System and method for prepurchased replenishment of pharmaceuticals

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, having stored thereon computer readable instruction code for a computer system to perform a method of automatic prepurchased replenishment of medications disbursed by a pharmacy to qualified patients of one or more qualified entities under a qualified discount program, the method comprising:

• monitoring disbursements of medication units by the pharmacy to patients of a plurality of health care providers, wherein one or more of the plurality of health care providers are qualified entities, wherein each qualified entity is eligible to participate in one or more qualified discount programs which provide purchasing of medications at or below a predetermined ceiling price, and wherein the qualified entities may purchase the medication units for no more than a qualified discount medication price under at least one of the one or more qualified discount programs;
• determining which of the disbursements of medication units are qualified disbursements to qualified patients of the one or more qualified entities under the one or more qualified discount programs, wherein the qualified patients are the only patients eligible by regulation to receive medications under the qualified discount program;
• tracking the number of medications disbursed through qualified disbursements;
• placing a replenishment order for one or more replenishment containers from a supplier when the number of medication units disbursed through qualified disbursements reaches a replenishment threshold;
• forecasting future disbursements of medication units during a given time period by the pharmacy to qualified patients of the one or more qualified entities;
• receiving price information from suppliers, wherein the price information comprises pricing scenarios for the medication units, and wherein each pricing scenario comprises an offer to sell medication units at a predetermined price;
• monitoring the pricing scenarios for the medication units, wherein the monitored pricing scenarios are offered under the one or more qualified discount drug programs;
• identifying an advantageous pricing scenario for the medication units from among the monitored pricing scenarios, wherein the identified advantageous pricing scenario comprises an offer to sell medication units at an advantageous price less than the qualified discount medication price;
• coordinating a purchase of a prepurchased replenishment container from a medication supplier, wherein the prepurchased replenishment container is purchased at the advantageous price of the identified advantageous pricing scenario;
• coordinating delayed shipment of the prepurchased replenishment container by the supplier to the pharmacy at least until the replenishment order is placed;
• and
• associating the prepurchased replenishment container with the pharmacy,
• wherein the prepurchased replenishment container and one less than the number of replenishment containers ordered are shipped to the pharmacy in response to the replenishment order.

A computer-implemented method to enable a pharmacy to disburse medications to patients of a plurality of health care providers and to automatically coordinate replenishment of medications dispersed by the pharmacy to qualified patients of one or more qualified entities under a discount plan, the method comprising:

• a computer system monitoring disbursements of medication units by the pharmacy to patients of the plurality of health care providers, wherein one or more of the plurality of health care providers are qualified entities, wherein each qualified entity is eligible to participate in one or more qualified discount programs which provide purchasing of medications at or below a predetermined ceiling price, and wherein the qualified entities may purchase the medication units for no more than a qualified discount medication price under at least one of the one or more qualified discount programs;
• the computer system determining which of the disbursements of medication units are qualified disbursements to qualified patients of the one or more qualified entities under the one or more qualified discount programs, wherein the qualified patients are the only patients eligible by regulation to receive medications under the qualified discount program;
• the computer system tracking the number of medications disbursed through qualified disbursements;
• the computer system initiating a replenishment order by the one or more qualified entities for one or more replenishment containers from a supplier when the number of medication units disbursed through qualified disbursements reaches a replenishment threshold;
• the computer system forecasting future qualified disbursements of medication units during a given time period by the pharmacy to qualified patients of the one or more qualified entities;
• the computer system receiving price information from suppliers, wherein the price information comprises pricing scenarios for the medication units, and wherein each pricing scenario comprises an offer to sell medication units at a predetermined price;
• the computer system monitoring the pricing scenarios for the medication units, wherein the monitored pricing scenarios are offered under the one or more qualified discount drug programs;
• the computer system identifying an advantageous pricing scenario for the medication units from among the monitored pricing scenarios, wherein the identified advantageous pricing scenario comprises an offer to sell medication units at a deeply discounted price less than the qualified discount medication price;
• the computer system coordinating a purchase of a prepurchased replenishment container, wherein payment for the purchase is made to the supplier by the one or more qualified entities, and wherein the payment amount is the deeply discounted price of the identified advantageous pricing scenario;
• the computer system coordinating delayed shipment of the prepurchased replenishment container by the supplier to the pharmacy at least until the replenishment order is initiated;
• the computer system associating the prepurchased replenishment container with the pharmacy,
• wherein the prepurchased replenishment container and one less than the number of replenishment containers ordered are shipped to the pharmacy in response to the replenishment order.

A computer system to enable a pharmacy to disburse medications to patients of a plurality of health care providers and to automatically coordinate replenishment of medications dispersed to qualified patients of one or more qualified entities under a discount plan, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory in electrical communication with the processor, the memory including,
• an operating system;
• a monitoring module to perform the method of:
• monitoring disbursements of medication units by the pharmacy to patients of the plurality of health care providers, wherein one or more of the plurality of health care providers are qualified entities, wherein each qualified entity is eligible to participate in one or more qualified discount programs which provide purchasing of medications at or below a predetermined ceiling price, and wherein the qualified entities may purchase the medication units for no more than a qualified discount medication price under at least one of the one or more qualified discount programs;
• determining which of the disbursements of medication units are qualified disbursements to qualified patients of the one or more qualified entities under the one or more qualified discount programs, wherein the qualified patients are the only patients eligible by regulation to receive medications under the qualified discount program;
• and
• tracking the number of medication units dispensed through qualified dispersals to qualified patients of the one or more qualified entities;
• a replenishment module to perform the method of,
• determining when the number of medication units dispensed through qualified dispersals reaches a replenishment threshold;
• and
• upon the number of medication units dispensed through qualified dispersals reaching the replenishment threshold, initiating a replenishment order by the one or more qualified entities for one or more replenishment containers from a supplier at the qualified discount medication price under the qualified program, the replenishment container ordered for shipment to the pharmacy;
• and
• a prepurchased replenishment module to perform the method of:
• forecasting future qualified disbursements of medication units during a given time period by the pharmacy to qualified patients of the one or more qualified entities;
• receiving price information from suppliers, wherein the price information comprises pricing scenarios for the medication units, and wherein each pricing scenario comprises an offer to sell medication units at a predetermined price;
• monitoring the pricing scenarios for the medication units, wherein the monitored pricing scenarios are offered under the one or more qualified discount drug programs;
• identifying an advantageous pricing scenario for the medication units from among the monitored pricing scenarios, wherein the identified advantageous pricing scenario comprises an offer to sell medication units at a deeply discounted price less than the qualified discount medication price;
• coordinating a purchase of a prepurchased replenishment container, wherein payment for the purchase is made to the supplier by the one or more qualified entities, and wherein the payment amount is the deeply discounted price of the identified advantageous pricing scenario;
• coordinating delayed shipment of the prepurchased replenishment container by the supplier to the pharmacy at least until the replenishment order is initiated;
• and
• associating the prepurchased replenishment container with the pharmacy,
• wherein the prepurchased replenishment container and one less than the number of replenishment containers ordered are shipped to the pharmacy in response to the replenishment order.