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US 8,543,417 B1Granted
Systems and methods for dispensing and collecting data related to controlled substances
OwnerDelvin Ray Jacksoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for providing pharmaceutical manufacturers marketing data related to the provision of samples includes an automated sample dispensing unit, a collateral materials printing device, a product information communication device, related prescription data flow information management services, companion wireless devices, robotic dispensing techniques, and bar code scanning capabilities.
Claims19
A system for dispensing controlled substances and collection data associated with the controlled substances, comprising:
- a dispensing unit housing the controlled substances in respective storage compartments;
- a data collection service that receives information associated with the controlled substances;
- an application server configured to provide an interface to the information associated with the controlled substances,
- wherein the dispensing unit is configured to store, monitor and dispense the controlled substances as samples, wherein the dispensing unit monitors the numbers of pharmaceutical samples within respective storage compartments in the pharmaceutical dispensing unit, wherein the dispensing unit generates a prescription for a dispensed controlled substance, wherein the prescription is provided separately from the dispensed controlled substance, the prescription being used to obtain additional controlled substance at a time subsequent to the dispensing of the controlled substance and at a fulfillment site other the dispensing unit, wherein the prescription and the dispensed controlled substance are uniquely identified, wherein a filled prescription at the fulfillment site is matched to the uniquely identified prescription to create a sample/prescription pair, and wherein the sample/prescription pair is tracked to determine a return on investment (ROI), and communicates pharmaceutical samples information to a data aggregator, the pharmaceutical samples information including dispensed pharmaceutical samples, medical provider information, and generated prescriptions;
- and
- a representative device configured to access the information associated with the controlled substances through a local application running on the device,
- wherein the representative device is further configured to notify a representative if a number of a particular pharmaceutical sample is below a predetermined threshold or if a characteristic of the particular pharmaceutical sample reaches a second predetermined threshold.
4 more elements
A method for dispensing pharmaceutical samples, comprising:
- electronically receiving provider credentials at a dispensing unit;
- electronically receiving patient information at the dispensing unit;
- dispensing a sample from the dispensing unit in accordance with an authorized provider and the patient information;
- generating, by the dispensing unit, a prescription for a pharmaceutical product associated with the sample wherein the prescription is provided separately from the pharmaceutical product, the prescription being used to obtain additional pharmaceutical product at a time subsequent to the dispensing of the pharmaceutical product and at a fulfillment site other the dispensing unit;
- monitoring numbers of pharmaceutical samples within respective storage compartments in the pharmaceutical dispensing unit;
- notifying a representative if a number of a particular pharmaceutical sample is below a predetermined threshold or if a characteristic of the particular pharmaceutical sample reaches a second predetermined threshold;
- communicating sample information to a data aggregator, the pharmaceutical sample information including dispensed samples, medical provider information, and generated prescriptions;
- forwarding the sample information regarding the provider and the sample dispensed to a data collection service;
- uniquely identifying the prescription and the sample;
- matching a filled prescription at the fulfillment site to the uniquely identified prescription to create a sample/prescription pair, and
- tracking the sample/prescription to determine a return on investment (ROI).
8 more elements
A method of using a pharmaceutical dispensing unit to monitor and dispense pharmaceutical samples, comprising:
- dispensing a pharmaceutical sample from the pharmaceutical dispensing unit in accordance with instructions from a medical provider;
- generating, by the pharmaceutical dispensing unit, a prescription associated with the pharmaceutical sample that is provide separately from the pharmaceutical sample, the prescription being used to obtain additional pharmaceuticals at a time subsequent to the dispensing of the pharmaceutical sample and at a fulfillment site other the pharmaceutical dispensing unit;
- monitoring numbers of pharmaceutical samples within respective storage compartments in the pharmaceutical dispensing unit;
- notifying a representative if a number of a particular pharmaceutical sample is below a predetermined threshold or if a characteristic of the particular pharmaceutical sample reaches a second predetermined threshold;
- communicating pharmaceutical sample information to a data aggregator, the pharmaceutical sample information including dispensed pharmaceutical samples, medical provider information, and generated prescriptions;
- uniquely identifying the prescription and the sample;
- matching a filled prescription presented to the fulfillment site to the uniquely identified prescription to create a sample/prescription pair, and
- tracking the sample/prescription to determine a return on investment (ROI).
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.