Methods and systems for fulfilling drug orders

A computer-implemented method of operating a drug dispensing system, the method being executed by one or more processors and comprising:

• obtaining dispensary attributes for each of a plurality of fulfillment stations, wherein each station of the plurality of fulfillment stations is:
• characterized by a respective set of dispensary attributes;
• and
• configured to, in response to receiving a first order message including a first unique drug identifier, fill a container with pills matching the first unique drug identifier;
• communicating with an order processing station over a digital communications network to obtain prescription orders from the order processing station;
• storing a plurality of order messages corresponding respectively to the obtained prescription orders;
• for each order message of the plurality of order messages, selecting one of the plurality of fulfillment stations based on compatibility between dispensary attributes for the selected one of the plurality of fulfillment stations and dispensation preferences specified by the order message;
• transmitting the order message to the selected one of the plurality of fulfillment stations over the digital communications network;
• and
• conditionally sending a cancellation instruction relating to one of the plurality of order messages to the respective selected one of the plurality of fulfillment stations over the digital communications network to cancel dispensing of pills based on an indication of order status for a respective prescription order associated with the one of the plurality of order messages,
• wherein each of the plurality of fulfillment stations, in response to receiving a first cancellation instruction indicating a specified order message, terminates dispensing of pills corresponding to the specified order message.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

• obtaining dispensary attributes for each of a plurality of fulfillment stations, wherein each station of the plurality of fulfillment stations is:
• characterized by a respective set of dispensary attributes;
• and
• configured to, in response to receiving a first order message including a first unique drug identifier, fill a container with pills matching the first unique drug identifier;
• communicating with an order processing station over a digital communications network to obtain prescription orders from the order processing station;
• storing a plurality of order messages corresponding respectively to the obtained prescription orders;
• for each order message of the plurality of order messages, selecting one of the plurality of fulfillment stations based on compatibility between dispensary attributes for the selected one of the plurality of fulfillment stations and dispensation preferences specified by the order message;
• transmitting the order message to the selected one of the plurality of fulfillment stations over the digital communications network;
• and
• conditionally sending a cancellation instruction relating to one of the plurality of order messages to the respective selected one of the plurality of fulfillment stations over the digital communications network to cancel dispensing of pills based on an indication of order status for a respective prescription order associated with the one of the plurality of order messages,
• wherein each of the plurality of fulfillment stations, in response to receiving a first cancellation instruction indicating a specified order message, terminates dispensing of pills corresponding to the specified order message.