Automated method for dispensing bulk medications with a machine-readable code
AssigneeAutoMed Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDuane S. Chudy, Richard A. Jobus, David A. Schultz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved automated method for dispensing bulk medications with machine-readable code. The method includes dispensing oral solid and liquid unit-of-use medications in unit dosage amounts. The medications are dispensed with machine-readable information which is generated as the medication is dispensed. The machine-readable information is patient- specific and can be customized to suit the needs of the operator. The machine-readable information can be used to monitor and control the medication from the time it is dispensed through to the time it is taken by the patient.
Claims35
A method for dispensing bulk prescription medications into dosage units together with machine-readable drug prescription information comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one person's drug prescription information to a computer for controlling bulk medication dispensing apparatus;
- automatically dispensing and packaging a predetermined quantity of solid medication into at least one dosage unit from a first bulk medication dispensing apparatus in response to a signal from the computer based on the person's drug prescription information;
- automatically applying machine-readable drug prescription information to the solid medication package in response to a signal from the computer based on the drug prescription information;
- automatically dispensing a predetermined quantity of packaged liquid medication from a second bulk dispensing apparatus in response to a signal from the computer based on the person's drug prescription information;
- automatically providing machine-readable drug prescription information for application to the liquid medication package in response to a signal from the computer based on the drug prescription information;
- and
- collecting the medication packages including the machine-readable drug prescription information corresponding to the person's drug prescription.
A method for dispensing bulk prescription medications together with machine-readable drug prescription information comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one person's drug prescription information to a computer for controlling at least bulk medication dispensing apparatus and conveyor apparatus for transporting medication-holding receptacles to and from at least one bulk medication dispensing apparatus;
- automatically dispensing and packaging at least one dosage unit of a predetermined quantity of solid medication from a first bulk medication dispensing apparatus containing a plurality of different medications in response to a signal from the computer based on the person's drug prescription information;
- automatically applying machine-readable drug prescription information to the solid medication package in response to a signal from the computer based on the drug prescription information;
- automatically dispensing the person's packaged, labeled solid medication into a receptacle on a conveyor;
- automatically dispensing a predetermined quantity of packaged liquid medication from a second bulk dispensing apparatus in response to a signal from the computer based on the person's drug prescription information;
- automatically providing machine-readable drug prescription information for application to the liquid medication packages in response to a signal from the computer based on the drug prescription information;
- automatically dispensing the person's liquid medication and machine-readable drug prescription information into a receptacle on a conveyor;
- and
- transporting the receptacle on the conveyor to a receptacle collection area.
A method for dispensing bulk medications together with machine-readable drug prescription information identifying the medications comprising the steps of:
- providing drug dispensing information to a computer for controlling bulk medication dispensing apparatus;
- automatically dispensing and packaging in at least one dosage unit a predetermined quantity of solid medication from a first bulk medication dispensing apparatus in response to a signal from the computer based on the drug dispensing information;
- automatically applying machine-readable drug identifying information to at least one solid medication package in response to a signal from the computer based on the drug dispensing information;
- automatically dispensing a predetermined quantity of packaged liquid medication from a second bulk dispensing apparatus in response to a signal from the computer based on the drug dispensing information;
- automatically providing machine-readable drug identifying information for application to the liquid medication package in response to a signal from the computer based on the drug dispensing information;
- and
- collecting the medication packages including the machine-readable drug identifying information.
A method for dispensing bulk prescription medications from at least a first bulk medication dispensing apparatus for dispensing solid medication and a second bulk medication dispensing apparatus for dispensing packaged liquid medication, said medications being dispensed into dosage units together with machine-readable drug prescription information, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one person's drug prescription information to a computer for controlling the bulk medication dispensing apparatus;
- if the prescription information includes solid-medication information, automatically dispensing and packaging a predetermined quantity of the solid medication into at least one dosage unit from the first bulk medication dispensing apparatus in response to a signal from the computer based on the solid-medication information;
- automatically applying machine-readable drug prescription information to the solid medication package in response to a signal from the computer based on the solid-medication information;
- if the prescription information includes liquid-medication information, automatically dispensing a predetermined quantity of the packaged liquid medication from the second bulk dispensing apparatus in response to a signal from the computer based on the liquid-medication information;
- automatically providing machine-readable drug prescription information for the packaged liquid medication in response to a signal from the computer based on the liquid-medication information;
- and
- collecting the person's medication packages, including the machine-readable drug prescription information related thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.