Pharmaceutical returns processing system and related methods

A pharmaceutical returns processing server comprising:

• a processor and an associated memory configured to
• switch between a returns mode for determining a return payment and a dispensing mode for dispensing a dispensed medication,
• operate in the dispensing mode to selectively operate a gate carried by a housing of a pharmaceutical returns processing device to couple a medication source carried by the housing to a medication placement area defined by the housing for dispensing of the dispensed medication into the medication placement area, apply optical image recognition to an image of the dispensed medication, the image of the dispensed medication acquired by a camera carried by the housing of the pharmaceutical returns processing device, and verify the dispensed medication within the medication placement area,
• operate in the returns mode to selectively operate the gate to decouple the medication source from the medication placement area, apply optical image recognition to an image of a serialized medication to determine a unique medication serial identifier, the image of the serialized medication acquired by the camera of the pharmaceutical returns processing device when placed in the medication placement area, the serialized medication having the unique medication serial identifier thereon, determine the return payment corresponding to the unique medication serial identifier, and process the return payment.

A pharmaceutical returns processing device comprising:

• a housing defining a medication placement area for one of placement of a serialized medication having a unique medication serial identifier thereon and dispensing of a dispensed medication;
• a camera carried by the housing and having the medication placement area within a field of view of the camera;
• a medication source carried by the housing;
• a gate carried by the housing and coupled to the medication source;
• and
• a controller coupled to the gate and the camera and configured to
• acquire one of an image of the serialized medication within the return medication placement area and an image of the dispensed medication, and
• communicate the one of the image of the serialized medication and the dispensed medication to a pharmaceutical returns processing server switchable between a returns mode for determining a return payment and a dispensing mode for dispensing the dispensed medication, the communication causing to cause the pharmaceutical returns processing server to operate in the dispensing mode to selectively operate the gate to couple the medication source to the medication placement area for dispensing of the dispensed medication into the medication placement area, apply optical image recognition to the image of the dispensed medication, and verify the dispensed medication within the medication placement area, and operate in the returns mode to decouple the medication source from the medication placement area, apply optical image recognition to the image of the serialized medication to determine the unique medication serial identifier, determine the return payment corresponding to the unique medication serial identifier, and process the return payment.

A method of processing a pharmaceutical return comprising:

• using a pharmaceutical returns processing server to
• switch between a returns mode for determining a return payment and a dispensing mode for dispensing a dispensed medication,
• operate in the dispensing mode to selectively operate a gate carried by a housing of a pharmaceutical returns processing device to couple a medication source carried by the housing to a medication placement area defined by the housing for dispensing of the dispensed medication into the medication placement area, apply optical image recognition to an image of the dispensed medication, the image of the dispensed medication acquired by a camera carried by the housing of the pharmaceutical returns processing device, and verify the dispensed medication within the medication placement area,
• operate in the returns mode to selectively operate the gate to decouple the medication source from the medication placement area, apply optical image recognition to an image of a serialized medication to determine a unique medication serial identifier, the image of the serialized medication acquired by the camera of the pharmaceutical returns processing device when placed in the medication placement area, the serialized medication having the unique medication serial identifier thereon, determine the return payment corresponding to the unique medication serial identifier, and process the return payment.

A non-transitory computer readable medium for processing a pharmaceutical return, the non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• switching between a returns mode for determining a return payment and a dispensing mode for dispensing a dispensed medication;
• operating in the dispensing mode to selectively operate a gate carried by a housing of a pharmaceutical returns processing device to couple a medication source carried by the housing to a medication placement area defined by the housing for dispensing of the dispensed medication into the medication placement area, apply optical image recognition to an image of the dispensed medication, the image of the dispensed medication acquired by a camera carried by the housing of the pharmaceutical returns processing device, and verify the dispensed medication within the medication placement area,
• operating in the returns mode to selectively operate the gate to decouple the medication source from the medication placement area, apply optical image recognition to an image of the serialized medication to determine a unique medication serial identifier, the image of the serialized medication acquired by the camera of the pharmaceutical returns processing device when placed in the medication placement area, the serialized medication having the unique medication serial identifier thereon, determine a return payment corresponding to the unique medication serial identifier, and process the return payment.