Restocking method for medical item dispensing system
First Claim
1. A method comprising the steps of:
- a) stocking a liner in a stocking location with a first type of medical item;
b) placing a lid in covering relation relative to the medical item in the liner;
c) subsequent to step (b) transporting the stocked liner from the stocking location to a dispenser device, wherein the dispenser device has an interior area including a storage location therein, wherein the storage location is configured to accept the liner therein;
d) subsequent to step (c) separating the lid from the liner;
e) accessing the interior area of the dispenser device; and
f) installing the stocked liner in the storage location.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring and dispensing medical items which are dispensed for administration to patients includes a data terminal (76, 338, 538) which is connected through a network (82, 328, 536) to at least one computer (84, 324, 532) having a processor and a data store. The system also includes a reading device (348, 538) which is operatively connected to the network. A user of the data terminal or the reading device is enabled to select a patient for whom medical items will be used, and responsive to a request to dispense items the requested items are dispensed from dispensing devices (96, 100, 344, 346, 450, 527, 540) connected to the data terminal. Storage locations in dispensing devices may be restocked using removable liners. The removable liners are stocked with medical items in a stocking location (550) and transported in a secure condition to the storage locations. The storage locations are accessed by an authorized restocking user. The previously installed liners removed and the new liners installed. The previously installed liners are thereafter returned to the stocking location for reuse.
321 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method comprising the steps of:
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a) stocking a liner in a stocking location with a first type of medical item; b) placing a lid in covering relation relative to the medical item in the liner; c) subsequent to step (b) transporting the stocked liner from the stocking location to a dispenser device, wherein the dispenser device has an interior area including a storage location therein, wherein the storage location is configured to accept the liner therein; d) subsequent to step (c) separating the lid from the liner; e) accessing the interior area of the dispenser device; and f) installing the stocked liner in the storage location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising the steps of:
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a) stocking a first liner in a stocking location with a first type of medical item; b) stocking a second liner with a second type of medical item at the stocking location; c) releasibly operatively engaging the first liner with the second liner; d) transporting the first stocked liner from the stocking location to a dispenser device, wherein the dispenser device has an interior area including a storage location therein, wherein the storage location is configured to accept the first liner therein; e) accessing the interior area of the dispenser device; and f) installing the first stocked liner in the storage location. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A medical item stocking system comprising
a liner, wherein the liner is adapted to be stocked with a type of medical item; -
a medical item dispenser device wherein the dispenser device has an interior area including a storage location therein, wherein the storage location is configured to accept the liner; machine readable indicia, wherein the machine readable indicia is in operative connection with the liner, wherein the machine readable indicia includes information corresponding to the medical item type; a lid, wherein the lid is adapted to close the liner after the medical item is stocked therein; a tamper indicating seal, wherein the tamper indicating seal is adapted to maintain the lid in engaged relation with the liner, wherein opening the lid is adapted to result in an indication of such an opening. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A method comprising the steps of:
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stocking a liner in a stocking location with a type of medical item; closing the liner with a lid after the medical item is stocked therein; applying machine readable indica in operative connection with the liner wherein the indicia corresponds to the medical item type stocked therein; after the closing step applying a tamper indicating seal to maintain the lid in engaged relation with the liner, wherein opening the lid would result in a residual indication of such opening. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method comprising the steps of:
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reading with a reading device machine readable indicia in operative connection with a liner holding a type of medical item, the machine readable indicia including data corresponding to the medical item type; determining with a processor in operative connection with the reading device and a data store, a storage location for the liner, the location being determined from the read indicia and data in the data store; installing the liner in the storage location determined in the determining step. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A method comprising the steps of:
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a) stocking a liner in a stocking location with a first type of medical item; b) placing a lid in covering relation relative to the medical item in the liner; c) transporting the stocked liner from the stocking location to a dispenser device, wherein the dispenser device has an interior area including a storage location therein, wherein the storage location is configured to accept the stocked liner therein, and wherein the dispenser device is in operative connection with a data store, wherein the data store includes authorized user data corresponding to at least one authorized user who is authorized to access the interior area of the dispenser device; d) inputting with an input device data corresponding to a user; e) comparing the input data to the authorized user data stored in the data store; f) enabling access to the interior area when the input data corresponds to the authorized user data for an authorized user; g) separating the lid from the stocked liner; h) removing a previous installed liner from the storage location; and i) installing the stocked liner in the storage location.
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40. A method comprising the steps of:
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a) stocking a liner in a stocking location with a first type of medical item; b) transporting the stocked liner from the stocking location to a dispenser device, wherein the dispenser device has an interior area including a storage location therein, wherein the storage location is configured to accept the liner therein; c) accessing the interior area of the dispenser device; d) installing the stocked liner in the storage location; and e) subsequent to step (d), operating the dispenser device, wherein the dispenser device is operated such that access to the medical item in the liner installed in the storage location is limited to authorized users. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A method comprising the steps of:
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a) stocking a liner in a stocking location with a first type of medical item; b) transporting the stocked liner from the stocking location to a dispenser device remote from the stocking location, wherein the dispenser device has an interior area including a storage location therein, wherein the storage location is configured to accept the liner therein, and wherein the dispenser device limits access to the storage location to authorized users; c) accessing the interior area of the dispenser device; and d) installing the stocked liner in the storage location.
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43. A method comprising the steps of:
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a) stocking a liner in a stocking location with a first type of medical item; b) transporting the stocked liner from the stocking location to a dispenser device remote from the stocking location, wherein the dispenser device has an interior area including a storage location therein, wherein the storage location is configured to accept the liner therein, wherein the dispenser device is in operative connection with a data store, and wherein the data store includes data representative of a user authorized to access the interior area of the dispenser device; c) accessing the interior area of the dispenser device, wherein the accessing step includes inputting with an input device data corresponding to a user, comparing the input data to the authorized user data stored in the data store, and enabling access to the interior area when the input data corresponds to the data for the authorized user; and d) installing the stocked liner in the storage location. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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Specification