SECURE ON-LINE AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING PRESCRIPTION DRUG FULFILLMENT

• US 20110071847A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CardinalCommerce Corporation (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CardinalCommerce Corporation (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherwin, Francis M., Bhagavatula, Ravishankar S., Bowman, Jeffry J., Balasubramanian, Chandra S., Keresman, Michael A. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method of processing drug prescriptions via a communications network includes registering doctors, pharmacies and patients as participants such that each registered participant'"'"'s identity is uniquely defined and determinable. Registered doctors from which prescriptions are received via the communications network have their identities authenticated. Each of the received prescriptions indicates a respective registered patient'"'"'s identity for whom the prescription is intended. Registered patients from which orders are received via the communications network also have their identities authenticated. Each of the received orders indicates the prescription being ordered. The method also includes forwarding the orders to registered pharmacies via the communications network.

Claims

1. A method of processing drug prescriptions via the Internet, wherein the method is performed by a pharmacy registered with an external agent, said method comprising:

a) receiving a first request over the Internet, wherein the first request is received from a doctor registered with the external agent and specifies a prescription, wherein the prescription identifies a patient registered with the external agent;

b) redirecting the doctor to the external agent using the Internet, wherein the external agent authenticates the doctor and returns the doctor using the Internet;

c) receiving a second request over the Internet, wherein the second request is received from the patient registered with the external agent and specifies an order for the prescription; and

,

d) redirecting the patient to the external agent using the Internet, wherein the external agent authenticates the patient and returns the patient using the Internet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request and/or the second request are sent by the doctor and/or the patient, respectively, using a computer program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the external agent further determines an authorization level for the doctor in b), said method further comprising:

e) receiving the authorization level for the doctor from the external agent; and

,

f) rejecting the first request if the first request violates the authorization level for the doctor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the authorization level includes one or more limitations on requests from the doctor.

5. The method of claim 4, where the limitations include a limit on which patients the doctor may submit prescriptions for.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the limitations is set by a patient.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent further determines an authorization level for the patient in d), said method further comprising;

e) receiving the authorization level for the patient from the external agent; and

,

f) rejecting the second request if the second request violates the authorization level for the patient.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the authorization level is set by the patient.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the authorization level limits a dollar amount which the patient may spend on one order.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

e) notifying the patient of receipt of the prescription.

11. A method of processing drug prescriptions via the Internet, said method comprising:

a) registering one or more doctors, one or more pharmacies, and one or more patients as participants, wherein each of the registered participants include a unique identity;

b) receiving a prescription from one of the doctors over the Internet, wherein the prescription identifies one of the patients;

c) authenticating the one of the doctors using registration data;

d) authorizing the prescription using an authorization level associated with the one of the doctors, wherein the authorization is based on account controls and/or privileges set by the one of the doctors;

e) receiving an order for the prescription from the one of the patients over the Internet;

f) authenticating the one of the patients using registration data; and

,

g) forwarding the order to one of the pharmacies over the Internet.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the authorization level of the one of the doctors is based on account controls and/or privileges set by the patients.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

h) authorizing the order using an authorization level associated with the one of the patients, wherein the authorization level is based on account controls and/or privileges set by the one of the patients.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

h) notifying the one of the patients of receipt of a prescription.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

h) receiving a confirmation from the one of the pharmacies, wherein said confirmation indicates at least one of the following has occurred;

the pharmacy has received the order, the pharmacy has accepted the order, the pharmacy is filling the order and the pharmacy has completed filling the order.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

i) forwarding the confirmation to at least one of the one of the patients and the one of the doctors.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the authentication of c) and/or f) is performed using a dynamically changing password.

18. A prescription drug fulfillment system comprising:

an electronic computer connected to the Internet, said electronic computer comprising;

a registration module that registers one or more doctors, one or more pharmacies, and one or more patients as participants;

a communications module that receives a prescription from one of the doctors over the Internet and receives an order for the prescription from one of the patients over the Internet;

an authentication module that authenticates the one of the doctors using registration data and authenticates the one of the patients using registration data; and

,

an authorization module that authorizes the prescription using an authorization level associated with the one of the doctors, wherein the authorization level is based on account controls and/or privileges set by the one of the doctors.

19. The prescription drug fulfillment system of claim 18, wherein the authorization level of the one of the doctors is based on account controls and/or privileges set by the patients.

20. The prescription drug fulfillment system of claim 18, wherein the authorization module further authorizes the order using an authorization level associated with the one of the patients, wherein the authorization is based on account controls and/or privileges set by the one of the patients.