Drug weighing device, drug weighing system, drug weighing program, recording medium

Abstract

To provide a medicine weighing device capable of supporting accurate weighing of medicines according to prescriptions. [Solution] After prescription information including one or more prescribed drug names recorded on a prescription is read from the prescription (Yes in S1), contained drug information including contained drug names recorded on a drug container is read from the drug container (Yes in S3), and if the contained drug name corresponds to one of the prescribed drug names (Yes in S4), the prescribed drug name is selected as the drug to be weighed (S5). This provides a drug weighing device that can support accurate weighing of drugs according to a prescription.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medicine weighing device used to weigh medicines according to a prescription and related technologies. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, in hospitals or dispensing pharmacies, pharmacists weigh each drug using an electronic balance while referring to a prescription. Specifically, the pharmacist refers to the prescription to identify the required drug, and then takes out a drug container containing that drug from a drug shelf or the like. The pharmacist then weighs the drug contained in the drug container using the electronic balance according to the prescribed amount recorded on the prescription.

[0003] Meanwhile, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a medicine weighing device equipped with the functions of an electronic balance and a medicine auditing function. This medicine weighing device not only weighs medicines, but also audits whether the weighed value of each medicine is the normal dose (the appropriate amount to take per day or once) preset for each medicine. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4397917 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when the medicine weighing device is used independently without linking to a host system, such as a dispensing support system used in hospitals or pharmacies, it is not possible to obtain prescription data from the host system. In this case, the medicine weighing device can only record a history of who weighed which medicine, when, and how many grams, but it cannot compare the name of the medicine recorded on the medicine container with the name of the medicine recorded on the prescription (so-called auditing work). Therefore, when weighing medicines using the medicine weighing device, the comparison of the name of the medicine recorded on the prescription with the name of the medicine recorded on the medicine container is performed solely by visual inspection by a pharmacist, which raises concerns about human error by the pharmacist.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a medicine weighing device that can support accurate weighing of medicines according to prescriptions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The medicine weighing device according to the present invention comprises a weighing means, a prescription information reading means, a contained medicine information reading means, and a control means. The weighing means weighs medicine. The prescription information reading means reads prescription information from a prescription, including prescription medicine identification information that identifies one or more prescription medicines recorded on the prescription. The contained medicine information reading means reads contained medicine information from the medicine container, including contained medicine identification information that identifies the contained medicine recorded in the medicine container. When the contained medicine read by the contained medicine information reading means corresponds to any of the prescription medicines read by the prescription information reading means, the control means selects the prescribed medicine as the drug to be weighed and causes the display means to display a weighing screen in which the prescribed medicine is to be weighed.

[0008] A medicine weighing system according to the present invention comprises a medicine packaging device having a plurality of input ports into which medicines are input and a packaging unit for packaging the medicines input into each of the input ports, and the medicine weighing device. The medicine packaging device comprises information reading means for reading information from the recording medium, and input destination display means for selecting and displaying one of the input ports based on the weighed medicine information read by the information reading means.

[0009] A medicine weighing program according to the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute a prescription information reading step, a contained medicine information reading step, and a control step. The prescription information reading step reads, from a prescription, prescription information including prescription medicine identification information that identifies one or more prescription medicines recorded on the prescription. The contained medicine information reading step reads, from the medicine container, contained medicine information including contained medicine identification information that identifies the contained medicine recorded in the medicine container. The control step, when the contained medicine indicated by the contained medicine identification information read by the contained medicine information reading step corresponds to any of the prescription medicines indicated by the prescription medicine identification information read by the prescription information reading step, selects the prescribed medicine as the drug to be weighed and causes a display means to display a weighing screen in which the prescribed medicine is to be weighed.

[0010] A recording medium according to the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium on which the medicine weighing program is recorded. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a medicine weighing device that can support accurate weighing of medicines according to prescriptions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a medicine weighing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a medicine weighing device of a medicine weighing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the data structure of the generic drug master. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a medicine packaging device of a medicine weighing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for a medicine weighing process executed by the medicine weighing device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a prescription screen displayed in the medicine weighing process. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a weighing screen displayed in the medicine weighing process. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a progress screen displayed during the medicine weighing process. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows an example of a warning screen, a confirmation screen, and a warning screen displayed during the medicine weighing process. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a generic drug master registration screen. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for a medicine packaging process executed by the medicine packaging apparatus. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing another example of the procedure of the medicine packaging process executed by the medicine packaging apparatus. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing another example of the procedure of the medicine packaging process executed by the medicine packaging apparatus. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing another example of the procedure of the medicine packaging process executed by the medicine packaging apparatus. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining the prescription batch reading mode. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing another example of the weighing screen displayed in the medicine weighing process executed by the inventory weighing device. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing another example of a medicine weighing system. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for prescription input processing executed by the inventory weighing device. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the execution result of the recipe division process executed by the inventory weighing device. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the execution result of the recipe consolidation process executed by the inventory weighing device. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a system linkage selection screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure of the display control process executed by the inventory weighing device. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a prescription screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an example of a prescription screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of a prescription list screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an example of a prescription list screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an example of a prescription drug information screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a diagram showing an example of a recipe list screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is a diagram showing an example of a recipe list screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 30] FIG. 30 shows an example of a prescription drug information screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 31] FIG. 31 is a diagram showing an example of a patient ID input screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 32] FIG. 32 is a flowchart for explaining another example of the generic drug use process executed by the inventory weighing device. [Figure 33] FIG. 33 is a diagram showing an example of a prescription screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 34]FIG. 34 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for changing prescription medicines executed by the inventory weighing device. [Figure 35] FIG. 35 is a diagram showing an example of a prescription screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 36] FIG. 36 is a diagram showing an example of a medicine list screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 37] FIG. 37 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for the generic drug registration process executed by the inventory weighing device. [Figure 38] FIG. 38 is a diagram showing an example of a maintenance screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 39] FIG. 39 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure of the startup process executed by the inventory weighing device. [Figure 40] FIG. 40 is a diagram showing an example of a machine selection screen displayed on the inventory weighing device. [Figure 41] FIG. 41 is a diagram showing an example of a packaging input screen displayed on the medicine packaging device. [Figure 42] FIG. 42 is a diagram showing an example of a packaging input screen displayed on the medicine packaging device. [Figure 43] FIG. 43 is a diagram showing an example of a print image of drug testing information printed by the medicine packaging device. [Figure 44] FIG. 44 is a diagram showing an example of a print image of drug testing information printed by the medicine packaging device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to help understand the present invention. Note that the following embodiments are examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0014] [Medicine weighing system 1] As shown in Fig. 1, a medicine weighing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a medicine weighing device 10 that weighs medicines and a medicine packaging device 20 that packages the medicines. A user such as a doctor or pharmacist places a medicine on a medicine sheet 30 (an example of a medicine placing member) and weighs it using the medicine weighing device 10. The user then moves the medicine sheet 30 on which the weighed medicine is placed to the medicine packaging device 20 and inserts the medicine into the medicine packaging device 20. The medicine is then packaged in individual packets by the medicine packaging device 20.

[0015] The medicine packaging device 20 may have each function of the medicine weighing device 10, in which case the medicine packaging device 20 corresponds to the medicine weighing system according to the present invention. Furthermore, for the medicine weighing device 10, the conventional configuration (see, for example, Patent Document 1) may be adopted for the points not described in this embodiment.

[0016] [Chemical weighing device 10] First, the general configuration of the medicine weighing device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0017] The medicine weighing device 10 includes a control unit 11, a balance unit 12, a touch panel 13, an RFID reader / writer 14, a data storage unit 15, a USB port 16, a barcode reader 17, a printer 18, etc. In particular, at least the control unit 11, the balance unit 12, and the touch panel 13 are integrally provided in the device body of the medicine weighing device 10. The medicine weighing device 10 can be used to weigh medicines in various dosage forms, such as powdered medicine, liquid medicine, tablets, and heat-resistant medicines (packaged with a predetermined amount of powdered medicine or tablets).

[0018] The control unit 11 is a computer that includes a CPU, ROM, RAM (EEPROM, etc.), and performs overall control of the medicine weighing device 10. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic processes according to various programs. The ROM is a non-volatile memory that stores in advance programs such as BIOS to be executed by the CPU. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory that is used for expanding various programs by the CPU and temporarily storing data for various arithmetic processes.

[0019] The balance unit 12 is an example of a weighing means for weighing a medicine placed on a stainless steel balance platform 19. Specifically, the balance unit 12 is a balance unit that is also used in conventionally known electronic balances that include a balancing circuit, a force coil, a current / voltage conversion circuit, an A / D conversion circuit, etc. The weight of the medicine weighed by the balance unit 12 is input to the control unit 11 as digital data. The medicine weighing device 10 is equipped with a detachable windshield cover (not shown) that prevents powdered medicine on the balance platform 19 from being blown away by wind.

[0020] When weighing a medicine using the medicine weighing device 10, the user places the medicine sheet 30 on the balance table 19 and then places the medicine on the medicine sheet 30. The medicine sheet 30 is provided with an RFID tag 31 as a recording medium for reading and writing various information. The RFID tag 31 is provided in a position where data can be read and written by the RFID reader / writer 14 when the medicine sheet 30 is placed on the balance table 19. The balance unit 12 determines the weighed value of the medicine by subtracting the preset weights of the medicine sheet 30 and the RFID tag 31.

[0021] The touch panel 13 includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel that displays various screens and various information in accordance with control instructions from the control unit 11, and a detection unit that detects operations on operation keys displayed on the display unit and inputs detection signals to the control unit 11. That is, the touch panel 13 serves as both a display means and an input means in the medicine weighing device 10. Specifically, the control unit 11 causes the touch panel 13 to display the weight value weighed by the balance unit 12 (see FIG. 7).

[0022] The RFID reader / writer 14 records information on an RFID tag or an RFID label using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) wireless communication technology, or reads information from an RFID tag or an RFID label. The RFID reader / writer 14 is provided adjacent to the balance table 19 and is used to read and write information from the RFID tag 31 when the drug sheet 30 is placed on the balance table 19. Of course, the RFID reader / writer 14 may be built into the medicine weighing device 10. Also, while FIG. 2 shows an example in which the RFID reader / writer 14 is located on the left side of the balance table 19, it may also be configured to be located behind the balance table 19.

[0023] If balance table 19 is made of resin or the like and does not block RFID wireless communication, a configuration is also possible in which RFID reader / writer 14 is provided below balance table 19 and RFID tag 31 is provided on the bottom surface of drug sheet 30. This allows RFID reader / writer 14 to read and write information from RFID tag 31 when drug sheet 30 is placed on balance table 19, regardless of the orientation of drug sheet 30, etc.

[0024] The data storage unit 15 is a USB memory that stores various data such as control programs, such as a drug weighing program executed by the control unit 11, a drug master (corresponding to drug information), and a generic drug master (corresponding to generic drug information), and is detachable from the drug weighing device 10. Specifically, the data storage unit 15 is detachable from an attachment portion of the USB port 16 that is exposed by removing a detachable cover (not shown) provided on the back of the drug weighing device 10. Here, the detachable cover (not shown) can be opened and closed without disassembling the control unit 11, the balance unit 12, the touch panel 13, etc. of the drug weighing device 10. Therefore, the data storage unit 15 can be detached from the drug weighing device 10 without any problems under the Measurement Act. Therefore, by appropriately replacing the data storage unit 15, various data, such as the drug weighing program, the drug master, and the generic drug master, can be easily updated. The data storage unit 15 is not limited to a USB memory, and may be other recording media such as a flash memory, a memory card, a disk, etc. Here, the data storage unit 15 having the medicine weighing program recorded therein corresponds to the recording medium according to the present invention.

[0025] The medicine weighing program is software that causes a computer such as the control unit 11 to execute each processing step of the medicine weighing process (see FIG. 5) described below. For example, the medicine weighing program runs on an OS such as Android (registered trademark) installed in the control unit 11. The medicine weighing program also includes an audit program that causes the control unit 11 to audit whether the weighed value of a medicine is within the range of a recommended dose (appropriate amount to be taken per day or once) previously set for each medicine. Therefore, the medicine weighing device 10 can independently audit both the weighing of medicines and the recommended dose without using another information processing device such as a computer. Here, the control unit 11 corresponds to the auditing means when executing the audit process.

[0026] The pharmaceutical master includes pharmaceutical code, pharmaceutical name, JAN code (or RSS), pharmaceutical bottle code, classification (dosage form: powder, tablet, liquid, external medicine, etc.), specific gravity, pharmaceutical type (ordinary medicine, poison, narcotic, powerful drug, antipsychotic, therapeutic drug, etc.), compounding variations, excipients, precautions, usual dosage (equivalent to appropriate dosage information), information on prohibited simultaneous use, etc. Here, the data storage unit 15 is an example of pharmaceutical information storage means.

[0027] Here, the JAN code (RSS) is information corresponding to the contained drug name (an example of contained drug identification information) recorded on a medicine bottle (an example of a medicine container) supplied by a pharmaceutical manufacturer, and the JAN code is recorded (written) on the medicine bottle as a barcode. Also, the medicine bottle code is information corresponding to the contained drug name recorded on a medicine bottle (an example of a medicine container) when a medicine in a medicine box supplied by a pharmaceutical manufacturer is subdivided into the medicine bottle, and the medicine bottle code is recorded on the medicine bottle as a barcode. The control unit 11 can obtain the contained drug name corresponding to each of the barcodes by referring to the medicine master.

[0028] Incidentally, in this embodiment, an example will be described in which drug names (prescription drug name, contained drug name, original drug name, generic drug name) are used as information for identifying drugs (prescription drug identification information, contained drug identification information, original drug identification information, generic drug identification information), but this is not limiting and drug codes, etc. may also be used. For example, when comparing drug types, the control unit 11 and the control unit 21 described below may adopt various methods, such as comparing drug names, comparing drug codes, identifying drug names indicated by drug codes and comparing the drug names, identifying drug codes indicated by drug names and comparing the drug codes, or combining any two or more of these methods.

[0029] The recommended dose is a proper amount to be taken per day or at a time, which is predetermined for each drug. The simultaneous drug prohibition information is information regarding drugs that are prohibited from being taken at the same time, which is predetermined for each drug. The recommended dose and the simultaneous drug prohibition information are used in the audit process executed by the control unit 11 in accordance with the audit program. Specifically, the control unit 11 audits whether the weight measured by the balance unit 12 is within a range of proper amounts predetermined for each drug, based on the recommended dose stored in the data storage unit 15. The control unit 11 also audits whether multiple drugs included in prescription information read by a barcode reader 17 (described later) are prohibited from being taken at the same time, based on the simultaneous drug prohibition information stored in the data storage unit 15.

[0030] If the weighed value is outside the range of the recommended dose, or if the drug recorded in the prescription includes a drug that is prohibited from being taken at the same time, the control unit 11 may display a warning to that effect on the touch panel 13, etc. The control unit 11 may display the warning using text, images, sound, or light. This makes it possible to prevent the prescription of a drug in an amount that exceeds the recommended dose, or the prescription of multiple drugs that may cause incompatibility or side effects if taken at the same time, at the drug weighing stage in the drug weighing device 10.

[0031] The generic drug master also stores, for generic drugs, the drug name, JAN code (or RSS), medicine bottle code, classification (dosage form: powder, tablet, liquid, topical medicine, etc.), specific gravity, drug type (ordinary medicine, poison, narcotic, powerful drug, antipsychotic, therapeutic drug, etc.), combination variations, excipients, precautions, normal dose (equivalent to appropriate dose information), and information on prohibited simultaneous use. When the generic drug is weighed in the medicine weighing device 10, the control unit 11 also performs an audit process based on the normal dose or the information on prohibited simultaneous use in the same manner as described above.

[0032] Furthermore, the generic drug master defines a correspondence between a plurality of original drug names (an example of original drug identification information) and a plurality of generic drug names (an example of generic drug identification information). Specifically, the generic drug master stores the names of original drugs and generic drugs having the same efficacy in correspondence with each other. The generic drug master also stores the original drug names and generic drug names in correspondence with the generic drug's generic name. Here, the data storage unit 15 is an example of generic drug information storage means. The control unit 11 can obtain the generic drug names corresponding to each of the barcodes by referring to the generic drug master. The drug master and the generic drug master are read out or edited by the control unit 11.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of essential parts that schematically illustrates part of the data structure of the drug master and the generic drug master. As shown in FIG. 3, the drug master stores drug codes A, B, and C and drug names AA, BB, and CC, respectively, in association with each other. Meanwhile, the generic drug master stores generic drug codes A', A'', generic drug codes B', B'', generic drug names AA', AA'', and generic drug names B', BB'', respectively, in association with each other. The generic drug codes A', A'' are associated with the drug code A, which is the original drug corresponding to the generic drug codes A', A''. Similarly, the generic drug codes B', B'' are associated with the drug code B, which is the original drug corresponding to the generic drug codes B', B''. This allows the control unit 11 to know the correspondence between the drug code A and the generic drug codes A', AA'', and the correspondence between the drug code B and the generic drug codes B', BB''. Note that Figure 3 shows a state in which no generic drug is registered for the drug code C.

