Prescription management system, printed materials, and prescription management program

Abstract

We provide a prescription management system, printed materials, and a prescription management program that make it easier to use refillable prescriptions. [Solution] The prescription management system comprises an acquisition processing unit and a presentation processing unit. The acquisition processing unit acquires refill prescription information relating to refill prescriptions. The presentation processing unit identifies the available dates on which the medication prescribed by the refill prescription can be received, based on the refill prescription information, and presents the available dates within a predetermined range.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a prescription management system, a printed matter, and a prescription management program for managing refill prescriptions.

Background Art

[0002] As a related technique, a prescription management system for managing refill prescriptions is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). The refill prescription is a prescription that can be repeatedly used within a certain defined period. Regarding the refill prescription, if the patient himself / herself does not correctly understand the mechanism of the refill prescription or does not remember the content of the refill prescription received in the past, there is a possibility that the patient will visit a medical institution again and receive a new prescription for the same drug.

[0003] In view of such problems, in the prescription management system according to the related technique, the input of information on a newly issued new prescription is received from the target person, and information on the refill prescription issued to the target person in the past is acquired from a database in which information on the refill prescription is registered, and by comparing the information on the new prescription and the information on the refill prescription of the target person, it is determined whether there is an inappropriate refill prescription that is not suitable for combined use with the new prescription and for which the number of available uses remains. When it is determined that there is an inappropriate refill prescription, the prescription management system performs a process of updating the content of the inappropriate refill prescription.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Incidentally, with a regular prescription, patients only need to pick up their medication within the validity period (four days including the issue date). However, with the aforementioned refill prescription, it can be difficult for patients to know when they should pick up their medication for the second time or later. As a result, some patients may find the aforementioned refill prescription inconvenient to use.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a prescription management system, printed materials, and a prescription management program that facilitate the improvement of the usability of refill prescriptions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A prescription management system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an acquisition processing unit and a presentation processing unit. The acquisition processing unit acquires refill prescription information relating to a refill prescription. The presentation processing unit, based on the refill prescription information, presents a predetermined range of available dates for receiving the medication prescribed by the refill prescription.

[0008] A prescription management program according to another aspect of the present invention is a program for causing one or more processors to perform an acquisition step and a presentation step. In the acquisition step, refill prescription information relating to a refill prescription is acquired. In the presentation step, based on the refill prescription information, the program presents a predetermined range of available dates for receiving the medication prescribed by the refill prescription. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a prescription management system, printed materials, and a prescription management program that facilitate the improvement of the usability of refill prescriptions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]Figure 2 shows an example of a refill prescription used in a prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for a prescription management method performed by a prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of available pickup date information presented in a prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of the available date information presented in a prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of the available date information presented in the prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of available pickup date information presented in a prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of available pickup date information presented in a prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of available pickup date information presented in a prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an example of available pickup date information presented in a prescription management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings to facilitate understanding of the invention. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the invention. Furthermore, the configurations and processing functions described in the following embodiments can be selected and combined as desired.

[0012] [Prescription Management System 10] As shown in Figure 1, the prescription management system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a server 1, a client terminal 2, and a printer 3, etc. The server 1, the client terminal 2, and the printer 3 are connected wirelessly or via wired communication through a communication network NT1. The communication network NT1 includes LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), the Internet, or an intranet. A patient terminal 4 and a higher-level system 5 are also connected to the server 1 via the communication network NT1. The prescription management system 10 may include multiple instances of at least one of the server 1, the client terminal 2, the printer 3, the patient terminal 4, and the higher-level system 5.

[0013] The users of the prescription management system 10 are, for example, medical professionals (medical staff) such as doctors, medical office staff, medical clerks, nurses, pharmacists, or facility managers at medical institutions such as hospitals or pharmacies. In this embodiment, as an example, the prescription management system 10 is used in a hospital, and the pharmacist of that hospital (hospital pharmacist) is the user of the prescription management system 10. The user basically uses the prescription management system 10 through the client terminal 2. In other words, the server 1 is capable of receiving user input to the client terminal 2 and can display various information on the client terminal 2.

[0014] Specifically, in this embodiment, a server-client system is configured by the server 1 and the client terminal 2, and the case in which the server 1 performs various processes such as display and printing in response to user operations on the client terminal 2 will be described. Therefore, in this embodiment, the "display," "operation," "selection," and "input" described below will be described as being performed using the client terminal 2. However, similar displays and operations may be performed on the server 1.

[0015] The upper-level system 5 is, for example, an electronic medical record system, an order-ringing system, or a receipt accounting processing system, etc. The upper-level system 5 is a system separate from the prescription management system 10, and it only needs to be able to cooperate with the prescription management system 10 through communication, and it is not essential to have a "superior" relationship with the prescription management system 10. And the upper-level system 5 inputs prescription data regarding the prescription or administration of drugs to patients, examination data regarding the examination results of various examinations performed on patients, and patient data regarding patients, etc. into the server 1. Note that the server 1 may be configured to actively read out the prescription data, the examination data, and the patient data, etc. from the upper-level system 5.

[0016] A plurality of the upper-level systems 5 may be provided, and furthermore, the plurality of upper-level systems 5 may include different types of systems. Note that at least one of the prescription data, the examination data, and the patient data may be directly input into the prescription management system 10 by a user's operation on the client terminal 2, the patient terminal 4, or the server 1.

[0017] Here, the prescription data includes patient identification information (patient ID, patient name), prescription date, preparation date, drug information (drug code, drug name, etc.), usage method, and dosage, etc. The prescription data may include pharmacist information for identifying individual pharmacists, such as pharmacist ID and pharmacist name (full name), etc. Also, the prescription data may include doctor information, the type of drug container (ampoule containing drug solution, vial bottle containing drug solution, vial bottle containing powder drug, or infusion bag, etc.), preparation content information (types and quantities of drug containers, syringes, and injection needles used in admixture work), preparation procedure information (work content, dissolving drug, solvent, amount of dissolving drug, amount of solvent, extraction amount), administration date, prescription form classification, department of medicine, ward, etc.

