Pharmacy packaging system

A packaging unit for packaging pharmaceuticals into pouches, the packaging unit comprising:

• an exposed dispensing area to receive cassettes that contain pharmaceuticals, the exposed dispensing area including a motor base configured to selectively open the cassettes to dispense pharmaceuticals, the cassettes configured to be removable during operation;
• packaging equipment in communication with the exposed dispensing area, the packaging equipment including a feed stock roll for forming pouches, the packaging equipment operable to fill the pouches with pharmaceuticals that are dispensed from the cassettes in the exposed dispensing area;
• a plurality of sensors positioned in the motor base configured to verify that a correct number of pharmaceuticals are dispensed from the cassettes;
• a control system coupled to the packaging equipment to control operation of the packaging equipment;
• a chute connecting the exposed dispensing area to the packaging equipment and
• a receptacle supported by the packaging equipment between the chute and the feed stock roll,
• wherein the chute converges to direct the pharmaceuticals that are dispensed from the cassettes into the receptacle, and wherein the receptacle directs the pharmaceuticals received from the chute as a group into the pouches formed by the feed stock roll,
• wherein the receptacle includes a finger movable longitudinally between a lowered position and a raised position, wherein the finger is actuated to the raised position to allow the pharmaceuticals to pass through to the pouch, and wherein the finger is re-actuated to the lowered position to push the pharmaceuticals into the pouch,
• wherein the exposed dispensing area is configured to simultaneously support more than one cassette.