Pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system and methods of storing and retrieving pharmaceuticals

• US 9,868,558 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RxSafe LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RxSafe LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Holmes, William K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Sean K
• Assistant Examiner(s): LULTSCHIK, WILLIAM G
• Application Number:
  US12/808,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20110184751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,315 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/00 Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices registering wrapping or container-forming material fed from rolls B65B41/18
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/06 with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level B65G1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

A pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device and a method of accessing and loading the device. The device includes a housing, at least one port with controlled access to inventory stored within the device, a robotic transfer mechanism for moving inventory items to and from the controlled port, software for tracking the inventory and users of the device, and an interface with the pharmacy software system to track and monitor which inventory is authorized for access by each user and which inventory is needed to fill a prescription.

Claims

1. A method of stocking a pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device including a housing, a port supported by the housing, a first door movably coupled to an exterior of the housing to selectively cover the port, a scanner supported by the housing within the port, a second door movably coupled to an interior of the housing to selectively cover the port, a scale supported by the housing within the port, and a gantry system positioned within the housing, the gantry system including a gripper assembly and a motor coupled to the gripper assembly to move the gripper assembly within the housing, the method comprising:

inputting identification information of a user into the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device;

verifying the identification information of the user of the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device;

opening the first door to the port of the device, the port being accessible from outside of the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, wherein the port is defined between the first door and the second door of the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device;

positioning an inventory item in the port between the first door and the second door and closing the first door;

weighing the inventory item while the inventory item is in the port using the scale of the device to determine a weight value of the inventory item;

storing the weight value of the inventory item in a database;

reading a label on the inventory item while the inventory item is in the port using the scanner of the device to identify a medication type;

determining whether the medication type is included in the National Drug Code database;

when the medication type is not included in the National Drug Code database;

generating an alert on a user interface of the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device,

opening the first door to the port of the device, and

removing the inventory item from the port;

determining a size of unused space in the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device;

determining a size of the inventory item;

storing the medication type in the database;

determining, by a processor coupled to the database, an amount of medication within the inventory item based on the weight value from the scale and the medication type from the scanner;

storing a value indicative of the amount of medication within the inventory item in the database;

comparing the weight value with an expected weight;

wherein when the weight value is substantially similar to the expected weight, identifying an available space in the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device for the inventory item, moving the inventory item from the port to the identified space by engaging the inventory item with the gripper assembly of the gantry system and moving the gripper assembly with the motor of the gantry system, and linking the inventory item and the identified space and storing the linked information in the database; and

wherein when the weight value is not substantially similar to the expected weight, prompting the user to reconcile a difference between the weight value and the expected weight; and

wherein when the size of the inventory item is greater than the size of unused space within the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, generating an alert to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the size of the inventory item includes:

acquiring an image of the inventory item in the port;

calculating the size of the inventory item based on the image of the inventory item.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying the available space includes identifying the available space in the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device for the inventory item based on the size of the inventory item.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein reading the label on the inventory item to identify the medication type includes reading the label to identify one of an expiration date and a lot number.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising denying access of the inventory item into the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device if the inventory item is expired.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising denying access of the inventory item into the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device if the inventory item was recalled by a vendor.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising ordering an additional inventory item from a vendor and comparing the ordered inventory item with the stored medication type, and if the comparison results in a mismatch, generating an alert to the user of the mismatch.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a weight of packaging of the inventory item by determining a weight of the medication type and subtracting the determined weight of the medication type from the weight value of the inventory item.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device includes a plurality of shelves positioned within the housing, and wherein identifying the available space includes identifying the available space on the plurality of shelves for the inventory item.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the gantry system includes a first track, and wherein moving the inventory item from the port to the identified space includes moving the gripper assembly along the first track with the motor.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the gantry system further includes a second track and a second motor, and wherein moving the inventory item from the port to the identified space also includes moving the first track along the second track with the second motor.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device includes an interface panel located on the housing, wherein the interface panel includes an access control device, and wherein inputting the identification information includes inputting the identification information into the access control device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein verifying the identification information includes comparing the identification information of the user to profiles stored in the database.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the expected weight is a calculated weight value based on a previous weight value of the inventory item and an amount of medication that was expected to be removed from the inventory item prior to positioning the inventory item in the port.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein prompting the user to reconcile the difference between the weight value and the expected weight includes displaying an alert on a monitor coupled to the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising closing the door after the inventory item is positioned in the port, and wherein weighing the inventory item includes weighing the inventory item while the inventory item is in the port and the door is closed.

17. A method of stocking a pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device including a housing, a port supported by the housing, a first door movably coupled to an exterior of the housing to selectively cover the port, a second door movably coupled to an interior of the housing to selectively cover the port, a scanner supported by the housing within the port, a scale supported by the housing within the port, and a gantry system positioned within the housing, the gantry system including a gripper assembly and a motor coupled to the gripper assembly to move the gripper assembly within the housing, the method comprising:

inputting identification information of a user into the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device;

verifying the identification information of the user of the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device;

opening the first door to the port of the device, the port being accessible from outside of the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, wherein the port is defined between the first door and the second door of the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device;

positioning an inventory item in the port between the first door and the second door and closing the first door;

weighing the inventory item while the inventory item is in the port and the first door is closed using the scale of the device to determine a weight value of the inventory item;

storing the weight value of the inventory item in a database;

reading a label on the inventory item while the inventory item is in the port using the scanner of the device to identify a medication type;

when the medication type is not included in the National Drug Code database;

generating an alert on a user interface of the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device,

opening the first door to the port of the device, and

removing the inventory item from the port;

storing the medication type in the database;

determining, by a processor coupled to the database, an amount of medication within the inventory item based on the weight value from the scale and the medication type from the scanner;

storing a value indicative of the amount of medication within the inventory item in the database;

identifying an available space in the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device for the inventory item;

moving the inventory item from the port to the identified space by engaging the inventory item with the gripper assembly of the gantry system and moving the gripper assembly with the motor of the gantry system; and

linking the inventory item and the identified space and storing the linked information in the database;

determining a size of unused space in the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device; and

determining a size of the inventory item, wherein when the size of the inventory item is greater than the size of unused space within the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, generating an alert to the user.