[0018] The patient data at least includes patient identification information for identifying individual patients, such as, for example, patient ID and patient name (full name). The patient data further includes various information regarding the patient, such as the patient's age, gender, medical history, prescription history, presence or absence of drinking, presence or absence of smoking, and family information. Furthermore, the patient data includes information related to the medical treatment of the patient in the hospital, such as the distinction between inpatient / outpatient, admission date (including scheduled admission date) and discharge date (including scheduled admission date), department of medicine, ward, room, and the attending physician. Furthermore, the patient data includes physical information such as the height, weight, and body surface area of each patient and measurement date information indicating the measurement date of each piece of the physical information. Note that the patient data may be included in the prescription data or the test data.

[0019] By the way, for example, in Japan, "refill prescription forms" have been introduced due to the revision of medical fees. The refill prescription form is a prescription form that can be repeatedly used within a certain defined period and is different in format from a normal prescription form. In the case of a normal prescription form, it is sufficient to receive the medicine within the expiration date (4 days including the issue date), whereas in the case of the refill prescription form, it is difficult for the patient (the subject) to grasp when to go to receive the medicine for the second and subsequent times of receiving the medicine. As a result, some patients may feel that the refill prescription form is inconvenient to use.

[0020] In view of such circumstances, the prescription form management system 10 according to the present embodiment adopts a configuration to make it easier to improve the usability of the refill prescription form. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the prescription form management system 10 includes an acquisition processing unit 111 and a presentation processing unit 112. The acquisition processing unit 111 acquires refill prescription form information regarding the refill prescription form. The presentation processing unit 112 specifies an acceptable receipt date on which the medicine prescribed by the refill prescription form can be received based on the refill prescription form information, and presents the acceptable receipt date with a predetermined width.

[0021] [Client Terminal 2] The client terminal 2 is a personal computer equipped with a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication interface 23, a display unit 24, an operation unit 25, and a drive device 26. Each of the client terminals 2 is located in a medical institution (in this embodiment, a hospital) where the prescription management system 10 is used, and is an operation terminal operated by a user. For example, the client terminal 2 is used by a pharmacist who prepares medications to be administered to patients in the medical institution. The client terminal 2 may also be a portable information processing device such as a smartphone, tablet, wearable device, or laptop computer.

[0022] The control unit 21 includes control devices such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and EEPROM (Registered Trademark). The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile memory unit in which information such as control programs for causing the CPU to perform various operations is pre-stored. The RAM is a volatile memory unit, and the EEPROM (Registered Trademark) is a non-volatile memory unit. The RAM and EEPROM (Registered Trademark) are used as temporary memory (work area) for the various operations performed by the CPU. The control unit 21 then uses the CPU to perform various operations according to the various control programs pre-stored in the ROM, EEPROM (Registered Trademark), or the memory unit 22.

[0023] The storage unit 22 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive) that stores various control programs and various data executed by the control unit 21. Specifically, the storage unit 22 includes a program storage unit that stores an operating system (OS) and application programs such as browser software. The browser software is application software that displays various operation screens on the display unit 24 by accessing the server 1 via the communication network NT1, and transmits input operations on the operation screens using the operation unit 25 to the server 1. For example, when address information such as a URL (Universal Resource Locator) corresponding to the server 1 is entered at a predetermined location on the operation screen displayed by the browser software, the control unit 21 accesses the server 1 based on the address information.

[0024] The aforementioned communication I / F23 is a communication interface having a network card or the like that performs data communication wirelessly or via wired connection between the server 1 and external devices such as the printer 3 via the communication network NT1, according to a predetermined communication protocol.

[0025] The display unit 24 is a device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display that displays various information according to control instructions from the control unit 21. The operation unit 25 is a device operated by the user to input various information into the client terminal 2. Specifically, the operation unit 25 includes a keyboard and a pointing device (such as a mouse) that accept input operations on various operation screens displayed on the display unit 24. The operation unit 25 may also include a touch panel that accepts touch operations on various operation screens displayed on the display unit 24, or a voice input device that accepts input of various information by voice recognition. The control unit 21 then accepts user operations on the operation unit 25 and inputs the content of said user operations to the server 1.

[0026] The drive device 26 is a device that reads the OS or browser software from a computer-readable recording medium 261 on which the OS or browser software is stored non-temporarily. The drive device 26 may be integrated with the client terminal 2, or it may be attached externally to the client terminal 2 by being detachably connected to the client terminal 2. The recording medium 261 may be a CD, DVD, BD, or USB memory, and the drive device 26 may be a CD drive, DVD drive, BD drive, or USB port. In the client terminal 2, the control unit 21 installs the OS or browser software read from the recording medium 261 using the drive device 26 into the program storage unit 22. Various software (programs) may be stored in advance in the storage unit 22, or the client terminal 2 may receive them from an external device via the communication network NT1.

[0027] Specifically, the server 1 displays various screens on the display unit 24 of the client terminal 2 by transmitting data written in a web page description language such as HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) to the client terminal 2. In addition, the control unit 21 of the client terminal 2 transmits operation signals to the server 1 in response to operation input to the operation unit 25.

[0028] [Printer 3] The printer 3 is an image forming device, such as a color printer or monochrome printer, capable of performing a printing process that records information contained in print data input from the server 1 or the client terminal 2 via the communication network NT1 onto a sheet such as paper. For example, in medical institutions such as hospitals or pharmacies, the printer 3 may print prescriptions based on the prescription data.

[0029] [Patient Terminal 4] The patient terminal 4 is, for example, a portable information processing device such as a smartphone, tablet, wearable device, or laptop computer, which is carried by the patient. The patient terminal 4 is capable of displaying information based on display data input from the server 1 or the client terminal 2 via the communication network NT1, and is capable of receiving operation input from the patient to the server 1 or the client terminal 2.

[0030] [Server 1] As shown in Figure 1, the server 1 is a computer equipped with a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication interface 13, a display unit 14, an operation unit 15, and a drive device 16. The server 1 may be located outside of a medical institution such as a hospital or pharmacy where the prescription management system 10 is used. Furthermore, the server 1 may be an information processing device such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or laptop computer.

[0031] The control unit 11 has the same configuration as the control unit 21 and includes control devices such as a CPU, ROM, RAM, and EEPROM, and uses the CPU to execute various processes according to various control programs pre-stored in the ROM, EEPROM, or storage unit 12.

