Drug dispensing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for dispensing a plurality of drugs, the device comprising: - for each drug dose (25) of the plurality of drugs, a drawer (30) configured to accommodate a single dose of any of the drugs of the plurality of drugs; - a storage unit comprising cases (40), each case comprising at least one passage for holding drawers and, in each passage, drawers next to one another comprising all of the identical drug doses; - a unit (60) for preparing pillboxes (50) that is configured to pull drawers out from the cases of the storage unit and place the pulled-out drawers in a pillbox associated with a patient's identifier, the pillbox comprising a passage for holding the drawers that have been placed therein.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug dispensing device. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] The pill dispensers currently on the market are installed in pharmacies. There are several reasons for this. They are quite bulky and therefore unsuitable for installation in an infirmary or in a department. They are very complex and therefore unsuitable for use by non-technical medical staff. Their complexity, slowness and rigidity do not allow them to manage "changes". They are therefore used mainly in departments with few therapeutic changes during the patient's stay and where the length of stay is longer than five days. They are expensive and therefore must be shared among as many care units as possible, or even several health establishments, for their use to be profitable.

[0003] All of these constraints, combined with the requirements of usage and regulations, make it impossible to prepare pill dispensers within the care units themselves. Furthermore, these machines use single-use packaging that holds unit doses of medication. This packaging is expensive and harmful to the environment.

[0004] These machines do not allow for the automatic recycling of undistributed medications, regardless of the reason (change of prescription, patient discharge, or recall of the medication by the laboratory that produced it, for example). Finally, these machines do not allow for end-to-end traceability of medication distribution, from the entry of the medications into the care center to their delivery to the patient, nor the identification of all the people involved in the distribution process.

[0005] WO 2018 / 157231 describes a system for automatically refilling medication organizers, which moves medication containers between a storage unit and temporary storage racks simultaneously with the refilling process. WO 2016 / 007319 describes a system comprising a medication transport apparatus that accommodates a plurality of devices containing medications. A controller in communication with the apparatus generates a first association between a first device containing an accepted medication and a single patient and a second association between a second device containing an accepted medication and a specific type of medical item. US 2008 / 319575 describes a dispensing device in a healthcare facility comprising bins for storing medical supplies, some of the bins being allocated to be assigned to patients for storing their medications or certain other supplies. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention aims to remedy all or part of these drawbacks.

[0007] To this end, the present invention relates to a device for dispensing a plurality of medicaments according to claim 1.

[0008] Thanks to these provisions, there are no more consumables, each drawer returning to the storage unit after dispensing the dose of medication it contained. In addition, an undispensed dose of medication is easily recycled by inserting the drawer containing it into the storage unit, in a corridor where there are drawers containing identical doses of medication. In addition, traceability is achieved from start to finish of the dispensing process since the pillbox includes patient identification. The risks of preparation, dispensing, administration or dosage errors are thus reduced, or even eliminated. Furthermore, the device can, apart from the dispensing trolleys, have the volume of a cabinet, much less than the volume of a dedicated room required for the preparation devices of the prior art.

[0009] In embodiments, at least one pillbox comprises, opposite each drawer it comprises, a hatch for access to the dose of medication.

[0010] Thus, the drawers do not need to be removed from the pillbox when the doses of medication are distributed to the identified patient. In addition, in the event that a dose of medication does not need to be distributed, for example due to a change in prescription, a patient leaving the clinic or a medication reminder, it can be easily stored in the drawer containing it without having to open the door corresponding to that drawer. The dose of medication can thus be easily reused for another prescription, for the same or another patient.

[0011] In embodiments, for at least one pill dispenser, at least one hatch is configured to allow the release of the medication dose by gravity. Thanks to these arrangements, no manual manipulation is necessary to extract the medication dose from the pill dispenser.

[0012] In embodiments, at least one hatch is provided with a lock preventing or allowing the hatch to be opened.

[0013] Thanks to these provisions, access to the dose of medication is only possible after authorization, which ensures traceability of the use of the medication, its presence in the drawer and, possibly, of the operator who authorized access to this dose of medication.

