System and method for dispersing medications using a single point replenishment
First Claim
1. A computer system to manage replenishment of medications loaned to a covered entity by a plurality of independent contract pharmacies providing services to patients of the covered entity,the plurality of independent contract pharmacies dispensing medication units from a common inventory to,patients who do not qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, andcovered patients of the covered entity who qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, wherein medication units dispensed to the covered patients are to be replenished by the covered entity, and wherein the dispensed medication units are associated with a national drug code (“
- NDC”
);
wherein the covered entity is entitled to purchase discounted medication for covered patients under a regulatory scheme, and wherein the independent contract pharmacies are not entitled to purchase discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme, the system comprising;
a central managing service in communication with each of the independent contract pharmacies, comprising;
a processor;
an output device in electrical communication with the processor; and
a monitoring module component operating on the processor to perform the method of,identifying an amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed from a respective common inventory by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies to covered patients of the covered entity, wherein the covered entity is to replenish the identified medication units;
calculating a combined amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies by summing together the amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed to the covered patients by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, wherein the combined amount of medication units is to be replenished by the covered entity;
determining when the combined amount of medication units reaches a replenishment threshold, wherein the replenishment threshold is based on the NDC of the identified medication units; and
upon the combined amount reaching the replenishment threshold, replenishing the identified medication units by,purchasing a discounted replacement container of medication units corresponding to the NDC under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, the replacement container comprising medication units to replenish the combined amount of identified medication units dispensed to covered patients across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, andtransferring ownership of the replacement container to the independent contract pharmacies.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system and methods manages dispensing and replenishment of medications by a Contract Pharmacy for a Covered Entity. Participating Contract Pharmacies are associated with a Covered Entity, and each medication unit is associated with a code that corresponds to medication units dispersed by the Contract Pharmacies. The amount of medication units corresponding to the code and dispersed by the Contract Pharmacies is tracked. When the amount of medication units dispensed across the Contract Pharmacies to patients of the Covered Entity reaches a replenishment threshold, replacement medication units are ordered to replace inventory loaned by the Contract Pharmacies to the Covered Entity at the Covered Entity'"'"'s available drug discount purchase price.
20 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A computer system to manage replenishment of medications loaned to a covered entity by a plurality of independent contract pharmacies providing services to patients of the covered entity,
the plurality of independent contract pharmacies dispensing medication units from a common inventory to, patients who do not qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, and covered patients of the covered entity who qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, wherein medication units dispensed to the covered patients are to be replenished by the covered entity, and wherein the dispensed medication units are associated with a national drug code (“ - NDC”
);wherein the covered entity is entitled to purchase discounted medication for covered patients under a regulatory scheme, and wherein the independent contract pharmacies are not entitled to purchase discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme, the system comprising; a central managing service in communication with each of the independent contract pharmacies, comprising; a processor; an output device in electrical communication with the processor; and a monitoring module component operating on the processor to perform the method of, identifying an amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed from a respective common inventory by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies to covered patients of the covered entity, wherein the covered entity is to replenish the identified medication units; calculating a combined amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies by summing together the amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed to the covered patients by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, wherein the combined amount of medication units is to be replenished by the covered entity; determining when the combined amount of medication units reaches a replenishment threshold, wherein the replenishment threshold is based on the NDC of the identified medication units; and upon the combined amount reaching the replenishment threshold, replenishing the identified medication units by, purchasing a discounted replacement container of medication units corresponding to the NDC under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, the replacement container comprising medication units to replenish the combined amount of identified medication units dispensed to covered patients across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, and transferring ownership of the replacement container to the independent contract pharmacies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- NDC”
-
9. A computer readable storage medium, having stored thereon computer readable instruction code for performing a method to replenish medications loaned to a covered entity by a plurality of independent contract pharmacies providing services to patients of the covered entity, wherein each of the independent contract pharmacies dispense medication units from a common inventory to,
patients who do not qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, and covered patients of the covered entity who qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, wherein medication units dispensed to the covered patients are to be replenished by the covered entity, and wherein the dispensed medication units are associated with a national drug code (“ - NDC”
);wherein the covered entity is entitled to purchase discounted medication for covered patients under a regulatory scheme, wherein the independent contract pharmacies are not entitled to purchase discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme, the method comprising; identifying an amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed from a respective common inventory by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies to covered patients of the covered entity, wherein the covered entity is to replenish the identified medication units; calculating a combined amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies by summing together the amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed to the covered patients by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, wherein the combined amount of medication units is to be replenished by the covered entity; determining when the combined amount of medication units reaches a replenishment threshold, wherein the replenishment threshold is based on the NDC of the identified medication units; and upon the combined amount reaching the replenishment threshold, replenishing the identified medication units by, purchasing a discounted replacement container of medication units corresponding to the NDC under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, the replacement container comprising medication units to replenish the combined amount of identified medication units dispensed to covered patients across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, and transferring ownership of the replacement container to the independent contract pharmacies. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- NDC”
-
17. A method of managing replenishment of medications loaned to a covered entity by a plurality of independent contract pharmacies providing services to patients of the covered entity, wherein each of the independent contract pharmacies dispense medication units from a common inventory to,
patients who do not qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, and covered patients of the covered entity who qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, wherein medication units dispensed to the covered patients are to be replenished by the covered entity, and wherein the dispensed medication units are associated with a national drug code (“ - NDC”
);wherein the covered entity is entitled to purchase discounted medication for covered patients under a regulatory scheme, wherein the independent contract pharmacies are not entitled to purchase discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme, the method comprising; identifying, by a computing device, an amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed from a respective common inventory by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies to covered patients of the covered entity, wherein the covered entity is to replenish the identified medication units; calculating a combined amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies by summing together the amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed to the covered patients by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, wherein the combined amount of medication units is to be replenished by the covered entity; determining, by the computing device, when the combined amount of medication units reaches a replenishment threshold, wherein the replenishment threshold is based on the NDC of the identified medication units; and upon the combined amount reaching the replenishment threshold, replenishing the identified medication units by, purchasing a discounted replacement container of medication units corresponding to the NDC under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, the replacement container comprising medication units to replenish the combined amount of identified medication units dispensed to covered patients across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, and transferring ownership of the replacement container to the independent contract pharmacies. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- NDC”
-
25. A method of managing replenishment of medications loaned to a covered entity by a plurality of independent contract pharmacies providing services to patients of the covered entity, the method comprising:
providing, by a computing device, for each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies dispensing medication units from a common inventory to patients who do not qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, and covered patients of the covered entity who qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, wherein medication units dispensed to the covered patients are to be replenished by the covered entity, and wherein the dispensed medication units are associated with a national drug code (“
NDC”
);wherein the covered entity is entitled to purchase discounted medication for covered patients under a regulatory scheme, and wherein the independent contract pharmacies are not entitled to purchase discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme; identifying, by a computing device, an amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed from a respective common inventory by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies to covered patients of the covered entity, wherein the covered entity is to replenish the identified medication units; calculating a combined amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies by summing together the amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed to the covered patients by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, wherein the combined amount of medication units is to be replenished by the covered entity; determining, by the computing device, when the combined amount of medication units of the NDC reaches a replenishment threshold, wherein the replenishment threshold is based on the NDC of the identified medication units; and upon reaching the replenishment threshold, replenishing the identified medication units by, providing a payment from the covered entity to a manufacturer for a discounted replacement container of medication units corresponding to the NDC under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, the replacement container comprising medication units to replenish the combined amount of identified medication units dispensed to covered patients across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, and providing for the manufacturer shipping the replacement container directly to one of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies.
Specification