[0034] The USB port 16 is a communication interface that communicates with USB devices in accordance with the USB (Universal Serial Bus) communication standard. The USB port 16 has at least three connection parts to which the data storage unit 15, the barcode reader 17, and the printer 18 are attached and detached. The driving power of the barcode reader 17 and the printer 18 is supplied from the USB port 16. Of course, the medicine weighing device 10, the barcode reader 17, and the printer 18 may be individually connected to a commercial AC power source.

[0035] The method of connecting the barcode reader 17 and the printer 18 to the medicine weighing device 10 is not limited to USB, and may be, for example, LAN or IEEE. The barcode reader 17 and the printer 18 may be communicably connected to the medicine weighing device 10 via wireless USB or wireless LAN. The barcode reader 17 may be provided integrally with the medicine weighing device 10.

[0036] The barcode reader 17 reads information from one-dimensional barcodes such as JAN codes and RSS codes, and two-dimensional codes such as QR codes (registered trademark).

[0037] In the medicine weighing device 10, the control unit 11 uses the barcode reader 17 to read prescription information, including one or more prescription drug names (an example of prescription drug identification information) recorded (described) on the prescription, from a two-dimensional code, such as a QR code (registered trademark), recorded (described) on the prescription. The two-dimensional code is a display type code that has information displayed both horizontally and vertically. Compared to barcodes that have information displayed only horizontally, it can encode more information and can also reduce the printing area. Here, the control unit 11 when executing this reading process corresponds to prescription information reading means. The prescription information includes the prescription issue date, patient ID, patient name, patient date of birth, dosage form information (e.g., oral administration, topical administration), drug information (drug code, drug name, dosage), and usage information (e.g., three times a day after each meal).

[0038] Furthermore, in the medicine weighing device 10, the control unit 11 reads contained medicine information including the contained medicine name recorded (written) on the medicine bottle from the JAN code or medicine bottle code recorded (written) on the medicine bottle as a bar code, using the bar code reader 17. Here, the control unit 11 when executing such reading processing corresponds to contained medicine information reading means.

[0039] The method for reading the prescription information and the contained medicine information from the prescription or the medicine bottle is not limited to using a barcode, but may also use character recognition technology or image recognition technology.

[0040] For example, it is conceivable that the medicine vial is provided with an information recording medium such as an RFID tag or RFID label, and that the contained medicine information, including the name of the contained medicine contained in the medicine vial, is recorded on the information recording medium. In this case, it is conceivable that the medicine weighing device 10 is provided with a wireless reading means such as an RFID reader that reads information from the information recording medium by wireless communication, and the control unit 11 reads the contained medicine information from the information recording medium provided on the medicine vial by the wireless reading means.

[0041] It is also possible that the prescription is provided with an information recording medium such as an RFID tag or RFID label, and that the prescription information, including the names of the prescribed drugs recorded on the prescription, is recorded on the information recording medium. In this case, it is possible that the medicine weighing device 10 is equipped with a wireless reading means, such as an RFID reader, that reads information from the information recording medium by wireless communication, and the control unit 11 reads the prescription information from the information recording medium provided on the prescription by the wireless reading means.

[0042] It is also possible to consider a configuration in which the control unit 11 reads either the contained drug information or the prescription information with the barcode reader 17 (code reading means) and reads the other with the wireless reading means. On the other hand, it is also possible to consider a configuration in which the medicine weighing device 10 is equipped with the wireless reading means instead of the barcode reader 17 (code reading means), and the control unit 11 reads both the contained drug information and the prescription information with the wireless reading means. Of course, in a configuration in which the medicine weighing device 10 is equipped with both the barcode reader 17 (code reading means) and the wireless reading means, the control unit 11 can selectively use the barcode reader 17 or the wireless reading means to read the contained drug information and the prescription information.

[0043] The printer 18 prints out print data input from the control unit 11 via the USB port 16. Specifically, the printer 18 is used to print the weighing results of the medicine weighing device 10. The print layout of the weighing results is set in advance or can be set arbitrarily during initial setup of the medicine weighing device 10. Furthermore, in the medicine weighing device 10, the control unit 11 can input the prescription information to the printer 18, thereby printing a barcode or two-dimensional code indicating the prescription information together with the weighing results. This allows the medicine packaging device 20 to perform a packaging operation according to the prescription information printed by the printer 18.

[0044] [Medicine packaging equipment 20] Next, the schematic configuration of the medicine packaging device 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0045] 1 and 4, the medicine packaging device 20 includes a control unit 21, a packaging unit 22, a touch panel 23, an RFID reader / writer 24, and a supply hopper 25. The medicine packaging device 20 packages powder medicines input into it one by one, and is also called a powder medicine packaging machine.

[0046] The control unit 21 is a computer that includes a CPU, ROM, RAM (EEPROM, etc.), and controls the medicine packaging device 20 in an integrated manner. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic processes according to various programs. The ROM is a non-volatile memory in which programs such as BIOS executed by the CPU are stored in advance. For example, the ROM stores a medicine packaging program that causes the control unit 21 to execute the medicine packaging process described below. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory that is used for expanding the various programs by the CPU and for temporarily storing data for various arithmetic processes.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 4, the supply hopper 25 has two hoppers 25A and 25B (corresponding to input sections) for inputting powdered medicine. The packaging unit 22 has a dividing unit 221 (an example of a dividing means) that divides the powdered medicine input into each of the hoppers 25A and 25B into single-dose units according to the prescription information, and a packaging section 222 (an example of a packaging means) that packages the powdered medicine divided by the dividing unit 221, and performs a packaging operation to package the powdered medicine into single-dose units. Specifically, the dividing unit 221 evenly distributes the powdered medicine input into each of the hoppers 25A and 25B onto a rotating annular distribution tray using a vibrating feeder, and then rotates the annular distribution tray by a predetermined angle while discharging a fixed amount of the powdered medicine into the packaging unit 22 using a scraping unit. Therefore, the packaging unit 22 can package one type of powdered medicine fed into either hopper 25A or 25B in a single dose into a packing paper (medicine bag), or can package two types of powdered medicine fed into hoppers 25A and 25B in a single dose into the same packing paper. For example, a medicine packaging device 20 configured in this manner is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4621433. The number of hoppers provided in the supply hopper 25 may be three or more. Furthermore, the medicine packaging device 20 can package multiple powdered medicines in single dose units into packing paper by feeding powdered medicine into hopper 25A or hopper 25B multiple times and repeatedly distributing the powdered medicine evenly to the annular distribution tray.

[0048] The touch panel 23 includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel that displays various screens and information in accordance with control instructions from the control unit 21, and a detection unit that detects operations on operation keys displayed on the display unit and inputs detection signals to the control unit 21. In other words, the touch panel 23 serves as both a display means and an input means in the medicine packaging device 20.

[0049] The RFID reader / writer 24 uses RFID wireless communication technology to record information on an RFID tag or an RFID label, or to read information from an RFID tag or an RFID label. The RFID reader / writer 24 is built into a predetermined position in the medicine packaging device 20, and is used to read and write information from the RFID tag 31 when the drug sheet 30 is placed at the predetermined position.

[0050] [Chemical weighing process] An example of the procedure of the medicine weighing process executed by the control unit 11 in the medicine weighing device 10 according to the medicine weighing program will be described below with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 5. Here, S1, S2, ... shown in the figure indicate the numbers of the processing procedures (steps) executed by the control unit 11. The control unit 11 when executing the medicine weighing process corresponds to the control means according to the present invention.

[0051] The medicine weighing process is executed by the control unit 11 when the medicine weighing device 10 is powered on. Here, an example will be described in which the prescription contains information such as the prescription issue date, patient ID, patient name, patient date of birth, dosage form information (oral, topical, etc.), drug information (drug code, drug name, dosage), and usage information (three times a day after each meal, etc.), along with a two-dimensional code indicating this information. Furthermore, it is assumed that the prescribed drug names include three types of drugs: drug A, drug B, and drug C.

[0052] <Step S1> First, in step S1, the control unit 11 waits for the reading of prescription information (No side of S1). Specifically, the control unit 11 determines that the prescription information has been read when the two-dimensional code recorded on the prescription is read by the barcode reader 17. Then, when the user holds the two-dimensional code on the prescription over the barcode reader 17 and the two-dimensional code is read by the barcode reader 17 (Yes side of S1), the control unit 11 transitions the process to step S2. Here, the prescription information read from the two-dimensional code includes information recorded on the prescription, such as the prescription issue date, patient ID, patient name, patient date of birth, dosage form information (oral administration, topical administration, etc.), drug information (drug code, drug name, dosage), and usage information (three times a day after each meal, etc.).

[0053] The barcode reader 17 is always in a readable state when, for example, the power supply of the medicine weighing device 10 is ON. It is also conceivable that the control unit 11 transitions the barcode reader 17 to a readable state for a certain period of time in response to an operation input to start weighing on the touch panel 13.

[0054] <Step S2> In step S2, the control unit 11 displays a prescription screen 40 on the touch panel 13 based on the prescription information read in step S1. Here, Fig. 6(A) and Fig. 6(B) each show an example of the prescription screen 40.

[0055] The prescription screen 40 shown in FIG. 6(A) displays the name of the dispenser, the patient's name, the age, the weight, the number of days prescribed, the number of minutes, the drug name, the dosage form (powder / tablet), the prescribed amount, etc. Specifically, on the prescription screen 40 shown in FIG. 6(A), drug A, drug B, and drug C are displayed as prescribed drug names in the drug display section 401. The prescription screen 40 also displays that the dosage form of drug A is "powder" and the prescribed amount is "0.9 g," the dosage form of drug B is "powder" and the prescribed amount is "1.2 g," and the dosage form of drug C is "powder" and the prescribed amount is "0.6 g." Hereinafter, the display mode that displays drug names, etc. in this manner will be referred to as the drug name display mode.

[0056] On the other hand, the prescription screen 40 shown in FIG. 6(B) displays the dispensing doctor's name, patient's name, age, weight, prescription period, minutes, etc., but the drug name, etc. is not displayed in the drug display area 401 at this time. Hereinafter, this display mode, which does not display the drug name, etc., is referred to as the drug name hidden mode. The drug name hidden mode is a display mode that allows the dispensing staff to perform dispensing duties while reliably viewing the paper prescription by not displaying the drug name, etc., on the prescription screen 40. As a result, the drug name hidden mode allows the dispensing staff to recognize any discrepancies between the prescription information read from the two-dimensional code and the recorded prescription content for any reason. In particular, since comments, such as warning information, optionally recorded on the prescription may not be included in the two-dimensional code, the drug name hidden mode, which requires the dispensing staff to reliably view the prescription, is suitable for operations in which information not included in the two-dimensional code is recorded on the prescription.

[0057] In the drug weighing device 10, the control unit 11 displays an initial setting screen for the drug weighing program in response to operation of the touch panel 13, and switches between the drug name display mode and the drug name non-display mode in response to operation according to the initial setting screen.

[0058] <Step S3> Next, in step S3, the control unit 11 waits for the name of the contained medicine to be read (No in S3). Specifically, the control unit 11 determines that the name of the contained medicine has been read when the barcode reader 17 reads the contained medicine information indicated by the JAN code or medicine bottle code recorded on the medicine bottle. Then, when the user holds the JAN code or medicine bottle code on the medicine bottle over the barcode reader 17 and the JAN code or medicine bottle code is read by the barcode reader 17 (Yes in S3), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S4.

[0059] That is, in the medicine weighing process, the prescription information is read first, and then the contained medicine name is read. Therefore, if the contained medicine name is read first, weighing by the medicine weighing device 10 will not be started. Note that, in another embodiment, the control unit 11 may store the weighing result when the contained medicine name is read first and weighing is performed, and then, when the prescription information is read thereafter, compare the prescription information with the weighing result.

[0060] <Step S4> Then, in step S4, the control unit 11 branches the process depending on the result of comparing the contained drug name in the contained drug information read in step S3 with the contained drug name in the prescription information read in step S1. Specifically, in step S4, the control unit 11 determines whether the contained drug name corresponds to any of the prescribed drug names.

[0061] Here, if the contained medicine name corresponds to one of the prescribed medicine names (Yes side of S4), the processing proceeds to step S5, and if the contained medicine name does not correspond to any of the prescribed medicine names (No side of S4), the processing proceeds to step S13.

[0062] <Step S5> In step S5, the control unit 11 selects, from among the prescription drug names included in the prescription information, a prescription drug name that matches the contained drug name as the drug to be weighed. That is, if the contained drug name corresponds to any of the prescribed drug names, the prescription drug name to be weighed is automatically selected from among the prescription drug names included in the prescription information.

[0063] Therefore, the user can verify the contained drug name and the prescribed drug name and select the drug to be weighed in the medicine weighing device 10 simply by having the barcode reader 17 read the JAN code or medicine bottle code recorded on the medicine bottle. Therefore, when the prescription information includes multiple prescribed drug names, the operation of selecting the prescribed drug name to be weighed can be omitted, thereby improving the efficiency of dispensing by users such as doctors or pharmacists.

[0064] <Step S6> In step S6, the control unit 11 displays a weighing screen 41 for weighing a medicine of a prescribed medicine name corresponding to the contained medicine name from the prescription information on the touch panel 13. At this time, the control unit 11 displays on the weighing screen 41 the weighed value of the medicine by the balance unit 12 and the target weighing value of the medicine of the prescribed medicine name.

[0065] 7 shows an example of the weighing screen 41. The weighing screen 41 shown in Fig. 7 is displayed when the drug A is read in step S3, and displays the prescribed drug name "Drug A," the target prescribed amount of "0.9 g," and the actual weighed value by the balance unit 12 of "0.0 g."

[0066] 7 also displays a decision key 411 to be operated to complete weighing for the prescription drug name. The decision key 411 implemented on the touch panel 13 is an operation unit for inputting completion of weighing for each prescription drug name, and is an example of a first input means according to the present invention.

[0067] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a weighing screen P16, which is another example of the weighing screen 41. On the weighing screen P16 shown in FIG. 16, when the RFID reader / writer 14 detects the RFID tag 31 and information can be recorded in the RFID tag 31, the control unit 11 displays a detection display unit P161 indicating this by an image, text, or the like. This allows the user to easily confirm that information can be written to the RFID tag 31 by the RFID reader / writer 14 from the display on the detection display unit P161. Note that when the RFID reader / writer 14 does not detect the RFID tag 31, the control unit 11 hides the detection display unit P161. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may cause the touch panel 13 to display a message indicating that writing to the RFID tag 31 is not possible at the timing when writing information to the RFID tag 31 is normally performed. The weighing screen P16 displays information such as the name of the drug to be weighed, the normal dose, the target amount, and the current weighing value as the weighing status of the drug weighing device 10, and also displays a barometer display section P162 that shows an image of the current weighing value relative to the target amount.

[0068] <Step S7> Then, in step S7, the control unit 11 waits for the completion of weighing of the prescription drug name (No side of S7). Specifically, the control unit 11 determines that the weighing of the prescription drug name is complete when the Enter key 411 displayed on the weighing screen 41 is operated as shown in FIG. 7. Then, when the control unit 11 determines that the weighing of the prescription drug name is complete (Yes side of S7), it shifts the processing to step S8. Note that when the weighing of the prescription drug name is complete, the control unit 11 stores that fact in RAM or the like.

[0069] In step S7, the control unit 11 may determine that weighing of the prescription drug name is complete when the drug sheet 30 is lifted while the weighed value obtained by the balance unit 12 remains stable for a predetermined time (e.g., one second). When the weighed value obtained by the balance unit 12 remains stable for the predetermined time, a "→" symbol is displayed on the weighing screen shown in FIG. 7. For example, the control unit 11 may determine that the drug sheet 30 has been lifted when the weighed value obtained by the balance unit 12 instantly becomes zero. However, once the drug sheet 30 is lifted, information cannot be recorded on the RFID tag 31 in step S9, which will be described later. Therefore, the control unit 11 may record information on the RFID tag 31 (S9) whenever the weighed value obtained by the balance unit 12 remains stable for the predetermined time. This ensures that the final weighed value is recorded on the RFID tag 31 when the drug sheet 30 is lifted. As a method for writing information to the RFID tag 31, it is possible to write information excluding the weight value weighed by the balance unit 12 when the drug sheet 30 is placed on the medicine weighing device 10, and then update only the weight value as needed. This makes it possible to update the weight value to the latest information in a short time, even if the time from when the weight value stabilizes for a predetermined time until the drug sheet 30 is lifted is short.