[0014] In embodiments, the preparation unit comprises a first drawer holder for inserting a drawer at one end of a corridor of a cassette and a second drawer holder for extracting a drawer comprising a dose of medication pushed to the other end of this corridor and inserting this extracted drawer at one end of a pillbox, the first drawer holder being configured to extract a drawer from the pillbox pushed to the other end of the pillbox.

[0015] Thus, each lane of each cassette and each lane of the pillbox always has a constant number of drawers. In addition, a computer system can keep track of where each dose of medication and each drawer is located at any time.

[0016] In embodiments, each cassette is provided, at each end of the corridor, with a lock preventing or allowing the exit of the drawer closest to this end.

[0017] In embodiments, each pillbox is provided, at each end of the corridor, with a lock preventing or allowing the exit of the drawer closest to this end.

[0018] Thanks to each of these provisions, a dose of medication can only enter a cassette and / or a pillbox or exit a cassette and / or a pillbox after at least one lock has been unlocked by the device.

[0019] In embodiments, at least one lock is magnetic. With these arrangements, the locks are passive, with the approach of a magnet or the control of an external electromagnet to the cassette or pillbox being sufficient to control a lock.

[0020] In embodiments, the lane of a pillbox has as many drawers as each lane of a cassette. This makes it easier to handle drawers extracted from cassettes or pillboxes.

[0021] In embodiments, the device which is the subject of the invention comprises at least one dispensing trolley comprising a plurality of pillbox holders, a means for displaying the doses of medication in a pillbox, means for unlocking the lock of the hatches of a pillbox and a means for receiving the contents of each drawer for which a hatch has been opened.

[0022] In embodiments, the device comprises a memory of prescriptions and reminders of doses of medication and means for verifying compliance of the distribution of each dose of medication to a patient with a prescription associated with the patient and for verifying that the dose of medication to be distributed has not been the subject of a reminder, the verification means being configured to inhibit the unlocking of a hatch if at least one of the verifications gives a negative result. This avoids distributing a dose of medication to a patient if it is not time to take this dose of medication or if this dose of medication has been reminded.

[0023] In embodiments, each cassette and pillbox has a unique identifier, and the device has a memory of the contents of each cassette and pillbox. By using these provisions, the device knows, at all times, where each dose of medication is located.

[0024] In embodiments, each drawer has the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, the largest side of which has a dimension of between 40 mm and 60 mm.

[0025] The inventors determined that this drawer shape and size allows more than nine out of ten doses of medication distributed in healthcare establishments in France to fit into the drawers of the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0026] Other advantages, aims and particular characteristics of the invention will emerge from the following non-limiting description of at least one particular embodiment of the device which is the subject of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: There figure 1 represents, in perspective, an example of a drawer implemented in embodiments of the device which is the subject of the invention, The figure 2 represents, in perspective, a cassette comprising drawers, implemented in embodiments of the device which is the subject of the invention, The figure 3 represents, in side view, the cassette illustrated in figure 2 , There figure 4 represents, enlarged, a part of the figure 3 , There figure 5 represents, in longitudinal and vertical sectional view, a cassette illustrated in figures 2 à 4 , There figure 6 represents, in perspective, a pillbox comprising drawers, implemented in embodiments of the device which is the subject of the invention, The figure 7 represents, in front view, the pillbox illustrated in figure 6 , There figure 8 represents, in longitudinal and vertical section, a pillbox illustrated in figures 6 et 7 , There figure 9 represents, in side view, the pillbox illustrated in figures 6 à 8 , There figure 10 represents, enlarged, a part of the figure 9 , There figure 11 represents, schematically and in top view, a drawer transfer system in a treatment preparation dock of a drug dose distribution cabinet implemented in embodiments of the invention, The figure 12 represents, in perspective, a cassette, a pillbox and elements for extracting drawers from this cassette and inserting drawers into this pillbox, The figure 13 represents, in perspective, a mirrored four-axis Cartesian gantry of a treatment preparation dock of a treatment preparation cabinet implemented in embodiments of the invention, The figure 14 represents, in side view, the Cartesian portico illustrated in figure 13 , There figure 15 represents, in front view, the Cartesian portico illustrated in figures 13 And 14 , There figure 16 is an overall, front view of a preparation cabinet in an open configuration, The figure 17 represents, in perspective, a mobile dock for distributing doses of medication, The figure 18 schematically represents a system for distributing doses of medication with traps and The figure 19 represents, partially and in perspective, a variant of pillbox. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0027] This description is given without limitation, each characteristic of an embodiment being able to be combined with any other characteristic of any other embodiment in an advantageous manner.