[0032] The storage unit 12 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a hard disk or SSD that stores various control programs and various data executed by the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 also includes a program storage unit 121, a master storage unit 122, and an information storage unit 123.

[0033] The program storage unit 121 is a memory area that stores prescription management programs and the like, which cause the control unit 11 to execute various processes related to the prescription management method described later. The program storage unit 121 also stores programs such as the operating system (OS).

[0034] The master memory unit 122 is a memory area where various types of master information, such as drug master, patient master, calendar master, and pharmacy master, are stored.

[0035] For example, the drug master contains information for various drugs such as drug code (including YJ code, etc.), drug name, JAN code, RSS code, drug bottle code, dosage form, unit, specific gravity, drug variety, compatibility, excipients, precautions, allergy information, and package insert information. The patient master contains information for each patient such as patient ID, patient name, age, gender, medical history, prescription history, alcohol consumption, smoking status, family information, medical department, ward, room, attending physician, and regular pharmacy.

[0036] The calendar master contains information on a calendar (seven-day calendar) that displays dates and days of the week in a table format. The calendar master also contains information on public holidays, etc. The pharmacy master contains information on pharmacies, such as the patient's primary care pharmacy included in the patient master, the pharmacies of medical institutions where the prescription management system 10 is used, and pharmacies (dispensing pharmacies) in the surrounding area. Specifically, the pharmacy master contains information such as the business days (or regular holidays), business hours, and location of each pharmacy.

[0037] The master information stored in the master storage unit 122 is read from a computer-readable recording medium 161 by, for example, the drive device 16 and stored in the storage unit 12. Various types of master information may be pre-stored in the storage unit 12, or the server 1 may receive them from an external device via the communication network NT1. The control unit 11 can update the various types of master information stored in the master storage unit 122 at any time based on information obtained from the higher-level system 5. The control unit 11 can also edit various types of master information in response to user operations using the server 1 or the client terminal 2.

[0038] The information storage unit 123 is a storage area where various types of information, such as prescription data, examination data, patient data, and medication history data, are stored. The control unit 11 acquires the prescription data, examination data, and patient data from the higher-level system 5, etc., and stores them in the information storage unit 123.

[0039] The control unit 11 updates various data in the information storage unit 123 based on data acquired from the upper-level system 5, or data read from the recording media 161,261 by the server 1 (or the client terminal 2). Alternatively, the control unit 11 may update various data in the information storage unit 123 based on data directly input into the prescription management system 10 by user operations on the client terminal 2 or the server 1.

[0040] The aforementioned test data includes information such as test values ​​and other test results for each test item performed on each patient. For example, the test data includes information such as patient ID (patient identification information), patient name (patient identification information), test date, test ID (test identification information), test item (test identification information), and test results.

[0041] The aforementioned medication history data is information that shows each patient's medication history. The medication history data includes, for example, patient ID (patient identification information), patient name (patient identification information), start date of medication, date of medication, prescription date, medication information (medication code, medication name, etc.), usage, and dosage. The medication history data may further include, for example, pharmacist information, attending physician information, medical department, and ward. According to the medication history data, it is possible to understand at least "when" and "which medications" a patient took, in chronological order.

[0042] The control unit 11 updates the medication history data in the information storage unit 123 based on the prescription data. The control unit 11 can also edit the medication history data in response to user operations using the server 1 or the client terminal 2. In other words, the control unit 11 can record each patient's medication history by editing the medication history data in response to user operations. Therefore, the medication history data may include information on future medication schedules and past medication history.

[0043] The timing for updating various data in the information storage unit 123 by the control unit 11 is, for example, when new data is generated in the higher-level system 5, when a preset time arrives, when a preset time interval has elapsed, or when an update operation is performed by the user.

[0044] The communication interface 13 is a communication interface having a network card or the like that performs data communication wirelessly or via wired connection between the client terminal 2 and external devices such as the printer 3 via the communication network NT1, according to a predetermined communication protocol. The communication interface 13 also performs data communication with the higher-level system 5.

[0045] The display unit 14 is a device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various information according to control instructions from the control unit 11. The operation unit 15 has the same configuration as the operation unit 25 and is a device operated by the user to input various information to the server 1. The control unit 11 receives user operations to the operation unit 15 and executes processing according to the content of the user operations.

[0046] The drive device 16 has the same configuration as the drive device 26 and is a device that reads the medication management program from a computer-readable recording medium 161 on which the medication management program is stored non-temporarily. Then, in the server 1, the control unit 11 installs the medication management program read from the recording medium 161 using the drive device 16 into the program storage unit 121 of the storage unit 12. The medication management program may be stored in the storage unit 12 in advance, or the server 1 may receive it from an external device via the communication network NT1.

[0047] Incidentally, the control unit 11 of the server 1 includes the acquisition processing unit 111, the presentation processing unit 112, and the setting processing unit 113, as shown in Figure 1. Specifically, the control unit 11 functions as various processing units such as the acquisition processing unit 111, the presentation processing unit 112, and the setting processing unit 113 by executing various processes related to the prescription management method described later, in accordance with the prescription management program. In other words, in this embodiment, the server 1 embodies the main functions of the prescription management system 10. To put it another way, the prescription management system 10 according to this embodiment only needs to include the server 1, and the client terminal 2 and the printer 3, etc., do not need to be included as components. The control unit 11 may include a plurality of processors, and any of the plurality of processors may function as the various processing units. Furthermore, some or all of the various processing units may be composed of electronic circuits.

[0048] Furthermore, in another embodiment, some or all of the functions of the server 1 may be provided on the client terminal 2. For example, some or all of the prescription management program may be installed on the client terminal 2, and the control unit 21 of the client terminal 2 may appropriately acquire necessary information from the server 1 and execute various processes related to the prescription management method described later. In this case, the client terminal 2 embodies the main functions of the prescription management system 10. Moreover, in the prescription management system 10, the server 1 and the client terminal 2 may cooperate to execute various processes related to the prescription management method described later.

