Pharmacy dispensing system and method

• US 20050125097A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArXium, Inc. (Van Humbeck Family)
• Original Assignee: AutoMed Technologies Incorporated (Cencora, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schultz, David A., Chudy, Duane S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• 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 20/10 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: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A system for filling a prescription order for a patient includes a plurality of trays each having an RFID tag for storing a unique identifier corresponding to the prescription order, and a plurality of workstations operatively linked to one another, each workstation having an antenna for detecting the unique identifier in one of the plurality of trays, where the detecting is operative to trigger displaying a profile of at least one prescription item for the corresponding prescription order.

Claims

1. A system for filling a prescription order for a patient comprising:

a plurality of trays each having an RFID tag;

a tray programmer structured for programming a unique identifier into the RFID tag of one of the plurality of trays, the unique identifier being associated with the prescription order; and

a plurality of workstations operatively linked to one another, each workstation having an antenna for detecting the unique identifier, and automatically displaying a profile of medication for the prescription order.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the displaying of the profile is performed only while the one tray is having its unique identifier detected by the antenna.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one automated medication dispensing machine operatively connected to one of the plurality of workstations.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the tray programmer is adapted for changing unique patient identifiers for each of the plurality of trays while the plurality of trays are all placed in a stack adjacent the tray programmer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the tray programmer includes an automated tray dispenser for physically delivering, to a tray pickup location, a tray programmed with a unique patient identifier.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a central computer operatively connected to the tray programmer for associating the prescription order with the unique patient identifier being programmed into the RFID tag.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a central computer operatively connected to the plurality of workstations, the computer having an input device for obtaining order information regarding the prescription order, having a database for storing the order information, and having a memory including software instructions adapted to perform the steps of:

obtaining the unique patient identifier from the workstation;

associating the unique patient identifier with the order information; and

exchanging filling information with the workstation regarding fulfillment of the prescription order.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein obtaining the filling information at the workstation queues delivery of medication from an automated dispenser.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the exchanging of filling information includes time logging the detecting performed by the antenna.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the detecting of the unique patient identifier triggers automatic updating of the profile of medications for the prescription order.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the detecting of the unique patient identifier triggers automatic filling of at least one prescription item of the prescription order.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein each RFID tag is structured for storing an updating part of the filling information, and wherein the antenna is structured for writing the updating part of the filling information to the RFID tag of one of the plurality of trays placed proximate the antenna.

13. A system for filling a prescription order for a patient comprising:

a plurality of trays each having an RFID tag for storing a unique identifier corresponding to the prescription order; and

a plurality of workstations operatively linked to one another, each workstation having an antenna for detecting the unique identifier in one of the plurality of trays;

wherein the detecting is operative to trigger displaying a profile of at least one prescription item for the corresponding prescription order.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the displaying of the profile is performed only while the antenna is detecting the unique identifier.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising a printer operative for printing a label identifying the prescription item.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the label contains a barcode, the system further comprising a barcode reader for reading the barcode and determining from barcode information whether the prescription item identified by the barcode matches a prescription item of the prescription order identified by the unique identifier.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the detecting is operative to trigger an organizing of individual prescription items in the prescription order that corresponds to the unique patient identifier.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the organizing includes listing any one individual prescription item in the prescription order that remains unfilled, the system further comprising an input device structured for selecting the unfilled individual prescription item for fulfillment.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the unfilled individual prescription item selected for fulfillment is placed in a queue.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the organizing includes generating a filling sequence for individual prescription items of the profile.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the filling sequence is generated to minimize a cost function.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the organizing is based on determining which of the individual prescription items may be filled at a workstation of the plurality of workstations where the unique identifier is being detected.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the displaying of the profile includes presenting text information, medication image information, and a graphical user interface (GUI) symbol representing a respective storage location for the individual prescription items of the profile.

24. The system of claim 13 wherein the detecting is further operative to trigger automated dispensing of at least one of the individual medication items of the profile.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein:

the workstation includes a touchscreen;

the displaying of the profile includes presenting on the touchscreen, based on the filling sequence, graphical user interface (GUI) symbols representing respective individual prescription items of the profile; and

the workstation is structured so that pressing a predetermined location on the touchscreen initiates an automated filling of one of the individual medication items of the profile.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein:

the workstation includes a touchscreen;

the workstation includes a printer;

the displaying of the profile includes presenting on the touchscreen, based on the filling sequence, graphical user interface (GUI) symbols representing respective individual prescription items of the profile; and

wherein the workstation is structured so that pressing of one of the GUIs initiates printing of a label by the printer for a corresponding one of the individual medication items of the profile.

27. The system of claim 25 further comprising a barcode reader operative to read a barcode printed on the label,

wherein the workstation is structured for translating the barcode into verification information, and for determining from the verification information whether the one individual medication item corresponds to a pending portion of the prescription order.

28. A system comprising:

a tray having an RFID tag containing a unique identifier;

a plurality of automated medication dispensing machines each structured for dispensing individual medication amounts; and

a workstation adapted for receiving the tray and reading the unique identifier, and having a memory for storing information of a prescription order,

wherein the workstation is structured so that when the unique identifier read by the workstation is associated with the prescription order, the workstation accesses the information of the prescription order and readies an individual prescription item for dispensing by one of the medication dispensing machines.

29. A method of filling a prescription order comprising:

entering a prescription order;

associating the prescription order with an RFID identifier of a tray;

detecting the RFID identifier when the tray is placed proximate a human-assisted prescription order filling station; and

displaying items of the prescription order at the human-assisted prescription order filling station.

30. A method comprising:

providing a tray having an RFID tag containing a unique identifier;

providing a plurality of automated medication dispensing machines each structured for dispensing individual medication amounts; and

providing at least one workstation adapted for receiving the tray and reading the unique identifier, and adapted for retrieving information of a prescription order,

wherein the workstation is structured so that when the unique identifier read by the workstation is associated with the prescription order, the workstation accesses the information of the prescription order and readies an individual prescription item for dispensing by one of the medication dispensing machines.

31. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of trays each having an RFID tag for storing a unique identifier corresponding to the prescription order; and

providing a plurality of workstations operatively linked to one another, each workstation having an antenna for detecting the unique identifier in one of the plurality of trays,

wherein the detecting is operative to trigger displaying a profile of at least one prescription item for the corresponding prescription order.

32. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of trays each having an RFID tag;

providing a tray programmer structured for programming a unique identifier into the RFID tag of one of the plurality of trays, the unique identifier being associated with the prescription order; and

providing a plurality of workstations operatively linked to one another, each workstation having an antenna for detecting the unique identifier, and each being structured for automatically displaying a profile of medication for the prescription order.