[0028] Throughout the description, the term "upper" or "top" is used in the normal usage configuration. The concepts of vertical and horizontal are derived from these definitions.

[0029] The device that is the subject of the invention relates to an automated solution for preparing and dispensing doses of medication (for example, tablets and capsules or FOS, acronym for "dry oral form") in a healthcare establishment (or "ETS"). This solution is modular, that is to say that it is made up of several mechanical and mechatronic elements that interact together. This modularity makes it possible to adapt to the specificities of each establishment, for example a clinic, hospital or residential establishment for dependent elderly people.

[0030] In general, the device for dispensing doses of medication which is the subject of the invention comprises, for each dose of medication, a drawer configured to receive a single dose of any of the medications dispensed by this device. An example of a drawer is illustrated in figure 1 .

[0031] The device includes a storage unit, or preparation cabinet, illustrated in figure 16 , featuring illustrated cassettes in figures 2 à 5 Each cassette has at least one drawer retention corridor and, in each corridor, juxtaposed drawers all containing identical medications.

[0032] The device also includes a unit, represented in figures 11 à 15 , preparation of pill boxes, themselves illustrated in figures 6 à 10 This pillbox preparation unit is configured to extract cassette drawers from the storage unit and position the extracted drawers in a pillbox associated with the identification of a patient, the pillbox having a corridor for retaining the drawers positioned therein.

[0033] In the embodiment of the device which is the subject of the invention shown in the figures, this device comprises three docks each located in a separate place: a drug preparation dock located in the pharmacy (also called a filling dock), which inserts drawers each containing a unit dose of an identical drug into lanes of the same cassette, a treatment preparation dock which can be located in the infirmary or in a department (also called a preparation cabinet), which extracts cassettes from drawers and inserts them into pill boxes, and a dispensing dock, usually placed in a mobile treatment cart, illustrated in figures 17 And 18 , which helps the nurse distribute medication.

[0034] Drugs marketed by the pharmaceutical industry vary in shape and size. Their handling is therefore difficult to automate. To enable automation, the present invention standardizes each drug dose by cutting the drug blisters and over-packaging them with a reusable over-pack called a "drawer", an example of which is illustrated, in perspective, in figure 1 . This drawer 30 is the basic element of the different interactions between the three docks. It comprises a horizontal bottom 32, four vertical sides 31. Preferably, the drawer 30 also comprises openings 34 in the sides, which allow locks 42 of cassettes 40 and / or locks 52 of pillboxes 50 or 56 to block the drawer 30 which is located at one end of a corridor.

[0035] Access to medication doses is preferably secured throughout the distribution process. In fact, only the three docks mentioned above are preferably able to unlock access to medication doses.

[0036] In embodiments, each drawer 30 has a general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped whose largest side has a dimension between 40 mm and 60 mm. The inventors have determined that this shape and this dimension of the drawers 30 allows more than nine out of ten doses of medication distributed in healthcare establishments in France to fit into the drawers 30.

[0037] To facilitate the traceability of these doses in the process, the capacity of a drawer 30 is limited to one dose of medication. The sizing of this drawer 30 is optimized according to a metrological study of the composition of the therapeutic booklet in several establishments. Considering the volume to be managed (for example, 6000 doses per week for an establishment of 60 patients), these doses, therefore the drawers, are grouped into a “cassette” 40 comprising thirty drawers 30 in three superimposed corridors. This has the advantage of facilitating human handling in the logistical phases, but also mechatronic handling within the treatment preparation dock 60. The cassette 40 also makes it possible to technically simplify the design of the drawer 30. Indeed, the drawer 30 is closed to prevent manual accessibility to the doses.The provision of a cassette 40 technically makes it possible to transfer the closing system from the drawer 30 to the cassette 40, which induces a division by a factor of five of the number of locks required (six for six ends of corridors instead of 30 for as many drawers) which reduces the risk of breakdown. This system of locks 42 prevents the removal of the drawers 30 by sliding out of the cassette 40, for example when the cassette 40 is tilted or handled. This cassette 40 interacts with the filling dock and the treatment preparation dock 60. A cassette 40 illustrated in . figures 2 à 5 contains thirty drawers 30 each containing an identical unit dose of the same medication. These drawers 30 are contained in three lanes 43 to 45 superimposed in a box 41 provided with a lock 42 at each end of a lane, as illustrated in figure 5 .