[0070] <Step S8> In step S8, the control unit 11 displays a progress screen 42 showing the progress of weighing the prescribed drug name in the prescription information on the touch panel 13. Here, Fig. 8(A) and Fig. 8(B) each show an example of the progress screen 42.

[0071] 8(A) shows an example of the progress screen 42 that is displayed when weighing of the drug A is completed in the drug name display mode. In the progress screen 42 shown in FIG. 8(A), among the drug names displayed in the drug name display section 401, drug names that have already been weighed are displayed in a different color or highlighted from the others.

[0072] Fig. 8(B) shows an example of the progress screen 42 that is displayed when weighing of the drug A is completed in the drug name non-display mode. The progress screen 42 shown in Fig. 8(B) displays only the names of drugs that have already been weighed.

[0073] 8(A) and 8(B) displays a completion key 421 to be operated to complete weighing for the prescription information. The completion key 421 embodied on the touch panel 13 is an operation unit for inputting the completion of weighing for each prescription information, and is an example of a second input means according to the present invention.

[0074] <Step S9> In step S9, the control unit 11 writes the prescription information and the weighing result (an example of weighed medicine information) to the RFID tag 31 using the RFID reader / writer 14. Here, the control unit 11 when executing this process corresponds to a recording means.

[0075] For example, the prescription information includes information recorded on the prescription, such as the prescription issuance date, patient ID, patient name, patient date of birth, dosage form information (oral, topical, etc.), drug information (drug code, drug name, dosage), and usage information (three times a day after each meal, etc.). The weighing result also includes the name of the drug to be weighed, the target weighing value, the actual weighing value, and the result of comparing the prescribed drug name with the contained drug name. If the prescribed drug name included in the prescription information is replaced with a generic drug name and weighed, information to that effect will also be included in the weighing result.

[0076] It is also possible that in step S9, the control unit 11 records only a part of the prescription information in the RFID tag 31. For example, if an RFID tag 31 with a small storage capacity is used, it is not possible to record all of the prescription information and the weighing result information. In this case, the control unit 11 only needs to store in the RFID tag 31 at least the name of the drug to be weighed. This makes it possible to prevent hopper errors in the drug packaging device 20, as will be described later. In this case, the drug weighing device 10 and the drug packaging device 20 are communicably connected via a communication network such as a LAN or the Internet, and the control unit 11 may transmit information that is not recorded in the RFID tag 31 to the drug packaging device 20.

[0077] Furthermore, in a configuration in which the medicine weighing device 10 and the medicine packaging device 20 are connected via the communication network, simple fixed information (such as an information identification number) stored in the medicine weighing device 10 in association with the prescription information and the weighing results may be recorded in the RFID tag 31. In this case, when the fixed information is read by the medicine packaging device 20, the medicine packaging device 20 requests the medicine weighing device 10 to transmit the prescription information and the weighing results corresponding to the fixed information. As a result, the prescription information and the weighing results corresponding to the fixed information are transmitted from the medicine weighing device 10 to the medicine packaging device 20 via the communication network.

[0078] The processing procedures of step S8 and step S9 may be executed in reverse order or may be executed substantially in parallel. That is, immediately after it is determined in step S7 that weighing is complete, the prescription information and the weighing result may be recorded in the RFID tag 31 in step S9.

[0079] <Step S10> Thereafter, in step S10, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the name of the next contained medicine has been read by the barcode reader 17. Here, if the control unit 11 determines that the name of the next contained medicine has been read (Yes in S10), it shifts the process to step S4. On the other hand, if the name of the next contained medicine has not been read (No in S10), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S11.

[0080] <Step S11> In step S11, the control unit 11 determines whether or not all weighing corresponding to the prescription information has been completed. Specifically, the control unit 11 determines that all weighing related to the prescription information has been completed when the completion key 421 displayed on the progress screen 42 as shown in Figures 8(A) and 8(B) is operated, or when weighing of all drugs to be weighed included in the prescription information has been completed.

[0081] Then, when the control unit 11 determines that all weighing related to the prescription information has been completed (Yes side of S11), it shifts the process to step S12. On the other hand, when all weighing related to the prescription information has not been completed (No side of S11), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S10.

[0082] Incidentally, when the Complete key 421 is operated, if there is a prescription drug name included in the prescription information that has not yet been weighed, the user may have forgotten to weigh it. Therefore, when the control unit 11 determines that the Complete key 421 has been operated in step S11, if there is a prescription drug name included in the prescription information for which the weighing completion has been input by operating the Complete key 421 but the weighing completion has not yet been input by the Confirm key 411, the control unit 11 may display this information on the touch panel 13. This alerts the user to the forgetting to weigh it. The control unit 11 determines whether the weighing of each prescription drug name has been completed based on the information stored in the RAM in step 7. Here, the control unit 11, when executing the display process, corresponds to an incomplete display means. The control unit 11 may display the information using text, images, sound, or light.

[0083] However, it is also conceivable that the prescription information may include medicines such as topical medications, liquid medicines, tablets, and heat agents (packaged with a predetermined amount of powder or tablets) that are not subject to weighing by the medicine weighing device 10. In this case, it is normal for the weighing of the medicines that are not subject to weighing by the medicine weighing device 10 to be incomplete, so the user is not warned that they have forgotten to weigh them. However, if necessary, it is conceivable to display a warning that they have forgotten to weigh medicines that are not subject to weighing by the medicine weighing device 10 as well. This can reliably prevent the user from forgetting to weigh a medicine.

[0084] For example, when the prescription information includes a prescription drug name that has not been weighed, the control unit 11 may display the warning only if the prescription drug name is a powdered medicine. This is because powdered medicines are likely to be weighed by the medicine weighing device 10, and the user is likely to have forgotten to weigh them.

[0085] Furthermore, it is conceivable to store in advance in the data storage unit 15 or the like medicine types that are not subject to weighing by the medicine weighing device 10. For example, it is conceivable to store the heat agent as a medicine type that is not subject to weighing. This enables the control unit 11 not to display the warning when weighing of a prescribed medicine name that falls under the medicine type that is not subject to weighing has not been completed. This makes it possible to display the warning only when necessary and to prevent unnecessary warning displays. Of course, it is also conceivable to configure the data storage unit 15 to store in advance medicine types that are subject to weighing instead of medicine types that are not subject to weighing by the medicine weighing device 10.

[0086] Here, it is considered that the method of displaying the warning for forgetting to weigh can be arbitrarily switched in response to an operation input on the touch panel 13 in accordance with the initial setting screen for the medicine weighing program displayed by the control unit 11.

[0087] It is also conceivable that the control unit 11 automatically determines the completion of weighing related to the prescription information in step S11, thereby saving the user the trouble of operating the completion key 421.

[0088] For example, the control unit 11 may determine that weighing for the previous prescription information is complete on the condition that the next prescription information has been read. That is, the control unit 11 determines that weighing for the previously read prescription information is complete on the condition that the two-dimensional code of the prescription has been read by the barcode reader 17.

[0089] It is also possible that the control unit 11 determines that weighing for the prescription information is complete on the condition that it is determined that weighing of all prescription drug names included in the prescription information has been completed. In this way, if all prescription drug names included in the prescription information are drugs to be weighed by the drug weighing device 10, it is possible to automatically determine that weighing for the prescription information is complete.

[0090] On the other hand, if the prescription information includes a drug that is not subject to weighing by the medicine weighing device 10, it is not possible to determine whether weighing related to the prescription information has been completed. Therefore, it is possible to store drug types that are not subject to weighing by the medicine weighing device 10 in the data storage unit 15 or the like. This allows the control unit 11 to determine in step S11 that weighing corresponding to the prescription information has been completed on the condition that weighing of prescription drug names included in the prescription information that do not fall under the drug types not subject to weighing has been completed. Of course, it is also possible to configure the data storage unit 15 to store drug types to be weighed in advance instead of drug types not subject to weighing by the medicine weighing device 10.

[0091] <Step S12> Then, when all the weighing related to the prescription information is completed, in the next step S12, the control unit 11 causes the printer 18 to print the prescription information and the weighing results. At this time, the control unit 11 causes only the prescription information and the weighing results that are set in advance to be printed in accordance with a set layout.

[0092] Specifically, the patient name, name of the drug to be weighed, target weighing value, actual weighed value by the drug weighing device 10, comparison result between the prescribed drug name and the stored drug name, weighing time, weighing operator, etc., included in the prescription information read in step S1 are printed. That is, the control unit 11 causes the printer 18 to print only records related to the drugs weighed by the drug weighing device 10. In the drug weighing device 10, the prescription information and the weighing results are recorded in the RFID tag 31, so there is no need for the printer 18 to print each time a prescribed drug is weighed; the weighing results can be printed when weighing related to the prescription information is completed. Of course, in another embodiment, the control unit 11 may cause the printer 18 to print the weighing results each time a prescribed drug is weighed.

[0093] <Step S13> On the other hand, in step S4, if the contained medicine name read in step S3 does not correspond to any of the prescribed medicine names (No in S4), the control section 11 executes the processes from step S13 onwards.

[0094] First, in step S13, the control unit 11 determines whether the contained medicine name is registered in the medicine master stored in the data storage unit 15. Here, if it is determined that the contained medicine name is registered in the medicine master (Yes in S13), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S14. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contained medicine name is not registered in the medicine master (No in S13), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S15.

[0095] <Step S14> In step S14, the control unit 11 displays a warning screen 43 indicating that the medicine is incorrect on the touch panel 13, as shown in FIG. 9(A), and returns the process to step S3. This makes it possible to warn the user that the medicine bottle has been selected incorrectly, and to prevent the wrong medicine from being prescribed. The warning is not limited to the display of text or images on the touch panel 13. For example, the medicine weighing device 10 may have a speaker, and the control unit 11 may use the speaker to indicate by voice that the medicine is incorrect. Alternatively, the medicine weighing device 10 may have an LED for displaying a warning, and the control unit 11 may use the LED to light up or flash, indicating that the medicine is incorrect.

[0096] <Step S15> In step S15, the control unit 11 determines whether the contained drug name corresponds to any of the generic drug names in the generic drug master stored in the data storage unit 15. Here, if it is determined that the contained drug name corresponds to any of the generic drug names (Yes in S15), the control unit 11 shifts the processing to step S16. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contained drug name does not correspond to any of the generic drug names (No in S15), the control unit 11 shifts the processing to step S19.

[0097] <Step S16> In step S16, the control unit 11 determines whether the original drug name corresponding to the generic drug name that matches the contained drug name corresponds to any of the prescribed drug names. That is, in step S16, the control unit 11 determines whether the drug with the contained drug name is a generic drug corresponding to the drug with the prescribed drug name.

[0098] Here, if it is determined that the original drug name corresponds to any of the prescription drug names (Yes in S16), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S17. On the other hand, if it is determined that the original drug name does not correspond to any of the prescription drug names (No in S16), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S19.

[0099] It is also possible that the generic drug name is recorded as the prescribed drug name on the prescription. Therefore, in step S15, it is determined whether the contained drug name corresponds to either the original drug name or the generic drug name, and in step S16, it is determined whether the generic drug name or original drug name corresponding to the corresponding original drug name or generic drug name corresponds to either of the prescribed drug names.

[0100] <Step S17> In step S17, the control unit 11 displays a confirmation screen 44 indicating that the drug with the generic drug name will be used. FIG. 9(B) shows an example of the confirmation screen 44. As shown in FIG. 9(B), the confirmation screen 44 displays a message indicating that the drug with the stored drug name is a generic drug and a question asking whether or not to approve the use of the generic drug. The confirmation screen 44 also displays an approval key 441 that is operated when approving the use of the generic drug, and a cancel key 442 that is operated when not approving the use of the generic drug.

[0101] <Step S18> Then, in step S18, the control unit 11 determines whether the use of the generic drug has been approved. Specifically, in step S18, the control unit 11 determines whether the approval key 441 or the cancel key 442 has been selected.

[0102] Here, when the cancel key 442 is operated, the control section 11 determines that the use of the generic drug has not been approved (No side of S18), and shifts the processing to the step S3.

[0103] Furthermore, when the approval key 441 is operated, the control unit 11 determines that the use of the generic drug has been approved (Yes side of S18) and shifts the processing to the step S5. As a result, in the step S5, the control unit 11 selects the prescription drug name corresponding to the generic drug name from among the prescription drug names included in the prescription information as the weighing target, and in the step S6, displays the weighing screen 41 showing the generic drug name and its target weighing value on the touch panel 13. Note that if the prescribed amount of the generic drug name for producing the same medicinal effect as the prescribed amount for the original drug name is different from the prescribed amount for the original drug name, the control unit 11 may calculate the prescribed amount of the generic drug name corresponding to the prescribed amount of the original drug name as the target weighing value based on the generic drug master.

[0104] <Step S19> On the other hand, if the contained drug name does not correspond to either the prescribed drug name or the generic drug name (No in S4, No in S15), the control unit 11 executes the processes from step S19 onwards. Also, if the original drug name corresponding to the generic drug name that matches the contained drug name does not correspond to either of the prescribed drug names (No in S16), the control unit 11 executes the processes from step S19 onwards.

[0105] In step S19, the control unit 11 displays a warning screen 45 indicating that the medicine is incorrect on the touch panel 13. This can warn the user that the medicine bottle has been selected incorrectly, preventing the wrong medicine from being prescribed. The warning is not limited to displaying characters or images on the touch panel 13. For example, the medicine weighing device 10 may have a speaker, and the control unit 11 may use the speaker to indicate by voice that the medicine is incorrect. Alternatively, the medicine weighing device 10 may have an LED for displaying a warning, and the control unit 11 may use the LED to light up or flash, indicating that the medicine is incorrect.

[0106] 9(C) shows an example of the warning screen 45. As shown in FIG. 9(C), the warning screen 45 displays a message that the drug is incorrect and a question about whether or not to register the generic drug name. The warning screen 45 also displays a generic drug registration key 451 that is operated when registering a generic drug, and a cancel key 452 that is operated when not registering a generic drug.

[0107] <Step S20> Then, in step S20, the control unit 11 determines whether an operation to register the generic drug has been performed. Specifically, in step S20, the control unit 11 determines whether the generic drug registration key 451 or the cancel key 452 has been selected.

[0108] Here, when the cancel key 452 is operated, the control unit 11 determines not to perform the generic drug registration (No side of S20), and shifts the process to the step S3. Also, when the generic drug registration key 451 is operated, the control unit 11 determines to perform the generic drug registration (Yes side of S20), and shifts the process to step S21.

[0109] <Step S21> Then, in step S21, the control unit 11 executes a process for editing the generic drug master. For example, the control unit 11 displays a registration screen 51 for registering the generic drug name in the generic drug master on the touch panel 13, and registers the generic drug name in accordance with an operation input according to the display of the registration screen 51. The control unit 11 also corrects the correspondence between the original drug name and the generic drug name in the already registered generic drug master in accordance with an operation input by the user of the touch panel 13.

[0110] 10(A) and 10(B) show examples of the registration screen 51. As shown in FIG. 10(A), the initial screen of the registration screen 51 allows the user to set items such as drug code, drug name, classification, specific gravity, drug type, incompatibility, excipient, unit, and weighing. The control unit 11 then registers the generic drug name in the generic drug master in response to operation of a registration key 511, and closes the registration screen 51 in response to operation of a back key 512. The control unit 11 also switches the display content of the registration screen 51 in response to operation of a previous page key 513 or a next page key 514. Specifically, when the next page key 514 is operated, the control unit 11 changes the setting items on the registration screen 51 to the original drug name, JAN code, and vial code, as shown in FIG. 10(B). Also shown in FIG. 10(B) are a JAN import key 515 and a recommended dose key 516. The control unit 11 reads the JAN code from the barcode attached to the medicine bottle by the barcode reader 17 in response to the operation of the JAN import key 515. The control unit 11 also opens a recommended dose setting screen for setting the recommended dose corresponding to the generic drug name in response to the operation of the recommended dose key 516, and sets the recommended dose according to the input on the recommended dose setting screen. The recommended dose is the amount at which a drug can be expected to have a therapeutic effect when used most commonly.

[0111] The control unit 11 then transitions the process to step S15. That is, the user can temporarily suspend the weighing operation related to the prescription information, edit the generic drug master, and then resume the weighing operation related to the prescription information. Therefore, the user can appropriately edit the generic drug master and enhance its contents during the daily operation of the drug weighing device 10. In contrast, if the weighing operation based on the prescription information (drug weighing process) is temporarily terminated and the generic drug master is edited on the initial setting screen, the user must then perform the weighing operation based on the prescription information (drug weighing process) again from the beginning, which is a cumbersome process.

