Systems and methods for manual countables
AssigneeExpress Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
InventorJonathan W. Joplin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for manually filling a prescription order. A manual fill device may be incorporated into a manual fill center of a pharmacy operated by one or more pharmacists and/or pharmacist technicians to manually fill certain prescription containers. The manual fill device may include a control unit which may operate at the direction of the order processing device. The manual fill device may also include a distribution section automating distribution of containers for manual fulfillment, and a manual section in which a pharmacist may utilize available pharmaceuticals to manually fill orders.
Claims21
A system comprising:
- a distribution section including a robot and a scanner, the robot being configured to select and pick a container from the distribution section and move the container to the scanner to identify one of a plurality of various order units to be dispensed in the container;
- and
- a manual section positioned adjacent the distribution section, the manual section including a plurality of handling areas and a plurality of shelving areas for storing the plurality of various order units;
- wherein the robot is configured to move the container from the distribution section to the selected handling area including at least one of the plurality of shelving areas that is storing one of the plurality of various order units using the identification by the scanner.
A method comprising:
- selecting a container from a distribution area;
- scanning the container by a scanner;
- determining an order unit of a plurality of various order units associated with the container based on the scan, for filling the container with the order unit;
- determining (i) a shelving area among a plurality of shelving areas that is storing the order unit, and (ii) each of the plurality of shelving areas storing at least one of the plurality of various order units;
- selecting a handling area from a plurality of handling areas associated with the shelving area;
- and
- routing the container to the handling area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.