System and method for dispensing prescriptions

An apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical items, comprising:

• a frame;
• a container dispensing station attached to the frame;
• a labeling station attached to the frame;
• a dispensing station having a plurality of bins that receive and dispense solid pharmaceutical items, the bins having dispensing outlets that define generally a vertical dispensing plane, each of the bins further including a bin control circuit that monitors the counting of items traveling through the dispensing outlet and directly into a pharmaceutical vial, wherein the bin control circuit of each bin includes an identifier that is unique to that bin;
• a capping station attached to the frame;
• a first carrier positioned and configured to grasp and transport a container, the first carrier rotatably mounted relative to the frame for rotation about a first vertical axis;
• and
• a second carrier positioned and configured to grasp and transport a container, the second carrier being movable along a horizontal axis defined by a horizontal rail mounted to the frame and movable about a second vertical axis that is perpendicular to the horizontal axis, the horizontal axis being parallel to the dispensing plane;
• a controller operatively connected with and controlling the operation of the container dispensing station, the labeling station, the first carrier, the dispensing station, the capping station and the second carrier;
• and
• an offload station, wherein the apparatus is configured to convey a filled, capped container to the offload station after the dispensing station and the capping station.