[0038] Alternatively to the uniformity of the doses of medication contained in the drawers 30 of a cassette 40, for example for less frequently distributed medications, the drawers 30 of the same lane each contain an identical unit dose of the same medication but the drawers 30 of different lanes of the same cassette 40 may each contain a different unit dose and / or a dose of different medication.

[0039] The 50 pillbox, illustrated in figures 6 à 10 , is the final mobile element of the dispensing process. The pillbox 50 receives a certain number of medications intended for the same patient, as part of his prescription. For example, the capacity of the pillbox is ten drug doses in ten drawers 30 following each other in a single lane of the pillbox 50. This pillbox 50 interacts with the treatment preparation dock 60 and the dispensing dock 80. The dispensing dock 80 is either fixed or mobile because it is equipped with casters. In the latter case, it is called a “mobile dispensing dock” or “dispensing trolley”. Preferably, the lane of a pillbox 50 has as many drawers as each lane of a cassette 40.

[0040] As for the cassette 40, the pillbox 50 is equipped with a system of two locks 52 (one at each end of the corridor), preventing the drawers 30 held by a box 51 from coming out.

[0041] The access hatches 53 allow opening and therefore access to the unit doses of medication contained in the drawers 30, via the distribution dock 80.

[0042] Preferably, for at least one pillbox 50 at least one hatch 53 is configured to allow the release of the dose of medication 23 to 28 by gravity. In other embodiments, the opening of the hatch 53 gives the operator or an extraction mechanism access to the unit dose contained in the drawer 30.

[0043] Preferably, at least one hatch 53 is provided with a lock preventing or allowing the opening of the hatch 53. In other embodiments, no hatch 53 is provided with such a lock.

[0044] A notch 46 or 55 comprises a metal plate, allowing the magnetization of the cassette 40 and the pillbox 50 to magnets of the treatment preparation cabinet 70. This device ensures the correct alignment of the cassettes 40 and pillboxes 50 in the preparation cabinet 70 and prevents them from being gripped by an operator with bare hands. To carry out the medication distribution function at the distribution dock 80, access hatches 53, also secured by locks, are provided there.

[0045] In embodiments, at least one of the locks described above is magnetic, whereby approaching a predetermined pole of a magnet or turning on an electromagnet causes that lock to unlock.

[0046] The filling dock (not shown) assists the operator in the phase of filling the cassettes 40. Any cutting of the medications is carried out manually or automatically. The filling dock is an electromechanical element which: limits filling to a single type of medication per cassette 40, allows physical and digital traceability of each cassette 40 and its contents.

[0047] Software tools guide the operator through the drug identification phase, filling of drawers 30 and cassettes 40 and traceability.

[0048] Hardware features of the cassette filling dock include: a) Mechanical elements in phase 1: unlocking of the cassette 40 with extraction of all the drawers 30 from this cassette 40, in phase 2: presentation to the operator of the drawers 30 for filling, and in phase 3: reinsertion of the drawers 30 each comprising a dose of medication, into the cassette 40 with locking of this cassette 40. b) Electronic elements, which control the insertion and release of the cassette 40 by the mechanical elements and the positioning state of the drawers 30 in the cassette 40.

[0049] The 60 treatment preparation dock is an automatic machine whose main function is to prepare 50 pill boxes for patients in the healthcare facility.

[0050] The dock for preparing 60 treatments in 50 pillboxes works in much the same way as a public drinks dispenser with a Cartesian arm (two axes X and Y) that comes to collect the drinks.

[0051] The preparation cabinet 60 of the device which is the subject of the invention nevertheless presents notable differences. Indeed, in the beverage dispensers, there is one actuator per product to be dispensed (Archimedes propeller, belt conveyor). On the contrary, in the treatment preparation cabinet 70, since there is a very large number of distribution corridors (in figure 16 , with three lanes per cassette 40, this represents 624 lanes of cassettes 40, to which are added 105 pillboxes 50), one or two actuators are implemented.

[0052] In preferred embodiments, such as that illustrated in the figures 11 à15 , a second two-axis XY arm is provided at the rear of the machine. This second arm operates in mirror image with that of the front of the machine, and pushes the drawers containing doses of medication. In other words, the drawer-holders of the two arms are permanently opposite the same cassette 40 or pillbox 50 corridor.

[0053] To transfer the drawers 30 containing the doses of medication corresponding to the prescription for a patient, from the cassettes 40 to the pillboxes 50, and vice versa when recycling the undistributed doses, an endless loop principle is used. Thus the empty drawers 30 are used as a stroke extension for an actuator piston associated with the drawer holders 61 or 62 carried by the arms 65 and 66.

[0054] Thus, the 40 cassettes and 50 pill boxes are always fully filled with empty or full drawers so that the stroke extension is constant.

[0055] The drug transfer system is shown schematically, and with arrows illustrating the movements of the drawer doors and drawers, in figure 11 and, more precisely, in figure 12 . We observe the presence of a rear Cartesian arm 65 with a drawer holder 61 and a front Cartesian arm 66 with a drawer holder 62. When the actuator of the drawer holder 61 pushes a drawer 30 into the corridor of a cassette 40, the drawer holder 62 receives another drawer 30 containing a dose 25 of medication. Then the drawer holder 62 is moved in front of the pillbox 50 associated with the identification of a patient for whom this dose of medication is intended. The actuator of the front drawer holder 62 inserts this drawer 30 containing the dose of medication into the pillbox 50 while the rear arm 61, itself opposite the same pillbox 50, receives a drawer 30, generally empty but which may contain a dose of medication to be recycled, from the pillbox 50.

[0056] The 50 pillbox contains, at the end of its filling, 23 to 28 different doses of medication (except in the case where a prescription provides for the simultaneous taking of several doses of identical medication).

[0057] Locks 42 or 52 have two magnets that repel each other (inserted in the two rectangles). They thus allow the lower part of lock 42 or 52 to remain raised by default. This lower part is inserted into notch 34 of the drawer.

[0058] Each drawer holder 61 and 62 comprises a lateral magnet 69 mounted in repulsion of the magnet of the lock 42 or 52. By positioning themselves on each side of a corridor of a cassette 40 or a pillbox 50, the two mirrored drawer holders 61 and 62 unlock the lock 42 or 52, at each end of this corridor, thus allowing the free movement of the drawers in this corridor of cassette 40 or pillbox 50.

[0059] There figure 13 represents, in perspective, a mirrored four-axis Cartesian gantry of a distribution cabinet 60 implemented in embodiments of the invention. The figure 14 represents, in side view, a mirrored four-axis Cartesian gantry of a distribution cabinet 60 implemented in embodiments of the invention. The figure 15 represents, in front view, a four-axis Cartesian gantry mirrored by a distribution cabinet 60 implemented in embodiments of the invention. A tool arm 65 or 66 of a Cartesian gantry carries a fixed drawer holder 61 or 62 in direct interaction with the drawers 30, the cassettes 40 and the pillboxes 50. The tool arm is mounted on a motorized table. A piston makes it possible to interact with the drawer 30 carried by the drawer holder.

[0060] A Cartesian gantry comprises two vertical arms 65 and 66 mounted on guide rails 63 and 64 and moving on these rails by means of motorized toothed wheels 67 and 68. The drawer holders 61 and 62 move vertically, respectively along the tool arms 65 and 66.

[0061] Each drawer holder 61 or 62 is preferably provided with a certain number of tools (not shown), for example: an unlocking key for the cassettes 40 and pillboxes 50, an identification tool (electronic label or barcode reader, etc.), position and centering sensors for the drawer holder 61 or 62 when it approaches a drawer corridor 30 of a cassette 40 or a pillbox 50.

