Pharmacy inventory management system and method performing the same

Abstract

A pharmacy inventory management method executed on a pharmacy inventory management server according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first step of receiving input regarding whether a pharmaceutical product to be managed has been opened, and a second step of inputting inventory information using at least one of an identification code of the pharmaceutical product to be managed and weight information of the pharmaceutical product to be managed, depending on whether the pharmaceutical product to be managed has been opened.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pharmacy inventory management system and a method for implementing the same, and more specifically, to a pharmacy inventory management system and a method for implementing the same that can manage inventory regardless of whether a container of medicine has been opened, thereby saving time spent on manually counting or recording pills in a pharmacy. Background Technology

[0003] Inventory management is essential in pharmacies. Accurate inventory management contributes to providing patients with necessary medications in a timely manner, managing expiration dates, and increasing cost efficiency. This is a core element of pharmacy operations, as failure in inventory management can directly impact patient safety and the pharmacy's financial status.

[0004] Previously, pharmacies managed inventory using PC program systems. However, in a method where a pharmacist or staff member calls out the name of a medication and another employee inputs it into the PC, there is a risk of incorrectly entering the accurate name or information of the medication. If the name is entered incorrectly or does not match, errors may occur where the system fails to properly locate the desired medication or registers the wrong medication. Furthermore, situations may arise where the wrong medication is delivered if the pharmacist does not provide proper explanation when calling out the name.

[0005] Furthermore, in the existing system, the inventory quantities and information of pharmaceuticals had to be entered manually one by one. This is time-consuming and carries a high risk of errors. The process of manually entering information for numerous pharmaceuticals and updating inventory can be a waste of time, and input errors can lead to inaccurate inventory management.

[0006] To address existing issues, a barcode-based system was introduced for pharmaceutical management. Traditionally, individual pharmaceutical products were tracked by assigning unique numbers and managing them via barcodes. In other words, the introduction of barcodes enabled data to be automatically entered simply by scanning the unique barcode attached to the pharmaceutical product.

[0007] In this way, since the need for manual information entry is eliminated, input errors are reduced, and information regarding pharmaceuticals can be quickly reflected in the system, thereby enabling much more efficient and accurate inventory management and drug tracking.

[0008] However, in situations involving the management of large quantities of pharmaceuticals, there is a problem in that it takes a lot of time to track inventory or move items because each drug must be managed individually using a unique individual drug number. In particular, it is difficult to quickly verify the quantity when handling multiple identical drugs.

[0009] In addition, modifying existing barcodes becomes complicated when information about pharmaceuticals changes or new products are added. For example, if packaging or product information changes, a new barcode must be created and information must be updated in the existing system, which increases management costs and may delay system updates.

[0010] Therefore, recently, inventory is being managed using 2D barcodes for individual drug unique numbers and drug identification codes.

[0011] Furthermore, pharmacies face various practical challenges in managing pill inventory by container. Managing pills in opened containers is particularly complex. First, verifying the exact number of remaining pills in an opened container is a very cumbersome and time-consuming task. Additionally, pills are sometimes discarded after breaking or being damaged following opening; these losses are often not properly reflected in inventory records, leading to discrepancies between the actual inventory and the inventory recorded in the system.

[0012] For example, when a pharmacist prescribes pills, they may get damaged or fall to the floor, and managing such losses manually is very difficult. Furthermore, the process of visually checking the number of remaining pills one by one is time-consuming, and there is a high possibility of human error when counting them by hand.

[0013] As such, the problem is that while it is easy to track inventory on a per-can basis for unopened cans, efficiency is significantly reduced for opened cans because the exact quantity of remaining pills must be managed.

[0014] In addition, managing the expiration dates of opened pills is also difficult. If time passes after opening, the medication may become damaged or expire, rendering it unusable. However, if these matters are not immediately reflected in the inventory system, pharmacists may face situations where they run out of medication or have to keep expired drugs in stock.

[0015] In particular, failure to accurately determine the exact quantity of opened medications can lead to a failure to detect stock shortages in a timely manner, resulting in a failure to replenish inventory promptly. This can significantly impact pharmacy operations and poses a risk of failing to provide patients with appropriate medication when needed.

[0016] Ultimately, these issues lead to human error and time consumption, undermining the accuracy of inventory management within pharmacies. The traditional method of managing pharmaceutical inventory manually has limitations, particularly in tracking opened pills, and can result in a complex combination of problems including stock shortages, lost pills, and the management of expired medications.