[0112] As described above, a user of the medicine weighing device 10 can accurately and easily weigh medicines according to the prescription by having the barcode reader 17 sequentially read the two-dimensional code on the prescription and the barcode on the medicine bottle.

[0113] In particular, when the user reads the barcode on the medicine bottle with the barcode reader 17, the medicine weighing device 10 collates the contained medicine name with the prescribed medicine name and selects the name of the prescription medicine to be weighed. Therefore, when multiple prescription medicine names are recorded on a prescription, the user can save the trouble of selecting the name of the prescription medicine to be weighed.

[0114] [Medicine packaging processing] Next, an example of the procedure of the medicine packaging process executed by the control unit 21 in accordance with the medicine packaging program will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 11. Here, S31, S32, ... shown in the figure indicate the numbers of the processing procedures (steps) executed by the control unit 21.

[0115] <Step S31> First, in step S31, the control unit 21 determines whether prescription information has been input. Specifically, the control unit 21 determines whether prescription information has been read from the RFID tag 31 by the RFID reader / writer 24. As described above, in the medicine weighing system 1, the medicine packaging device 20 can read the prescription information from the RFID tag 31, so there is no need to communicatively connect the medicine packaging device 20 to a higher-level system such as a dispensing support system. Furthermore, because the medicine packaging device 20 acquires prescription information from the RFID tag 31, it is possible to reduce the work of inputting prescription information into the medicine packaging device 20 and the operational work of operating the medicine packaging device 20, which have conventionally been performed by a user.

[0116] However, another embodiment may be considered in which the medicine packaging device 20 is communicatively connected to the host system. In this case, the control unit 21 determines whether the prescription information has been input from the host system in step S31. Another embodiment may be considered in which the control unit 21 includes a barcode reader that reads prescription information from a two-dimensional code recorded on a prescription. In this case, the control unit 21 determines whether the two-dimensional code has been read in step S31. Of course, a configuration may also be considered in which the medicine packaging device 20 has multiple input functions for inputting the prescription information using these different methods, and one of the input functions can be selected in advance.

[0117] Here, if the control unit 21 determines that the prescription information has been input (Yes side of S31), it shifts the processing to step S32, and if it determines that the prescription information has not been input (No side of S31), it shifts the processing to step S33.

[0118] <Step S32> In step S32, the control section 21 selects whether the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B is to be used for packaging medicines related to the prescription information read in step S31.

[0119] For example, it is considered that it is predetermined that when prescription information describing a drug prescribed for patient C1 is input, hopper 25A is used to package the drug, and when prescription information describing a drug prescribed for patient C2 is input, hopper 25B is used to package the drug, and allocation information indicating this is included in the prescription information. In this case, in step S32, the control unit 21 can determine whether hopper 25A or hopper 25B is to be used, depending on the allocation information included in the prescription information.

[0120] It is also conceivable that the control unit 21 automatically assigns which of the hopper 25A and the hopper 25B to use for each piece of prescription information in step S32 every time the prescription information is read from the RFID tag 31. For example, it is conceivable that the control unit 21 selects the hopper 25A and the hopper 25B to be used alternately every time the prescription information is input.

[0121] In the medicine packaging device 20 configured in this manner, the user can use the hopper 25A and the hopper 25B to load medicines according to the prescription information, thereby enabling dispensing work related to the prescription information of multiple patients to be carried out in parallel.

[0122] However, if dispensing work related to prescription information for multiple patients is carried out in parallel, there is a risk that the user may put medicines into the wrong hopper 25A or hopper 25B. Therefore, in the medicine packaging process, the following processing from step S33 onwards prevents the user from making a mistake in determining where to put the medicines.

[0123] <Step S33> In step S33, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the drug name of the drug placed on the drug sheet 30 (hereinafter referred to as the "input drug name") has been read from the RFID tag 31. When prescription information is read from the RFID tag 31 in step S31, the input drug name is also read at the same time, and therefore, in step S33, it is determined that the input drug name has been read.

[0124] Here, when the name of the input medicine is read (Yes side of S33), the control unit 21 shifts the processing to step S34, and until the name of the input medicine is read (No side of S33), shifts the processing to step S31.

[0125] <Step S34> Then, in step S34, the control unit 21 selects whether to use the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B based on the prescription information and the name of the input medicine. For example, consider a case where it is set in step S32 that the hopper 25A is to be used for packaging medicines prescribed for patient C1 and the hopper 25B is to be used for packaging medicines prescribed for patient C2. In this case, in step S34, when the name of the input medicine included in the prescription information corresponding to patient C1 is read, the hopper 25A is selected, and when the name of the input medicine included in the prescription information corresponding to patient C2 is read, the hopper 25B is selected.

[0126] Even if the prescription information is not recorded in the RFID tag 31, the selection of which of the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B to use is made in step S32 based on the prescription information input from the host system or the prescription information read from the two-dimensional code on the prescription. Therefore, as long as the RFID tag 31 stores at least information such as the drug name and weight of the drug placed on the drug sheet 30, the control unit 21 can make the determination in step S34 based on that information. Specifically, the control unit 21 identifies prescription information including the prescribed drug name and prescribed amount that correspond to the drug name and weight of the drug placed on the drug sheet 30, and selects either the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B that corresponds to the prescription information.

[0127] <Step S35> In step S35, the control unit 21 displays the selection result in step S34 by text or an image on the touch panel 23. For example, the control unit 21 may display a guidance message such as "Please put chemical A into hopper A." Note that this display is intended to notify the user of either hopper 25A or hopper 25B, and is not limited to a display on the touch panel 23.

[0128] For example, the control unit 21 may display the selection result by voice. Alternatively, each of the hoppers 25A and 25B may be provided with an LED or the like, and the control unit 21 may display the selection result by turning on one of the LEDs. Furthermore, if the inlets of the hoppers 25A and 25B are configured to be openable and closable by a predetermined drive means, the control unit 21 may control the drive means to open one of the inlets of the hoppers 25A and 25B, thereby displaying the selection result. Alternatively, each of the inlets of the hoppers 25A and 25B may be provided with a locking means that restricts the opening of the inlet. The control unit 21 may release only one of the locking means and lock the other, thereby allowing the user to open only the inlet into which the drug on the drug sheet 30 is inserted.

[0129] In this way, the medicine packaging device 20 automatically displays the destination of the medicine weighed by the medicine weighing device 10 based on the information stored in the RFID tag 31 attached to the medicine sheet 30, which is an integral part of the medicine. Therefore, the user can easily understand the destination of the medicine, and the user can avoid inserting the medicine into the wrong destination. Furthermore, by using two or more of the various notification methods, such as the display on the touch panel 23, the audio display, and the LED display, as the method for notifying the user of the selection result in step S34, the user can more effectively prevent inserting the medicine into the wrong destination.

[0130] <Step S36> Thereafter, in step S36, the control unit 21 controls the packaging operation performed by the packaging unit 22 in accordance with preset control conditions based on the prescription information and the weighing result read from the RFID 31. Here, the control unit 21 when performing such processing corresponds to packaging control means.

[0131] In conventional medicine packaging devices, detailed information about the medicines to be packaged is unknown, so medicines are packaged according to common conditions that ensure accurate packaging of all medicines. This can result in unnecessary slowness of the packaging operation. However, in this medicine packaging process, in step S36, different packaging operations can be controlled based on the prescription information and the weighing results, allowing medicines to be packaged under conditions appropriate for each medicine. Specifically, the control unit 21 controls the dividing means or the packaging means to perform a predetermined operation for each type of powder medicine, depending on the prescription information read as weighed medicine information from the RFID tag 31 and the type of medicine included in the weighing results. For example, the control unit 21 can slow down the packaging speed (e.g., the rotation speed of the annular distribution plate in the dividing unit 221) when packaging a type of powder medicine that is prone to scattering, to prevent scattering, and can speed up the packaging speed when packaging a type of powder medicine that is less likely to scatter.

[0132] [Another example of pharmaceutical packaging processing] Here, first to third modified examples, which are other examples of the medicine packaging process, will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 14. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same processing steps as those of the medicine packaging process described with reference to Figure 11, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0133] [First Modification] As shown in FIG. 12, in the medicine packaging process according to the first modified example, the control unit 21 executes steps S311 to S312, which will be described later, between step S31 and step S32 shown in FIG.

[0134] <Step S311> In step S311, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the prescription information input in step S31 includes multiple prescription drug names. If the control unit 21 determines that multiple prescription drug names are included (Yes in S311), it shifts the process to step S312, and if the control unit 21 determines that multiple prescription drug names are not included (No in S311), it shifts the process to step S32.

[0135] <Step S312> In step S312, the control unit 21 selects whether to use the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B for each prescription drug name included in the prescription information. Regarding the selection method, for example, the prescription information may include allocation information regarding whether to use the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B for each prescription drug name, and the control unit 21 may determine whether to use the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B based on the allocation information included in the prescription information. Specifically, it may be determined in advance for each medical facility or pharmacy which of the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B to use for each drug color (e.g., red, white, etc.). For example, it may be determined that the hopper 25A and the hopper 25B are to be used separately for colored drugs and colorless drugs. It is also possible that the control unit 21 automatically assigns which of the hopper 25A and the hopper 25B to use for each prescription drug name, such as alternately using the hopper 25A and the hopper 25B for each prescription drug name.

[0136] Furthermore, if the prescription information includes two prescription drug names that are predetermined to be packaged in the same packaging paper among multiple prescription drug names, the control unit 21 selects to use hopper 25A for one of the two drugs and hopper 25B for the other. As a result, in the drug packaging operation by the packaging unit 22 of the medicine packaging device 20 in step S36, the prescription drugs placed in hopper 25A and hopper 25B can be packaged in the same packaging paper in single dose units. For example, if one prescription information includes two (or more) types of drugs with different dosing times, the medicine packaging device 20 operates as follows. Specifically, consider a case where one prescription information includes powdered medicine M1 to be taken in the morning, midday, and evening, and powdered medicine M2 to be taken in the morning and evening. In this case, in the medicine packaging operation in step S36, the control unit 21 references the prescription information to determine the dosing times of the powder medicines M1 and M2, and packages the powder medicines M1 and M2 in the same packaging paper for each of the units of "powder medicine M1 in the morning and powder medicine M2 in the morning," "powder medicine M1 in the afternoon," and "powder medicine M1 in the evening and powder medicine M2 in the evening." This function is realized by the control unit 21 referencing the dosing times of the respective medicines from the prescription information recorded in the RFID tag 31. Note that, because the medicine packaging device 20 acquires the prescription information from the RFID tag 31, the work of inputting prescription information into the medicine packaging device 20 and the operational work of operating the medicine packaging device 20, which have conventionally been performed by the user, are reduced.

[0137] As described above, according to the first modification, when one prescription information corresponding to one patient includes multiple prescription drug names, the hoppers 25A and 25B can be used for each prescription drug name, and the dispensing work for multiple prescription drugs can be carried out in parallel. Furthermore, when there are prescription drugs to be packaged at the same time, the hoppers 25A and 25B can be used simultaneously to package the prescription drugs in the same packaging paper in single dose units.

[0138] [Second Modification] As shown in Figure 13, in the medicine packaging process of the second modified example, after steps S32 and S312 in the medicine packaging process of the first modified example shown in Figure 12, the control unit 21 executes steps S313 to S315 described below.

[0139] <Step S313> In step S313, the control unit 21 determines whether or not there is incomplete prescription information for which the medicine packaging operation executed in step S36 has not been completed for all medicines. Here, if the control unit 21 determines that there is incomplete prescription information (Yes in S313), it shifts the process to step S314, and if there is no incomplete prescription information (No in S313), it shifts the process to step S33.

[0140] <Step S314> In step S314, the control unit 21 determines whether a hopper to be used in the medicine packaging operation related to the incomplete prescription information has been selected. Note that the term "hopper" simply refers to either one or both of hoppers 25A and 25B. If the hopper being used or the hopper to be used in the medicine packaging operation related to the incomplete prescription information has not been selected (No in S314), the control unit 21 transitions the process to step S33. This allows hoppers 25A and 25B to be used in the dispensing operation of medicines listed in different prescription information when there is no need to use both hoppers 25A and 25B, for example, when there is no medicine to be packaged in the same packaging paper in the incomplete prescription information or when there is only one medicine remaining.

[0141] On the other hand, if it is determined that the hopper being used or the hopper to be used in the medicine packaging operation related to the incomplete prescription information has been selected (Yes in S314), the process proceeds to step S315.

[0142] <Step S315> In step S315, the control unit 21 waits until the medicine packaging operation related to the incomplete prescription information is completed, and then proceeds to step S33. In this case, the control unit 21 may display an error message by text, image, sound, light, or the like to notify the user that there is no available hopper.

[0143] As a result, if it is necessary to use both hoppers 25A and 25B, for example, if the incomplete prescription information includes drugs that should be packaged in the same packaging paper, it is possible to prohibit the use of hoppers 25A and 25B in the drug packaging operation for drugs listed in other prescription information. Also, if there are two or more drugs remaining in the incomplete prescription information, the interruption of the next prescription information is prevented, so the prescription information can be processed sequentially, preventing dispensing errors.

[0144] [Third Modification] As shown in FIG. 14, in the medicine packaging process according to the third modified example, the control unit 21 executes steps S341 to S343 described below instead of steps S34 to S35 shown in FIG.

[0145] Here, the medicine packaging apparatus 20 in which the medicine packaging process according to the third modification is performed must be provided with individual RFID reader / writers 24 provided at positions corresponding to the plurality of hoppers 25A and 25B, respectively. Hereinafter, the RFID reader / writer 24 provided at the position corresponding to hopper 25A will be referred to as RFID reader / writer 24A, and the RFID reader / writer 24 provided at the position corresponding to hopper 25B will be referred to as RFID reader / writer 24B. More specifically, the RFID reader / writer 24A is disposed on a table for placing the medicine sheet 30 provided near the inlet of hopper 25A (e.g., a cover of the inlet), and the RFID reader / writer 24B is disposed on a table for placing the medicine sheet 30 provided near the inlet of hopper 25B.

[0146] <Step S341> In step S341, the control section 21 determines whether the hopper into which the user is about to put the medicine of the medicine sheet 30 is correct.

[0147] Specifically, the control unit 21 determines the hopper into which the user intends to put the medicine on the medicine sheet 30, depending on whether the name of the medicine to be put in is read from the RFID tag 31 by the RFID reader / writer 24 or the RFID reader / writer 24B. Then, the control unit 21 determines whether the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B provided with the RFID reader / writer 24 or the RFID reader / writer 24B that read the name of the medicine to be put in is the hopper selected in step S32.

[0148] Here, if the control unit 21 determines that the hopper into which the user is trying to put the medicine of the drug sheet 30 is correct (Yes side of S341), it shifts the processing to step S342, and if it determines that the hopper is incorrect (No side of S341), it shifts the processing to step S343.

[0149] <Step S342> In step S342, the control unit 21 notifies the user that the hopper into which the drug of the drug sheet 30 is to be loaded is correct. Specifically, the control unit 21 may display this information on the touch panel 23. The control unit 21 may also light up LEDs or the like provided on the hoppers 25A and 25B in a predetermined color (e.g., blue or green) corresponding to the case where the hopper is correct. Of course, it may also be possible to display the fact that the hopper is correct by sound or the like. Furthermore, it may also be possible for the control unit 21 to automatically open the inlet of the hopper or unlock the inlet of the hopper only if the hopper into which the drug of the drug sheet 30 is to be loaded is correct.

[0150] <Step S343> Meanwhile, in step S343, the control unit 21 notifies the user that the hopper into which the drug on the drug sheet 30 is being dispensed is incorrect. Specifically, the control unit 21 may display that fact on the touch panel 23. The control unit 21 may also light up LEDs or the like provided on the hoppers 25A and 25B in a predetermined color (e.g., red) corresponding to the case where the hopper is incorrect. Of course, the fact that the hopper is incorrect may also be displayed by voice or the like.

[0151] As described above, according to the third variant, the user can check whether the destination of the medicine placed on the medicine sheet 30 is appropriate by placing the medicine sheet 30 at the position where the RFID reader / writer 24A or the RFID reader / writer 24B is provided, thereby effectively preventing mistakes in the destination of the medicine placed on the medicine sheet 30.

[0152] In addition, in the third modified example, steps S341 to S343 may be executed instead of steps S34 to S35 in the medicine packaging process (see FIGS. 12 and 13) according to the first and second modified examples. This allows the user to easily confirm whether the destination of the medicines on the medicine sheet 30 is the appropriate hopper selected for each medicine (S312), for example, when the prescription information includes multiple medicines.

