Method, System and Apparatus for Dispensing Drugs

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus is provided for dispensing drugs quickly, conveniently, securely, and accurately and at relatively less cost than traditional pharmacy-based dispensing systems. A script for a drug prescribed to a user is generated comprising a human readable description of the drug and the user or a machine readable description of the drug and the user. The script is provided to a robotic prescription dispensary operable to recognize either the human readable description or the machine readable description, and validate and dispense the drug accordingly. The robotic prescription dispensary includes a user interface, a teleconferencing or videoconferencing means enabling communication between the user and a human validation agent, and a scanning means for capturing an image of the script. A method for managing inventory and distribution of drugs is also provided.

Description

[0001]This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 305,759 filed on Dec. 19, 2008, based on PCT Application No. PCT / CA2007 / 001220.PRIORITY[0002]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 819,622, filed 11 Jul. 2006.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates to method, system and apparatus for dispensing drugs.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]The traditional means of dispensing drug involves a doctor meeting with a patient and prescribing drugs or drugs based on a particular diagnosis. A prescription is then hand written or printed, and generally must be signed. The doctor generally updates the patient's paper file, and the patient takes their prescription to a pharmacy to be filled.[0005]This traditional system of dispensing drug is considered relatively slow, inefficient, inconvenient, and various security or accuracy problems can arise. For example, a pharmacy can encounter a problem with a prescription beca...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]The present invention provides a method, system and apparatus for dispensing drugs quickly, conveniently, securely, accurately and at less relative cost than traditional pharmacy-based dispensing systems.

[0008]In one aspect of the present invention, a method, system and apparatus for dispensing drugs enables doctors to prescribe drugs to patients by generating a script. The script is a unique identifier comprising one or more data elements. The unique script in turn allows a patient to fill their prescription via a robotic prescription dispenser, referred to as a “dispensary”. The dispensary is operable to recognize the one or more data elements, and the drugs are dispensed on that basis.

[0010]According to another aspect of the present invention, the dispensary can be located in the doctor's office or clinic and can be electronically linked to a computer used by the doctor, either directly or via a server. As a result, the present invention allows a patient to obtain prescribed drugs without having to attend a pharmacy or drug store.

Problems solved by technology

This traditional system of dispensing drug is considered relatively slow, inefficient, inconvenient, and various security or accuracy problems can arise.

For example, a pharmacy can encounter a problem with a prescription because of the illegibility of the handwriting, which requires a call back to the doctor for clarification.

There is also a potential problem where the wrong prescription is filled if the pharmacy does not do the call back to clarify a prescription.

Because drugs have a finite lifespan, there are also a number of inventory management issues which have yet to be addressed by current drug dispensing methodologies.

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