Pharmaceutical dispensing device and methods

A method for dispensing pharmaceutical and medical supply items from a dispensing unit comprising a cabinet having a processor and a plurality of retractable drawers, with at least some of the drawers having a plurality receptacles for holding the items and with at least some of the drawers having lockable lids for at least some of the receptacles in the drawer, the method comprising:

• entering user identification information into the processor to identify a user that is requesting access to the pharmaceutical or medical supply items held in the dispensing unit;
• entering pharmaceutical or medical supply item identification information into the processor, the pharmaceutical or medical supply item identification information identifying specific pharmaceutical or medical supply items that the user requests to remove from the dispensing unit;
• comparing the user identification information with an access list having information as to which of the requested pharmaceutical or medical supply items that the user may be given access based on the previously entered user identification information to determine one or more of the drawers to which the user may be given access;
• unlocking one of the drawers having one of the requested pharmaceutical or medical supply items if the access list indicates that the user may have access to the requested pharmaceutical or medical supply item in that drawer;
• retracting the unlocked drawer;
• actuating a receptacle visual indicator adjacent one of the receptacles in the retracted drawer having the requested pharmaceutical or medical supply item;
• unlocking the lid adjacent the actuated visual indicator if the retracted drawer includes at least some lockable lids to allow access to the receptacle adjacent the actuated visual indicator while preventing access to the other receptacles having lockable lids;
• and
• removing the requested pharmaceutical or medical supply item from the receptacle adjacent the actuated visual indicator.