[0153] [Other features] Other functions of the medicine weighing device 10 will be described below.

[0154] [Prescription information input mode] The input mode of the prescription information can be arbitrarily selected in the medicine weighing device 10. For example, the control unit 11 displays an initial setting screen related to the medicine weighing program on the touch panel 13, and selects the input mode according to an operation input performed in accordance with the initial setting screen.

[0155] The input modes include a barcode reading mode in which the prescription information is read using the barcode reader 17, a manual input mode in which the prescription information is manually input using the touch panel 13, and a network input mode in which the prescription information is input from a host system of the medicine weighing device 10 via a communication network. When the medicine weighing device 10 has the network input mode, the medicine weighing device 10 is equipped with a communication interface that communicates with a host system such as a dispensing support system via a communication network such as a LAN or the Internet. The control unit 11 also executes the same processing procedures as the medicine weighing process (see FIG. 5 ) in the network input mode, for example. That is, the reading of prescription information from the prescription in step S1 simply replaces the input of prescription information from the host system. In addition, when the input mode is the manual input mode or the network input mode, the control unit 11 may automatically transition to the barcode reading mode on the condition that the two-dimensional code is read by the barcode reader 17.

[0156] Furthermore, the drug weighing device 10 may be configured to include a microphone for inputting voice and a voice recognition unit for executing a voice recognition process that inputs information in response to the voice input to the microphone. The voice recognition unit may be, for example, the control unit 11 when executing the voice recognition process. In such a configuration, a dispensing technician or the like may read aloud the contents of a printed or handwritten prescription, allowing the control unit 11 to input the prescription information recorded on the prescription into the drug weighing device 10. That is, the drug weighing device 10 may be equipped with a voice input mode for inputting the prescription information by voice. In this case, the control unit 11 may read out the prescription information recorded on the prescription all at once to input information about multiple drug names into the drug weighing device 10, and then continuously weigh the multiple drug names according to the prescription information. The control unit 11 may also weigh the drug name each time the drug name in the prescription information recorded on the prescription is read out.

[0157] [Prescription batch reading mode] The medicine weighing process (see FIG. 5) is a processing procedure for reading prescription information from a single prescription and sequentially weighing each prescribed medicine name included in the prescription information. Alternatively, the medicine weighing device 10 may be configured to have a prescription batch reading mode in which prescription information is read continuously from multiple prescriptions and the weighing for each prescription information can proceed in parallel. The prescription batch reading mode is realized by the control unit 11 executing the medicine weighing program.

[0158] Specifically, in the prescription batch reading mode, processing is executed that is generally similar to the medicine weighing processing, but if the contained medicine name is not read in step S3 (No in S3), the control unit 11 transitions the processing to step S1. This allows the user to have the barcode reader 17 read multiple prescriptions consecutively. The control unit 11 then accumulates and stores the prescription information read from the multiple prescriptions in RAM or the like. Figure 15(A) shows the prescription information read from multiple prescriptions D1 to D3. Prescription D1 contains drugs A to C, prescription D2 contains drugs D to F, and prescription D3 contains drugs G to I, respectively.

[0159] Thereafter, when the contained medicine name is read (Yes in S3), in the next step S4, the control unit 11 determines whether the contained medicine name corresponds to any of the prescribed medicine names in any of the plurality of prescription information. Specifically, after the prescriptions D1 to D3 shown in FIG. 15(A) are read, if "Drug E" is read as the contained medicine name (Yes in S3), the prescription D2 includes "Drug E" (Yes in S4), and therefore the processing proceeds to step S5. Then, in step S5, Drug E included in the prescription information corresponding to the prescription D2 is automatically selected as the object to be weighed (S5), and the prescribed amount of Drug E recorded in the prescription D2 is displayed on the weighing screen 41 (S6).

[0160] Here, it is possible that the contained medicine name corresponds to the prescription medicine name included in multiple pieces of prescription information. In such a case, the control unit 11 may allow the user to arbitrarily select any one of the prescription information.

[0161] 15(B) shows another example of prescription information read from multiple prescriptions D1 to D3. The prescription D1 contains drugs A to C, the prescription D2 contains drugs D to F, and the prescription D3 contains drugs E, H, and I. That is, each of the prescriptions D2 and D3 contains drug E.

[0162] In this case, if the read name of the contained medicine is "drug E," the medicine E is contained in both the prescription D2 and the prescription D3, and therefore the control unit 11 displays a prescription selection screen 61 for selecting either the prescription D2 or the prescription D3 on the touch panel 13. Here, FIG. 15(C) shows an example of the prescription selection screen 61.

[0163] Then, the control unit 11 selects "Drug E" of the prescription D2 or the prescription D3 selected on the prescription selection screen 61 as the object to be weighed (S5), and displays the prescribed amount of Drug E recorded in that prescription on the weighing screen 41 (S6).

[0164] According to this prescription batch reading mode, after multiple prescriptions are successively read by the barcode reader 17, each drug recorded on the prescription can be weighed successively, thereby improving the user's dispensing efficiency.

[0165] Incidentally, when a single patient is examined by multiple medical departments, drugs may be weighed according to multiple prescriptions prescribed by each medical department. In this case, as described above, a configuration in which prescription information is read consecutively from multiple prescriptions is preferable. This allows the barcode reader 17 to read multiple prescriptions consecutively, and then each drug recorded on the prescriptions can be weighed consecutively, thereby improving the user's dispensing efficiency. When multiple prescriptions for the same patient are read, the control unit 11 may display a pop-up screen on the touch panel 13, allowing the user to select whether or not to combine the prescriptions into a single prescription. If the user selects to combine the multiple prescriptions into a single prescription according to the pop-up screen, the control unit 11 generates a single prescription from the multiple prescriptions read from the multiple prescriptions, and then performs weighing in the drug weighing device 10 according to the generated combined prescription information.

[0166] Furthermore, the control unit 11 can acquire all prescription drug names recorded on each prescription by successively reading multiple prescriptions for the same patient. Therefore, when multiple prescriptions for the same patient are read, the control unit 11 may determine whether any of the prescription drug names recorded on each prescription are prohibited from being taken at the same time. For example, drugs prohibited from being taken at the same time are predetermined drugs that may cause incompatibility or side effects. In this case, the control unit 11 performs an audit to determine whether the multiple drugs included in each prescription information are prohibited from being taken at the same time based on the simultaneous drug prohibition information stored in the data storage unit 15. If any of the prescription drug names recorded on each prescription are prohibited from being taken at the same time, the control unit 11 may display a warning to that effect on the touch panel 13 or the like. The control unit 11 may display the warning using text, images, sound, or light. This makes it possible to prevent prescription of multiple medicines that may cause inconsistencies in the combination or side effects if taken at the same time at the stage of weighing the medicines in the medicine weighing device 10.

[0167] [Other embodiments] A medicine weighing system 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that the same components as those in the medicine weighing system 1 will be given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0168] 17, the medicine weighing system 2 includes one or more of the medicine weighing devices 10, one or more of the medicine packaging devices 20, and a host system 70 connected to each of the medicine weighing devices 10. In the medicine weighing system 2, the medicine weighing devices 10, the medicine packaging devices 20, and the host system 70 are communicably connected to each other via a network N such as a LAN or the Internet.

[0169] The control unit 11 of the medicine weighing device 10 includes a CPU 111, an SD card 112, and a RAM 113. The SD card 112 is a storage means for storing various programs executed by the CPU 111, such as a kernel 114, an OS 115, and a scale standalone application 116. Instead of the SD card 112, a storage means such as a ROM in which the various programs are stored may be provided. The kernel 114 is a software program such as Linux (registered trademark), and the OS 115 is an operating system such as Android (registered trademark) or iOS (registered trademark). The scale standalone application is a software program for operating the medicine weighing device 10 as a normal electronic balance. That is, in the medicine weighing device 10, the control unit 11 built in the medicine weighing device 10 does not store programs, databases, etc. for executing various processes, such as the medicine weighing process (see FIG. 5 ), executed by the medicine weighing device 10. Therefore, the medicine weighing device 10 ensures stable function as an electronic balance.

[0170] On the other hand, the data storage unit 15 detachably attached to the USB port 16 is a USB memory that stores a log 151, a setting file 152, a form layout file 153, a medicine weighing program 154, a database 155, and a database dump file 156. The log 151 is log data that indicates the operation history of the medicine weighing device 10. It is also possible that a card slot is provided instead of the USB port 16, and the data storage unit 15 is a recording medium such as an SD card.

[0171] The setting file 152 and the form layout file 153 are data including setting contents or print forms of various processes executed by the control unit 11. The medicine weighing program 154 is a software program for causing the control unit 11 to execute various processes such as the medicine weighing process (see FIG. 5). The database 155 stores, in database format, the various master data, prescription information, weighing results, and the like used in the medicine weighing process and the like. The database dump file 156 is a backup file output from the database 155 in the startup process (see FIG. 39), which will be described later. The database dump file 156 is used to restore the data at the time of backup when an abnormality occurs in some or all of the various data stored in the database 156.

[0172] Meanwhile, the medicine packaging device 20 includes a data storage unit 26 such as a hard disk or SSD, and a printing unit 27 that prints information on packaging paper used to package medicines in the packaging unit 22. The data storage unit 26 is provided with a shared folder accessible from each of the medicine weighing devices 10 via the network N. This allows the control unit 11 in each of the medicine weighing devices 10 to store information such as the prescription information, the weighing results, and a tray number (described below) assigned to the dispensing sheet 30 in the shared folder of the data storage unit 26. At this time, the control unit 11 stores the prescription information and the weighing results in the data storage unit 26 in association with the tray number. This allows the control unit 21 to read the tray number from the RFID tag 31 of the medicine sheet 30, for example, and read the prescription information and the weighing results corresponding to the medicine sheet 30 from the data storage unit 26 based on the tray number.

[0173] The host system 70 is, for example, an electronic medical record system or a dispensing support system, and is an information processing device such as a personal computer that inputs and manages prescription information regarding prescription drugs prescribed to patients. Specifically, the host system 70 includes a control unit 71 and a data storage unit 72. The control unit 71 includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, and the like, and performs overall control of the host system 70. The data storage unit 72 is a non-volatile storage means such as a hard disk or SSD that stores programs for causing the control unit 71 to execute various processes and the prescription information.

[0174] In the host system 70, the control unit 71 can transmit the prescription information stored in the data storage unit 72 to the medicine weighing device 10 in response to a transmission request from the medicine weighing device 10. At this time, the control unit 71 locks the prescription information selected as a weighing target by any of the medicine weighing devices 10 and performs exclusion processing to prevent the same prescription information from being selected by other medicine weighing devices. This prevents overlapping of weighing operations based on the medicine weighing information using multiple medicine weighing devices 10. The control unit 71 can also transmit the prescription information to the medicine packaging device 20 in response to a transmission request from the medicine packaging device 20. The control unit 71 can also actively transmit the prescription information to the medicine weighing device 10 or the medicine packaging device 20.

[0175] In the medicine weighing system 2, the medicine weighing device 10 is capable of reading the prescription information from a prescription using the barcode reader 17 and inputting the prescription information onto the touch panel 13, as well as acquiring the prescription information from the host system 70. Upon acquiring the prescription information from the host system 70, the control unit 11 stores the prescription information in the data storage unit 15. This allows the control unit 11 to read out the prescription information arbitrarily selected from the data storage unit 15 in response to a user operation on the touch panel 13. As will be described later, the control unit 11 can also automatically read out the prescription information from the data storage unit 15 in chronological order. Furthermore, the control unit 11 can access the data storage unit 72 of the host system 70 via the network N, read out the prescription information, and copy it to the data storage unit 15.

[0176] [Prescription input processing] In the medicine weighing device 10, the control unit 11 executes prescription input processing when the prescription information is read from a prescription by the barcode reader 17 or when the prescription information stored in the data storage unit 15 is read. For example, the prescription input processing is processing executed between step S1 and step S2 in the medicine weighing processing. Note that the prescription input processing described here may also be executed by the medicine weighing device 10 in a configuration in which the medicine weighing device 10 is not connected to the host system 70, for example, in the medicine weighing system 1.

[0177] An example of the procedure for the prescription input process will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0178] <Step S41> In step S41, the control unit 11 determines whether the prescription information is within the expiration date based on the expiration date information included in the prescription information. If the expiration date has passed (No in S41), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S411. Then, in step S411, the control unit 11 notifies the user by displaying on the touch panel 13 that the expiration date has passed, and then ends the prescription input process without weighing the pre-prescription information. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that the expiration date is within the expiration date (Yes in S41), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S42.

[0179] <Steps S42 to S43> In steps S42 and S43, the control unit 11 analyzes the usage information and drug information of one or more recipes included in the prescription information to obtain information such as the usage and prescribed drug for each of the recipes. Note that the recipe means a prescription for a dosage unit, and is abbreviated as "Rp" when displayed or printed by the medicine weighing system 2. Hereinafter, the information for each of the recipes included in the prescription information will be referred to as recipe information.

[0180] <Step S44> In step S44, the control unit 11 determines whether or not an unequal record exists in the recipe included in the prescription information. An unequal record is a recipe in which the prescribed amount of a prescribed drug varies depending on the time of administration. For example, a recipe in which the prescribed amounts of drug A for morning, afternoon, and evening administration are 1 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg respectively corresponds to the unequal record. Here, if the control unit 11 determines that the unequal record exists (Yes side of S44), it proceeds to step S45, and if it determines that the unequal record does not exist (No side of S44), it proceeds to step S46.

[0181] <Step S45> In step S45, the control unit 11 executes a recipe division process to divide the recipes included in the prescription information for which the unequal record exists into recipes for each dosing period. FIG. 19 shows recipe Rp1, which is an example of the unequal record, and examples of recipes Rp11 to Rp13 after the recipe division process. As shown in FIG. 19, in recipe Rp1, the evening prescription amount of "drug A" differs from the morning and afternoon prescription amounts. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 19, the control unit 11 divides the recipe Rp1 into recipe Rp11 corresponding only to the morning, recipe Rp12 corresponding only to the afternoon, and recipe Rp13 corresponding only to the evening. It is also conceivable to generate a recipe by dividing only the evening when the morning and afternoon daily amounts are the same and only the evening daily amount differs. That is, the control unit 11 may divide only the dosing periods for which the prescribed amount differs among multiple dosing periods into different recipes. Furthermore, whether or not to execute the recipe division process in step S45 can be changed by the control unit 11 in response to a user operation on the touch panel 13 during initial setting of the medicine weighing device 10, etc.

[0182] <Step S46> In step S46, the control unit 11 determines whether the prescription information contains multiple recipes with the same dosage and number of days. For example, if there is a recipe indicating that drug A is to be prescribed in the morning and afternoon for seven days and a recipe indicating that drug B is to be prescribed in the morning and afternoon for seven days, it is determined that the prescription information contains multiple recipes with the same dosage and number of days. If the control unit 11 determines that multiple recipes with the same dosage and number of days exist (Yes in S46), it proceeds to step S47. If it determines that no recipes with the same dosage and number of days exist (No in S46), it proceeds to step S48.

[0183] <Step S47> In step S47, the control unit 11 executes a recipe consolidation process to consolidate multiple recipes having the same number of dosages and number of days in the prescription information into one recipe. FIG. 20 shows examples of recipes Rp21 to Rp23 before consolidation, and recipes Rp2 and Rp23 after the recipe consolidation process. As shown in FIG. 20, among the recipes Rp21 to Rp23, the recipes Rp21 and Rp22 have the same dosage (2 doses) and number of days (7 days). Therefore, the control unit 11 consolidates the recipes Rp21 and Rp22 into one recipe Rp2, as shown in FIG. 20. This allows multiple prescribed medicines to be packaged in a single package in the packaging process of the medicine packaging device 20, which is performed based on the prescription information after consolidation by the medicine weighing device 10. Furthermore, whether or not to execute the recipe consolidation process in step S47 can be changed by the control unit 11 in response to a user operation on the touch panel 13 during initial setting of the medicine weighing device 10, etc.

[0184] <Step S48> Then, in step S48, the control unit 11 stores the prescription information after the recipe division process in step S45 or the recipe consolidation process in step S47 in the data storage unit 15, and also stores the prescription information in the shared folder of the data storage unit 26 of the medicine packaging device 20. This makes it possible for the medicine packaging device 20 to read out the prescription information and perform packaging processing.