[0049] The acquisition processing unit 111 executes an acquisition process (acquisition step) to acquire refill prescription information relating to the refill prescription Sh1 (see Figure 2). The refill prescription information is various information described in the refill prescription Sh1, including patient information, the date of issuance (of the refill prescription Sh1), the contents of the prescription (such as the type of medication prescribed, the duration of administration, the dosage, and the method of use), and information regarding the dispensing record at the pharmacy, such as the dispensing date. Specifically, the acquisition processing unit 111 can acquire the refill prescription information from the prescription data stored in the information storage unit 123, the prescription data entered by the client terminal 2, or the scanned data of the refill prescription Sh1. The refill prescription information includes at least information on the "number of times" that the refill prescription Sh1 can be dispensed.

[0050] The presentation processing unit 112, based on the refill prescription information, identifies the available dates for receiving the medication prescribed by the refill prescription Sh1, and performs a presentation process (presentation step) to present these available dates within a predetermined range. In this disclosure, "available dates" refers to the "year, month, and day" on which the patient can receive the medication dispensed by the refill prescription Sh1 at the pharmacy, and is a candidate date on which the patient will go to the pharmacy to receive the medication. In other words, by presenting the available dates within the predetermined range (for example, 15 days), the patient can know that they can receive the medication at the pharmacy within that range.

[0051] Here, the pick-up date presented by the presentation processing unit 112 is basically the date on which the second and subsequent doses of the medication prescribed by the refill prescription Sh1 can be picked up. In other words, if the same medication can be picked up, for example, up to three times, the pick-up date for the second and subsequent doses is determined based on the previous dispensing date. Specifically, the pick-up date for the second dose is determined based on the dispensing date for the first dose, and the pick-up date for the third dose is determined based on the dispensing date for the second dose. By having the presentation processing unit 112 present the pick-up dates for the second and subsequent doses, which are difficult to determine, the usability of the refill prescription Sh1 is improved.

[0052] The presentation processing unit 112 presents the available pick-up dates by printing the available pick-up date information D1 (see Figure 4) on the printer 3. The available pick-up date table, on which the available pick-up date information D1 has been printed, is then given to the patient at the pharmacy, for example, along with the medication, thereby presenting the patient with the available pick-up dates.

[0053] However, the "presentation" aspect of the presentation process is not limited to printing, and may include, for example, display on the client terminal 2 (the display unit 24 of it) or the patient terminal 4, audio output, data output, transmission to other systems (other devices), writing to memory (the storage unit 12), writing to a database, and writing to memory other than the storage unit 12. For example, the presentation processing unit 112 may generate the pick-up date information D1 based on the refill prescription information, transmit the pick-up date information D1 to the patient terminal 4, and make the pick-up date information D1 viewable.

[0054] The setting processing unit 113 performs setting processing (setting steps) related to the operation settings of the prescription management system 10. The operation settings performed by the setting processing unit 113 include settings related to the presentation method of the available date information D1, settings related to the pharmacy where the medicine is dispensed (and handed over), settings related to the printing operation by the printer 3, and settings for enabling / disabling various functions of the prescription management system 10. In this embodiment, user operations for the operation settings are performed on the operation setting screen displayed on the client terminal 2, etc. Specifically, for example, with the operation setting screen displayed on the client terminal 2, the setting processing unit 113 performs the operation setting settings in response to the operation performed by the user on the client terminal 2. However, the users who perform the operation setting operations are limited to users who have the authority to set the operation settings. Therefore, even if a user who does not have the authority to set the operation settings performs an operation, the setting processing unit 113 will not perform the operation setting settings.

[0055] [Refill Prescription Sh1] Figure 2 shows an example of the refill prescription Sh1 used in the prescription management system 10. In drawings such as Figure 2 that show printed materials (refill prescription Sh1), the dashed lines, leader lines, and reference numerals that represent areas are included for illustrative purposes only and are not actually printed.

[0056] The aforementioned refill prescription Sh1 includes information about the prescribed medication, such as the type of medication, duration of administration, dosage, and method of use. In this disclosure, "medicine" includes liquid medications, tablets, and powdered medications. That is, after examining a patient, the physician issues the refill prescription Sh1 containing information about the medications required for that patient. The refill prescription Sh1 illustrated in Figure 2 is, for example, a printed document on A5-sized paper with various information printed on it.

[0057] Furthermore, as described above, the refill prescription Sh1 is a prescription that can be used repeatedly within a certain predetermined period. Therefore, by using the same refill prescription Sh1, a patient can receive the same medication dispensed on the second or third use of the refill prescription Sh1 without having to visit the doctor again, after the medication dispensed on the first use of the refill prescription Sh1 has run out, as if they had received a prescription for the same content. Thus, dispensing using the refill prescription Sh1 is different from divided dispensing, in which the medication is provided to the patient in installments within a range of days and quantities specified in advance by the doctor.

[0058] Furthermore, in Japan, with respect to the refill prescription Sh1, it is stipulated that the number of times the refill (reusable) prescription Sh1 can be refilled (reused) (allowed number of times) must also be specified by the physician. For example, if the allowable number of times for the refill prescription Sh1 is specified as "3 times", the patient can receive the medication dispensed using the same refill prescription Sh1 up to three times within a certain specified period. In other words, within a certain specified period, the refill prescription Sh1 can be used up to three times. However, the maximum allowable number of times is set at "3 times" in Japan, and therefore, the refill prescription Sh1 can be said to be a prescription that can be reused two or three times in practice.

[0059] Specifically, the refill prescription Sh1 includes a patient information field C1, a period information field C2, a prescription field C3, a remarks field C4, a barcode field C5, a dispensing record field C6, and a refill field C7. The patient information field C1 is filled in (printed) with information about the patient, such as the patient's name, date of birth, and gender. The period information field C2 is filled in (printed) with information about the period, such as the date of issuance of the refill prescription Sh1 and the period of use (expiration date) of the refill prescription Sh1. The period of use of the refill prescription Sh1 referred to here means the last day of the validity period (expiration date) of the refill prescription Sh1, and unless otherwise specified, it is within 4 days including the date of issuance of the refill prescription Sh1. The prescription field C3 is filled in (printed) with information about the prescribed medication, such as the type of medication prescribed, the duration of administration, the dosage, and the method of use. The aforementioned remarks column C4 is where information to be conveyed to dispensing pharmacies (insurance pharmacies) is entered (printed). The aforementioned barcode column C5 is where barcodes and two-dimensional codes are entered (printed).

[0060] The dispensing record column C6 is used to record (print) information about the dispensing record at the pharmacy, such as the dispensing date, when the refill prescription Sh1 is used as a "refill prescription". Specifically, the dispensing record column C6 includes a checkbox for the first, second, and third dispensing (to mark "✓" or "×" if dispensing was performed) and a field for the dispensing date. Furthermore, the first and second dispensing entries also include a field for the next scheduled dispensing date. The refill column C7 includes a checkbox for whether refilling (repeated use) is permitted (to mark "✓" or "×" if refilling is possible) and a field for the number of times the refill is permitted. In this embodiment, as an example, the refill column C7 is located within the prescription column C3 (bottom row), but it is not limited to this example, and the refill column C7 may be located outside the prescription column C3.

[0061] In short, the refill prescription Sh1 is treated as a "refill prescription" if a checkmark (✓) or an "×" (×) is entered in the checkbox indicating whether or not it is refillable in the refill column C7. In this case, the refill prescription Sh1 can be reused within a certain predetermined period, up to the number of times allowed to be entered in the refill column C7. On the other hand, if the refill prescription Sh1 is not treated as a "refill prescription" and an "×" (✓) is not entered in the checkbox indicating whether or not it is refillable in the refill column C7, it is treated as a regular prescription and cannot be reused. Since the pharmacy is the one that enters the checkmark (✓) or "×" and the date (the date of dispensing, the next scheduled dispensing date) in the dispensing record column C6, the checkmark and date in the dispensing record column C6 are left blank when the refill prescription Sh1 is issued, as shown in Figure 2.

[0062] Furthermore, the refill prescription Sh1 will also include, as appropriate, information such as the names of the medical institution and dispensing pharmacy, the names of the doctors and pharmacists, their contact information, the public expense payer number, and the insurer number.

[0063] [Prescription Management Methods] The following describes an example of the prescription management method, which is primarily executed by the control unit 11 of the server 1. The control unit 11 executes various processes related to the prescription management method when a specific, pre-configured start operation for executing the prescription management program is performed on the client terminal 2. The control unit 11 can execute the prescription management method in substantially parallel with each of the client terminals 2 when the specific start operation is performed on multiple client terminals 2. Furthermore, the prescription management method may be terminated even while it is running in response to a specific termination operation on the client terminal 2. The present invention may also be considered as an invention of a method (prescription management method) in which a computer such as the server 1 executes some or all of the processes of the prescription management method.

[0064] Here, the start operation includes connecting the client terminal 2 to the server 1 (starting the application software), and logging in with the input of a user ID and password. On the other hand, the end operation includes logging out and disconnecting the connection between the server 1 and the client terminal 2.

[0065] The following describes the prescription management method when the refill prescription Sh1, for which the permitted number of uses is specified as "3 times," is issued.

[0066] As mentioned above, the usage period of the refill prescription Sh1 is set to be within 4 days, including the date of issuance of the refill prescription Sh1. However, this usage period only specifies the deadline for receiving (dispensing) the medication for the first time using the refill prescription Sh1. In other words, the refill prescription Sh1 does not directly specify the date for receiving the medication for the second time or later, making it difficult for the patient to know when they can receive the medication for the second time or later.

[0067] Therefore, in the prescription management method according to this embodiment, the usability of the refill prescription Sh1 is improved by indicating the date on which the medication can be picked up for the second time and subsequent times using the refill prescription Sh1.

[0068] In this embodiment, the date on which the medication can be picked up for the second and subsequent uses of the refill prescription Sh1 is determined, in principle, based on the dispensing date of the previous medication, and is within 7 days before or after the day on which the administration period of the medication ends (i.e., the day after the last day of the administration period of the medication received last time). That is, if the day on which the administration period of the medication received this time ends is considered the "next scheduled dispensing date," the next period on which the medication can be picked up will be a 15-day period, starting 7 days before the next scheduled dispensing date and ending 7 days after the next scheduled dispensing date. For example, if the date on which the administration period for the first dispensing of the aforementioned drug ends (the next scheduled dispensing date) is "July 1, 2024", then the period from "June 24, 2024" (7 days prior to the previous day, June 30, 2024) to "July 8, 2024" (7 days after the following day, July 2, 2024) will be the date on which the second dispensing of the aforementioned drug can be received.

[0069] In short, the pick-up date for the second and subsequent uses of the refill prescription Sh1 can be determined within a predetermined range (15 days as an example in this embodiment) based on the dispensing date (pick-up date) of the previous medication and the length of the medication administration period. The length of the medication administration period can be determined, for example, from the contents of the prescription (such as the dosage and method of use of the prescribed medication). Therefore, in the prescription management method according to this embodiment, the pick-up date for the second and subsequent uses of the refill prescription Sh1 is presented within a predetermined range based on the refill prescription information, which includes the dispensing date (pick-up date) of the previous medication and the contents of the prescription.

[0070] Figure 3 shows an example of the processing procedure of the control unit 11, which is particularly related to the presentation of the next available date for receiving the prescription, as part of the prescription management method.

[0071] First, the acquisition processing unit 111 of the control unit 11 executes the acquisition process to acquire the refill prescription information relating to the refill prescription Sh1 (S1). At this time, the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires the refill prescription information from the prescription data stored in the information storage unit 123, the prescription data input by the client terminal 2, or the scanned data of the refill prescription Sh1.

[0072] Next, the presentation processing unit 112 of the control unit 11 determines whether the date for the second dispensing using the refill prescription Sh1 has been determined (S2). If the pharmacy has dispensed the medication for the second time using the refill prescription Sh1 and issued a medicine bag, the presentation processing unit 112 determines that the date for the second dispensing has been determined (S2: Yes), and proceeds to step S3. On the other hand, if the date for the second dispensing has not been determined (S2: No), the presentation processing unit 112 proceeds to step S4.

[0073] In step S3, the presentation processing unit 112 determines the date on which the third dose of the medication can be received using the refill prescription Sh1, and presents the date within a predetermined range (15 days as an example in this embodiment). At this time, based on the refill prescription information, the presentation processing unit 112 identifies the date on which the third dose of the medication can be received using the refill prescription Sh1, based on the dispensing date (receiving date) of the second dose of the medication and the length of the administration period of the medication, within the predetermined range. The presentation processing unit 112 then presents the date on which the third dose of the medication can be received by printing the identified (determined) date on which the third dose of the medication can be received, the date on which the medication can be received, D1, on the printer 3.

[0074] Furthermore, in step S4, the presentation processing unit 112 of the control unit 11 determines whether the date for the first dispensing using the refill prescription Sh1 has been determined. If the pharmacy has performed the first dispensing using the refill prescription Sh1 and issued a medicine bag, the presentation processing unit 112 determines that the date for the first dispensing has been determined (S4: Yes), and proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, if the date for the first dispensing has not been determined (S4: No), the presentation processing unit 112 skips step S5 and terminates the series of processes.

[0075] In step S5, the presentation processing unit 112 determines the available dates for receiving the medication for the second and subsequent uses using the refill prescription Sh1, and presents these available dates within a predetermined range (15 days as an example in this embodiment). At this time, based on the refill prescription information, the presentation processing unit 112 identifies the available dates for receiving the medication for the second and third uses within the predetermined range, based on the dispensing date (receiving date) of the first use of the medication using the refill prescription Sh1 and the length of the medication administration period. The presentation processing unit 112 then prints the available date information D1, which indicates the identified (determined) available dates for receiving the medication for the second and subsequent uses (second and third uses), on the printer 3, thereby presenting the available dates for receiving the medication for the second and subsequent uses.

[0076] The printed document on which the pick-up date information D1 is printed in step S3 or step S5 is handed to the patient, for example, at the pharmacy, along with the medicine (medicine bag). As a result, when the patient receives the medicine for the first time, they are presented with the pick-up date information D1 indicating the pick-up dates for the second and third doses of the medicine, and when the patient receives the medicine for the second time, they are presented with the pick-up date information D1 indicating the pick-up date for the third dose of the medicine.

[0077] The flowchart above is merely an example, and processes may be added or omitted as appropriate, or the order of processes may be changed as appropriate. For example, in step S4, if the date for the first dispensing has not been determined (S4: No), the presentation processing unit 112 may present the dates on which the medication can be received for the first and second dispensing.

[0078] [Specific example] Hereinafter, a specific example of the available date information D1 presented by the prescription management method according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 10. Here, we assume that the refill prescription Sh1 is issued on "June 1, 2024", and that the refill prescription Sh1 prescribes "3 tablets after each meal" for "30 days" (i.e., 270 tablets of the drug), and that the allowable number of times the refill prescription Sh1 is issued is "3". In other words, the date on which the drug is received for the first time using the refill prescription Sh1 is one of the four days from "June 1, 2024" to "June 4, 2024", which is the usage period of the refill prescription Sh1.

[0079] In this embodiment, the setting processing unit 113 can selectively select the manner in which the available date for receipt is presented from among the manners shown in Figures 4 and 5, Figures 6 and 7, Figures 8 and 9, or Figure 10.

[0080] First, the receiving date information D1 in Figure 4 is a calendar (seven-day calendar) that shows the receiving date of the drug in a tabular format. In particular, the receiving date information D11 at the top of Figure 4 shows the receiving date of the drug for the second time, and the receiving date information D12 at the bottom of Figure 4 shows the receiving date of the drug for the third time.

[0081] In the example in Figure 4, we assume that the date of receipt of the first medication using the refill prescription Sh1 is "June 1, 2024". In this case, the administration period of the first medication is 30 days from "June 1, 2024" to "June 30, 2024", so the next scheduled dispensing date, which is the day when the administration period of the medication ends, is "July 1, 2024". Therefore, the available dates for receiving the second medication are within 7 days before or after "July 1, 2024", that is, 15 days from "June 24, 2024" to "July 8, 2024". Thus, in the available date information D11 at the top of Figure 4, the 15 days from "June 24, 2024" to "July 8, 2024" are presented as the available dates for receiving the medication.

[0082] In this embodiment, the presentation processing unit 112 further presents additional information D101 and D102 regarding the available pick-up dates. The additional information D101 and D102 is, for example, information such as the operating status of the pharmacy or whether the medication is out of stock (meaning the administration period has elapsed). In the example in Figure 4, the additional information D101 indicates that the medication is out of stock from July 1, 2024 onwards, and the additional information D102 indicates the operating status of the pharmacy (〇: open, △: open only in the morning, ×: closed). The presentation processing unit 112 presents the additional information D101 and D102 in association with the available pick-up dates by adding them to the calendar. This makes it easier for the patient to consider which of the range of available pick-up dates to go and pick up the medication.

[0083] Furthermore, in the example in Figure 4, the date for receiving the second dose of the medication is undetermined, so the date for receiving the third dose of the medication using the refill prescription Sh1 is not determined. Therefore, in the example in Figure 4, the dates for receiving the third dose of the medication using the refill prescription Sh1 are presented, with each case separated according to the date of receiving the second dose of the medication.

[0084] First, if the date of receiving the second dose of the medication using the refill prescription Sh1 is before the first dose of the medication runs out, the administration period for the second dose of the medication is 30 days, from July 1, 2024 to July 30, 2024. Therefore, the next scheduled dispensing date, which is the day when the administration period for the medication ends, will be July 31, 2024. Consequently, the date on which the third dose of the medication can be received is within 7 days before or after July 31, 2024, that is, 15 days, from July 24, 2024 to August 7, 2024. Therefore, in the receiving date information D12 at the bottom of Figure 4, if the receiving date for the second dose of the drug is between "June 24, 2024" and "June 30, 2024", then the 15-day period from "July 24, 2024" to "August 7, 2024" is presented as the receiving date for the third dose of the drug.

[0085] On the other hand, if the date of receipt of the second dose of the drug is on or after "July 1, 2024", the administration period for the second dose of the drug is 30 days from the date of receipt. Therefore, the next scheduled dispensing date, which is the day when the administration period for the drug has ended, will be 31 days after the date of receipt of the second dose of the drug. Accordingly, in the receipt date information D12 at the bottom of Figure 4, if the date of receipt of the second dose of the drug is on or after "July 1, 2024", the 15 days from the 24th day after the receipt date are presented as the receipt dates for the third dose of the drug. For example, if the date of receipt of the second dose of the drug is "July 7, 2024", the 15 days from the 24th day after the receipt date, which is "July 30, 2024" to "August 13, 2024", are presented as the receipt dates for the third dose of the drug.

