Method for controlling a drug dispensing system
First Claim
1. A method of dispensing medication to a patient at a selected drug dispensing unit, comprising the steps of:
- receiving, at a first location, a request to supply a patient with at least one package containing a drug prescribed by a physician;
validating the request received during said receiving step to ensure the patient is authorized to receive a prescribed medication;
providing a patient authorized to receive a prescribed medication with a unique identifier; and
in response to entry of the unique identifier at a second location remotely disposed relative to the first location, causing a drug dispensing unit to dispense the medication specified in the request received during the receiving step for distribution to the patient.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated drug dispensing system includes a cabinet adapted to store a variety of prepackaged pharmaceuticals in a plurality of bins for filling patient prescriptions. Each bin stores a particular variety of packaged multiple-dose pharmaceutical. Each variety of pharmaceutical is associated with a particular code. A controller receives request signals and in response generates dispense signals. Each bin includes a dispenser coupled to the controller for dispensing the packaged pharmaceuticals therefrom in response to a dispense signal sent from the controller. After a package is dispensed, a code reader determines the code of the dispensed package and verifies whether the code on the dispensed package matches the code of the requested package.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of dispensing medication to a patient at a selected drug dispensing unit, comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at a first location, a request to supply a patient with at least one package containing a drug prescribed by a physician; validating the request received during said receiving step to ensure the patient is authorized to receive a prescribed medication; providing a patient authorized to receive a prescribed medication with a unique identifier; and in response to entry of the unique identifier at a second location remotely disposed relative to the first location, causing a drug dispensing unit to dispense the medication specified in the request received during the receiving step for distribution to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification