Distribution of infusion pumps

• US 8,543,418 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insulet Corporation
• Original Assignee: Asante Solutions, Inc
• Inventors: Estes, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAULS, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US13/534,235
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 239/375, 604/66, 604/890.1
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection

Abstract

Some embodiments described herein provide for a number of portable infusion pumps to be distributed to a pump user via a pharmacy system or like.

Claims

1. A method of providing an medicine infusion pump device, comprising:

storing multiple infusion pump devices in a pharmacy inventory while refrigerating prefilled medicine cartridges in a refrigeration unit of the pharmacy inventory, the infusion pump devices being configured to irreversibly receive the prefilled medicine cartridges therein;

in response to an individual user request to a pharmacy for repeated deliveries of infusion pump devices, distributing a plurality of infusion pump devices from the pharmacy inventory to the individual user while contemporaneously distributing at least a portion of the prefilled medicine cartridges from the pharmacy inventory and a plurality of infusion sets attachable to the infusion pump devices, wherein the prefilled medicine cartridges are external to the infusion pump devices when the infusion pump devices are distributed to the individual user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of distributing the plurality of infusion pump devices comprises contemporaneously distributing the infusion pump devices, the prefilled medicine cartridges, and the infusion sets in a packaged kit including a thermally insulated compartment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the packaged kit contains the infusion pump devices, the prefilled medicine cartridges, and the infusion sets in a predetermined ratio of 1:

1;

2 respectively, and further contains a cold pack in said insulated compartment.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving a payment as part of a single transaction when distributing the plurality of infusion pump devices, the medicine cartridges, and the infusion sets.

5. A method of providing an medicine infusion pump device, comprising:

storing multiple infusion pump devices in a pharmacy inventory while also storing prefilled medicine cartridges in the pharmacy inventory, each of the prefilled medicine cartridges being sealed by a pierceable septum and being external to the infusion pump devices when stored in the pharmacy inventory, each of the infusion pump devices including a cap device configured to seal an external opening of a respective infusion pump device and configured to pierce the septum of a respective prefilled medicine cartridge after the respective prefilled medicine cartridge is slidably inserted through said external opening;

in response to receiving a prescription indicative of at least infusion pumps for an individual user, contemporaneously distributing from a pharmacy a set of said infusion pump devices in a predetermined quantity along with the same predetermined quantity of said prefilled medicine cartridges from the pharmacy inventory and a plurality of infusion sets attachable to said cap devices of the infusion pump devices, wherein the prefilled medicine cartridges are external to the infusion pump devices when the infusion pump devices are distributed to the individual user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of distributing the plurality of infusion pump devices comprises contemporaneously distributing the predetermined quantity of the infusion pump devices, the same predetermined quantity of the prefilled medicine cartridges, and the infusion sets in a kit that is equipped with a thermally insulated compartment configured to contain at least said predetermined quantity of the prefilled medicine cartridges.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the kit distributed from the pharmacy includes the predetermined quantity of infusion pump devices, the predetermined quantity of prefilled medicine cartridges, and the infusion sets in a ratio of 1:

1;

2 respectively.

8. The method of claim 6, the kit distributed from the pharmacy includes a means for cooling said insulated compartment during transport of said kit.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising contemporaneously receiving a payment on behalf of said individual user as part of a single transaction when distributing the plurality of infusion pump devices, the medicine cartridges, and the infusion sets.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the infusion pump devices in said predetermined quantity of infusion pump devices is configured to removably attach to a reusable controller device having a user interface display so that any of said infusion pump devices that is attached to said reusable controller device is mechanically coupled with the user interface display of the reusable controller device.

11. The method of claim 10, each of the infusion pump devices in said predetermined quantity of infusion pump devices is configured to removably attach to a reusable controller device such that a first electrical connector exposed along an exterior of a selected infusion pump device with a second electrical connector exposed along an exterior of the reusable controller device.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the infusion pump devices in said predetermined quantity of infusion pump devices includes a drive system comprising a rotational motor coupled to a gear system, the drive system being configured to dispense medicine from a corresponding one of said predetermined quantity of prefilled medicine cartridges.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising distributing a refill set of infusion pump devices from the pharmacy in response to receiving a request to refill said prescription for said individual user, the refill set of infusion devices being contemporaneously distributing from the pharmacy along with a refill set of said prefilled medicine cartridges from the pharmacy inventory and a refill set of the infusion sets.