[0086] In the lower part of Figure 4, the receiving date information D12, the presentation processing unit 112 adds the date of the second medication pickup, which will become the receiving date for the third medication, to the calendar. That is, the presentation processing unit 112 presents the Nth (e.g., second) receiving date and the N+1th (e.g., third) receiving date according to the refill prescription Sh1, associating them. This allows the patient to understand when to pick up the Nth medication to determine when the receiving date for the N+1th medication will be, making it easier for them to consider when to go to pick up the medication.

[0087] As described above, the presentation processing unit 112 presents the available pickup dates in a calendar format. This makes it easier for the patient to understand the available pickup dates and to consider which of the available dates to pick up the medication.

[0088] Next, the available date information D13 in Figure 5 shows the available date for the third dose of the medication, which is displayed when the dispensing date (receiving date) for the second dose of the medication is determined. In the example in Figure 5, we assume that the receiving date for the second dose of the medication using the refill prescription Sh1 is "June 29, 2024". In this case, the administration period for the second dose of the medication is 30 days from "July 1, 2024" to "July 30, 2024", so the next scheduled dispensing date, which is the day when the administration period for the medication ends, is "July 31, 2024". Therefore, the available date for the third dose of the medication is within 7 days before or after "July 31, 2024", that is, 15 days from "July 24, 2024" to "August 7, 2024". Therefore, in the receipt availability information D13 in Figure 5, the 15-day period from "July 24, 2024" to "August 7, 2024" is presented as the receipt availability period.

[0089] Thus, the presentation processing unit 112 presents subsequent available pickup dates, conditional on the dispensing date (pickup date) of the medication based on the refill prescription Sh1 being determined. This makes it easier for the patient to understand subsequent available pickup dates and to consider which day to pick up the medication. Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the dispensing date (pickup date) of the medication based on the refill prescription Sh1 has not been determined, the presentation processing unit 112 presents candidate dates for subsequent available pickup dates. These candidate dates are not determined as available pickup dates because the previous dispensing date has not been determined, but they are presented as candidates for available pickup dates with a wider range than the actual available pickup date. This makes it easier for the patient to understand subsequent available pickup dates and to consider which day to pick up the medication.

[0090] More specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the presentation processing unit 112 only presents candidate dates for the third available pickup date (for each of the second pickup dates) until the second dispensing date (pickup date) of the drug is determined. Then, once the second dispensing date (pickup date) of the drug is determined, the presentation processing unit 112 narrows down the candidate dates for the third available pickup date to accurately present the third available pickup date.

[0091] In short, in this embodiment, the presentation processing unit 112 can narrow down and present the N+1 (e.g., 3rd) available pick-up date based on the Nth (e.g., 2nd) pick-up date using the refill prescription Sh1. This makes it easier for the patient to understand the N+1 available pick-up date and to consider which day to go to pick up the medication.

[0092] Furthermore, the presentation processing unit 112 according to this embodiment also has a "reverse lookup" function that allows the user or patient to specify a desired pickup date from among the third available pickup dates, thereby presenting the second pickup date to enable the third pickup of the medication on that desired pickup date. In other words, the presentation processing unit 112 can also narrow down and present the Nth (e.g., second) available pickup date according to the N+1th (e.g., third) desired pickup date based on the refill prescription. This makes it easier for the patient to specify the N+1th pickup date in advance, understand the necessary Nth available pickup dates for the medication, and consider which day to go to pick up the medication.

[0093] The receipt date information D1 in Figure 6 is a representation of the receipt date information D1 showing the receipt dates of the drug in a matrix format. In Figure 6, the receipt dates are shown in a matrix format with the vertical direction as a time series. In particular, the receipt date information D14 on the left side of Figure 6 shows the receipt date for the second delivery of the drug, and the receipt date information D15 on the right side of Figure 6 shows the receipt date for the third delivery of the drug.

[0094] In the example in Figure 6, similar to Figure 4, we assume that the first date of receiving the medication using the refill prescription Sh1 is "June 1, 2024". Therefore, in the available pickup date information D14 on the left side of Figure 6, the 15 days from "June 24, 2024" to "July 8, 2024" are presented as the available pickup dates. Here, in the example in Figure 6, the additional information D101 indicating "out of medication" is added by shading the cell.

[0095] Furthermore, in the example in Figure 6, since the date of receipt of the second dose of the medication is undecided, the available dates for receiving the third dose of the medication using the refill prescription Sh1 are presented in separate cases for each date of receipt of the second dose of the medication. Therefore, in the available date information D15 on the right side of Figure 6, for example, if the date of receipt of the second dose of the medication is from "June 24, 2024" to "July 1, 2024" (i.e., cases "A to H"), the 15 days from "July 24, 2024" to "August 7, 2024" are presented as the available dates for receiving the third dose of the medication. On the other hand, for example, if the date of receipt of the second dose of the medication is "July 7, 2024" (i.e., case "N"), the 15 days from the 24th day after that receipt date, which is from "July 30, 2024" to "August 13, 2024", are presented as the available dates for receiving the third dose of the medication.

[0096] By the way, for example, there are cases where the dispensing date (receipt date) of the first prescription using the refill prescription Sh1 is undetermined, such as when the dispensing is carried out at a medical institution different from the medical institution that issued the refill prescription Sh1.

[0097] The receipt date information D1 in Figure 7 is a representation of the receipt date information D1 in a matrix format, showing the receipt dates for the drug when the first receipt date for the drug is undetermined. In particular, the receipt date information D16 on the left side of Figure 7 shows the receipt date for the first delivery of the drug, the receipt date information D17 in the center of Figure 7 shows the receipt date for the second delivery of the drug, and the receipt date information D18 on the right side of Figure 7 shows the receipt date for the third delivery of the drug.

[0098] In the available pickup date information D16 on the left side of Figure 7, the four days from "June 1, 2024" to "June 4, 2024" are presented as the available pickup dates. Here, in the example of Figure 7, the additional information D101 indicating "out of medication" is added by shading the cell.

