Automated prescription vial filling system

• US RE37,829 E1
• Filed: 01/15/1999
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AutoMed Technologies Incorporated (Cencora, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AutoMed Technologies Incorporated (Cencora, Inc.)
• Inventors: Charhut, Kenneth A., Skou, Will, Blechl, Joseph, Goodale, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland, Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US09/232,743
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 700/213-244, 221/2-9, 221/12, 221/15, 221/174, 534/93, 531/54, 534/11, 53/64, 414/807
• US Class Current: 700/216
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/002 Compounding apparatus specially for enteral or parenteral nutritive solutions bottling liquids B67C
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services

Abstract

A method and apparatus for dispensing drugs, wherein a patient'"'"'s order of one or more prescriptions is automatically filled. Various drugs are stored in three or more filler lines. A vial size is assigned to each line. When a prescription is filled, it is automatically assigned to a line in view of the vial size requirements and processed accordingly. Provisions are made for the inability to fill a prescription or order. Subsequently, all of the patient'"'"'s prescriptions are collected and made available as a single order.

Claims

1. A system for automatically filling prescriptions comprising:

means for receiving a patient'"'"'s order, said order comprising patient identification information and one or more prescriptions;

at least one prescription filling line including machines for automatically filling, labeling, and capping vials with drugs;

means for assigning one of said prescriptions to said at least one prescription filling line for processing;

the at least one prescription filling line serving to automatically process the assigned prescription without human intervention and comprising;

vial filling means for filling at least one discrete vial with oral solid medication according to the prescription, said vial defining a re-closable vial opening and said medication being selected from a plurality of different bulk-form oral solid medications;

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving vials from said filling line and for sorting said vials comprises an accumulator positioned at a terminus of said filling line operative to position a vial received from said filling line in a designated accumulator area.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for collecting vials comprises a conveyor disposed adjacent the terminus of said filling line and selectable receptacles carried by said conveyor, said selectable receptacles operative to receive therein vials.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising means for removing said receptacles from said conveyor and for directing said receptacles to one of a plurality of spurs.

5. A system for automatically filling prescriptions, comprising:

a controller for receiving a patient order, said order comprising patient identification information and at least one prescription;

automated prescription filling apparatus operatively controlled by the controller for automatically processing the order without human intervention comprising;

at least one filling line conveyor;

a device for storing at least one empty vial associated with said filling line conveyor, each vial defining a re-closable vial opening;

an unscrambler disposed along said filling line conveyor for retrieving said vial and to position said vial on said filling line conveyor;

a filler positioned along said filling line conveyor downstream of said unscrambler for placing drugs in said vial in accordance with said prescription and including plural canisters each for storing a discrete type of oral solid medication in bulk, the filler directing selected medication into the vial in accordance with said order;

a labeler positioned along said filling line conveyor downstream of said filler for applying a label to said vial;

a capper positioned along said filling line conveyor downstream of said filler for securing a replaceable cap on over the opening of said vial;

an accumulator positioned at a downstream end of said filling line conveyor for receiving said vial;

a sorting conveyor disposed adjacent said accumulator;

at least one removable receptacle carried on said sorting conveyor; and

a device for transferring said vial from said accumulator to said receptacle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said receptacle is coded, and said system includes a reader disposed adjacent said sorting conveyor so that said reader can read a code on said receptacle, said reader being in communication with said controller so that said receptacle can be correlated with a particular order.

7. The system of claim 5, further including at least one spur adjacent said sorting conveyor and a device for transferring said receptacle from said sorting conveyor to said spur.

8. The system of claim 7, comprising a plurality of spurs disposed adjacent said sorting conveyor and said device for transferring said receptacle to a spur selectively transfers said receptacle to any of said spurs.

9. The system of claim 6, including a plurality of filling line conveyors, each filling line conveyor having associated therewith a device storing at least one vial, an unscrambler, a filler, a labeler, a capper and an accumulator;

said sorting conveyor running adjacent said accumulator.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said device storing at least one vial stores a vial of a different volume.

