Automatic prescription drug dispenser

• US 8,744,619 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Instymeds Corporation
• Original Assignee: Instymeds Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenblum, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US13/269,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20120089249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 700/235, 700/236, 700/237, 700/240, 700/241, 700/244
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• 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

An automatic prescription drug dispenser including a remote dispenser, a prescription entry system, and a communications network. The remote dispenser transmits and receives information from the communications network and dispenses prescription drugs to the patient. The prescription entry system transmits and receives information from the communications network and provides an input system for the prescriber to electronically enter individual prescriptions for each patient. The communications network coordinates communications between the doctor, insurance carrier, and the remote dispenser. The remote dispenser stores, retrieves, and labels prescription drug and over-the-counter products directly to patients through a remote automated dispenser, a prescription entry system, and a communications network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a dispenser including a housing holding a plurality of therapeutic products in containers within the housing;

scanning, within the dispenser, a selected container holding a therapeutic product to verify the container;

after scanning the selected container, printing a bar code label in the housing of the dispenser;

the dispenser labeling the selected container with the bar code label, wherein the dispenser labels the container while it is still in the housing; and

scanning the bar code label on the container prior to releasing the container from the housing, and rejecting the container so as to prevent the container from being released from the housing if the bar code label does not check correctly.

2. The method of claim 1, further including networking a control system for the dispensing machine with a pharmacy management software system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing machine scans and verifies a first bar code on the container before labeling the container.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the containers are labeled with a first bar code indicating the product in the container.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying that a container is the proper container for a therapeutic product.

6. The method of claim 1, including a user entering information into the dispenser to receive one of the therapeutic products.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising scanning the bar code while the therapeutic product is still in the housing.

8. A method for dispensing medications, comprising:

entering data about a medication into a medication dispensing machine, the medication dispensing machine including a housing holding the medication;

the dispensing machine scanning a selected container holding a therapeutic product to verify the container;

after the dispensing machine scanning the selected container, the dispensing machine automatically packaging the medication by labeling the selected container of the medication with bar code information; and

the dispensing machine scanning and verifying the bar code label on the labeled container of medication before dispensing the labeled container from the housing.

9. The method of claim 8, further including networking a control system for the dispensing machine with a pharmacy management software system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the dispensing machine scans and verifies a first bar code on the container before labeling the container.

11. The method of claim 8 further wherein the dispensing machine is in a pharmacy.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein at least some of the containers are labeled with a first bar code indicating the product in the container.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising verifying that a container is the proper container for a therapeutic product.

14. The method of claim 8, including a user entering information into the dispenser to receive one of the therapeutic products.

15. The method of claim 8, comprising scanning the bar code while the therapeutic product is still in the housing.