[0062] There figure 16 is an overall front view of the treatment preparation cabinet 70 comprising the treatment preparation dock 60, in the configuration of open doors 74. Preferably, the doors 74 are provided with a lock 79, preferably magnetic, the opening of which is controlled after identification of an operator, for example by code or badge. In the cabinet 70 shown in figure 16 , the left door 74 has a wide opening 75 giving access, even when the doors 74 are closed, to a control interface 76. With this interface 76, an identified operator can trigger an emergency preparation of a pillbox 50, the dock 60 then being commanded to prepare as a priority the pillbox thus ordered as an emergency and position the drawers containing the medications of the treatment ordered in this pillbox 50. Once it is ready, this pillbox 50 is pushed by the treatment preparation dock to make it protrude through an opening 77 accessible through the opening 75. The operator can then grasp the end of the pillbox 50 which protrudes and extract this pillbox 50. Alternatively, a unit dose can be ordered by the identified operator, the treatment preparation dock then making a single drawer available to this operator by means of an opening 78 accessible through the opening 75.

[0063] The upper 71 and lower 73 areas contain cassettes 40. The central area 72 contains pill boxes 50.

[0064] In embodiments, and preferably, the treatment preparation cabinet 70: has a size compatible with installation in an infirmary, for example 195 cm (H) x 80 cm (D) x 150 cm (W). can be used by a non-technical person who does not have the time or the desire to understand the reasons for a possible breakdown, and even less the time to contact a call center ("hotline"); this device is reliable and robust. is adaptable to any type of service, even with significant therapeutic changes (cardiology for example) and allows the production of a pillbox in an emergency; this device is adaptable and can prepare a pillbox in less than five minutes. has an acquisition cost adapted to the maximum management volume of the 70 cabinet.

[0065] The 70 cabinet provides a preparation capacity of approximately 100 pillboxes and a medication autonomy of at least one week, or approximately 7,000 doses and a diversity of approximately 210 drug molecules.

[0066] Regarding the distribution dock, the distribution of medications is carried out, in the vast majority of cases, using a treatment trolley. Alternatively, a fixed distribution dock is positioned in the healthcare facility. figure 17 represents a mobile dock 80, or trolley, for dispensing doses of medication. This trolley 80 contains the patients' treatments which are stored either in personalized pill boxes 50 or in globalized bins 84. In preferred embodiments of the device which is the subject of the invention, this trolley 80 is enhanced with additional elements: an automatic distribution module 81, storage trays 82 for pill boxes 50, automated drawers with named compartments 83, for the storage of other forms (syrup cream, injectable, etc.) of medication and so-called "if-needed" medications, and tilting boxes 84 for the storage of medications with global dispensing, i.e. with very high turnover, such as Doliprane (registered trademark) and "if-needed" medications.

[0067] The computer, electronic and electromechanical system of the distribution dock 80 controls all of the functions of the dock 80, i.e. the opening of the hatches 53 of the pillboxes 50, the opening of the lockers 83 and the opening of the tilting boxes 84. It is an electromechanical system controlled by a miniature personal computer, or tablet, 85, an electronic controller (not shown) and a touch screen 90 integrated into the distribution dock 80.

[0068] The dispensing module 81, here shown fixed in the dispensing dock 80, is preferably integrated into a drawer of the dispensing dock 80, which allows, when this drawer is pulled, to reveal the touch screen 90 as well as the area in which to insert the pillbox 50.

[0069] Regarding the general operating principle of the distribution dock 80 illustrated in figure 17 , during a distribution of medication, the nurse consults the patient's prescription on her computer 85. She inserts the pillbox 50 bearing the patient's identification into the distribution module 81 (from the left, in figure 17 ). The pillbox 50 is then recognized by an identification system (not shown) of the dispensing module 81. The recognition of the pillbox 50 and the patient's name may come from a reading of characters, a reading of a bar code or a reading of an electronic label, for example.

[0070] The distribution module 81 then displays, on the touch screen 90, the treatments to be distributed at the current time: the treatments contained in the pillbox 50, the treatments contained in the patient's locker (area outside the pillbox, in a drawer of lockers 83), and the treatments contained in the tilt boxes 84 (area outside the pillbox).

[0071] The control of the hatches of the pillbox 50, incorporates, at the level of the distribution module 81, a system of actuators, simple and low energy consumption. A gravitational distribution system is thus implemented in which the pillbox 50 has a hatch 53 per drawer 30. This hatch can only be actuated in the distribution module 81, by means of an actuator (not shown), for example of the electromagnet type, as illustrated in figure 18 .

