Automated portable medication radial dispensing apparatus and method using a carrier tape

A medication dispensing device, comprising:

• a cartridge housing having a base and a cover;
• a tablet carrier tape having a plurality of tablet pockets, each of the pockets having one opening, the tablet carrier tape having first and second ends that are attached to one another to form a loop;
• a tablet cover tape removably attached to the tablet carrier tape and positioned to cover the openings of the pockets;
• and
• a rotational member for positioning the tablet carrier tape and having a plurality of actuation surfaces that are configured to engage an actuating device to rotationally advance the tablet carrier tape for radially releasing tablets of medication, the rotational member being positioned between the base and cover of the cartridge housing.

A method of filling a tablet carrier tape comprising the steps of:

• providing a tablet carrier tape having a plurality of pockets, each of the pockets having one opening;
• filling at least one of the pockets of a predetermined length of the tablet carrier tape with tablets of medication;
• sealing the tablet carrier tape with a tablet cover tape such that the openings of the pockets are covered;
• and
• attaching a first end of the carrier tape to a second end of the carrier tape such that a loop is formed with the tablet cover tape.

A method of dispensing medication, comprising the steps of:

• determining a medication to be dispensed and a number of tablets of the medication to be dispensed;
• selecting via an identifier associated with a cartridge that contains the medication wherein the cartridge includes a carrier tape with tablets of the medication wherein the carrier tape includes an attached first end and second end of the carrier tape to form a loop;
• and
• dispensing from the respective carrier tape the determined number of tablets of the determined medication.