Automated system and method for processing prescriptions

A pharmacy prescription processing system, comprising:

• means for entering a prescription request;
• and
• a processor coupled to the means for entering, the processor operable to:
• receive a plurality of prescription requests;
• create a queue of prescription requests from the received plurality of prescription requests, each prescription request in the queue eligible to be filled by a central fill inventory;
• convert the queue of prescription requests to a transmission format;
• and
• transmit the converted queue of prescription requests to a central fill prescription processing system that dispenses a plurality of drugs from the central fill inventory based, at least in part, on the transmitted queue of prescription requests.

A central fill prescription processing system, comprising:

• a central fill inventory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the central fill inventory and operable to:
• receive a queue of prescription requests in a predetermined transmission format from a pharmacy system;
• convert the queue of prescription requests from the predetermined transmission format to a processing format;
• fill a plurality of prescription requests in the queue of prescription requests from the central fill inventory;
• and
• dispense a plurality of drugs from the central fill inventory, the dispensed plurality of drugs associated with the plurality of filled prescription requests.

A pharmacy prescription processing method, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a plurality of prescription requests;
• creating a queue of prescription requests from the received plurality of prescription requests, each prescription request in the queue eligible to be filled by a central fill inventory;
• converting the queue of prescription requests to a transmission format;
• and
• transmitting the converted queue of prescription requests to a central fill prescription processing system that dispenses a plurality of drugs from the central fill inventory based, at least in part, on the transmitted queue of prescription requests.

A central fill prescription processing method, comprising the steps of

• receiving a queue of prescription requests in a predetermined transmission format from a provider;
• converting the queue of prescription requests from the predetermined transmission format to a processing format;
• filling a plurality of prescription requests in the queue of prescription requests from a central fill inventory;
• and
• dispensing a plurality of drugs from the central fill inventory, the dispensed plurality of drugs associated with the plurality of filled prescription requests.

A method for processing prescription requests comprising:

• a pharmacy prescription processing subsystem:
• receiving a plurality of prescription requests, at least one of the prescription requests received from a physician and at least one of the prescription requests received from a patient;
• creating a queue of prescription requests from the received plurality of prescription requests, each prescription request in the queue eligible to be filled by a central fill inventory;
• converting the queue of prescription requests to a transmission format;
• transmitting the converted queue of prescription requests to a central fill prescription processing subsystem;
• the central fill prescription processing subsystem:
• receiving the converted queue of prescription requests;
• converting the queue of prescription requests from the transmission format to a processing format;
• filling a plurality of prescription requests in the queue of prescription requests from the central fill inventory;
• and
• dispensing a plurality of drugs from the central fill inventory, the dispensed plurality of drugs associated with the plurality of filled prescription requests.

A method for processing prescription requests, comprising the steps of:

• entering at least a first prescription request into a queue of prescription requests to be filled;
• determining if the first prescription request is eligible to be filled from a central fill inventory;
• if the first prescription request is eligible to be filled from the central fill inventory, determining if the first prescription request can be filled by a brand name drug from the central fill inventory;
• if the first prescription request is not eligible to be filled from the central fill inventory, assigning the first prescription request to be filled from a local inventory;
• if the first prescription request can be filled by the brand name drug from the central fill inventory, assigning the brand name drug to fill the first prescription request;
• if the first prescription request cannot be filled by a brand name drug from the central fill inventory, determining if a second drug from the central fill inventory can be substituted for the brand name drug;
• if the first prescription request can be filled by a second drug from the central fill inventory, assigning the second drug to fill the first prescription request;
• if the first prescription request cannot be filled by a second drug from the central fill inventory, assigning the first prescription request to be filled from the local inventory;
• if the first prescription request has been assigned for filling from the central fill inventory, sending the prescription fill queue including at least the first prescription request to a dispensing system associated with the central fill inventory for filling.

A method for processing prescription requests, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a plurality of prescription requests to be filled from a pharmacy system;
• selecting at least one prescription request from the plurality of prescription requests;
• determining if a central fill inventory has adequate inventory to fill the first prescription request;
• if the central fill inventory has adequate inventory to fill the first prescription request, allocating a dispense quantity for the first prescription request;
• if the central fill inventory has inadequate inventory to fill the first prescription request, generating an error message to report that the central fill inventory has inadequate inventory to fill the prescription request;
• if a dispense quantity has been allocated for the first prescription request, dispensing the dispense quantity from the central fill inventory.