Apparatus and method for dispensing medication

A method for periodically dispensing multiple medications to at least one individual comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of storage bins to store dosages of specific medications, each storage bin of said plurality of storage bins being designated to hold only dosages of one specified medication;
• providing a probe with a suction cup at its end wherein said probe with cup at its end can be moved among said storage bins and said probe can grasp a dosage of medication located in any of said storage bins on activation of a pneumatic vacuum system connected to said suction cup and move said probe with said suction cup grasping the dosage to a delivery bin and deposit it in said delivery bin, wherein said suction cup has an articulated body surrounding a hollow interior which is in communication with a vacuum system at an opening at a first end of said suction cup articulated body, and a large lipped surface at a second end, said large lipped surface having an aperture at its center which opens into said hollow interior, said suction cup being made of a soft pliable rubber like material;
• providing a computer system that can be programmed to control and sequence the operation of said probe with said suction cup attached thereto:
• a. move at a preset times with said probe and suction cup predetermined dosages of medication form said storage bins to said delivery bin;
• b. signaling that said delivery bin is filled with the predetermined dosages for consumption by a patient at a preset time;
• c. continuing to send signals that the dosages of medication are ready for consumption until a sensor indicates that the dosages have been removed from said delivery bin;
• d. recording in a memory of said computer the fact the dosages of medication have been removed from said delivery bin;
• e. providing information on dosages of medication dispensed from the delivery bin previously recorded to various care givers and providers;
• and
• f. periodically conducting a purge cycle to remove particulate matter from said probe and said suction cup;
• programming said computer for loading dosages of medication into predesignated storage bins of said plurality of said storage bins comprising the steps of:
• a. initiating a start of a computer program medication dosage loading routine;
• b. indicating whether the dosages of medication to be loaded are for a new prescription, or an existing prescription already stored in a specific predesignated storage bin;
• c. running the following subprogram if the prescription has been indicated to be an existing prescription already stored in a specific predesignated storage bin:
• i. reviewing information on said existing prescription in said computer system;
• ii. making any corrections to the information in the computer system on the selected existing prescription;
• and
• iii. verifying the correctness of the information after step c. ii above is completed;
• iv. depositing the new dosages of mediation of the existing prescription in said specific predesignated storage bin;
• d. running the following subprogram if said prescription is new:
• i. designating an available empty storage bin from among said multiple of said storage bins as the storage bin into which the dosages of the new prescription will be stored in;
• entering the information regarding the new prescription into said computer system;
• iii. confirming the information regarding the new prescription is correct;
• and
• iv. depositing the dosages of mediation of the new prescription into said predesignated storage bin for the new prescription.