[0185] [Display control processing] Furthermore, in the medicine weighing device 10, the control unit 11 executes a display control process for controlling the screen display of the touch panel 13 according to a preset type of system interlocking of the medicine weighing device 10. Specifically, in the medicine weighing device 10, a system interlocking selection screen P21 for selecting the type of system interlocking is displayed on the touch panel 13 by the control unit 11 during initial setup or the like. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of the system interlocking selection screen P21. As shown in FIG. 21, the system interlocking selection screen P21 displays a plurality of touch keys corresponding to the types of system interlocking, namely, "Sequential," "Patient ID," "Voucher Number," "Unprocessed," "Processed," and "Individual." The control unit 11 sets the type of system interlocking in response to a user operation on the touch keys on the touch panel 13. Note that when the type of system interlocking of the medicine weighing device 10 is set to "Individual," the control unit 11 puts the medicine weighing device 10 in a state where it can be used as an electronic balance and does not accept input of the prescription information.

[0186] An example of the procedure for the display control process will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0187] <Step S51> In step S51, the control unit 11 determines whether the type of system interlocking of the medicine weighing device 10 is set to "sequential." "Sequential" is an operation mode in which the control unit 11 sequentially displays recipes of the prescription information acquired from the host system 70 on the touch panel 13. If the type of system interlocking is "sequential" (Yes in S51), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S52, and if not (No in S51), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S53.

[0188] <Step S52> In step S52, the control unit 11 causes the touch panel 13 to display a prescription screen P23 that displays the recipe information for the medicine to be weighed by the medicine weighing device 10. FIGS. 23 and 24 are views showing an example of the prescription screen P23. As shown in FIG. 23, the prescription screen P23 includes a prescription information area A231 that displays the dispenser, prescription number, number of days, number of minutes, age, weight, and other information about the recipe information. The control unit 11 can also directly input the recipe information in response to a user operation on each display area of ​​the prescription information area A231.

[0189] 23, the prescription screen P23 includes a drug display area A232 in which the daily amount and total amount of each prescription drug to be weighed are displayed. The control unit 11 alternately switches the display contents of the daily amount and total amount of each prescription drug between an actual measured amount and a target amount in response to a user's touch operation on the drug display area A232. The actual measured amount is a value actually measured by the drug weighing device 10, and the target amount is a value set as the prescribed amount in the recipe information. A menu key K233 is displayed on the prescription screen P23, and the control unit 11 displays an initial setting menu screen for starting settings such as the type of system linkage in response to a user's operation of the menu key K233.

[0190] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 23 , the prescription screen P23 includes an expanded area A234. When the user touches or flicks upward on the expanded area A234, the control unit 11 expands the display area of ​​the expanded area A234 as shown in FIG. 24 . Various touch keys indicating the contents that can be operated on the prescription screen P23 are displayed in the expanded area A234. For example, a setting key K235 for setting the type of packaging paper to be used in the packaging operation of the medicine packaging device 20 is displayed in the expanded area A234. The control unit 11 displays a setting screen for setting the type of packaging paper in response to a user operation of the setting key K235. The control unit 11 records the type of packaging paper entered on the setting screen as the prescription information to be referenced during the packaging operation of the medicine packaging device 20. For example, the type of packaging paper is distinguished by the material and length of the packaging paper, and the setting screen displays multiple combinations for selecting the material and length of the packaging paper.

[0191] <Step S53> In step S53, the control unit 11 determines whether the type of system interlocking of the medicine weighing device 10 is set to "unprocessed" or "processed." "Unprocessed" is an operation mode in which the control unit 11 displays only the prescription information for which weighing has not been completed by the medicine weighing device 10. "Processed" is an operation mode in which the control unit 11 displays only the prescription information for which weighing has been completed by the medicine weighing device 10. If the type of system interlocking is "unprocessed" or "processed" (Yes in S53), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S54, and if it is not "unprocessed" or "processed" (No in S53), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S56.

[0192] <Step S54> In step S54, the control unit 11 determines whether prescription units or recipe units have been selected as the display format for selecting a weighing target in the initial settings of the medicine weighing device 10. If the control unit 11 determines that prescription units have been selected, it shifts the process to step S551 (Yes in S54), and if the control unit 11 determines that recipe units have been selected (No in S54), it shifts the process to step S552.

[0193] <Step S551> In step S551, the control unit 11 causes the touch panel 13 to display a prescription list screen P25 including a list of the prescription information. Specifically, when the type of system linkage is "unprocessed," the prescription list screen P25 displays a list of the prescription information for which weighing by the medicine weighing device 10 has not been completed. When the type of system linkage is "processed," the prescription list screen P25 displays a list of the prescription information for which weighing by the medicine weighing device 10 has been completed. Here, FIGS. 25 and 26 are diagrams showing examples of the prescription list screen P25. As shown in FIG. 25, the prescription list screen P25 displays items such as the patient ID, patient name, medical department, number of recipes (number of Rp), drug name, and deletion corresponding to the prescription information.

[0194] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 25, an expansion area A251 is displayed on the prescription list screen P25. When the user performs a touch operation or an upward flick operation on the expansion area A251, the control unit 11 expands the display area of ​​the expansion area A251 as shown in Fig. 26. Then, various touch keys indicating contents that can be operated on the prescription list screen P25 are displayed in the expansion area A251.

[0195] When displaying the prescription list screen P25, the control unit 11 requests the host system 70 to transmit a predetermined number of pieces of prescription information that can be simultaneously displayed on the prescription list screen P25. Then, the control unit 11 receives the predetermined number of pieces of prescription information from the host system 70 and stores them in the data storage unit 15. In this case, the control unit 11 switches the content of the prescription information displayed on the prescription list screen P25 in response to an operation of "Previous Data" or "Next Data" displayed in the expansion area A251. Specifically, the control unit 11 requests the host system 70 to transmit a predetermined number of pieces of prescription information that precede the currently displayed prescription information in response to an operation of "Previous Data" displayed in the expansion area A251. Similarly, the control unit 11 requests the host system 70 to transmit a predetermined number of pieces of prescription information that follow the currently displayed prescription information in response to an operation of "Next Data" displayed in the expansion area A251. As a result, the control unit 11 stores the predetermined number of pieces of prescription information transmitted from the host system 70 in the data storage unit 15 and displays them on the prescription list screen P25. In this way, if the medicine weighing device 10 is configured to acquire only the necessary prescription information from the host system 70, exclusive processing of the prescription information can be realized in a configuration in which a plurality of medicine weighing devices 10 are connected to the host system 70. Specifically, as described above, it is conceivable that the control unit 71 in the host system 70 locks the prescription information selected as the item to be weighed in one of the medicine weighing devices 10, and controls it so that it is not transmitted to the other medicine weighing devices 10.

[0196] Alternatively, the medicine weighing device 10 may acquire the prescription information from the host system 70 in accordance with, for example, the Non-Stop System for Prescription Interfaces (NSIPS). The prescription information may be transmitted from the host system 70 to the medicine packaging device 20, and then transmitted from the medicine packaging device 20 to the medicine weighing device 10. The control unit 11 then stores the prescription information acquired from the host system 70 or the medicine packaging device 20 in the data storage unit 15. In this case, the data storage unit 15 can store a large number of pieces of prescription information in addition to the predetermined number that can be displayed on the prescription list screen P25. Therefore, the control unit 11 can slide and change the prescription information displayed on the prescription list screen P25 in response to a user's up-down flick operation on the prescription list screen P25. In this case, the "Previous Data" and "Next Data" are not displayed in the display area A251. Of course, it is also possible to consider a configuration in which the control unit 11 requests the upper system 70 to send more prescription information than the specified number that can be displayed on the prescription list screen P25, receives the prescription information, and slides the prescription information in response to an up / down flick operation on the prescription list screen P25.

[0197] When a display position corresponding to any of the prescription information is operated on the prescription list screen P25, the control unit 11 changes the display color of the display position corresponding to the prescription information to indicate that it is selected. Thereafter, when a user performs a rightward or leftward flick operation on the touch panel 13 while any of the prescription information is selected, the control unit 11 causes the touch panel 13 to display a prescription drug information screen P27 showing details of the selected prescription information. FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an example of the prescription drug information screen P27. The prescription drug information screen P27 displays prescription drug information (such as drug name, usage, number of days, and prescribed amount) for each recipe included in the prescription information.

[0198] Here, when a display position corresponding to one of the recipes is operated on the prescription drug information screen P27, the control unit 11 changes the display color of the display position corresponding to the recipe to indicate that it is selected. Thereafter, when the user operates the enter key displayed after performing a touch operation or an upward flick operation on the expansion area A271 of the prescription drug information screen P27, the control unit 11 determines the selected recipe as the weighing target and displays the prescription screen P23. Note that on the prescription drug information screen P27, the control unit 11 indicates that the display position of a prescription drug or recipe that has already been weighed has been changed to a display color different from the display color indicating selection.

[0199] <Step S552> On the other hand, in step S552, the control unit 11 causes the touch panel 13 to display a recipe list screen P28 including a list of recipe information obtained by breaking down the prescription information for each recipe. Specifically, when the type of system linkage is "unprocessed," the recipe list screen P28 displays a list of the recipe information for which weighing has not been completed by the medicine weighing device 10. When the type of system linkage is "processed," the recipe list screen P28 displays a list of the recipe information for which weighing has been completed by the medicine weighing device 10. Here, FIGS. 28 and 29 are diagrams showing examples of the recipe list screen P28. As shown in FIG. 28, the recipe list screen P28 displays items such as the patient ID, patient name, medical department, drug name, and deletion corresponding to the recipe information.

[0200] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 28, an expansion area A281 is displayed on the recipe list screen P28. When the user performs a touch operation or an upward flick operation on the expansion area A281, the control unit 11 expands the display area of ​​the expansion area A281, as shown in Fig. 29. Then, various touch keys indicating contents that can be operated on the recipe list screen P28 are displayed in the expansion area A281.

[0201] Incidentally, when displaying the recipe list screen P28, the control unit 11 requests the host system 70 to transmit a predetermined number of pieces of recipe information that can be simultaneously displayed on the recipe list screen P28, just as when displaying the prescription list screen P25. Then, the control unit 11 receives the predetermined number of pieces of recipe information from the host system 70 and stores them in the data storage unit 15. In this case, too, the control unit 11 switches the content of the recipe information displayed on the recipe list screen P28 in response to an operation of "previous data" or "next data" displayed in the expansion area A251. In this way, the medicine weighing device 10 obtains only the necessary recipe information from the host system 70. Therefore, in a configuration in which a plurality of medicine weighing devices 10 are connected to the host system 70, the host system 70 can execute exclusive processing of the recipe information or the prescription information.

[0202] Furthermore, in a configuration in which the medicine weighing device 10 acquires the recipe information from the upper system 70 in accordance with, for example, the Pharmacy System Prescription IF Shared Specification (NSIPS), the control unit 11 can slide and change the recipe information displayed on the recipe list screen P28 in response to the user's up or down flick operation on the recipe list screen P28.

[0203] When a display position corresponding to any of the recipe information is operated on the recipe list screen P28, the control unit 11 changes the display color of the display position corresponding to the recipe information to indicate that it is selected. Thereafter, when a user performs a rightward or leftward flick operation on the touch panel 13 while any of the recipe information is selected, the control unit 11 causes the touch panel 13 to display a prescription drug information screen P30 showing details of the selected recipe information. FIG. 30 is a diagram showing an example of the prescription drug information screen P30. The prescription drug information screen P30 displays information about the prescription drug included in the recipe information (such as drug name, usage, number of days, and prescribed amount).

[0204] Thereafter, when the user operates the enter key displayed after touching or flicking upward on the display area A281 of the recipe list screen P28 or the display area A301 of the prescription drug information screen P30, the control unit 11 determines the selected recipe information as the weighing target and displays the prescription screen P23. Note that on the prescription drug information screen P30, the control unit 11 indicates that the weighing has already been completed by changing the display position of the prescription drug that has already been weighed to a different display color.

[0205] <Step S56> Furthermore, in step S56, the control unit 11 determines whether the type of system interlocking of the medicine weighing device 10 is set to "patient ID" or "voucher number." Note that "patient ID" is an operation mode in which the control unit 11 reads out from the data storage unit 15 or the host system 70 the prescription information corresponding to a patient ID input by a user operation on the touch panel 13. Also, "voucher number" is an operation mode in which the control unit 11 reads out from the data storage unit 15 or the host system 70 the prescription information corresponding to a voucher number input by a user operation on the touch panel 13. Here, if the type of system interlocking is "patient ID" or "voucher number" (Yes in S56), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S57, and if it is not "patient ID" or "voucher number" (No in S57), the control unit 11 returns to step S51.

[0206] <Step S57> In step S57, the control unit 11 displays an input screen P31 on the touch panel 13 for inputting a patient ID if the type of system linkage is "patient ID," or for inputting a voucher number if the type of system linkage is "voucher number." FIG. 31 is a diagram showing an example of the input screen P31 for inputting the patient ID. When the patient ID is input into the input screen P31 shown in FIG. 31, the control unit 11 extracts prescription information corresponding to the patient ID from the prescription information stored in the data storage unit 15. Then, the control unit 11 displays the prescription information corresponding to the patient ID on the prescription list screen P25. Note that when the type of system linkage is "voucher number," an input unit for inputting a voucher number is displayed on the input screen P31, and the prescription information corresponding to the voucher number input into the input unit is read out.

[0207] [Generic drug use processing] Furthermore, as explained in steps S15 to S21 of the medicine weighing process (see FIG. 5), the medicine weighing device 10 executes a generic drug usage process for using a generic drug in place of the prescription drug included in the prescription information. That is, the generic drug usage process explained below is a process executed in place of the process from step S15 onwards that is executed on the No side of step S13 in the medicine weighing process (see FIG. 5).

[0208] Another example of the generic drug usage process will be described below with reference to Figure 32. Note that the generic drug usage process described here may also be executed by the drug weighing device 10 in a configuration in which the drug weighing device 10 is not connected to the host system 70, for example, in the drug weighing system 1. Here, as shown in Figure 33, an example will be described in which the prescription information displayed on the prescription screen P23 includes a prescription drug of "Gastar san 10%," and "Gasdog san 10%" is read by the barcode reader 17 as the name of the contained drug.

[0209] <Step S61> First, in step S61, the control unit 11 executes a process for selecting a prescription drug name included in the prescription information as a name to be changed to the contained drug name read in step S3. Specifically, the control unit 11 displays a selection screen for selecting a name to be changed from the prescription drug names included in the prescription information, and selects the prescription drug name selected by a user operation on the touch panel 13 as the name to be changed. Note that if there is only one prescription drug name, the control unit 11 may automatically select that one prescription drug name as the name to be changed.

[0210] <Step S62> Next, in step S62, the control unit 11 determines whether the prescription information includes non-changeable information indicating that the prescription drug name selected in step S61 cannot be changed to a generic drug. If the prescription information includes the non-changeable information (Yes in S62), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S63. On the other hand, if the prescription information does not include the non-changeable information (No in S62), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S611 and executes the prescription drug change process (see FIG. 34) described below. The non-changeable information is added to the prescription information in the higher-level system 70. Alternatively, the control unit 11 may add the non-changeable information in response to a user operation on the touch panel 13.

[0211] <Step S63> In step S63, the control unit 11 notifies the user by displaying on the touch panel 13 that changing the prescription drug to a generic drug is prohibited, and then proceeds to step S64. That is, the prescription drug is not changed to the generic drug corresponding to the stored drug name.

[0212] <Step S64> In step S64, the control unit 11 determines whether the prescription information includes other prescription drug names that have not yet been selected in step S61. If the control unit 11 determines that the prescription information includes other prescription drugs that have not yet been selected (Yes in S64), it transitions the process to step S61. If the control unit 11 determines that the prescription information does not include other prescription drugs that have not yet been selected (No in S64), it terminates the generic drug use process.

[0213] [Generic drug substitution processing] Next, with reference to FIG. 34, an example of the procedure for the process of changing the prescribed medicines executed in step S611 will be described.

[0214] <Step S71> In step S71, the control unit 11 determines whether the contained drug name read from the medicine bottle by the barcode reader 17 is registered as a generic drug of the prescribed drug in the generic drug master. Here, if the control unit 11 determines that the contained drug name is registered as the generic drug (Yes in S71), it shifts the process to step S72. On the other hand, if the contained drug name is not registered as the generic drug (No in S71), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S711 and executes the generic drug registration process (see FIG. 37) described below.

[0215] <Step S72> In step S72, the control unit 11 changes the prescription drug selected in step S61 to the generic drug read as the contained drug name, redisplays the prescription screen P23, and terminates the prescription drug change process. FIG. 35 shows an example of the prescription screen P23 after the prescription drug has been changed to the generic drug. As shown in FIG. 35, on the prescription screen P23 displayed in step S72, the prescription drug "Gastar 10%" included in the prescription information has been changed to the generic drug name "Gasdog 10%." When the prescription drug is changed to the generic drug in this manner, the control unit 11 may record the change history information (e.g., the date and time of the change, the name of the pharmacist responsible for the change, and the details of the change) as the weighing result. This allows the history of changing the prescription drug to the generic drug, etc., to be easily confirmed later.