11. A method for filling a prescription comprising the steps of:

waiting for presentation of a patient order, said order comprising one or more prescriptions and patient identification information;

determining whether said order is valid;

rejecting an invalid order;

placing said order in a first-in, first-out list if said order is valid;

acknowledging placement of said order on said first-in, first-out list;

assigning each prescription in said order to a separate filling process;

assigning a collection receptacle to said order, receiving said filled prescriptions from said filling process;

determining a vial size required to fill a prescription;

determining whether filling the prescription will deplete a drug supply below a minimum;

determining whether filling the prescription will fully deplete the drug supply; and

terminating the process if filling the prescription will fully deplete the drug supply.

16. The method of claim 11 including the further step of, if the requisite drug supply is available, automatically filling the prescription.

12. A method for filling prescriptions comprising the steps of:

providing a patient order, said order comprising patient identification data and at least one prescription;

assigning each prescription in said order to a separate filling process;

assigning a collection receptacle to said order, said receptacle receiving filled prescriptions from said filling process;

determining a vial size required to fill a prescription;

determining whether filling the prescription will deplete a drug supply below a minimum;

generating a re-fill request is if filling the prescription will deplete the drug supply below the minimum;

determining whether the prescription will fully deplete the requisite drug supply; and

terminating the process if filling the prescription will fully deplete the drug supply.

17. The method of claim 12 including the further step of, if the requisite drug supply is available, automatically filling the prescription.

13. A system for automatically filling prescriptions, comprising:

at least one automated filling line including devices for automatically filling a vial with prescribed drugs, labelling labeling said vial, and capping said vial;

without human intervention comprising;

a vial-transport mechanism positioned to transport the vial to filler apparatus and receive the filled, capped vial from a capper;

the filler apparatus is positioned to receive the vial from the vial-transport mechanism and includes plural canisters each for storing a discrete type of oral solid medication in bulk, the filler apparatus directing the prescribed drugs into the vial from at least one canister;

14. The prescription filling system of claim 13, wherein said sorting system includes a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle being coded with information so that said receptacles can be temporarily correlated with a particular patient.

15. The prescription filling system of claim 13, wherein said control system includes a plurality of lists to which prescription information is successively transferred during processing of a prescription.

18. A system for automatically filling patient prescription orders, the system comprising:

19. The system of claim 18 including two prescription filling lines.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the control system assigns the prescription to the filling line capable of most efficiently filling the discrete vials with the prescribed drugs.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the filling line further includes vial capper apparatus positioned to receive the filled vial and automatically apply a replaceable cap across the vial opening.

22. A system for automatically filling patient prescription orders, the system comprising:

23. The system of claim 22 including two prescription filling lines.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the filling line further includes vial capping apparatus positioned to receive the at least one filled vial and automatically apply a replaceable cap over the vial opening.

25. A method for automatically filling patient prescription orders without human intervention comprising the steps of:

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of before the filling step, receiving a plurality of unfilled vials for selective transport to the filling line.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of before the filling step, transporting a collection of the plurality of unfilled vials to the filling line wherein the collection pertains to a particular patient.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of providing at least two filling lines.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of before the filling step, assigning each prescription in said order to the filling line capable of most efficiently filling the patient'"'"'s order.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of:

31. A method for automatically filing patient prescription orders with medication in at least one discrete vial defining a re-closable vial opening and having a vial surface, said medication corresponding to a person'"'"'s prescription order and for automatically collecting the at least one filled, labeled vial corresponding to the person'"'"'s prescription order comprising the steps of:

32. The method of claim 31 wherein apparatus for automatically capping a filled, labeled discrete vial is provided and further including the step of providing at least one command from the control system to the automated capping apparatus whereby the at least one filled vial is capped with a reusable cap placed over the vial opening.

33. The method of claim 31 further including the step of providing at least two filling lines controlled by the control system.

34. The method of claim 33 further including the step of, before the filling step, assigning each prescription in said patient prescription order to the filling line capable of most efficiently filling the patient prescription order.