Matrix based dosage scheduling

• US 9,015,058 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edge Medical Properties, LLC
• Original Assignee: Edge Medical Properties, LLC
• Inventors: Luciano, Robert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg, Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US13/312,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20120089416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/2, 705/3, 705/27.1, 705/26.8, 705/51, 705/500
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices

Abstract

A system and method for scheduling tablet dosage is described. The system includes a computing device, a filling system, and a plurality of containers. The computing device hosts an application that includes a user interface receiving a prescription order including a designation for each tablet to be ordered. In one embodiment, the system and method also includes an automated inspection module that performs an inspection of each container to identify a first tablet and a second tablet within each container. In another illustrative embodiment, each container includes a pouch with a plurality of different tablets. Additionally, the plurality of pouches may be received by a box.

Claims

1. A system for scheduling tablet dosage with visual inspection, the system comprising:

a computing device hosting an application comprising a user interface receiving a prescription order including a designation for each tablet to be ordered;

the user interface configured to display a scheduling matrix, the scheduling matrix comprising a plurality of cells, each cell receiving a tablet quantity designation;

the application generating a dosing schedule based on the tablet quantities entered into the scheduling matrix;

a filling system receiving an order from the application, the order including the dosing schedule, the filling system controlling one or more filling cells for automatically dispensing tablets in accordance with the dosing schedule;

a plurality of containers controlled by the filling system, the plurality of containers receiving the tablets dispensed by the filling system, wherein at least one container includes a first tablet and a second tablet, the first tablet having a first shape and a first color that is different from the second tablet; and

an automated inspection module for performing an inspection of each container to identify the first tablet and the second tablet within each container, wherein the automated inspection includes an inspection module that operates at visual wavelengths and analyzes each tablet color and each tablet shape.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives parameters from a user, the user interface automatically populating the scheduling matrix according to the parameters.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the parameters comprise an offset input indicating the number of days between the first day of the scheduling matrix and the first day on which a tablet quantity designation is to be placed.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the parameters comprise a quantity input indicating a tablet quantity designation.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the parameters comprise an interval input indicating a number of days between successive days to receive the tablet quantity designation.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the parameters comprise a repetitions input indicating a number of days to repeat the tablet quantity designation as defined by the offset input, the quantity input, and the interval input.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each container includes a pouch with a plurality of different tablets.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of pouches are received by a box that includes,

a top wall having one end fixedly coupled to the box and an opposite end that provides a foldable lid;

a front side wall;

a right-side wall that abuts the front side wall and the top wall;

a back side wall that abuts the right-side wall and the top wall;

a left-side wall that is between the back side wall and the front side wall, the left-side wall configured to abut the top wall;

a bottom wall that abuts the front side wall, the right-side wall, the back side wall, and the left-side wall;

a cavity defined by the front side wall, the right-side wall, the back side wall, the left-side wall and the bottom wall;

a code associated with one of the pouches, wherein the code is associated with the prescription;

a label affixed to the box, wherein the label includes a description of the medications and the code associated with the prescription;

wherein the cavity is configured to receive the plurality of filled pouches that are associated with the code; and

wherein one of the walls is configured to receive the label associated with the code.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein each container corresponds to a pouch that includes a plurality of different tablets, the plurality of pouches received by a box that includes,

a top wall having one end fixedly coupled to the box and an opposite end that provides a foldable lid;

a front side wall;

a right-side wall that abuts the front side wall and the top wall;

a back side wall that abuts the right-side wall and the top wall;

a left-side wall that is between the back side wall and the front side wall, the left-side wall configured to abut the top wall;

a bottom wall that abuts the front side wall, the right-side wall, the back side wall, and the left-side wall;

a cavity defined by the front side wall, the right-side wall, the back side wall, the left-side wall and the bottom wall;

a code associated with one of the pouches, wherein the code is associated with the prescription;

a label affixed to the box, wherein the label includes a description of the medications and the code associated with the prescription;

wherein the cavity is configured to receive the plurality of filled pouches that are associated with the code; and

wherein one of the walls is configured to receive the label associated with the code.