[0017] Therefore, the need for an automated system arises for efficient and accurate inventory management in pharmacies. The problem to be solved

[0019] The present invention aims to provide a pharmacy inventory management system and a method for implementing the same, which allows for inventory management regardless of whether a container of medicine has been opened, thereby saving time spent on manually counting or recording pills in a pharmacy.

[0020] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a pharmacy inventory management system and a method for implementing the same, which automatically calculates the number of remaining pills using weight information when a container of medicine is opened, thereby eliminating the need to check the remaining inventory individually, which increases the accuracy of inventory identification and prevents shortages or excesses of medicine.

[0021] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a pharmacy inventory management system and a method for implementing the same, which automatically records expiration date information using an identification code of a bulk-unit medicine and enables the rapid identification of medicines nearing their expiration date.

[0023] The objects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned objects and advantages of the present invention may be understood from the following description and will be more clearly understood by the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims. means of solving the problem

[0025] A pharmacy inventory management method executed on a pharmacy inventory management server to achieve this purpose includes a first step of receiving input on whether a managed medicine is opened, and a second step of inputting inventory information using at least one of an identification code of the managed medicine and weight information of the managed medicine according to whether the managed medicine is opened.

[0026] In one embodiment, the second step may include the step of entering inventory information in units using the identification code when the controlled medicine has not been opened.

[0027] In one embodiment, the second step includes the step of calculating the total weight of the remaining individual pills by subtracting the weight of the container of the controlled medicine from the total weight of the controlled medicine when the controlled medicine is opened, and the step of inputting inventory information by predicting the number of remaining individual pills using the total weight of the individual pills and the weight per individual pill.

[0028] In one embodiment, the second step may include a step of inputting inventory information by matching the identification code of the controlled drug with the location code of the loading shelf on which the controlled drug is loaded.

[0029] In addition, a pharmacy inventory management system for achieving this purpose includes a scanning device for scanning the identification code of a controlled drug, a weight measuring device for measuring the weight information of the controlled drug, and a pharmacy inventory management server that inputs inventory information using the identification code of the controlled drug scanned by the scanning device or inputs inventory information using the weight information of the controlled drug measured by the weight measuring device, depending on whether the controlled drug is opened.

[0030] In one embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server can input inventory information in units using the identification code when the managed medicine has not been opened.

[0031] In one embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server can calculate the total weight of the remaining individual pills by subtracting the predetermined weight of the container of the managed medicine from the total weight of the managed medicine received from the weight measuring device when the managed medicine is opened, and input inventory information by predicting the number of remaining individual pills using the total weight of the individual pills and the weight per individual pill.

[0032] In one embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server can input inventory information by matching the identification code of the managed medicine with the location code of the storage shelf where the managed medicine is loaded. Effects of the invention

[0034] According to the present invention as described above, there is an advantage in that inventory can be managed regardless of whether the medicine in a container has been opened, thereby saving time spent on manually counting or recording pills in pharmacies.

[0035] In addition, according to the present invention, when a container of medicine is opened, the number of remaining pills is automatically calculated using weight information, so there is no need to check the remaining inventory individually. This results in increased accuracy in inventory tracking and has the advantage of preventing shortages or excesses of medicine.

[0036] In addition, according to the present invention, expiration date information is automatically recorded using the identification code of a whole-unit medicine, and thereby there is an advantage in that medicines with an approaching expiration date can be quickly identified. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0038] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a pharmacy inventory management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the internal structure of a pharmacy inventory management server according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a pharmacy inventory management method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a pharmacy inventory management method according to another embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0039] The aforementioned objectives, features, and advantages are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to easily implement the technical concept of the present invention. In describing the present invention, detailed descriptions of known technologies related to the present invention are omitted if it is determined that such descriptions would unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar components.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a pharmacy inventory management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, the pharmacy inventory management system includes a display case (100), a scanning device (200), a weighing device (300), and a pharmacy inventory management server (400).

[0043] The display case (100) is a display case in which pharmaceuticals from a pharmacy are displayed. The display case (100) includes stacking shelves (101_1 to 101_N) arranged in an M * N configuration. The shelves are combined to form the stacking shelves (101_1 to 101_N).

