Apparatus and method for processing phone-in prescriptions

A method of processing prescription requests comprising the steps:

• establishing a connection to a remotely located prescription processing system;
• submitting a prescription request to the prescription processing system;
• capturing the prescription request for subsequent manipulation;
• processing the captured prescription request;
• preparing, by at least one of a pharmacist and personnel capable of independently assessing correctness of the prescription request, a completed prescription form based, at least partially, on the processed prescription request;
• sending the completed prescription form to a predetermined pharmacy;
• and
• filling the prescription request, at the predetermined pharmacy, based on the completed prescription form.

A method of processing prescription requests comprising the steps:

• establishing a connection to a remotely located prescription processing system;
• submitting a prescription request to the prescription processing system;
• capturing the prescription request;
• converting the captured prescription request to a digitized format to obtain a digitized prescription request;
• creating an identification file, including identification data, for the digitized prescription request;
• associating the identification file and the digitized prescription request to form a prescription file;
• storing the prescription file on a database maintained by the prescription processing system;
• transcribing the digitized prescription request;
• preparing, by at least one of a pharmacist and personnel capable of independently assessing correctness of the prescription request, a completed prescription form based, at least partially, on the transcribed prescription request;
• sending the completed prescription form to a filling pharmacy;
• and
• filling the prescription request, at the filling pharmacy, based at least partially on the completed prescription form.

A method of processing prescription requests comprising the steps:

• establishing a connection to a remotely located prescription processing system;
• submitting a prescription request to the prescription processing system;
• capturing the prescription request;
• transcribing the captured prescription request;
• preparing, by at least one of a pharmacist and personnel capable of independently assessing correctness of the prescription request, a completed prescription form based, at least partially, on the transcribed prescription request;
• sending the completed prescription form to a pharmacy;
• filling the prescription request, at the pharmacy, based on the completed prescription form;
• determining if the user would like to submit a new prescription request;
• repeating the steps of submitting, capturing, transcribing, preparing, sending, filling, and determining if the user would like to submit a new prescription request;
• and
• terminating the connection if the user would not like to submit a new prescription request.

A method of processing prescription requests comprising the steps:

• establishing a connection to a remotely located prescription processing system;
• submitting a prescription request to the prescription processing system, wherein the audible prescription request includes user information and a member ID number;
• capturing the prescription request;
• converting the captured prescription request to a digitized format to obtain a digitized prescription request;
• creating an identification file, including identification data, for the digitized prescription request;
• associating the identification file with the digitized prescription request to form a prescription file;
• storing the prescription file on a database maintained by the prescription processing system;
• transcribing the digitized prescription request;
• preparing, by at least one of a pharmacist and personnel capable of independently assessing correctness of the prescription request, a completed prescription form based, in part, on the transcribed digitized prescription request;
• sending the completed prescription form to a central pharmacy;
• and
• filling the prescription request, at the central pharmacy, based at least partially on the completed prescription form.

A method of submitting a prescription request for retrieval of a filled prescription by a patient, the method comprising the steps:

• initiating a connection to a remotely located prescription processing system;
• submitting an audible prescription request to the prescription processing system;
• and
• retrieving, by the patient, a filled prescription from a predetermined filling pharmacy remotely located from the prescription processing system.

A method of processing a submitted prescription request, comprising the steps:

• receiving a request from a remote source to establish a connection with a local prescription processing system;
• establishing a connection with the remote source;
• receiving an audible prescription request;
• preparing, by a pharmacist, a completed prescription form based, at least partially, on the audible prescription request;
• and
• sending the completed prescription form to a pharmacy to be filled.

A prescription processing network comprising:

• a prescription processing system;
• a communication device for establishing a communication channel with said prescription processing system and submitting a prescription request over said communication channel, said communication device being remotely located from said prescription processing system;
• said prescription processing system being accessible by one of a pharmacist and personnel capable of independently assessing correctness of the prescription request for preparing a completed prescription form based, at least in part, on the submitted prescription request;
• and
• a pharmacy for receiving said completed prescription form, and filling said prescription request based on the completed prescription form.