10. A system for scheduling tablet dosage, the system comprising:

a computing device hosting an application including a user interface, the user interface receiving a prescription order including a designation for each tablet to be ordered;

the user interface displaying a scheduling matrix comprising a plurality of cells, each cell configured to receive a tablet quantity designation;

generating a dosing schedule based on the tablet quantities entered into the scheduling matrix;

a filling system receiving an order from the application, the order including the dosing schedule, the filling system controlling one or more filling cells for automatically dispensing tablets in accordance with the dosing schedule;

a plurality of pouches receiving the tablets dispensed by the filling system, wherein each pouch includes a plurality of different tablets, in which a first plurality of tablets are different from a second plurality of tablets; and

a box that receives the plurality of pouches, wherein the box includes,

a top wall having one end fixedly coupled to the box and an opposite end that provides a foldable lid;

a front side wall;

a right-side wall that abuts the front side wall and the top wall;

a back side wall that abuts the right-side wall and the top wall;

a left-side wall that is between the back side wall and the front side wall, the left-side wall configured to abut the top wall;

a bottom wall that abuts the front side wall, the right-side wall, the back side wall, and the left-side wall;

a cavity defined by the front side wall, the right-side wall, the back side wall, the left-side wall and the bottom wall;

a code associated with one of the pouches, wherein the code is associated with the prescription order;

a label affixed to the box, wherein the label includes a description of the medications and the code associated with the prescription;

wherein the cavity is configured to receive the plurality of filled pouches that are associated with the code; and

wherein one of the walls is configured to receive the label associated with the code.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the user interface receives parameters from a user, the user interface automatically populating the scheduling matrix according to the parameters.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the parameters comprise an offset input indicating the number of days between the first day of the scheduling matrix and the first day on which a tablet quantity designation is to be placed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the parameters comprise a quantity input indicating a tablet quantity designation.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the parameters comprise an interval input indicating a number of days between successive days to receive the tablet quantity designation.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the parameters comprise a repetitions input indicating a number of days to repeat the tablet quantity designation as defined by the offset input, the quantity input, and the interval input.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising an automated inspection module for performing an inspection of each pouch to identify the first tablet and the second tablet within each container, wherein the automated inspection includes an inspection module that operates at visual wavelengths and analyzes each tablet shape.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the inspection module analyzes each tablet color.

18. A method for scheduling tablet dosage with visual inspection, the method comprising:

receiving a multiple prescription order with a user interface of an application, the multiple prescription order including a designation of a tablet to be ordered, the application hosted on a computing device;

displaying a scheduling matrix in the user interface, the scheduling matrix comprising a plurality of cells, each cell configured to receive a tablet quantity designation;

generating a dosing schedule with the application based on the tablet quantities entered into the scheduling matrix;

receiving an order including the dosing schedule with a filling system;

dispensing tablets with the filling system in accordance with the dosing schedule, the filling system automatically controlling one or more filling cells for automatically dispensing tablets to containers;

receiving automatically the tablets dispensed by the filling system in a plurality of containers, wherein at least one container includes a first tablet and a second tablet, the first tablet having a first shape and a first color that is different from the second tablet; and

performing an automated inspection of each container to identify the first tablet and the second tablet within each container with an automated inspection module, wherein the automated inspection includes an inspection module that operates at visual wavelengths and analyzes each tablet color and each tablet shape.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving parameters from a user for populating the scheduling matrix, and automatically populating the scheduling matrix according to the parameters.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the parameters comprise an offset input indicating the number of days between the first day of the scheduling matrix and the first day on which a tablet quantity designation is to be placed.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the parameters comprise a quantity input indicating a tablet quantity designation.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the parameters comprise an interval input indicating a number of days between successive days to receive a tablet quantity designation.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the parameters comprise a repetitions input indicating a number of days to repeat the tablet quantity designation as defined by the offset input, the quantity input, and the interval input.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein each container is a pouch.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising,

receiving the plurality of pouches in a box that includes,

a top wall having one end fixedly coupled to the box and an opposite end that provides a foldable lid;

a front side wall;

a right-side wall that abuts the front side wall and the top wall;

a back side wall that abuts the right-side wall and the top wall;

a left-side wall that is between the back side wall and the front side wall, the left-side wall configured to abut the top wall;

a bottom wall that abuts the front side wall, the right-side wall, the back side wall, and the left-side wall;

a cavity defined by the front side wall, the right-side wall, the back side wall, the left-side wall and the bottom wall;

associating a code with one of the pouches, wherein the code is associated with the multiple prescription order;

affixing a label to the box, wherein the label includes a description of the medications and the code associated with the prescription;

receiving the plurality of filled pouches that are associated with the code in the box; and

receiving the label associated with the code in one of the walls.