Apparatuses, systems, and methods for storing and dispensing medication proximate a patient

• US 9,626,817 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2013
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aesynt, Inc. (Omnicell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thompson, Jeff, Deutsch, David, Churbock, Preeti, Garrison, Kevon, Barickman, John, Thompson, Bruce, Rossi, Randy, Aby-Eva, Gregoire, O'Halloran, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): EUSTAQUIO, CAL J
• Application Number:
  US13/853,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses

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 storing and dispensing medications to an authorized medical person for administration to a patient in a healthcare facility. A storage and dispensing system may include a housing defining a cavity, a door movable between an open and a closed position to provide access to the cavity, two or more receivers disposed within the cavity, a lock to lock the door in the closed position, and a user interface configured to receive a request for medications stored within the cavity. The medications may be configured to be presented to a user in response to a request for the medications, while unrequested medications remain inaccessible.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a cavity;

a door, wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the housing, wherein in the open position the cavity of the housing is accessible;

two or more receivers disposed within the cavity, wherein each receiver is configured to hold an article for a patient, wherein each of the receivers is movable between an accessible position, in which the contents of the receiver are accessible, and an inaccessible position, in which the contents of the receiver are inaccessible;

a lock configured to lock the door in the closed position; and

a user interface configured to receive a request from a user, wherein the request identifies the contents of one of the receivers;

wherein, in response to the request received at the user interface, the door is unlocked,

wherein the receiver including the contents identified by the request is moved to the accessible position in response to the door being moved to the open position, and

wherein the one or more receivers not including the contents identified by the request remain in the inaccessible position in response to the door being moved to the open position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver including the contents identified by the request is engaged by the door, and wherein the receiver including the contents identified by the request is moved to the accessible position as the door is moved to the open position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to receive a restock request to access each of the two or more receivers disposed within the cavity, and wherein in response to the restock request to access each of the two or more receivers, each of the receivers is moved to the accessible position in response to the door moving to the open position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising two or more windows in the door, wherein each of the two or more windows corresponds to one of the two or more receivers disposed within the cavity, and wherein presence of the contents of each of the receivers is visible through a respective window.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a photovoltaic panel disposed on the housing configured to charge a battery disposed within the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the user interface and the lock are configured to be powered by the battery.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a cooling pack receiver configured to receive therein a cooling pack.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the housing further comprises one or more ducts from the cooling pack receiver to a respective one or more of the two or more receivers for directing cooling air to one or more of the receivers.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a cooling pack configured to be received into the cooling pack receiver, wherein the cooling pack comprises a passive, cold body and a powered fan configured to move air across the cold body and into the cavity of the housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a reader configured to read identifying indicia of an article to be received within a receiver of the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the reader is further configured to read identifying indicia of an article removed from a receiver of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is configured to compare the identifying indicia of the article removed from a receiver of the apparatus to the request received at the user interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is configured to provide an alert in response to the identifying indicia of the article matching the request received at the user interface, wherein the notification is at least one of an audible alert or a visual alert.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, at a housing, two or more articles, wherein each article is received within a receiver within a cavity of the housing, wherein the articles are each received within a receiver arranged in an accessible position through a door arranged in an open position;

securing the two or more articles in the housing, wherein securing comprises arranging the receivers in an inaccessible position and locking the door in a closed position;

receiving a request at a user interface of the housing for one of the two or more articles received within the housing;

providing for unlocking of the door;

providing for release of the receiver including the requested article, wherein in response to the door being moved to the open position, the receiver including the requested article is moved to the accessible position; and

maintaining the receivers that do not contain the requested article in an inaccessible position in response to the door being moved to the open position.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the two or more articles comprises reading identifying indicia of each of the two or more articles and receiving a respective receiver identifier for the receiver into which each of the two or more articles are received.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein in response to receiving a request at a user interface for one of the articles, providing for release of the receiver comprising the receiver identifier that corresponds to the one of the articles requested.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving an identifier of an article removed from the receiver including the requested article;

comparing the identifier of the article removed to the one of the two or more articles requested; and

providing a notification in response to the identifier of the article removed matching the one of the two or more articles requested.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the notification comprises at least one of an audible alert or a visual alert.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing for cooling of at least one of the receivers in the cavity of the housing.

20. A system comprising:

a housing defining a cavity and a cooling pack receiver;

a door, wherein the door is configured to be movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the housing, wherein two or more articles for patients are received within the cavity, wherein the articles are movable between an accessible position and an inaccessible position;

a lock configured to lock the door in the closed position;

a cooling pack received within the cooling pack receiver, wherein the cooling pack cools at least one of the two or more articles received within the cavity; and

a user interface configured to receive a request from a user, wherein the request identifies at least one of the two or more articles for patients;

wherein, in response to the request received at the user interface, the door is configured to be unlocked,

wherein the at least one of the two or more articles for patients identified by the request is moved to an accessible position in response to the door being moved to the open position, and

wherein at least one of the two or more articles for patients that is not identified by the request is maintained in an inaccessible position in response to the door being moved to the open position.