[0044] Each of the loading shelves (101_1 to 101_N) is formed in a cuboid shape by combining frames that form each side, and is basically configured to include a bottom plate for loading and displaying pharmaceuticals. Side and top surfaces may or may not be configured as needed. A location code is assigned to each of these loading shelves (101_1 to 101_N). The same type of pharmaceutical may be placed on each of the above loading shelves (101_1 to 101_N), but different pharmaceuticals may be placed depending on the case.

[0045] The scanning device (200) scans a unique identification code attached to a pharmaceutical product according to the user's operation and transmits the information of the pharmaceutical product to the pharmacy inventory management server (400). This scanning device (200) is a terminal device held by a pharmacist working at the pharmacy and can be implemented as a smartphone, tablet PC, etc.

[0046] The identification code attached to the medicine may include information such as the product name, manufacturer, serial number, and expiration date of the medicine, and is used to quickly and accurately distinguish the medicine. Such a scanning device (200) may be implemented as a barcode reader device for scanning the identification code, or as a terminal device having the function of scanning the identification code (e.g., pharmacist terminal, pharmacy POS, etc.).

[0047] A weight measuring device (300) measures weight information when a controlled medicine is placed on it. This weight measuring device (300) can be implemented as an electronic scale, and a display module that displays weight information after measuring the weight of the controlled medicine may be formed.

[0048] The pharmacy inventory management server (400) can input inventory information using the identification code of the medicine under management and the weight information of the medicine under management received from the scanning device (200) depending on whether the medicine under management has been opened. At this time, the weight information of the medicine under management can be measured by a weight measuring device (300), measured based on image information of individual pills of the medicine under management, or measured by the user's eyes.

[0049] First, we will explain the process of inputting inventory information when the weight information of the pharmaceutical product under management is measured through the weight measuring device (300).

[0050] In one embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) inputs the inventory in units using an identification code received from the scanning device (200) when the medicine to be managed has not been opened.

[0051] In the above embodiment, when the pharmacy inventory management server (400) receives the weight of an unopened medicine container measured by the weight measuring device (300), it calculates the weight of auxiliary materials using medicine information (i.e., number of pills, weight of pills, etc.) that matches the identification code. Then, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) stores the identification number and the weight of auxiliary materials in correspondence.

[0053] [Mathematical Formula 1]

[0054]

[0056] W materials : Weight of auxiliary materials,

[0057] W total : Full container weight,

[0058] W bottle : Empty container weight,

[0059] W pills_total : Total weight of the pills (= weight per pill × number of pills)

[0061] Additionally, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) can determine whether the type of medicine container or the type of medicine container auxiliary material has been changed by comparing the weight of the full container and the weight of the empty container with existing data and whether they are different.

[0062] In one embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) calculates the estimated weight of the medicine container using existing data corresponding to the identification code, and can determine whether the type of medicine container or the type of medicine container auxiliary material has been changed based on the difference between the estimated weight of the medicine container and the actual weight of the medicine container received from the weight measuring device (300).

[0063] First, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) calculates the estimated weight of the empty container using the weight of the empty container, the weight of the auxiliary materials, the number of pills, and the weight of the pills from the existing data as in [Equation 2].

[0065] [Mathematical Formula 2]

[0066]

[0068] W total,expected : Estimated full weight,

[0069] W bottle, recorded : Pre-emptive weight of the medicine container,

[0070] N total : Weight of the pill in the container,

[0071] W pill : Weight per pill,

[0072] W materials, recodered : Pre-weight of the materials inside the medicine container,

[0074] After that, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) can determine whether the type of medicine container or the type of medicine container auxiliary material has been changed based on the difference between the expected weight of the medicine container and the actual weight of the medicine container received from the weight measuring device (300) as in [Equation 3].

[0076] [Mathematical Formula 3]

[0077]

[0079] W total,expected : Estimated full weight,

[0080] W total, measured : Actual weight of the canister

[0082] ΔW in [Equation 3] total If this tolerance is exceeded, it can be determined that there is a possibility that the type of medicine container or auxiliary materials has been changed.

[0083] More specifically, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) re-measures the weight of the empty container to determine whether the type of container has been changed if the weight difference between the expected container weight and the actual container weight is greater than or equal to a predetermined first threshold (i.e., an acceptable error value in measuring container weight).

[0084] In one embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) compares the re-measured empty container weight with the previously recorded empty container weight and determines that the type of medicine container has been changed if the difference in weight is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold (i.e., an allowable error value in the empty container weight).

