Packaging system for pharmaceutical dispenser and associated method

Abstract

A packaging system and associated method for use with a pharmaceutical dispenser provides a turnkey solution for packaging pharmaceutical products such as solid medications and nutritional supplements to be taken orally in health care settings, including but not limited to long term care (LTC) and assisted living settings. An overall pharmacy system and methodology begins with bulk medications and supplements introduced into the work flow, individually packaged and assembled into medpass orders per patient and delivered to the LTC facility or other institution for patient consumption. The process begins by converting bulk medications and supplements to packaged unit doses and ultimately individually packaged medpass bags for each patient on a 24-hour schedule. The design of the overall system and its individual components allows for physical control of each unit dose package from start to finish without any unit dose package “free fall” in the system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Application No. 61 / 550,787, filed Oct. 24, 2011, the entire contents and disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention is related to those disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 995,907, filed Nov. 28, 2001; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 962,210, filed Dec. 21, 2007; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 883,419, filed Jan. 4, 2007; International Application No. PCT / US07 / 87905, filed Dec. 18, 2007 and published as WO 2008 / 085673; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 120, 209, filed Dec. 5, 2008; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 559,630, filed Sep. 15, 2009 and published as U.S. 2010 / 0176145; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 559,601, filed Sep. 15, 2009, and published as U.S. 2010 / 0172724; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 617,075, filed Nov. 12, 2009 and published as U.S. 2...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a system that packages medications for patients on a 24-hour schedule, using clear plastic bags that can be easily inspected. The system also automates inventory management and ensures patient safety by reducing or minimizing the disposal of unused medications. Compared to prior art systems, the invention provides higher packing density and prevents accidents of discarding or returning unused products.

Problems solved by technology

There are several disadvantages associated with the traditional method of distributing individual dosage units of pharmaceutical products.

To begin with, the process is labor and cost intensive.

In addition, with so many human inputs required in the existing process, there may also be a risk of human error.

In the event the patient is discharged or the treatment is changed, the unused portion of the 30-day supply cannot be cost effectively reused even though the product may be labeled appropriately.

The labor cost required to reintroduce the pharmaceutical products back into the distribution system and to maintain the integrity and traceability of manufacturer and expiration data exceeds the value of the pharmaceutical products, even if the substantial restocking fees are paid by the healthcare system.

This disposal of unused pharmaceutical products is a significant waste of those resources as well as a detriment to the environment.

While many such systems can select and accumulate the various medications and supplements for the patients in a LTC or similar facility, most known dispensing systems do not adequately package the dispensed medications and supplements for proper and efficient transfer to, storage at or distribution by the LTC facility healthcare workers.

The ability to track, package and verify the dispensed medications and supplements in an efficient, reliable and predictable manner according to the specific needs, desires and preferences of the LTC facility is lacking in most such systems.

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