of the sensing using the first sensor of the pharmacy product in the delivery container.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first predetermined period is set based on a duration of the sensing of the pharmacy product in the delivery container.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising alerting a registered pharmacist of a discrepancy between any of the first sensor data, the entered input, or the pharmacy product prescription data.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first authentication session is performed at a first area using a first computer coupled to the pharmacy computing system and the second authentication session is performed at a second area using a second computer coupled to the pharmacy computing system.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first authenticated computing session and second authenticated computing session are initiated on a single computer of the pharmacy computing system.

15. A method of filling a pharmacy product prescription with a pharmacy computing system comprising:

authenticating a first non-registered pharmacist to the pharmacy computing system to initiate a first authenticated computing session;

automatically prompting the first non-registered pharmacist by the computing system during the first authenticated computing session to fill a customer delivery container with a type and an amount of a pharmacy product based on data of a pharmacy product prescription;

sensing using a first sensor at least one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container to provide first sensor data to the pharmacy computing system;

authenticating a second non-registered pharmacist to the pharmacy computing system to initiate a second authenticated computing session;

automatically prompting the second non-registered pharmacist by the pharmacy computing system to inspect one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container after the sensing using the first sensor is performed, wherein the automatic prompting by the pharmacy computing system includes generating a display that initiates an interaction mechanism between the non-registered pharmacist and the pharmacy computing system to remove an influence of prior memory bias of the previous fill of the customer delivery container on the non-registered pharmacist;

receiving an input entered into the pharmacy computing system during the second authenticated computing session from the non-registered pharmacist indicating one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container based on the inspection of the delivery container by the non-registered pharmacist; and

indicating a release status for the delivery container based on whether the first sensor data and the input entered by the second non-registered pharmacist correspond to the pharmacy product prescription data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising sensing, after initiating the second authentication session, the at least one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container to provide second sensor data to the pharmacy computing system and wherein indicating a release status is based on whether the type and amount of the pharmacy product indicated by the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the input entered by the second non-registered pharmacist correspond to the pharmacy product prescription data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first authentication session is performed at a first area using a first computer coupled to the pharmacy computing system and the second authentication session is performed at a second area using a second computer coupled to the pharmacy computing system.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first authenticated computing session and second authenticated computing session are initiated on a single computer of the pharmacy computing system.

19. A system for enabling pharmacy product filling and dispensing to be performed by a single non-registered pharmacist comprising:

a first computer adapted to store data on a pharmacy product prescription;

a receptacle for receiving a delivery container corresponding to the pharmacy product prescription;

a first sensor coupled to the first computer and adapted to create image data of a pharmacy product contained in the delivery container; and

a second sensor coupled to the first computer and adapted to provide weight data of the pharmacy product contained in the delivery container;

wherein the first computer is adapted to store and execute a set of program instructions, wherein the program instructions, when executer, cause the computer to;

authenticate a non-registered pharmacist to the pharmacy computing system at a first computer to initiate a first authenticated computing session,

prompt the non-registered pharmacist during the authenticated computing session to fill a customer delivery container with a type and an amount of a pharmacy product based on the pharmacy product prescription data;

calculate an amount and type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container using the first and second sensor after the delivery container is filled by the non-registered pharmacist,

prompt the non-registered pharmacist to inspect one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container after a first predetermined period has elapsed and after the calculation is performed using the first sensor and second sensor, wherein the prompt includes generation of a display that initiates an interaction mechanism between the non-registered pharmacist and the first computer to remove an influence of prior memory bias of the previous fill of the customer delivery container on the non-registered pharmacist,

receive an input entered into the pharmacy computing system during the first authentication session by the non-registered pharmacist indicating the amount and type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container based on inspection of the delivery container by the non-registered pharmacist, and

indicate a release status for the delivery container based on the calculation using the first and second sensor, the entered input from the non-registered pharmacist, and the data of the pharmacy product prescription.

20. A system for enabling pharmacy product filling and dispensing to be performed by at least one non-registered pharmacist without the assistance of a registered pharmacist comprising:

a set of computers connected to a network;

a first sensor adapted to create image data of a pharmacy product; and

a second sensor adapted to provide weight data of the pharmacy product;

wherein the set of computers is adapted to execute a set of instructions that;

authenticate a first non-registered pharmacist to initiate a first authenticated computing session,

prompt the first non-registered pharmacist during the first authenticated computing session to fill a customer delivery container with a type and an amount of a pharmacy product based on data of a pharmacy product prescription;

calculate an amount and type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container using the first sensor and second sensor,

authenticate a second non-registered pharmacist to initiate a second authenticated computing session;

prompt the second non-registered pharmacist to inspect at least one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container after the sensing is performed;

wherein the prompt includes generation of a display that initiates an interaction mechanism between the second non-registered pharmacist and the set of computers to remove an influence of prior memory bias of the previous fill of the customer delivery container on the second non-registered pharmacist;

receive an input from the second non-registered pharmacist viewing the generated display during the second authenticated computing session indicating at least one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container based on the inspection of the delivery container by the second non-registered pharmacist;

indicate a release status for the delivery container based on the whether the first sensor data, second sensor data, and the input entered by the second non-registered pharmacist correspond to the pharmacy product prescription data.

21. A method of filling a pharmacy product prescription using a pharmacy computing system comprising:

authenticating a non-registered pharmacist to the pharmacy computing system by a computer to initiate a first authenticated computing session;

receiving an input into the computer entered by the non-registered pharmacist of an identification of a pharmacy product prescription filled by the non-registered pharmacist;

retrieving, by the computer, data of the pharmacy product prescription based on the identification;

sensing with a sensor one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in a delivery container after the delivery container is filled by the non-registered pharmacist;

receiving an input entered by the non-registered pharmacist viewing a computer generated display into the computer during the first authenticated computing session, after a predetermined period has elapsed from the receipt of the input and after the sensing is performed using the sensor, wherein the input indicates one of the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container based on inspection of the delivery container by the non-registered pharmacist;

wherein the computer generated display includes an interaction mechanism between the non-registered pharmacist and the computer to remove an influence of prior memory bias of the previous fill of the delivery container on the non-registered pharmacist;

indicating a release status for the delivery container based on data corresponding to the amount or type of pharmacy product contained in the delivery container sensed by the sensor, the entered input from the non-registered pharmacist, and the data of the pharmacy product prescription.