[0085] In another embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) may determine that the weight of the auxiliary material has changed if the re-measured empty container weight and the previously recorded empty container weight are the same.

[0086] Additionally, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) inputs inventory information using weight information from the weight measuring device (300) when the medicine to be managed is opened.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) can calculate the number of pills by subtracting the weight of the empty container and the weight of the auxiliary materials from the current weight of the medicine container when the medicine to be managed is opened, and dividing the total weight of the pills by the weight of one pill. In one embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) can calculate using [Equation 4].

[0089] [Mathematical Formula 4]

[0090]

[0092] N pills : The number of pills currently remaining in the bottle,

[0093] W current : Current total weight including bottles and pills,

[0094] W bottle : Weight of the empty bottle,

[0095] W materials : Weight of other substances contained in the bottle (e.g., moisture absorbents, packaging materials, etc.),

[0096] W pill : Weight of one pill,

[0098] In addition, if the weight information of the medicine under management is predicted based on image information of individual pills of the medicine under management, inventory information can be entered. More specifically, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) receives an image of the pill of the medicine under management when the medicine under management is opened, and can calculate the number of pills by detecting individual pills through the detection of the outline of the pill image.

[0099] In addition, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) can input inventory information when the number of pills is entered by the user after being directly counted by the user.

[0100] After that, when the pharmacy inventory management server (400) inputs inventory information, it matches the identification code of the medicine to be managed with the location code of the shelf where the medicine to be managed is stored. Through this, the pharmacist can quickly check where the medicine is stored.

[0101] For example, if a medicine with identification code 'XYZ123' is stored in location code 'A12-S3', the pharmacy inventory management server (400) can record that the medicine 'XYZ123' is located in the third slot of shelf A12.

[0102] To this end, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) receives the identification code of the medicine and the location code where the medicine is loaded from the scanning device (200) when the inventory information of the medicine is entered.

[0103] In this case, the identification code is unique identification information that includes details such as the product name, manufacturer, serial number, and expiration date of the relevant medicine. The location code is unique location information of the shelf where the medicine is stored within the pharmacy, and may include the shelf number, floor number, section code, etc.

[0104] The pharmacy inventory management server (400) records the identification code of the medicine along with the exact location code where the medicine is stored. Therefore, the pharmacist can easily search for the location of the medicine whenever needed.

[0105] For example, when a pharmacist wants to find a specific medicine, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) receives an identification code and extracts and provides a location code corresponding to the identification code. Thus, it helps reduce the time the pharmacist spends looking for medicines and enables accurate inventory management.

[0106] In addition, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) manages expiration date information of medicines in addition to identification codes and location codes. The pharmacy inventory management server (400) can track medicines with an approaching expiration date and send notifications to pharmacists or set priorities.

[0107] Accordingly, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) displays a warning to prioritize the use of the medicine stored in a specific location when the medicine in that location is nearing its expiration date, or manages to prioritize the release of medicines nearing their expiration date from the system.

[0108] Additionally, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) sends a stock shortage notification to the pharmacist when the stock of medicines stored in a specific location reaches a critical point. According to an embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) supports the replenishment of the stock on the corresponding shelf by executing a function to automatically order medicines.

[0109] As described above, the present invention efficiently tracks and manages pharmaceuticals by mapping identification codes and location codes to manage and record the precise storage locations and real-time inventory status of pharmaceuticals, thereby helping pharmacists easily identify inventory. This enables accurate inventory management and pharmaceutical location tracking within the pharmacy, and allows for the prevention of issues such as stock shortages or expired products in advance.

[0111] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the internal structure of a pharmacy inventory management server according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 2, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) includes an identification code receiving unit (410), a weight information receiving unit (420), an auxiliary material weight calculation unit (430), a medicine container weight database (440), a weight verification unit (450), and an inventory management unit (460).

[0113] The identification code receiving unit (410) receives an identification code from the scanning device (200) and provides it to the inventory management unit (460). This identification code may include information such as the product name, manufacturer, serial number, expiration date, number of pills in the container, and dosage of the medicine, and is used to quickly and accurately distinguish the medicine.

[0114] The weight information receiving unit (420) receives weight information of the medicine to be managed from the weight measuring device (300) and provides it to the inventory management unit (460).

