Systems and methods for identifying risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS) compliance

• US 8,626,529 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McKesson Corp.
• Original Assignee: Mckesson Financial Holdings Limited (McKesson Corp.)
• Inventors: Pinsonneault, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Cobanoglu, Dilek B
• Application Number:
  US13/298,806
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying REMS compliance are provided. A service provider system that includes one or more computers may route one or more healthcare transactions submitted by a healthcare provider to one or more claims processor computers. One or more respective adjudicated replies received from the one or more claims processor computers for the one or more healthcare transactions may then be routed by the service provider system to the healthcare provider. Based at least in part upon information included in the routed healthcare claim transactions and adjudicated replies, an amount of a product dispensed by the healthcare provider may be determined by the service provider system. The determined dispensed amount may be compared to a purchased amount of the product. Based at least in part upon the comparison, a determination may be made as to whether a REMS condition associated with the product is satisfied.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) compliance, the method comprising:

routing, by a service provider system comprising one or more computers, one or more healthcare transactions submitted by a healthcare provider to one or more claims processor computers;

routing, by the service provider system to the healthcare provider, one or more respective adjudicated replies received from the one or more claims processor computers for the one or more healthcare transactions;

determining, by the service provider system based at least in part upon information included in the routed healthcare claim transactions and adjudicated replies, an amount of a product dispensed by the healthcare provider;

comparing, by the service provider system, the determined dispensed amount to a purchased amount of the product; and

determining, by the service provider system based at least in part upon the comparison, whether a REMS condition associated with the product is satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a REMS condition is satisfied comprises determining whether fraudulent distribution of the product is potentially occurring.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a REMS condition is satisfied comprises determining whether a deviation between the purchased amount and the dispensed amount satisfies a threshold condition.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the service provider system, a REMS alert message associated with the product; and

communicating, by the service provider system, the generated REMS alert message to a designated recipient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more healthcare transactions comprise (i) a healthcare claim transaction or (ii) a healthcare claim reversal transaction, and wherein determining an amount of the product dispensed by the healthcare provider comprises:

determining, by the service provider system based at least in part upon evaluating an adjudicated reply associated with the healthcare transaction, that the healthcare claim transaction has been approved; and

determining, by the service provider system based at least in part upon the approval determination, the dispensed amount.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the service provider system, that the product is a controlled substance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the service provider system, purchasing information for the product; and

determining, by the service provider system based upon at least a portion of the obtained purchasing information, the purchased amount.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein obtaining purchasing information comprises obtaining at least one of (i) invoices, (ii) shipment information, or (iii) ordering information.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein obtaining purchasing information comprises obtaining purchasing information from at least one of (i) a supplier of the product, (ii) a distributor of the product, or (iii) a manufacturer of the product.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the service provider system, an inventory amount associated with the product; and

communicating, by the service provider system based at least in part upon the inventory amount, a message associated with the purchase of additional product.

11. A system for Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) compliance, the system comprising:

at least one memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to;

direct the routing of one or more healthcare transactions submitted by a healthcare provider to one or more claims processor computers;

direct the routing, to the healthcare provider, of one or more respective adjudicated replies received from the one or more claims processor computers for the one or more healthcare transactions;

determine, based at least in part upon information included in the routed healthcare claim transactions and adjudicated replies, an amount of a product dispensed by the healthcare provider;

compare the determined dispensed amount to a purchased amount of the product; and

determine, based at least in part upon the comparison, whether a REMS condition associated with the product is satisfied.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the REMS condition comprises a condition associated with potential fraudulent distribution of the product.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the REMS condition is satisfied by executing the computer-executable instructions to determine whether a deviation between the purchased amount and the dispensed amount satisfies a threshold condition.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

generate a REMS alert message associated with the product; and

direct communication of the generated REMS alert message to a designated recipient.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein one of the one or more healthcare transactions comprise (i) a healthcare claim transaction or (ii) a healthcare claim reversal transaction, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine an amount of the product dispensed by the healthcare provider by executing the computer-executable instructions to:

determine, based at least in part upon evaluating an adjudicated reply associated with the healthcare transaction, that the healthcare claim transaction has been approved; and

determine, based at least in part upon the approval determination, the dispensed amount.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine that the product is a controlled substance.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

obtain purchasing information for the product; and

determine, based upon at least a portion of the obtained purchasing information, the purchased amount.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the obtained purchasing information comprises at least one of (i) invoices, (ii) shipment information, or (iii) ordering information.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the purchasing information is obtained from at least one of (i) a supplier of the product, (ii) a distributor of the product, or (iii) a manufacturer of the product.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine an inventory amount associated with the product; and

direct communication, based at least in part upon the inventory amount, of a message associated with the purchase of additional product.