[0072] A means 86 for receiving the contents of each drawer for which a hatch 53 has been opened is located below the dispensing module 81. For example, the receiving means 86 has a curved surface forming a slide on which the doses of medication released by the hatches 53 slide.

[0073] Drugs supplied by the pharmaceutical industry are not always identifiable if they are cut into unit doses. In embodiments, the dispensing dock 80 provides an additional functionality of physically identifying the drugs contained in each pillbox 50. Indeed, the position of the touch screen 90 opposite the pillbox 50 allows the identification of the drugs contained in each drawer 30. As illustrated in figure 18 , preferably, the touch screen 90 is cut, on its lower part, into ten zones 87 which, when a pillbox 50 is inserted into the dispensing module 81, are found above each drawer 30 of the pillbox 50, which facilitates the identification of each medication which falls from the drawers 30. Thus, during a distribution, the medication released is directly identifiable by the nurse.

[0074] By connecting the dispensing module 81 to the healthcare facility's business software (real-time knowledge of prescription changes), this module 81 can block certain doses of medication in a pillbox 50, for various reasons such as stopping treatment or withdrawing or recalling a batch of medication doses, for example, or when it is not time to administer a dose of medication to a patient. In the latter case, a visual, audible or digital alarm (for example on the screen of the computer 85) informs the nurse that she will have to return at the time specified in the prescription, to dispense the dose of medication blocked in the pillbox 50.

[0075] To further improve the nurse's decision-making, an administration assistance zone 88 is added to the touch screen 90 (identification photo of the tablet or capsule, of the blister pack, administration assistance note, pictogram, ½ or ¾ of a tablet, etc.).

[0076] Finally, the 80 distribution dock ensures the traceability of the distribution of medication doses. This traceability has two impacts: monitoring of medication compliance (returning this information to the business software), and recycling unused doses of medication when returning the pillbox 50 to the treatment preparation cabinet 70.

[0077] Concerning the control of the opening of the nominative lockers 83, in the same way as for the pillboxes 50, when one clicks on a medication in the area outside the pillbox 89, the hatch of the locker 83, where the product in question is stored, is unlocked, as illustrated in figure 17 . The size of the product packaging does not allow a position opposite the touch screen 90 but these products are, unlike tablets and capsules, always identified. A message in the "additional information" zone 88 allows you to locate the locker where this product can be collected.

[0078] The operating principle of the tilt boxes 84 is identical to that of the lockers 83, as illustrated in figure 17 These 84 tipping boxes make it possible to secure treatments managed without a name, such as high-rotation treatments or even “if necessary” treatments (analgesic, laxative, etc.).

[0079] In the variant illustrated in figure 19 , the pillbox 56 comprises, instead of hatches 53 rotating around hinges, hatches 57 translating in rails 58, for example under the action of jacks (not shown).

[0080] The access hatches 57 allow opening and therefore access to the unit doses of medication contained in the drawers 30, via the distribution dock 80.

[0081] Preferably, for at least one pillbox 56, at least one hatch 57 is configured to allow the release of the dose of medication 23 to 28 by gravity. In other embodiments, the opening of the hatch 57 gives the operator or an extraction mechanism access to the unit dose contained in the drawer 30.

[0082] Preferably, at least one hatch 57 is provided with a lock 59 preventing or authorizing the opening of the hatch 53. For example, locking means 59, preferably magnetic, keep the hatches 56 closed until they receive unlocking commands, for example by the approach of a predetermined pole of a magnet or the activation of an electromagnet.

[0083] In other embodiments, no hatch 57 is provided with such a lock.

[0084] As understood from reading the preceding description, the device for dispensing a plurality of medicaments which is the subject of the invention comprises, for each dose of medicament of said plurality of medicaments, a drawer configured to receive a single dose of any of the medicaments of said plurality of medicaments. This device also comprises a storage unit comprising cassettes, each cassette comprising at least one drawer retaining lane and, in each lane, juxtaposed drawers all comprising identical doses of medicaments. This device further comprises a pillbox preparation unit configured to extract cassette drawers from the storage unit and position the extracted drawers in a pillbox associated with the identification of a patient, the pillbox comprising a lane for retaining the drawers positioned therein.