[0115] When the weight of the auxiliary material (430) receives the actual weight of the unopened medicine container measured by the weight measuring device (300) when the medicine subject to management has not been opened, it calculates the weight of the auxiliary material using medicine information (i.e., number of pills, weight of pills, etc.) that matches the identification code.

[0116] The pill container weight database (440) stores pill container weight information by identification code. At this time, the pill container weight information may include the weight of the empty container, the weight of the auxiliary materials, the number of pills, the weight of the pills, etc.

[0117] The weight verification unit (450) can determine whether the type of medicine container or the type of medicine container auxiliary material has been changed by comparing the expected weight of the medicine container and the actual weight of the medicine container received from the weight measuring device (300).

[0118] First, the weight verification unit (450) extracts the weight information of the medicine container corresponding to the identification code extracted from the medicine container weight database (440), and calculates the estimated weight of the full container using the weight of the empty container, the weight of the auxiliary materials, the number of pills, and the weight of the pills as in [Equation 2].

[0119] After that, the weight verification unit (450) can determine whether the type of medicine container or the type of medicine container auxiliary material has been changed based on the difference between the expected weight of the medicine container and the actual weight of the medicine container received from the weight measuring device (300) as in [Equation 3].

[0120] In one embodiment, the weight verification unit (450) calculates the expected weight of the medicine container using the weight information of the medicine container corresponding to the identification code extracted from the medicine container weight database (440), and can determine whether the type of medicine container or the type of medicine container auxiliary material has been changed based on the difference between the expected weight of the medicine container and the actual weight of the medicine container received from the weight measuring device (300).

[0121] At this time, the weight verification unit (450) re-measures the weight of the empty container to check whether the type of container has been changed if the weight difference between the expected container weight and the actual container weight is greater than or equal to a predetermined first threshold value (i.e., an allowable error value in measuring container weight).

[0122] In one embodiment, the weight verification unit (450) compares the re-measured empty container weight with the previously recorded empty container weight, and if the difference in weight is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold (i.e., an allowable error value in the empty container weight), it can determine that the type of medicine container has been changed.

[0123] In another embodiment, the weight verification unit (450) can determine that the weight of the auxiliary material has changed if the re-measured empty container weight and the previously recorded empty container weight are the same.

[0124] The inventory management department (460) can input inventory information using the identification code of the drug under management received from the scanning device (200) or the weight information of the drug under management measured through the weight measuring device (300), depending on whether the drug under management has been opened.

[0125] In one embodiment, the inventory management unit (460) inputs the inventory in units using an identification code received from the scanning device (200) when the medicine to be managed has not been opened.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the inventory management unit (460) can input inventory information by matching the identification code of the pharmaceutical product under management with the location code of the storage shelf where the pharmaceutical product under management is loaded.

[0127] In another embodiment, the inventory management unit (460) inputs inventory information using weight information from the weight information receiving unit (420) when the managed medicine is opened.

[0128] In the above embodiment, the inventory management unit (460) can calculate the number of pills by subtracting the weight of the empty container and the weight of the auxiliary materials from the current weight of the medicine container when the medicine to be managed is opened, and dividing the total weight of the pills by the weight of one pill. In one embodiment, the inventory management unit (460) can calculate using [Equation 2].

[0130] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a pharmacy inventory management method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0131] Referring to FIG. 3, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) receives input on whether the medicine under management has been opened (step S310).

[0132] The pharmacy inventory management server (400) determines whether the medicine under management has been opened (step S320). If the medicine under management has not been opened (step S320), the pharmacy inventory management server (400) inputs inventory information in units using an identification code (step S330). Then, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) inputs inventory information by matching the identification code of the medicine under management with the location code of the shelf where the medicine under management is loaded (step S340).

[0133] If the pharmacy inventory management server (400) has opened the medicine to be managed (step S320), it calculates the total weight of the remaining individual pills by subtracting the weight of the container of the medicine to be managed from the total weight of the medicine to be managed (step S350).

[0134] The pharmacy inventory management server (400) inputs inventory information by predicting the number of remaining pills using the total weight of the pills and the weight per pill (step S360). The pharmacy inventory management server (400) inputs inventory information by matching the identification code of the medicine to be managed with the location code of the storage shelf where the medicine to be managed is loaded (step S340).

[0136] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a pharmacy inventory management method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0137] Referring to FIG. 4, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) calculates the estimated weight of the empty container using existing data corresponding to the identification code (step S410).

