Apparatuses, systems, and methods for transporting medications from a central pharmacy to a patient in a healthcare facility

• US 9,511,945 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aesynt, Inc. (Omnicell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Greyshock, Shawn T., Kolozs, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumbess, Yolanda
• Application Number:
  US13/836,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20140102860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 35/00 Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/04 for feeding articles
• 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: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Provided herein are various apparatuses, systems, and methods for improving the efficiency of medication distribution within a healthcare facility. In particular, embodiments may provide for dispensing medications needed and medications anticipated to be needed to an authorized medical person for administration to a patient in a healthcare facility. Methods may include receiving an indication of one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by a patient; retrieving the one or more unit dose medications from a unit storage device; loading the one or more unit dose medications onto a transport device; transporting the one or more unit dose medications from the unit storage device to a location proximate the patient; and transferring the one or more unit dose medications from the transport device to a staging area at the location proximate the patient.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at a unit storage device, a tray comprising a plurality of unit dose medications, wherein each of a plurality of locations within the tray is uniquely identified by a controller, and each uniquely identified location within the tray is associated with a unit dose medication received within the respective location;

receiving, at a user interface, an indication of one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by a patient;

accessing the tray of the unit storage device, the tray including at least one of the one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by a patient;

retrieving the at least one of the one or more unit dose medications from the unit storage device using a robotic retrieval device in response to receiving instructions from the user interface; and

dispensing the at least one of the one or more unit dose medications onto a staging area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication of one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by the patient comprises predicting the one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by a patient over a specified period of time based on at least one of:

a conventional medication regimen for a particular ailment, a physician specific medication regimen for a particular ailment, a historical record of unit dose medications, or an algorithm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the algorithm is based upon one or more of patient gender, patient age, patient symptoms, or patient vital statistics including one or more of temperature, pulse, blood-oxygen content, cholesterol level, or blood sugar.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication of one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by a patient comprises receiving a request for the one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by the patient, the method further comprising estimating the time of arrival of the one or more unit dose medications at the location proximate the patient and providing the estimated time of arrival.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing a tray of the unit storage area comprises directing an X-Y robot to a location within the unit storage device for the tray, and moving the tray from a storage position to an accessible position.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication of one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by a patient comprises receiving the indication from authorized medical personnel, wherein authorization is obtained by identifying the authorized medical personnel by at least one of a biometric scan, receipt of an identification number, or receipt of identifying credentials.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning the at least one of the one or more unit dose medications in response to retrieving the at least one of the one or more unit dose medications from the unit storage device;

and determining if the at least one of the one or more unit dose medications corresponds to the indication of one or more unit dose medications anticipated to be needed by the patient.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing a label for the retrieved one or more unit dose medications and applying the label to a transport device for the retrieved one or more unit dose medications.

9. A system for transporting medication within a healthcare environment, the system comprising:

a plurality of trays, each tray comprising a plurality of unit dose medications, wherein each of a plurality of locations within the tray is uniquely identified by a controller, and each unique identified location within the tray is associated with a unit dose medication received within the respective location;

a unit storage device configured to store the plurality of trays of unit dose medications;

a user interface configured to receive requests for unit dose medications;

a robotic retrieving device configured to retrieve one or more of the plurality of unit dose medications from the unit storage device in response to a request received at the user interface;

a loading device configured to load the retrieved one or more unit dose medications into a dispensing area.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of unit dose medications are stored within the unit storage device in a bin disposed on a tray, wherein each bin comprises a uniform profile.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the trays are disposed in a compartment, wherein the compartments are arranged along a substantially vertical plane, where each tray is accessible by the robotic retrieving device in response to the respective tray being moved from a storage position to an accessible position.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an X-Y robot configured to move across the substantially vertical plane and move the respective tray from the storage position to the accessible position.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of unit dose medications are stored within the unit storage device in an overpack, wherein each overpack includes unique identifying indicia disposed thereon.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a scanner attached to the retrieving device, wherein the scanner is configured to scan the identifying indicia of each overpack prior to retrieval.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the loading device is configured to advance the one or more of the plurality of unit dose medications from the robotic retrieving device to a payload area of the transport device.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the unloading device is configured to unload one or more of the plurality of unit dose medications to at least one of a proximate storage location for retrieval by authorized medical personnel, or a staging area to await dispensing.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the unit storage device comprises a refrigerated region of storage comprising at least one tray of unit dose medications.

18. The system of claim 9, further comprising a printer configured to print a label for the retrieved one or more unit dose medications of the request.

19. The system of claim 9, further comprising a patient-specific bin at the dispensing area, wherein the loading device loads the retrieved one or more unit dose medications into the patient specific bin.