Method of filling a restocking package

• US 8,571,701 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: McKesson Automation Incorporated (Omnicell Inc)
• Inventors: Lunak, Richard, Lal, Payal, Hart, Gregory, Wangu, Manoj
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Ramya
• Application Number:
  US11/423,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20070027577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,700 Days
• Field of Search: 700/226, 700/241, 700/216, 700/244, 700/236, 700/242
• US Class Current: 700/216
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/12 with separate article supports or holders movable in a closed circuit to facilitate insertion or removal of articles the articles being books, documents, forms or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/127 the circuit being confined in a vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• 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

A method of filling a restocking package is provided in which a queue of requests of items to be picked from a carousel is evaluated based on a set of user configurable priorities, a carousel is operated based on said evaluating, items are picked from the carousel in response to said operating, and a restocking package is filled with items held in said carousel in response to said operating. The method may additionally comprise filling the restocking package at a configurable time.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

filling an envelope with items in a centralized storage location;

delivering said envelope to a dispensing device at a decentralized location; and

inserting said envelope into a lock-lidded, patient specific location in said dispensing device,

wherein inserting said envelope into a lock-lidded, patient specific location includes placing a tote containing patient specific envelopes into the dispensing device, wherein said tote contains a chip having information about the contents of said tote, wherein said chip is on-board said tote, and wherein said method additionally comprises dispensing from said tote and modifying the information in said chip in response to said dispensing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the information in said chip includes modifying information pertaining to items contained in said patient specific envelopes.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning a barcode on the envelope to identify the patient specific location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning a barcode on the envelope for updating records of the dispensing device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning the tote to the centralized storage location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the tote to an automation device and enabling the automation device to access the information on the chip.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking a delivery time of the envelope.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the items include at least one of medications, controlled medical supplies, and items of a nature consistent with a facility in which the centralized or decentralized location is located.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the decentralized location comprises one of satellite pharmacies, computerized medication cabinets, stationary/mobile medication carts, nurse servers, remote hospital pharmacies, supply closets, and supply cabinets.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said dispensing from said tote is completed from medication orders or inventory lists.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the centralized storage location is completely automated.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the centralized storage location is completely manual.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the centralized storage location includes one or more carousels.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the centralized storage location is partially automated.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the centralized storage location includes both a carousel and a computer-controlled robot.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the items are filled in the envelope in a time specific order.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the decentralized location is identified at a control computer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said dispensing from said tote occurs under control of the control computer.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning a barcode on the envelope for verification.

2. The method of 1, wherein modifying the information in said chip includes modifying information relating to said patient specific envelopes.