Systems and methods for pharmacy messaging

• US 8,786,650 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Original Assignee: Express Scripts Incorporated (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: Eller, Charles E., Reinhardt, Jacob J., Sundararaman, Katherine H.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, HAI CHI
• Application Number:
  US13/788,383
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 347/224, 347/225, 705 2- 4
• US Class Current: 347/224
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0608 in the same heat affected zone [HAZ] B23K26/0613, B23K26/0619 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/435 characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/442 using lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/455 using laser arrays , the laser array being smaller than the medium to be recorded
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4073 Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4075 Tape printers; Label printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients

Abstract

Systems and methods for pharmacy messaging are described. A system includes a laser module and a control module. The laser module includes a marking chamber with a plurality of laser heads therein. A first and second entry gate are adjacent the marking chamber. The first entry gate is configured to open when the second entry gate is closed. A first and second exit gate are adjacent the marking chamber at a side different from the first entry and second entry gate. The first exit gate is configured to open when the second exit gate is closed. A transporter moves the objects being marked into and out of the marking chamber through the various gates. The control module is communicatively coupled to the laser module and adapted to control the laser module. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a laser module including

a marking chamber with a plurality of laser heads therein,

a first entry gate and a second entry gate adjacent the marking chamber, the first entry gate being configured to open when the second entry gate is closed,

a first exit gate and a second exit gate adjacent the marking chamber at a side different from the first entry gate and the second entry gate, the first exit gate being configured to open when the second exit gate is closed, and

a transporter to move objects being marked into and out of the marking chamber through the first entry gate, the second entry gate, the first exit gate, and the second exit gate; and

a control module communicatively coupled to the laser module and adapted to control the laser module.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pallet, disposed on the transporter, having a container with a cap thereon; and

for each laser head, a marking area above a conveyor of the transporter at a height substantially the same as a height of the cap.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the marking area includes an area that a laser beam from the laser head reaches without significant diffusion so as to impede marking the cap with the laser beam.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein two or more marking areas of the laser heads do not overlap.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein two or more marking areas of the laser heads overlap.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein a plurality of containers with caps are in the pallet and located in the marking area.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control module is adapted to selectively mark more than one and less than all of the caps of the containers.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to selectively mark one or more caps with a member-specific message that is likely to encourage member action.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a messaging subsystem to send a message to the control module,

wherein a laser head of the plurality of laser heads marks a cap of a prescription drug container with the message while the cap of the prescription drug container is located with the marking chamber.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the messaging subsystem is configured to select the message for marking from a plurality of available messages.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the selection is performed by a predictive model.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the selection is performed in accordance with a member preference of a member, the member to receive the prescription drug contained in the container that includes the marked cap.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first entry gate, the second entry gate, the first exit gate and the second exit gate are linearly aligned and the transporter linearly moves objects through the linearly-aligned, first and second entry gates and the first and second exit gates.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the control module is to control the laser module by:

selecting a refill message when automatic refill is selected,

if automatic refill is not selected and patient adherence is below a threshold, selecting an adherence message, and

if adherence is not below the threshold, selecting message based on user preferences.

15. A system comprising

a laser module including

a marking chamber with a plurality of laser heads therein,

a first entry gate and a second entry gate adjacent the marking chamber, the first entry gate being configured to open when the second entry gate is closed,

a first exit gate and a second exit gate adjacent the marking chamber at a side different from the first entry gate and the second entry gate, the first exit gate being configured to open when the second exit gate is closed, and

a conveyor to move the objects being marked into and out of the marking chamber through the first entry gate, the second entry gate, the first exit gate, and the second exit gate;

and

a control module communicatively coupled to the laser module and adapted to control the laser module,

a pallet, disposed on the transporter, having a container with a cap thereon; and

for each laser head, a marking area above the conveyor at a height substantially the same as a height of the cap,

wherein a plurality of containers with caps are in the pallet and located in the marking area,

wherein the control module is configured to mark one or more caps with a no refill message.

16. A method comprising:

moving, using a transporter, an object with a cap to a stop at a first entry gate to a marking chamber,

preventing the first entry gate and a second entry gate from being simultaneously open to the marking chamber,

opening the first entry gate only when a second entry gate is closed,

moving the object to a stop at a second entry gate,

closing the first entry gate and opening the second entry gate,

then moving the object into the marking chamber,

marking the cap of the object with a laser,

then opening a first exit gate with a second exit being closed,

preventing the first exit gate and a second exit gate from being simultaneously open to the marking chamber,

moving the marked object through the first exit gate to a stop at the second entry gate,

closing the first entry gate and opening the second exit gate, and

moving the object with marked cap through the second exit gate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein marking the cap of the object includes marking a pharmaceutical cap that includes:

selecting a refill message when automatic refill is selected,

if automatic refill is not selected and patient adherence is below a threshold, selecting an adherence message, and

if patient adherence is not below the threshold, selecting message based on user preferences.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein marking includes laser marking a pharmaceutical cap with a message while the pharmaceutical cap is located with the marking chamber and the object contains a pharmaceutical.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein laser marking includes marking one or more caps with a no refill message.