SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING PHARMACY LOCATIONS BASED UPON A CURRENT LOCATION FOR USE WITH A VIRTUAL PHARMACY

• US 20120253831A1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: McKesson Corp.
• Original Assignee: McKesson Corp.
• Inventors: John, Pramod, Gallacher, Sean
• Application Number:
  US13/075,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253831A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Systems and methods may be provided for interactive virtual pharmacies. The systems and methods may include receiving, by a non-dispensing virtual pharmacy, an electronic prescription identifying at least a prescribed drug or product for a patient; obtaining, by the virtual pharmacy, a location preference of the patient; determining, by the virtual pharmacy, that the location preference of the patient indicates a current location associated with a patient mobile device; responsive to determining that the location preference indicates the current location, obtaining, by the virtual pharmacy, current location information of the mobile device; determining, by the virtual pharmacy, a plurality of dispensing pharmacies within proximity of the current location provided by the current location information, where the determined dispensing pharmacies are capable of filling the prescription for the patient; and delivering, in real-time from the virtual pharmacy to a mobile device, identification of at least a portion of the determined dispensing pharmacies to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for determining one or more pharmacy locations, comprising:

receiving, by a non-dispensing virtual pharmacy comprising one or more computers, an electronic prescription identifying at least a prescribed drug or product for a patient;

obtaining, by the non-dispensing virtual pharmacy, a location preference of the patient, wherein the location preference indicates either (i) a particular location or (ii) a current location associated with a patient mobile device;

determining, by the non-dispensing virtual pharmacy, that the location preference of the patient indicates the current location;

responsive to determining that the location preference indicates the current location, obtaining, by the non-dispensing virtual pharmacy, current location information of the patient mobile device;

determining, by the non-dispensing virtual pharmacy, a plurality of dispensing pharmacies within proximity of the current location provided by the current location information, wherein the determined dispensing pharmacies are capable of filling the prescription for the patient; and

delivering, in real-time from the non-dispensing virtual pharmacy to a patient mobile device, identification of at least a portion of the determined dispensing pharmacies to the patient mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current location information includes global positioning system(GPS) coordinates or GPS information of the patient mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the current location information is specified by the patient using the patient mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the current location includes at least one of a street address, city, or zip code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the current location information is received in conjunction with the electronic prescription.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering a link for (i) travel directions or (ii) a geographical map, for at least the portion of the determined dispensing pharmacies identified to the patient mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity is based upon a radius or distance from the current location, wherein the radius or distance is obtained from the location preference or in conjunction with the obtained current location information of the patient mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a respective distance from the current location for each of the identified dispensing pharmacies, wherein the respective distance is delivered with the identification of the dispensing pharmacies to the patient mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the patient mobile device, a selection of one of the plurality of dispensing pharmacies.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising delivering the electronic prescription to the selected dispensing pharmacy responsive to the received selection of one of the plurality of dispensing pharmacies from the patient mobile device.

11. A system, comprising:

at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions;

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

receive an electronic prescription identifying at least a prescribed drug or product for a patient;

obtain a location preference of the patient, wherein the location preference indicates either (i) a particular location or (ii) a current location associated with a patient mobile device;

determine that the location preference of the patient indicates the current location;

responsive to the determination that the location preference indicates the current location, obtain current location information of the patient mobile device;

determine a plurality of dispensing pharmacies within proximity of the current location provided by the current location information, wherein the determined dispensing pharmacies are capable of filling the prescription for the patient; and

deliver, to a patient mobile device, identification of at least a portion of the determined dispensing pharmacies to the patient mobile device.

wherein the at least one memory and the at least one processor are associated with a non-dispensing virtual pharmacy.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the current location information includes global positioning system (GPS) coordinates or GPS information of the patient mobile device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the current location information is specified by the patient using the patient mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the current location includes at least one of a street address, city, or zip code.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the current location information is received in conjunction with the electronic prescription.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

deliver a link for (i) travel directions or (ii) a geographical map, for at least the portion of the determined dispensing pharmacies identified to the patient mobile device.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the proximity is based upon a radius or distance from the current location, wherein the radius or distance is obtained from the location preference or in conjunction with the obtained current location information of the patient mobile device.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine a respective distance from the current location for each of the identified dispensing pharmacies, wherein the respective distance is delivered with the identification of the dispensing pharmacies to the patient mobile device.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

receive, from the patient mobile device, a selection of one of the plurality of dispensing pharmacies.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

deliver the electronic prescription to the selected dispensing pharmacy responsive to the received selection of one of the plurality of dispensing pharmacies from the patient mobile device.