[0085] Preferably, the device which is the subject of the invention comprises a memory of prescriptions and reminders of doses of medication and software verification means of conformity of the distribution of each dose of medication to a patient with a prescription associated with the patient and of verification that the dose of medication to be distributed has not been the subject of a reminder. This verification means is configured to inhibit the unlocking of a hatch 53 if at least one of the verifications gives a negative result for the dose of medication contained in the drawer 30 associated with this hatch 53.

[0086] Each cassette 40 and each pillbox 50 preferably carries a unique identifier (character string, barcodes or electronic label, for example), the device comprising a memory of the contents of each drawer 30 of each cassette 40 and each pillbox 50. The software thus knows, at all times, where each dose of medication is located. In embodiments, each cassette 40 and each pillbox 50 carries two unique identifiers, one readable by a camera and the other in the form of an electronic label, for example implementing an RFID (for Radio Frequency IDentification or radio frequency identification) or NFC (for Near Field Communication or near field communication) protocol.Preferably, in this case, the treatment preparation cabinet 70 comprises a space in which a cassette 40 or a pillbox 50 can be positioned so that a reading of its two identifiers is carried out simultaneously and these identifiers are associated in the memory of the device.

Claims

1. Device for dispensing a plurality of drugs, characterised in that it comprises: - for each drug dose (23 to 28) of said plurality of drugs, a drawer (30) configured to accommodate a single dose of any of the drugs of said plurality of drugs; - a storage unit (70) comprising cases (40), each case comprising at least one passage (43 to 45) for holding drawers and, in each passage, drawers next to one another all comprising identical drug doses; - a unit (60) for preparing pillboxes (50, 56) that is configured to pull drawers out from the cases of the storage unit and place the pulled-out drawers in a pillbox associated with a patient's identifier, the pillbox comprising a passage for holding the drawers that have been placed therein.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein at least one pillbox (50, 56) comprises, with regard to each drawer (30) it comprises, an access hatch (53, 57) for access to the drug dose (23 to 28).

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein for at least one pillbox (50, 56) at least one hatch (53, 57) is configured to allow the drug dose (23 to 28) to be released by gravity.

4. Device according to one of claims 2 or 3, wherein at least one hatch (57) is equipped with a bolt (59) preventing or allowing the opening of the hatch.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the preparation unit (60) comprises a first drawer-holder (61) for inserting a drawer (30) at one end of a passage (43 to 45) of a case (40) and a second drawer-holder (62) for pulling out a drawer including a drug dose that has been pushed to the end of this passage, and inserting this removed drawer into one end of a pillbox (50, 56), the first drawer-holder being configured to pull out a drawer of the pillbox pushed to the other end of the pillbox.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each case (40) is equipped, at each end of the passage (43 to 45), with a bolt (42) preventing or allowing the pulling out of the drawer (30) closest to this end.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each pillbox (50, 56) is equipped, at each end of the passage, with a bolt (52) preventing or allowing the pulling out of the drawer (30) closest to this end.

8. Device according to one of claims 4, 6 or 7, or according to claim 5 when it is dependent on claim 4, wherein at least one bolt (42, 52, 59) is magnetic.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the passage of a pillbox (50, 56) comprises as many drawers (30) as each passage (43 to 45) of a case (40).

10. Device according to claim 4, or one of claims 5 to 9 when they are dependent on claim 4, which device comprises at least one dispensing dock (80) comprising a plurality of holders of pillboxes (50, 56), a means (90) for displaying drug doses (23 to 28) in a pillbox, means for unlocking bolts (59) for the hatches (53, 57) of a pillbox, and a means (81) for receiving the content of each drawer for which a hatch has been opened.

11. Device according to claim 10, which comprises a memory of prescriptions and recalls of drug doses (23 to 28), and means for verifying the compliance of the dispensing of each drug dose to a patient with a prescription associated to the patient and for verifying that the drug dose to be dispensed is not the subject of a recall, the verification means being configured to inhibit the unlocking of a hatch (53, 57) if at least one of the verifications gives a negative result.

12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein each case (40) and each pillbox (50, 56) bears at least one unique identifier, the device comprising a memory of the contents of each case and each pillbox.

13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein each drawer (30) has an overall rectangular parallelepiped shape whose largest side has a dimension between 40 mm and 60 mm.

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