Method for controlling a drug dispensing system

• US 20030088333A1
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArXium, Inc. (Van Humbeck Family)
• Original Assignee: Telepharmacy Solutions, Inc. (Cencora, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wallace, Robert L., Bossi, Enea W., Liff, Harold J., Berube, Arthur A., Hart, Brian T., Hart, Richard D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,991,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An automated drug dispensing system includes a cabinet adapted to store a variety of prepackaged pharmaceuticals in a plurality of bins for filling patient prescriptions. Each bin stores a particular variety of packaged multiple-dose pharmaceutical. Each variety of pharmaceutical is associated with a particular code. A controller receives request signals and in response generates dispense signals. Each bin includes a dispenser coupled to the controller for dispensing the packaged pharmaceuticals therefrom in response to a dispense signal sent from the controller. After a package is dispensed, a code reader determines the code of the dispensed package and verifies whether the code on the dispensed package matches the code of the requested package.

Claims

1. A system for unattended dispensing of packaged pharmaceuticals, comprising:

a dispenser that stores a plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals, the dispenser including an electronic controller that receives request signals and generates dispense signals and a data entry device operatively linked to the dispenser for entering patient information corresponding to a patient;

a centralized control facility remote from and operatively linked to the dispenser, the control facility being operative to match the patient information corresponding to a particular patient with a prescription for a pharmaceutical and to transmit a request signal when a corresponding match is identified; and

a database operatively associated with the centralized control facility that stores information relating to at least one authorized prescription, the dispenser being operative, in response to entry of the patient information, to initiate dispensing by transmitting a signal representative of the patient information to the centralized control facility, such that the dispenser dispenses a packaged pharmaceutical corresponding with the prescription.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the database stores a unique transaction code corresponding to each respective authorized prescription.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a security database that stores at least one of a password and an encryption key.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the signals transmitted between the centralized control facility and the dispenser are encrypted.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of prepackaged pharmaceuticals are in the form of at least one of box, bottle, unit-of-use packaging, liquids and syringes.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the centralized control facility is a remote pharmacist workstation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the data entry device comprises at least one of a numeric keypad and a magnetic card reader.

8. An integrated medication distribution system, comprising:

a centralized control facility operative to associate at least one of a plurality of unique patient information, each corresponding to a respective patient, with at least one authorized prescription request to supply a drug to a patient and to transmit a request signal when a corresponding match is identified;

a database operatively associated with the centralized control facility and adapted to store a respective patient prescription record corresponding to an individual request to fill a prescription and a corresponding unique transaction code; and

a plurality of remote control dispensers each remotely located from the centralized control facility and adapted to dispense at least one of a plurality of prepackaged pharmaceuticals contained therein in accordance with an authorized prescription.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each remote control dispenser includes a data entry device for entering patient information.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein any of the remote control dispensers is operative to transmit a signal representative of said patient information to the centralized control facility in response to actuation of a corresponding data entry device, wherein the entry of patient information at a dispenser identifies that dispenser as an originating dispenser.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the originating remote control dispenser is further operative, in response to receipt of a request signal, to dispense the prescribed drug.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the request signal is transmitted in a data packet comprising specific patient information and wherein said remote control dispenser is adapted to unpack the data packet.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the data entry device of each remote control dispenser comprises at least one of a numeric keypad and a magnetic card reader.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the centralized control facility is a remote pharmacist workstation.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the centralized control facility is a remote distribution headquarters.

16. A method of dispensing medication to a patient at a selected drug dispensing unit, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a first location, a request to supply a patient with at least one packaged pharmaceutical containing a drug prescribed by a physician;

reading patient information received during said receiving step to ensure the patient is authorized to receive the drug prescribed;

providing a patient authorized to receive a prescribed medication with a unique identifier; and

in response to entry of the unique identifier at a second location remotely disposed relative to the first location, causing a drug dispensing unit to dispense the medication specified in the request received during the receiving step for distribution to the patient.

17. The method of claim 16, further including a step of accepting payment from the patient by debiting a credit card account.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of accepting payment is performed at said first location.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of accepting payment is performed at said second location.

20. The method of claim 16, further including a step of identifying the amount of delay permissible before a patient must receive a drug identified in a request received during the receiving step.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said receiving step includes receiving a request for a drug via one of a data transmission network, a facsimile transmission, or by mail, further including a step of supplying a drug identified in the received request by one of regular mail and express courier in the event a permissible delay exceeding an applicable threshold identified during said step of identifying.

22. The method of claim 16, comprising a step of storing, at each of a plurality of prescription medication dispensing units remotely located from one another, an inventory of frequently prescribed medications including at least some drugs which a patient is advised to take as soon as practicable after issuance of a prescription by a physician.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the drugs stored during the storing step are in a form selected from the group consisting of solids, liquids, ointments, and creams.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of causing a drug dispensing unit to dispense comprises transmitting, from the drug dispensing unit, a signal representative of an entered key code to a remote controller operative to associate a corresponding patient identification key code with a particular validated prescription.