[0099] Furthermore, in the example in Figure 7, since the date of receipt of the first dose of the medication is undecided, the available dates for receiving the second dose of the medication using the refill prescription Sh1 are presented in separate cases for each date of receipt of the first dose of the medication. Therefore, in the available date information D17 in the center of Figure 7, for example, if the date of receipt of the first dose of the medication is "June 2, 2024" (i.e., case "B"), the 15 days from "June 25, 2024" to "July 9, 2024" are presented as the available dates for receiving the second dose of the medication.

[0100] As described above, the presentation processing unit 112 can also present the available pickup dates in a matrix format. This allows for a highly readable presentation of the available pickup dates, even when presenting the available pickup dates for the third medication using the refill prescription Sh1, after separating the cases for each second medication pickup date. Therefore, the patient can more easily grasp the available pickup dates and consider which of the range of available pickup dates to choose to pick up the medication.

[0101] The receipt availability information D19 in Figure 8 is the receipt availability information D1 in a matrix format, with the horizontal direction representing a time series, showing the receipt availability dates for the drug. In Figure 8, the second and third receipt availability dates are combined into a single table, which is the receipt availability information D19. Although the table format of the receipt availability information D19 in Figure 8 differs from that of the example in Figure 6, the information itself is the same as that of the example in Figure 6.

[0102] The receipt availability information D20 and D21 in Figure 9 is the receipt availability information D1 in a matrix format, showing the receipt availability dates for the drug when the first receipt date for the drug is undecided, with the horizontal direction representing time series. In Figure 9, the first and second receipt availability dates are combined into a single table and referred to as the receipt availability information D20. Although the table format of the receipt availability information D1 in Figure 9 differs from that of the example in Figure 7, the information itself is the same as that of the example in Figure 7.

[0103] The receipt availability information D22 and D23 in Figure 10 are a simplified version of the receipt availability information D20 and D21 in Figure 9, and represent the receipt availability information D1. In the receipt availability information D22 in Figure 10, the second receipt availability date is omitted. In the receipt availability information D23 in Figure 10, the third receipt availability date is omitted.

[0104] The pick-up date is presented in the various manner described above. Here, the presentation processing unit 112 generates a printed document with the pick-up date printed on it by causing the printer 3 to print the pick-up date information D1 indicating the pick-up date. In other words, the printed document has the pick-up date, which is identified based on the refill prescription information relating to the refill prescription Sh1, and on which the medicine prescribed by the refill prescription Sh1 can be picked up, printed with a predetermined width.

[0105] As an example, the printed material is the refill prescription Sh1. In this case, the date on which the medication prescribed by the refill prescription Sh1 can be picked up is printed on the refill prescription Sh1. Therefore, for the patient, the date on which the medication prescribed by the refill prescription Sh1 can be picked up can be confirmed on the refill prescription Sh1 itself, thus improving convenience.

[0106] Another example is a medicine bag. In this case, the date on which the medicine prescribed by the refill prescription Sh1 can be picked up is printed on the medicine bag. Therefore, for the patient, the date on which the medicine can be picked up can be confirmed on the medicine bag, thus improving convenience. Furthermore, it is preferable that the medicine bag also has printed information other than the date on which it can be picked up, such as a prescription identifier (prescription ID) that identifies the refill prescription Sh1.

[0107] Furthermore, in addition to or instead of the pick-up date, the medicine bag may also have printed information indicating whether or not the next dispensing (pick-up) of the medicine is possible with the refill prescription Sh1 used this time (whether or not refill dispensing is possible). Whether or not the next dispensing of the medicine is possible with the refill prescription Sh1 used this time may be determined automatically by the server 1 according to a program, or by a pharmacist or the like.

[0108] As yet another example, the printed material may be any other paper. In this case, the date on which the medication prescribed by the refill prescription Sh1 can be picked up is printed on the paper. Preferably, in addition to the date on which the medication can be picked up, the paper may also have a prescription identifier (prescription ID) that identifies the refill prescription Sh1 printed on it.

[0109] [Differentiation] The multiple components included in the prescription management system 10 may be distributed across multiple housings. Conversely, the multiple components that are distributed across multiple housings in the above embodiment (such as the control unit 11 and the display unit 24) may be consolidated and provided in a single housing.

[0110] Furthermore, the settings related to the operation settings may not be limited to each medical institution, but may also be made for each patient, each medical department, each attending physician, or each attending pharmacist, for example.

[0111] Furthermore, the refill prescription information only needs to include information on the "number of times" the medication can be dispensed by the refill prescription Sh1, and information regarding the patient's information, the date of issuance, the contents of the prescription, and information regarding the dispensing record at the pharmacy, such as the dispensing date, may be omitted as appropriate.

[0112] Furthermore, the function of the setting processing unit 113 to switch the manner in which the available pickup date is presented is not an essential function and can be omitted as appropriate.

Claims

1. An acquisition processing unit that acquires refill prescription information related to refill prescriptions, The system includes a presentation processing unit that identifies the available dates for receiving the medication prescribed by the refill prescription based on the refill prescription information, and presents those available dates within a predetermined range. Prescription management system.

2. The presentation processing unit further presents additional information regarding the date on which the item can be received. The prescription management system according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned display processing unit displays the available dates in a calendar format. A prescription management system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The presentation processing unit presents the available dates in a matrix format. A prescription management system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The aforementioned presentation processing unit, on the condition that the dispensing date of the medication based on the refill prescription is determined, presents the next available pick-up date. A prescription management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The aforementioned presentation processing unit, when the dispensing date for the medication based on the refill prescription has not been determined, presents candidate dates for the next or subsequent available pick-up dates. The prescription management system according to claim 5.

7. The presentation processing unit presents the Nth pick-up date and the N+1th pick-up date in association with each other. A prescription management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The presentation processing unit can narrow down and present the N+1th available date for receiving the refill prescription, depending on the Nth date of receipt. A prescription management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The presentation processing unit can narrow down and present the Nth available pickup date according to the N+1th desired pickup date specified in the refill prescription. A prescription management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A pick-up date identified based on refill prescription information relating to a refill prescription, wherein the pick-up date on which the medication prescribed by the refill prescription can be received is printed with a predetermined width. printed matter.

11. The acquisition step for obtaining refill prescription information regarding refill prescriptions, Based on the refill prescription information, the presenting step identifies the available dates for receiving the medication prescribed by the refill prescription and presents those available dates within a predetermined range. A prescription management program that causes one or more processors to execute it.

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