[0216] In another embodiment, in step S72, the control unit 11 may display a drug list screen P33 of the original drug and the generic drug corresponding to the contained drug name on the touch panel 13 based on the generic drug master. FIG. 36 is a diagram showing an example of the drug list screen P33. As shown in FIG. 36, the drug list screen P33 displays the generic name (famotidine) of the drug corresponding to the contained drug name, and the original drug and generic drug corresponding to the contained drug name. When the user performs a touch operation to select either the original drug or the generic drug displayed on the drug list screen P33, the display color of the display position of the selected drug name changes to indicate the selected state. Note that, when the drug list screen P33 is initially displayed, the contained drug name read by the barcode reader 17 is in a selected state. When the Enter key K331 is operated with one of the generic drugs selected, the control unit 11 changes the prescribed drug to the generic drug selected on the drug list screen P33. When the cancel key K332 on the medicine list screen P33 is operated, the control section 11 cancels the registration of the generic medicine and terminates the prescription medicine change process.

[0217] [Generic drug registration processing] Next, with reference to FIG. 37, an example of the procedure for the generic drug registration process executed in step S711 will be described.

[0218] <Step S81> First, in step S81, the control unit 11 displays on the touch panel 13 a message indicating that the contained drug name is not registered as the generic drug, and also displays a confirmation message (see, for example, Figure 9(C)) asking whether or not to register the contained drug name as the generic drug.

[0219] <Step S82> Then, in step S82, when the control unit 11 determines that an operation to register the contained drug name as the generic drug has been performed on the touch panel 13 (Yes in S82), the control unit 11 shifts the processing to step S83. Note that when an operation to not register the contained drug name as the generic drug has been performed on the touch panel 13 (No in S82), the control unit 11 ends the registration processing of the generic drug.

[0220] <Step S83> In step S83, the control unit 11 displays on the touch panel 13 a maintenance screen P38 for registering the generic drug in the generic drug master. Specifically, if the prescription drug name selected in step S61 corresponds to the original drug name registered in the drug master, the control unit 11 displays the maintenance screen P38 for registering the generic drug in association with the original drug name. On the other hand, if the prescription drug name selected in step S61 corresponds to the generic drug name registered in the generic drug master, the control unit 11 identifies the original drug name corresponding to the generic drug name based on the generic drug master. Then, the control unit 11 displays the maintenance screen P38 for registering the generic drug name in association with the identified original drug name.

[0221] Here, Figure 38 is a diagram showing an example of the maintenance screen P38. As shown in Figure 38, the maintenance screen P38 displays the name of the original drug and the registered generic drug corresponding to the original drug, and also displays the state in which the contained drug name has been added as a generic drug for the original drug. For example, the maintenance screen P38 shown in Figure 38 shows an example of a display when "Gas Dog Powder 10%" is read as the contained drug name when "Gas Dog Powder 10%" is not registered as a generic drug for the original drug "Gastar Powder 10%."

[0222] <Steps S84 to S85> Then, in steps S84 to S85, the control unit 11 waits for the operation of the registration key K381 or the end key K382 on the maintenance screen P38 (No in S84 and S85). Here, if the control unit 11 determines that the registration key K381 has been operated (Yes in S84), it shifts the processing to step S86. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that the end key K382 has been operated (Yes in S85), it terminates the generic drug registration processing without registering the contained drug as the generic drug.

[0223] <Step S86> In step S86, the control unit 11 registers the prescription drug as the generic drug in the generic drug master and displays a confirmation message to confirm whether or not to change the drug to the generic drug registered on the maintenance screen P38.

[0224] <Step S87> Then, when an operation to change to the generic drug is performed (Yes side of S87), the control unit 11 shifts the processing to step S88. In step S88, the control unit 11 causes the touch panel 13 to display the prescription screen P23 (see FIG. 35) after the prescription drug has been changed to the generic drug, as in step S72. On the other hand, when an operation to not change to the generic drug is performed (No side of S87), the control unit 11 ends the generic drug registration processing without changing the prescription drug to the generic drug.

[0225] [Startup process] Furthermore, in the medicine weighing device 10, when the power of the medicine weighing device 10 is turned on and the medicine weighing device 10 starts up, a startup process set in advance is executed by the control unit 11. Note that the startup process may also be executed by the control unit 11 when the medicine weighing device 10 returns to the normal mode from the power saving mode, or when a date update process is executed in the medicine weighing device 10. Hereinafter, an example of the procedure of the startup process will be described with reference to FIG. 39.

[0226] <Step S91> When the power supply of the drug weighing device 10 is turned on and the drug weighing device 10 is started up, in step S91, the CPU 111 executes the kernel 114 and the OS 115 stored in the SD card 112, thereby enabling the control unit 11 to control the drug weighing device 10.

[0227] <Steps S92 to S94> In step S92, the control unit 11 checks whether the data storage unit 15 is connected to the USB port 16. If the connection of the data storage unit 15 is confirmed in step S93 (Yes in S93), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S931, and if the connection of the data storage unit 15 is not confirmed (No in S93), the control unit 11 shifts the process to step S94. In step S94, the control unit 11 activates the scale standalone application 116 in the SD card 112, thereby operating the medicine weighing device 10 as an electronic balance. Thereafter, if a power-off operation is performed on the touch panel 13 in step S95 (Yes in S95), the control unit 11 executes a shutdown process of the medicine weighing device 10 in the subsequent step S96 to turn off the power.

[0228] <Steps S931 to S932> On the other hand, if the connection of the data storage unit 15 is confirmed, the control unit 11 executes a preset update process in the subsequent step S931, and then starts the medicine weighing program 154 (S932), and shifts the processing to the step S95.

[0229] Specifically, in the update process, the control unit 11 determines whether the medicine weighing program 154 stored in the data storage unit 15 is the latest version. Whether the medicine weighing program is the latest version is determined by, for example, acquiring update information from the host system 70 or the Internet via the network N. If it is determined that the medicine weighing program 154 is not the latest version, the control unit 11 downloads the latest version of the medicine weighing program 154 and updates the medicine weighing program 154 in the data storage unit 15.

[0230] Then, the control unit 11 deletes data such as the prescription information, the weighing results, filling records, medicine usage amounts, incident history, and error history for which a preset deletion period has passed from the database 155 of the data storage unit 15. The filling records are the filling amounts for each medicine bottle recorded as a history of medicines weighed by the medicine weighing device 10 and filled into medicine bottles, and the medicine usage amounts are the usage amounts for each medicine recorded as a history of medicines weighed by the medicine weighing device 10. The incident history is information on incidents that have occurred in the medicine weighing device 10 or incidents that have been externally input to the medicine weighing device 10, and the error history is information on errors that have occurred in the medicine weighing device 10.

[0231] Thereafter, the control unit 11 backs up various data stored in the database 155 of the data storage unit 15, such as the prescription information, the weighing results, various master information (generic drug master data, etc.), and system setting information. Specifically, the control unit 11 manages the database 155 using a well-known database management system using SQL language, such as SQLite (registered trademark), MySQL (registered trademark), or PostgreSQL (registered trademark). The control unit 11 then outputs each table data stored in database format, such as the prescription information, the weighing results, various master information, and system setting information, as the database dump file 156 using a backup function of the database management system, and stores the output data in the data storage unit 15. At this time, when the update process is normally completed, the control unit 11 keeps only the latest database dump file 156 or only a predetermined number of database dump files 156, and deletes the previous database dump files 156. The backup destination by the control unit 11 is not limited to the data storage unit 15, but may also be, for example, the medicine packaging device 20, the higher-level system 70, or a server device on the Internet. In this way, in the medicine weighing device 10, a backup is performed at startup, so even if an abnormality occurs in the medicine weighing device 10 thereafter and the database is damaged, the database can be restored to at least the time when the medicine weighing device 10 was started up.

[0232] [Modification of drug weighing process] In the medicine weighing system 2 configured as above, the control unit 11 executes a medicine weighing process similar to the medicine weighing process (see FIG. 5) in the medicine weighing device 10. However, as described above, the medicine weighing system 2 differs in the method of reading the prescription information in step S1 executed by the medicine weighing device 10. Specifically, the control unit 11 can receive the prescription information from the host system 70 in addition to reading the prescription information using the barcode reader 17. That is, in step S1 of the medicine weighing process, even if any of the prescription information received from the host system 70 and stored in the data storage unit 15 is selected in response to a user operation on the touch panel 13, the control unit 11 determines that the prescription information has been input and shifts the process to step S2. In addition, when the type of system linkage is set to "sequential," the control unit 11 also transitions the processing to step S2 when automatically reading out the prescription information obtained from the upper system 70 and stored in the data storage unit 15 in chronological order.

[0233] Here, in step S2, when the recipe to be weighed by the medicine weighing device 10 is determined, the control unit 11 executes an automatic numbering process to set a tray number corresponding to the recipe. The tray number is a four-digit value that is automatically set by the control unit 11 in the medicine weighing device 10, and is set within a predetermined range so as not to overlap for each of the medicine weighing devices 10 in the medicine weighing system 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, when four medicine weighing devices 10 are connected to the medicine weighing system 2, tray numbers ranging from "0000" to "1000," "1001" to "2000," "2001" to "3000," and "3001" to "4000" are assigned in advance to each of the medicine weighing devices 10. Furthermore, the tray number is a number assigned to each of the recipes, and even when the recipe includes multiple prescribed medicines, the tray number is a common number for each of the prescribed medicines.

[0234] At this time, the control unit 11 confirms that the tray number does not match the tray number stored in the shared folder provided in the data storage unit 26 of each of the drug packaging devices 20. Specifically, only the tray numbers for which the packaging process in the drug packaging device 20 has not been completed remain in the shared folder, and the tray numbers for which the packaging process has been completed are deleted by the control unit 21 of the drug packaging device 20. On the other hand, if the tray number is not stored in the shared folder, the control unit 11 of the drug weighing device 10 stores the tray number in the shared folder of the drug packaging device 20. Furthermore, the control unit 11 adds correspondence information with the tray number to the recipe information corresponding to the tray number set here among the prescription information stored in the data storage unit 25. This enables the drug packaging device 20 to read the recipe information from the data storage unit 25 based on the tray number. The timing at which the control unit 11 records the correspondence between the recipe information and the tray number in the data storage unit 25 may be the timing at which the RFID reader / writer 14 records the tray number in the RFID tag 31. The timing at which the control unit 11 stores the recipe information in the data storage unit 25 may be after the recipe information is associated with the tray number.

[0235] On the other hand, if the tray number assigned to the recipe is stored in the shared folder, the control unit 11 sets the next number to the tray number as the tray number corresponding to the recipe. That is, the control unit 11 assigns a tray number not stored in the shared folder to the recipe. This prevents the tray number in the drug weighing device 10 from overlapping with that of another recipe for which packaging processing in the drug packaging device 20 has not yet been completed. Note that, when multiple drug packaging devices 20 are connected to the drug weighing system 2, the shared folder may be provided in each of the drug packaging devices 20. On the other hand, it is also possible that the shared folder is provided in only one of the drug packaging devices 20, and the other drug packaging devices 20 refer to or erase the tray number in the shared folder.

[0236] Furthermore, after storing the tray number in the shared folder in step S2, the control unit 11 causes the touch panel 13 to display a machine selection screen P40 for selecting which of the medicine packaging devices 20 should perform the packaging process of the recipe corresponding to the tray number. FIG. 40 is a diagram showing an example of the machine selection screen P40. As shown in FIG. 40, the machine selection screen P40 displays a machine selection key K401 for selecting a machine number preset for each medicine packaging device 20. The control unit 11 displays a number of machine numbers preset in a pull-down menu in response to operation of the machine selection key K401, and inputs the machine number selected in the pull-down menu into the machine selection key K401. Note that the number of machine numbers displayed in the pull-down menu may be the number of the medicine packaging devices 20 connected to the medicine weighing system 2 or the maximum number of machines connectable to the medicine weighing system 2.

[0237] The machine selection screen P40 also displays a hopper selection key K402 for selecting a hopper to be used in the packaging process in the medicine packaging apparatus 20. The control unit 11 displays a hopper number preset in a pull-down menu in response to operation of the hopper selection key K402, and inputs the hopper number selected in the pull-down menu into the hopper selection key K402. For example, the pull-down menu may display "A" indicating the hopper 25A provided in the medicine packaging apparatus 20, "B" indicating the hopper 25B, or "AB" indicating that either hopper 25A or 25B is acceptable. Note that the control unit 11 may also change the display of the pull-down menu displayed by the hopper selection key K402 depending on the number of hoppers provided in the medicine packaging apparatus 20 corresponding to the machine number selected with the machine selection key K401.

[0238] While the example given above shows the machine selection screen P40 displaying the machine selection key K401 and the hopper selection key K402, and the machine number and the hopper number are input simultaneously, this is not limiting. Specifically, the control unit 11 may display a machine selection screen displaying only the machine selection key K401 in step S2 to prompt the user to input the machine number, and then, upon completion of the weighing of the prescribed medicines in the medicine weighing device 10, display a hopper selection screen displaying only the hopper selection key K402 to prompt the user to input the hopper number. This allows the user to select a hopper for each prescribed medicine when a single recipe contains multiple prescribed medicines. Furthermore, the time and effort required to input the machine number for each prescribed medicine is eliminated.

[0239] Then, in the process corresponding to step S9 (see FIG. 5) of the medicine weighing process, the control unit 11 writes the tray number, the unit number, and the hopper number to the RFID tag 31 using the RFID reader / writer 14. As a result, when the dispensing sheet 30 provided with the RFID 31 is set in the medicine packaging device 20, the control unit 21 in the medicine packaging device 20 can verify whether the unit number stored in the RFID 31 matches the unit number of the medicine packaging device 20. Furthermore, in the medicine packaging device 20, the control unit 21 can automatically set the input destination of the medicines on the dispensing sheet 30 according to the hopper number. Then, in the medicine packaging device 20, the recipe information stored in the data storage unit 26 in association with the tray number is read from the data storage unit 26 by the control unit 21. It is also conceivable that the machine number and the hopper number are stored in the shared folder of the data storage unit 26 in association with the tray number, and the control unit 21 reads out the machine number and the hopper number from the shared folder according to the tray number.

[0240] Furthermore, in the medicine weighing device 10, the control unit 11 can also write the tray number, the machine number, and the hopper number to the RFID tag 31 on a recipe-by-recipe basis rather than on a prescription drug-by-prescription basis. In this case, when weighing of all of the prescription medicines included in one recipe is completed, the control unit 11 transitions the "REGISTRATION" key on the prescription screen P23 (see FIG. 23) to an operable state and displays a message such as "Please set the medicine tray" on the touch panel 13. Then, when the "REGISTRATION" key is operated on the prescription screen P23, the control unit 11 writes the tray number, the machine number, and the hopper number corresponding to the recipe to the RFID tag 31 using the RFID reader / writer 14.

[0241] [Package input processing] Meanwhile, in the medicine packaging device 20, the control unit 21 reads the tray number from the RFID tag 31 of the drug sheet 30, and executes a packaging input process in which the recipe information and weighing results corresponding to the tray number are input as data to be packaged.

[0242] Here, the recipe information includes prescription date, tray number, prescription number, data unit, drug specification number, drug code, patient ID, voucher number, machine number, hopper information, and status classification. The drug specification number is information for identifying the weighing result corresponding to the recipe information. The hopper information is information indicating the hopper to be used in the drug packaging device 20, and is represented, for example, as "A" when hopper 25A is selected, as "B" when hopper 25B is selected, and as "AB" when either hopper 25A or hopper 25B is selected.

[0243] In the package input process, the control unit 21 reads out the recipe information corresponding to the tray number from the data storage unit 26 based on the tray number read from the RFID tag 31 by the RFID reader / writer 24. Then, the control unit 21 displays the recipe information on a package input screen P41 displayed on the touch panel 23. Figures 41 and 42 show an example of the package input screen P41.

[0244] As shown in FIG. 41, the packing input screen P41 includes a display area A411 that displays information such as the number of prescription drugs included in the recipe information. The packing input screen P41 also includes a display area A412 that displays a list of prescription drugs included in the recipe information that have already been read from the RFID tag 31 by the RFID reader / writer 24, the weighing results for each prescription drug, the packing pattern, the hopper number, and the like. This allows the user to easily determine the number of drugs currently missing in order to start the packaging operation of the recipe in the medicine packaging device 20. Furthermore, by comparing the prescription with the list of prescription drugs displayed on the packing input screen P41, the user can also determine the names of drugs currently missing in order to start the packaging operation of the recipe information. Then, as shown in FIG. 42, when all prescription drugs included in the recipe information displayed on the packing input screen P42 have been read, the control unit 21 activates the issue key K413 for starting the packaging operation. Thereafter, the control section 21 starts a packaging operation for the recipe information in response to the operation of the issuing key K413.