25. The method of claim 24, further including a step of storing, for each request to dispense a drug, an encrypted enabling signal and a corresponding transaction key code unique to each particular request for decrypting instructions for filling a request at the dispensing unit, wherein in response to receipt of the signal transmitted during said transmitting step, the remote controller performs a step of transmitting the encrypted enabling signal and transaction key code to the prescription medication dispensing unit when a corresponding match is identified, said dispensing unit being responsive to receipt of the enabling signal and transaction key code to decode instructions for filling a request and to dispense a corresponding drug in accordance with said decoded instructions.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising a step of:

establishing a communication link between a pharmacist at a centralized location and a patient disposed proximate a remote drug dispensing unit, said drug dispensing unit containing a plurality of drugs available by physician prescription; and

said step of remotely operating is performed from the centralized location, the drug dispensing unit being responsive to remotely transmitted commands so as to dispense to the patient a drug specified in the request received during the receiving step.

27. A system for unattended dispensing of medications, comprising:

a remote vending matching (RVM) unit adapted to dispense at least one of a plurality of drugs contained therein in accordance with an authorized prescription Rx, said dispensing unit including a data entry device for entering a patient identification key code (PtID) corresponding to a particular patient;

a centralized control facility operative to associate a PtID code with at least one authorized Rx request to supply a drug and to transmit an enabling signal to the RVM unit when a corresponding match is identified;

a database operatively associated with said centralized control facility and adapted to store information relating to said at least one authorized Rx-request;

wherein said RVM unit is operative, in response to entry of said PtID code, to initiate a vending session by transmitting a signal representative of said PtID code to said centralized control facility; and

wherein said RVM unit is further operative, in response to receipt of the enabling signal to dispense the prescribed medication.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the database is further adapted to store a unique transaction identification key code (RxID) corresponding to each respective authorized Rx request, wherein said enabling signal is representative of encrypted information relating to said at least one authorized Rx request, and wherein said RVM unit is adapted to decode encrypted information relating to each respective authorized Rx request using a corresponding RxID code.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said plurality of drugs are in the form of at least one of a solid, liquid, cream, and ointment.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said data entry device comprises at least one of a numeric keypad and a magnetic card reader.

31. An integrated medication distribution system, comprising:

a centralized control facility operative to associate at least one of a plurality of unique patient identification (PtID) key codes, each corresponding to a respective patient, with at least one authorized prescription Rx request to supply a drug to a patient;

a database operatively associated with said centralized control facility and adapted to store a respective patient prescription record corresponding to an individual request to digitally fill a prescription and a corresponding unique transaction identification key code (RxID); and

a plurality of remote vending machine (RVM) units, each remotely located from the remote controller and each adapted to dispense at least one of a plurality of drugs contained therein in accordance with an authorized prescription, said dispensing unit including a data entry device for entering a PtID code to initiate a drug dispensing session, wherein any of said plurality of RVM units is operative to transmit a signal representative of said PTID code to said centralized control facility in response to actuation of a corresponding data entry device, and wherein an originating one of said plurality of RVM units is further operative, in response to receipt of an enabling signal, to dispense the prescribed Rx drug.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said enabling signal is representative of encrypted information relating to a specific Rx request and wherein said RVM unit is adapted to decode encrypted information relating to each respective Rx request using a corresponding unique RxID code.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the data entry device of each RVM unit comprises at least one of a numeric keypad and a magnetic card reader.

34. A method of dispensing medication to a patient at a selected drug dispensing unit, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a first location, a request to supply a patient with at least one package containing a drug prescribed by a physician;

validating the request received during said receiving step to ensure the patient is authorized to receive a prescribed medication; and

providing a patient authorized to receive a prescribed medication with a unique identifier in response to entry of the unique identifier at a second location remotely disposed relative to the first location, causing a drug dispensing unit to dispense the medication specified in the request received during the receiving step for distribution to the patient.

35. The method of claim 34, further including a step of accepting payment from the patient by debiting a credit card account.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said step of accepting payment is performed at said first location.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said step of accepting payment is performed at said second location.

38. The method of claim 34, further including a step of identifying the amount of delay permissible before a patient must receive a drug identified in a request received during the receiving step.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said receiving step includes receiving a request for a drug via one of a data transmission network, a facsimile transmission, or by mail, further including a step of supplying a drug identified in the received request by one of regular mail and express courier in the event a permissible delay exceeding an applicable threshold identified during said step of identifying.

40. The method of claim 34, comprising a step of storing, at each of a plurality of prescription medication dispensing units remotely located from one another, an inventory of frequently prescribed medications including at least some drugs which a patient is advised to take as soon as practicable after issuance of a prescription by a physician.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the drugs stored during the storing step are in a form selected from the group consisting of solids, liquids, ointments, and creams.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein said step of causing a drug dispensing unit to dispense comprises transmitting, from the drug dispensing unit, a signal representative of an entered key code to a remote controller operative to associate a corresponding patient identification key code with a particular validated prescription.

43. The method of claim 34, further including a step of storing, for each request to dispense a drug, an encrypted enabling signal and a corresponding transaction key code unique to each particular request for decrypting instructions for filling a request at the dispensing unit, wherein in response to receipt of the signal transmitted during said transmitting step, the remote controller performs a step of transmitting the encrypted enabling signal and transaction key code to the prescription medication dispensing unit when a corresponding match is identified, said dispensing unit being responsive to receipt of the enabling signal and transaction key code to decode instructions for filling a request and to dispense a corresponding drug in accordance with said decoded instructions.

44. The method of claim 34, further comprising a step of establishing a communication link between a pharmacist at a centralized location and a patient disposed proximate a remote drug dispensing unit, said drug dispensing unit containing a plurality of drugs available by physician prescription;

wherein said step of remotely operating is performed from the centralized location, the drug dispensing unit being responsive to remotely transmitted commands so as to dispense to the patient a drug specified in the request received during the receiving step.