[0138] In one embodiment for step S410, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) calculates the estimated weight of the empty container using the weight of the empty container, the weight of the auxiliary materials, the number of pills, and the weight of the pills from existing data.

[0139] The pharmacy inventory management server (400) calculates the difference weight between the estimated weight of the empty container and the actual weight of the empty container received from the weight measuring device (300) (step S420).

[0140] The pharmacy inventory management server (400) determines whether the difference in weight exceeds the allowable tolerance (step S430). If the difference in weight exceeds the allowable tolerance, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) may determine that there is a possibility that the type of medicine container or auxiliary materials has been changed.

[0141] In one embodiment, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) calculates the estimated weight of the empty container using the weight information of the empty container corresponding to the identification code, and can determine whether the type of the empty container or the type of the empty container auxiliary material has been changed based on the difference between the estimated weight of the empty container and the actual weight of the empty container received from the weight measuring device (300).

[0142] At this time, the pharmacy inventory management server (400) re-measures the weight of the empty container to check whether the type of container has been changed if the weight difference between the expected container weight and the actual container weight is greater than or equal to a predetermined first threshold (i.e., an acceptable error value in measuring container weight).

[0143] In one embodiment, the weight verification unit (450) compares the re-measured empty container weight with the previously recorded empty container weight, and if the difference in weight is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold (i.e., an allowable error value in the empty container weight), it can determine that the type of medicine container has been changed.

[0144] In another embodiment, the weight verification unit (450) can determine that the weight of the auxiliary material has changed if the re-measured empty container weight and the previously recorded empty container weight are the same.

[0146] Although the present invention has been described by limited embodiments and drawings, it is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible from this description by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the concept of the present invention should be understood only by the claims set forth below, and all equivalent or analogous variations thereof shall be considered to be within the scope of the concept of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0148] 100: Display case, 200: Scan device, 300: Weight measuring device, 400: Pharmacy Inventory Management Server 410: Identification code receiver, 420: Weight information receiver, 430: Subsidiary material weight calculation section, 440: Pill container weight database, 450: Weight verification unit, 460: Inventory Management Department,

Claims

Claim 1 A pharmacy inventory management method executed on a pharmacy inventory management server, characterized by comprising: a first step of receiving input regarding whether a pharmaceutical product to be managed has been opened; and a second step of inputting inventory information using at least one of an identification code of the pharmaceutical product to be managed and weight information of the pharmaceutical product to be managed, depending on whether the pharmaceutical product to be managed has been opened. Claim 2 A pharmacy inventory management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second step includes the step of entering inventory information in units using the identification code when the medicine subject to management has not been opened. Claim 3 A pharmacy inventory management method according to claim 1, wherein the second step comprises: a step of calculating the total weight of the remaining individual pills by subtracting the weight of the container of the managed medicine from the total weight of the managed medicine when the managed medicine is opened; and a step of inputting inventory information by predicting the number of remaining individual pills using the total weight of the individual pills and the weight per individual pill. Claim 4 A pharmacy inventory management method according to claim 1, wherein the second step comprises the step of inputting inventory information by matching the identification code of the drug subject to management with the location code of the loading shelf on which the drug subject to management is loaded. Claim 5 A pharmacy inventory management system characterized by comprising: a scanning device for scanning the identification code of a controlled drug; a weight measuring device for measuring the weight information of the controlled drug; and a pharmacy inventory management server that inputs inventory information using the identification code of the controlled drug scanned through the scanning device or inputs inventory information using the weight information of the controlled drug measured through the weight measuring device, depending on whether the controlled drug is opened. Claim 6 In claim 5, the pharmacy inventory management system is characterized by the above-mentioned pharmacy inventory management server inputting inventory information in units using the above-mentioned identification code when the above-mentioned medicine subject to management has not been opened. Claim 7 A pharmacy inventory management system according to claim 5, wherein the pharmacy inventory management server calculates the total weight of the remaining individual pills by subtracting a predetermined weight of the container of the medicine to be managed from the total weight of the medicine to be managed received from the weight measuring device when the medicine to be managed is opened, and inputs inventory information by predicting the number of remaining individual pills using the total weight of the individual pills and the weight per individual pill. Claim 8 A pharmacy inventory management system according to claim 5, wherein the pharmacy inventory management server inputs inventory information by matching the identification code of the drug subject to management with the location code of the shelf on which the drug subject to management is loaded.

Images