Automated system for medical item dispensing, billing, and inventory management

An inventory management system for managing information regarding medical items dispensed in conjunction with medical treatment of a patient at a medical facility, the inventory management system comprising:

• a first computer associated with the medical facility;
• an inventory access control system in communication with the first computer, the inventory access control system for controlling access to a physical inventory space in the medical facility in which an inventory of the medical items are disposed on or in a storage structure, the inventory access control system further for receiving credential information from a user seeking access to the physical space;
• one or more inventory sensors in communication with the first computer, the one or more inventory sensors for sensing removal of one or more medical items from the storage structure to be dispensed to the patient, and for generating item usage information indicative of an identity and quantity of the one or more medical items removed;
• a display device disposed within the physical inventory space and connected to the first computer and viewable by the user;
• an input device disposed within the physical inventory space and connected to the first computer, the input device for entering patient information regarding a patient for which the one or more medical items are to be dispensed;
• and
• a patient billing computer system associated with the medical facility and in communication with the first computer, the patient billing computer system configured to store and manage records regarding billing for services rendered and medical items dispensed to patients;
• and
• one or more inventory applications in communication with the first computer, the one or more inventory applications including:
• computer-executable instructions which, when executed, process the credential information to determine whether the user is authorized to enter the inventory space, and communicate with the inventory access control system to permit user entry into the inventory space when the credential information indicates that the user is so authorized;
• computer-executable instructions which, when executed, determine whether the patient information has been entered in association with the item usage information;
• computer-executable instructions which, when executed, generate a reminder message for display on the display device to remind the user to input the patient information if the patient information has not been entered before the user proceeds to exit the inventory space;
• computer-executable instructions which, when executed, receive the patient information from the input device;
• computer-executable instructions which, when executed, associate the item usage information with patient information that identifies the patient to which the one or more medical items are dispensed, thereby generating a record indicating that the one or more medical items removed from the storage structure are dispensed to the patient identified by the patient information;
• computer-executable instructions which, when executed, cause the item usage information and patient information to be displayed on the display device for viewing by the user;
• computer-executable instructions which, when executed, communicate the item usage information in association with the patient information to the patient billing computer system;
• and
• computer-executable instructions which, when executed, process the item usage information to update records indicating a count of medical items in inventory in the inventory space of the medical facility.