[0245] Furthermore, when the control unit 21 reads the tray number from the RFID tag 31 using the RFID reader / writer 24, it may be possible to display a list of prescription drugs included in the recipe information corresponding to the tray number on the package input screen P41. The control unit 21 may then display, in the list of drug names displayed on the package input screen P41, confirmation information such as a character (such as "○" or "×") or an image indicating whether information about each prescription drug has been read from the RFID tag 31. This allows the user to easily grasp the number and names of drugs currently in short supply by checking the package input screen P41. Whether each prescription drug has been read on the package input screen P41 may be indicated, for example, by changing the display color (graying out or not) of the display position of each prescription drug.

[0246] Incidentally, a configuration may be considered in which a plurality of the prescription drugs included in the recipe information are placed on one dispensing sheet 30, and the drugs are fed into the hopper 25A or the hopper 25B on a recipe-by-recipe basis. In this case, the control unit 21, upon reading the tray number from the RFID tag 31 of the dispensing sheet 30, displays a monitor screen for starting a packaging operation related to the recipe information without displaying the packaging input screen P41.

[0247] [Medicine inspection printing process] In addition, in the medicine packaging device 20, it is possible that the control unit 21 executes a drug testing printing process using the printing unit 27 to print out the weighing results output from the medicine weighing device 10 onto the packaging paper.

[0248] Specifically, in the drug inspection printing process, the control unit 21 outputs additional packing papers on which preset drug inspection information is printed, at the beginning or end of a series of packing papers output in the packaging operation of the drug packaging device 20. The content of the drug inspection information can be changed by the control unit 21 in response to a user operation on the touch panel 23, for example, during initial setting of the drug packaging device 20.

[0249] 43 and 44 are diagrams showing examples of printed images of the drug inspection information. The drug inspection information shown in FIG. 43 includes the date (November 26, 2007), the patient's name (Taro Yuyama), the voucher number (5678), the number of days (3), and the total weight of enclosed medicines (369.0000 g). The total weight of enclosed medicines is the sum of the total weight of the packaging paper used to package the recipe unit and the total weight of the prescription medicines included in the recipe information. For example, the control unit 21 can calculate the total weight of enclosed medicines by adding together the total weight of the packaging paper included in the recipe information output from the medicine weighing device 10 and the weighing result output from the medicine weighing device 10. In the medicine weighing device 10, the control unit 11 calculates the total weight of the packaging papers by multiplying the number of packaging papers used for packaging for the recipe unit by the preset weight per sheet of the packaging paper, and records this value as one item of the recipe information. The control unit 11 can determine the weight per sheet of the packaging paper based on the combination of the material and length of the packaging paper selected, for example, by operating the preset key K235 (see FIG. 24) for setting the type of packaging paper. In this way, by printing the drug inspection information on the packaging paper, the user can audit the packaging operation for the recipe unit without referring to a prescription, for example. For example, the user separates the packaging paper on which the drug inspection information is printed from the series of packaging papers and weighs the total weight of the remaining packaging papers using the medicine weighing device 10 or another electronic balance. The user then performs the audit by comparing the total weight of the packaging paper printed as the drug inspection information with the actual weighed value.

[0250] The drug inspection information shown in FIG. 44 includes information such as the drug name, packaging pattern (11111111), expiration date (November 26, 2007), lot number, actual measurement value (369.0000 g), and theoretical value (369.0000 g). The packaging pattern is information for indicating the dosing time (morning, noon, evening, etc.) determined in the recipe information by using the positions of "1" and "0" in a pre-set multi-digit number. The actual measurement value is the total weight of the prescription drug actually weighed by the drug weighing device 10 and is information included in the weighing result output from the drug weighing device 10. The theoretical value is the theoretical total weight of the prescription drug calculated based on the daily dose, usage, number of days, etc. included in the recipe information. For example, the control unit 21 calculates the theoretical value by subtracting the weight of prescription drugs that are not to be taken within the dosing period from the maximum weight calculated by multiplying the daily dose by the number of doses specified in the dosage instructions and then multiplying that value by the number of days. Specifically, if the dosage instructions are set to three times a day (morning, noon, and evening) and the start and end times of dosing are both afternoon, the theoretical value is calculated by excluding from the maximum weight the total weight of the morning dose on the first day and the evening dose on the last day. Even in such cases, the user can inspect the packets for each recipe using the drug weighing device 10 or another electronic balance, while referring to the packaging paper on which the inspection information is printed.

[0251] [Outline of the embodiment] The medicine weighing device according to the present invention comprises a weighing means, a prescription information reading means, a contained medicine information reading means, and a control means. The weighing means weighs a medicine. The prescription information reading means reads prescription information from a prescription, including prescription medicine identification information that identifies one or more prescription medicines recorded on the prescription. The contained medicine information reading means reads contained medicine information from the medicine container, including contained medicine identification information that identifies the contained medicine recorded on the medicine container. If the contained medicine read by the contained medicine information reading means corresponds to any of the prescription medicines read by the prescription information reading means, the control means selects the prescription medicine as the one to be weighed and causes the display means to display a weighing screen for the prescription medicine. The prescription information includes, for example, the prescription issuance date, patient ID, patient name, patient date of birth, dosage form information (e.g., oral, topical), medicine information (drug code, medicine name, dosage), and usage information (e.g., three times a day after each meal). The prescription medicine identification information and the contained medicine identification information are information such as a medicine name or a medicine code that can identify the type of medicine.

[0252] According to the present invention, if the contained medicine corresponds to one of the prescribed medicines, the prescribed medicine is automatically selected as the one to be weighed and displayed on the weighing screen. That is, according to the present invention, the user can simultaneously verify the prescribed medicine and the contained medicine and select the prescription medicine to be weighed in the prescription information in the medicine weighing device simply by having the contained medicine information reading means read the contained medicine information of the medicine container. This eliminates the need to select the prescription medicine to be weighed when the prescription information contains multiple prescription medicines, thereby improving the efficiency of dispensing by users such as doctors and pharmacists. Therefore, according to the present invention, accurate medicine weighing according to a prescription can be easily performed without linking to a host system such as a dispensing support system.

[0253] Here, the medicine weighing device may be configured to include a code reading means for reading information from a barcode or two-dimensional code. In this case, the prescription information reading means may read the prescription information from the barcode or two-dimensional code recorded on the prescription using the code reading means, and the contained medicine information reading means may read the contained medicine information from the barcode or two-dimensional code recorded on the medicine container using the code reading means. For example, in a configuration including the code reading means, a user can accurately and easily weigh medicines according to the prescription by having the code reading means sequentially read the two-dimensional code on the prescription and the barcode on the medicine container (such as a medicine bottle). In particular, by simply having the code reading means read the barcode recorded on the medicine container, the user can verify the contained medicines and the prescribed medicines and select the medicine to be weighed in the medicine weighing device. Furthermore, since the prescription information reading means and the contained medicine information reading means can each share the code reading means, there is no need to add a new component to a conventional configuration equipped with the contained medicine information reading means and the code reading means. The barcode is a one-dimensional code that has information only in the horizontal direction, such as a JAN code or RSS. A two-dimensional code has information in both the horizontal and vertical directions, such as a QR code (registered trademark). The prescription information reading means and the contained medicine information reading means may also read information directly from the prescription or the medicine container using, for example, character recognition technology or image recognition technology.

[0254] The medicine weighing device may further include a code reading means for reading information from a barcode or a two-dimensional code, and a wireless reading means for reading information from an information recording medium by wireless communication. In this case, the prescription reading means may read the prescription information from the barcode or two-dimensional code recorded on the prescription by the code reading means, and the contained medicine information reading means may read the contained medicine information from an information recording medium provided in the medicine container by the wireless reading means.

[0255] The prescription information also includes information regarding the prescribed amount of the prescription drug recorded in the prescription. In this case, the weighing screen includes, for example, a display of the prescription drug to be weighed and the prescribed amount of the prescription drug. This allows the user to automatically display the prescription drug to be weighed and the prescribed amount of the prescription drug in the prescription information on the medicine weighing device simply by having the contained drug information reading means read the contained drug information of the medicine container.

[0256] On the other hand, the control means may display a message if the contained medicine does not match any of the prescribed medicines. This can warn the user that the medicine container selection is incorrect. The display means may display the message using, for example, text, images, sound, or light.

[0257] The medicine weighing device may also include a first input means for inputting the completion of weighing for each of the prescribed medicines, a second input means for inputting the completion of weighing for each of the prescription information, and an incompletion display means for displaying, when the completion of weighing has not been input by the first input means, among the prescribed medicines included in the prescription information for which the completion of weighing has been input by the second input means. This makes it possible to prevent prescription medicines included in the prescription information from being forgotten to be weighed.

[0258] Furthermore, the drug weighing device may include a generic drug information storage means for storing generic drug information that defines a correspondence between original drug identification information identifying original drugs and generic drug identification information identifying generic drugs (generic drugs). The original drug identification information and the generic drug identification information are information such as a drug name or drug code that can identify the type of drug. In this case, if the stored drug corresponds to one of the generic drugs and the original drug corresponding to the generic drug corresponds to one of the prescribed drugs, the control means may display a confirmation screen for the user to select whether or not to use the generic drug, and if an input indicating that the generic drug will be used is made according to the confirmation screen, select the stored drug as the weighing target. This allows for accurate weighing even when a generic drug is used. Note that an original drug refers to a drug whose patent right is still valid, while a generic drug refers to a drug supplied by another company after the expiration date.

[0259] In this case, it is desirable that the control means, when the contained drug does not correspond to either the prescribed drug or the generic drug, display a registration screen for registering the contained drug as the generic drug in the generic drug information, and edit the generic drug information in accordance with operation inputs following the registration screen. This allows the user to easily edit the generic drug information and enhance its contents during daily operations using the medicine weighing device.

[0260] The medicine weighing device may further include a recording unit configured to record at least weighed medicine information about the medicine weighed by the weighing unit on a recording medium provided on a medicine mounting member on which the medicine is placed when weighed by the weighing unit. The recording unit may further record part or all of the prescription information on the recording medium. The recording medium may be, for example, an RFID tag.

[0261] This makes it possible to read the weighed drug information and the prescription information from the recording medium in the next processing step, such as packaging the drug placed on the drug placement member using a drug packaging device, and perform appropriate predetermined processing based on the weighed drug information and / or the prescription information.

[0262] The medicine weighing device may further include a medicine information storage means for storing medicine information including appropriate amount information regarding appropriate amounts predetermined for each medicine, and an auditing means for auditing whether the weight values ​​measured by the weighing means are within the appropriate amount ranges predetermined for each medicine, based on the appropriate amount information stored in the medicine information storage means. Furthermore, if the medicine information includes simultaneous administration prohibition information regarding medicines prohibited from being taken at the same time, which is predetermined for each medicine, the auditing means may audit whether multiple medicines included in the prescription information are prohibited from being taken at the same time, based on the simultaneous administration prohibition information stored in the medicine information storage means. This allows the medicine weighing device to independently weigh medicines and audit the recommended dose and the prohibition of simultaneous administration, without using another information processing device such as a computer. Therefore, prescribing medicines in amounts exceeding the recommended dose or prescribing multiple medicines that may cause incompatibility or side effects if taken at the same time can be prevented at the medicine weighing stage in the medicine weighing device.

[0263] The present invention can also be understood as a medicine weighing system comprising: a medicine packaging device having a plurality of input ports into which medicines are input and a packaging unit that packages the medicines input into each of the input ports; and the medicine weighing device. Here, the medicine packaging device comprises information reading means that reads information from the recording medium; and input destination display means that selects and displays one of the input ports based on the weighed medicine information read by the information reading means. As a result, the medicine packaging device displays which of the input ports to use based on the weighed medicine information, preventing human error by a user of inputting medicines into the wrong input port.

[0264] Furthermore, the packaging unit may include a dividing means for dividing the powder medicine inserted into each of the input ports into single dose units, and a packaging means for packaging the powder medicine divided by the dividing means, and the medicine packaging device may include a packaging control means for causing the dividing means or the packaging means to execute a predetermined operation for each type of powder medicine according to the type of medicine included in the weighed medicine information. This makes it possible for the packaging operation in the packaging unit to perform predetermined appropriate processing for each type of powder medicine based on information regarding the type of powder medicine included in the weighed medicine information and the prescription information.

[0265] The present invention may be understood as an invention of a medicine weighing program for causing a computer to execute a prescription information reading step, a contained medicine information reading step, and a control step. The prescription information reading step reads, from a prescription, prescription information including prescription medicine identification information that identifies one or more prescription medicines recorded on the prescription. The contained medicine information reading step reads, from the medicine container, contained medicine information including contained medicine identification information that identifies the contained medicine recorded in the medicine container. The control step, when the contained medicine indicated by the contained medicine identification information read by the contained medicine information reading step corresponds to any of the prescription medicines indicated by the prescription medicine identification information read by the prescription information reading step, selects the prescribed medicine as the drug to be weighed and causes a display means to display a weighing screen in which the prescribed medicine is to be weighed.

[0266] Furthermore, the present invention may be understood as an invention of a computer-readable recording medium on which the medicine weighing program is recorded. [Explanation of symbols]

[0267] 1: Medicine weighing system 2: Medicine weighing system 10: Chemical weighing device 11: Control unit 111:CPU 112:SD card 114: Kernel 115:OS 116: Scale standalone app 113:RAM 12: Balance unit 13: Touch panel 14: RFID reader / writer 15: Data storage unit 151: Log 152: Configuration file 153: Report layout file 154: Medicine weighing program 155: Database 156: Database dump file 16: USB port 17: Barcode reader 18: Printer 19: Balance stand 20: Pharmaceutical packaging equipment 21: Control unit 22: Packaging unit 23: Touch panel 24: RFID reader / writer 25: Supply hopper 25A, 25B: Hopper 26: Data storage unit 27: Printing section 30:Medication sheet 31: RFID tag 70: Upper system 71: Control unit 72: Data storage unit

Claims

1. A system including a weighing device that weighs powdered medicine and a medicine packaging device that packages the powdered medicine, The weighing device comprises: an inspection means for executing an inspection process to determine whether a weighed value by the weighing device for a powdered medicine included in prescription information is within a predetermined range of a normal dose; a means for comparing medicine identification information of the powdered medicine included in the prescription information with medicine identification information of the powdered medicine read from a medicine container; and a recording means for recording the medicine identification information of the powdered medicine and the prescription information on a recording medium of a medicine placing member on which the powdered medicine weighed by the weighing device is placed; The medicine packaging device includes: an acquisition means for acquiring the medicine identification information and the prescription information recorded on the recording medium; and a control means for executing a powder medicine packaging operation based on the prescription information acquired by the acquisition means, The control means an issuing operation unit for starting the packaging operation based on the prescription information is displayed together with the prescription information; When the medicine identification information of all powdered medicines included in the prescription information has been read from the recording medium, the issuing operation unit is changed to an operable state, and a packaging operation for the prescription information is performed in response to the operation of the issuing operation unit. The issuing operation unit is not set to an operable state and a packaging operation for the prescription information is not performed until the medicine identification information of all powdered medicines included in the prescription information is read from the recording medium. system.

2. A method carried out in a system including a weighing device that weighs powdered medicine and a medicine packaging device that packages the powdered medicine, The weighing device executes an auditing step of executing an auditing process to determine whether the weighed value by the weighing device for the powdered medicine included in the prescription information is within a predetermined range of a normal dose; a step of comparing the medicine identification information of the powdered medicine included in the prescription information with the medicine identification information of the powdered medicine read from the medicine container; and a recording step of recording the medicine identification information of the powdered medicine and the prescription information on a recording medium of a medicine placing member on which the powdered medicine weighed by the weighing device is placed, the medicine packaging device executes an acquisition step of acquiring the medicine identification information and the prescription information recorded on the recording medium, and a control step of executing a packaging operation of the powder medicine based on the prescription information acquired by the acquisition step. It is a method, The control step an issuing operation unit for starting the packaging operation based on the prescription information is displayed together with the prescription information; When the medicine identification information of all powdered medicines included in the prescription information has been read from the recording medium, the issuing operation unit is changed to an operable state, and a packaging operation for the prescription information is performed in response to the operation of the issuing operation unit. The issuing operation unit is not set to an operable state and a packaging operation for the prescription information is not performed until the medicine identification information of all powdered medicines included in the prescription information is read from the recording medium. method.

Images