System and methodology for filling prescriptions

A method for processing prescription orders for patients of multiple medications, each medication stored in an individual container, the method comprising:

• receiving a patient's prescription order for a plurality of identified medications;
• selecting from an inventory dispensing apparatus a number of the individual containers required to fulfill the prescription order;
• dispensing from the dispensing apparatus to a conveyor, and while maintaining positive physical control throughout the dispensing, the number of the individual containers required to fulfill the prescription order;
• conveying to a packaging apparatus, while maintaining positive physical control throughout the conveying, the number of the individual containers required to fulfill the prescription order;
• assembling, using the packaging apparatus, the dispensed new individual containers into a package;
• and
• outputting, from the packaging apparatus, the package corresponding to the patient's order,
• wherein the inventory dispensing apparatus comprises channels which constrain movement of the new individual containers.

A method for processing prescription orders for patients of multiple medications, the method comprising:

• receiving a patient's prescription order for a plurality of identified medications;
• storing in a storage arrangement adapted to store a plurality of medications each contained in an individual container,
• wherein the storage arrangement comprises a first and a second module,
• wherein the first module stores only higher demand medications having a first frequency demand meeting a first threshold and the second module is adapted to store only lower demand medications having a second frequency demand meeting a second threshold that is lower than the first threshold,
• wherein the first module is upstream of the second module with respect to movement of a conveyor;
• discharging from one or more discharge assemblies associated with each storage module to the conveyor the plurality of identified medications related to the patient's prescription order;
• conveying the plurality of identified medications to a packaging apparatus, and
• assembling in the packaging apparatus the plurality of identified medications into a package.