Claims
- 1. A system for dispensing of a medical product, comprising:
a dispensing node to dispense the medical product at a first location, the dispensing node being connected to a network to conduct utilization review, the system performing utilization review and dispensing the medical product in less than one minute from receipt of a dispense command.
- 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmission medium.
- 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet.
- 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the transmission medium includes a telephone system.
- 5. The system of claim 2, wherein the transmission medium includes a satellite system.
- 6. The system of claim 2, wherein the transmission medium includes a pager system.
- 7. The system of claim 2, wherein the transmission medium includes a wireless system.
- 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing node includes a dispenser controller and a housing having a plurality of bins; each bin storing an encoded plurality of packages of medical products.
- 9. The system of claim 8, wherein a code reader is coupled to said controller for reading a code of a dispensed medical product.
- 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controlling node interfacing with the dispensing node, the controlling node generating a unique transaction identifier and being located at a location different from an authorization node.
- 11. The system of claim 10, further comprising the controlling node is co-located with the authorization node.
- 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the dispensing of the medical product is initiated at one of the dispensing nodes, the authorization node and the controlling node.
- 13. The system of claim 10, wherein the dispensing of the medical product further comprising a web enabled interface.
- 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing of the medical product prevents against dispensing the medical product a multiple of times using the unique transaction identifier.
- 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical product is a prescription pharmaceutical.
- 16. A method for dispensing of a medical product comprising:
selecting an expedited dispense function using a graphical user interface; scanning a pharmacy prescription label; dispensing the medical product from a dispenser housing at the second location, the dispenser housing including a touch activated graphical display, and a dispenser having a plurality of bins and a code reader; and scanning in a transaction identifier affixed on the medical product.
- 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
authorizing the dispensing of the medical product at a first location; transmitting the authorization via a transmission medium to a second location.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmission medium includes a packet switched network such as the Internet.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmission medium includes a telephone system.
- 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmission medium includes a satellite system.
- 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmission medium includes a pager system.
- 22. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmission medium includes a wireless system.
- 23. The method of claim 17, wherein the medical product is a prescription pharmaceutical.
- 24. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling the dispensing of the medical product.
- 25. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling the dispensing of the medical product is performed at the first location.
- 26. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling the dispensing of the medical product is performed at a third location.
- 27. The method of claim 17, wherein the dispensing of the medical product is initiated at one of the second dispensing locations, at the first authorizing location, at the third controlling location.
- 28. The method of claim 16, wherein the transaction identifier further comprises one of patient identifier, script date, and national drug code.
- 29. The method of claim 16, further comprising parsing the pharmacy prescription label to generate the transaction identifier.
- 30. In a computer network formed of a communication channel and a plurality of digital data processors coupled to the communication channel for communication thereon and a computer apparatus dispensing a medical product comprising:
an authorizing data processor at a first location to authorize the dispensing of the medical product; a plurality of dispensing data processors at a plurality of locations, each dispensing data processor being connected to a housing having a plurality of medical products and in communication with a server; and a controlling data processor which is in communication with the authorizing and dispensing data processors to control the dispense of the medical product when authorized.
- 31. The computer apparatus of claim 30, wherein the data processors communicate via a network and are further operative with a set of executable instructions to authorize and dispense the medical product.
- 32. The computer apparatus of claim 30, wherein the dispensing data processor is integral with the housing having a plurality of pharmaceuticals.
- 33. The computer apparatus of claim 30, wherein the medical product is a prescription pharmaceutical.
- 34. The computer apparatus of claim 30, further comprising an interface data processor to parse communications from the authorizing data processor.
- 35. The computer apparatus of claim 30, wherein the interface data processor is in communication with the controlling data processor.
- 36. The computer apparatus of claim 30, wherein the controlling data processor controls a plurality of housings having a plurality of medical products.
- 37. A system for automated dispensing of pharmaceuticals comprising:
a housing having a plurality of dispensers for holding packages of pharmaceuticals; a computer that controls dispensing of packages; an electronic controller within the housing that generates a dispense signal in response to a request signal from the computer; and an environmental control unit in the housing for controlling at least the temperature of packages in the dispensers.
- 38. The system of claim 37, wherein each dispenser comprises a helical dispenser.
- 39. The system of claim 37, wherein each dispenser further comprises a ramp for gravity feeding of packages and a rotating dispenser actuated by the controller, such that a single package is dispensed per request.
- 40. The system of claim 37, wherein the environmental control unit further comprises a heat exchanger for cooling water and a chiller plate carried in proximity to the plurality of dispensers and receiving water from the heat exchanger for maintaining the temperature of packages at a temperature below ambient temperature.
- 41. The system of claim 40, wherein the environmental control unit further comprises an evaporator in the heat exchanger and a plurality of condenser coils, a compressor and at least one fan for a closed system for cooling the water in the heat exchanger.
- 42. The system of claim 37, wherein the environmental control unit routes conditioned air over the dispensers containing the packages for controlling the temperature and humidity of air surrounding the packages.
- 43. A system for automated dispensing of pharmaceuticals comprising:
a dispenser housing having a plurality of bins, each bin storing a plurality of packages containing pharmaceuticals; a computer that controls dispensing of packages; an electronic controller within the housing that generates a dispense signal in response to a request signal from the computer; at least one dispenser associated with the bins that controls dispensing of packaged pharmaceuticals from one of the bins; and a label writing system carried within the dispenser housing for printing a label on the dispensed packaged pharmaceutical.
- 44. The system of claim 43, wherein the label writing system comprises:
a laser for projecting a beam onto the label to create an image; a label locator for locating the label on the package; and a controller for receiving signals from the computer and controlling the laser and processing data from the label locator.
- 45. The system of claim 43, wherein the label writing system further comprises a package handler for positioning the package prior to printing the label.
- 46. A method of printing a label on a dispensed packaged pharmaceutical within a housing having a plurality of pharmaceuticals, the method comprising the steps of:
locating an orientation marker on the packaged pharmaceutical; and projecting a beam at a label on the packaged pharmaceutical to create an image.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/105,059 filed Mar. 22, 2002 which is a continuation-in-part of International Application No. PCT/US00/26170 filed on Sep. 22, 2000 which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/454,359, filed on Dec. 3, 1999 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/155,446 5 filed Sep. 22, 1999, the entire teachings of these applications being incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60155446 |
Sep 1999 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10105059 |
Mar 2002 |
US |
Child |
10272516 |
Oct 2002 |
US |
Parent |
PCT/US00/26170 |
Sep 2000 |
US |
Child |
10105059 |
Mar 2002 |
US |
Parent |
09454359 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
Child |
PCT/US00/26170 |
Sep 2000 |
US |