Enhanced Prescription Process System for Real-Time Drug Pricing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current prescription processes are inefficient and costly due to lack of real-time information about drug coverage, pricing, availability, and pharmacy options, leading to unnecessary patient-prescriber interactions and suboptimal medication choices.
Innovation Solution
An enhanced prescription process (EPP) system that provides real-time information to patients about drug coverage, alternative drugs, actual patient prices, and pharmacy options through an EPP server and client application, allowing for informed decisions and streamlined prescription management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If real-time information about drug coverage, pricing, availability, and pharmacy options is provided to patients, then patient decision-making is improved and unnecessary interactions are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (enhanced prescription process system) that acts as a mediator between the existing prescription system and patients. This intermediary aggregates information from multiple sources (coverage databases, pricing systems, inventory systems) and presents it in a unified, patient-friendly format, thereby reducing the complexity burden on individual components while improving overall information availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where patient preferences and decisions are captured and fed back into the prescription workflow. This allows the system to adapt and refine information presentation based on actual patient responses, improving the efficiency of information delivery while managing system complexity through iterative optimization.
2Loss of information
If the enhanced prescription process system aggregates and presents information from multiple sources in real-time, then patient decision-making is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-aggregating and caching information from coverage databases, pricing systems, and inventory systems before patients need it. This advance preparation allows the system to quickly retrieve and present comprehensive information in real-time without incurring excessive processing delays when patients actually interact with the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple information sources (coverage data, pricing information, inventory status, pharmacy options) into a single integrated presentation layer. By combining these sources through a unified interface and data model, the system reduces the overhead of querying and processing separate systems individually, thereby delivering comprehensive information more efficiently.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system provides detailed information about alternative drugs and pricing options, then patient informed choice is improved, but information overload and decision complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by customizing information presentation based on individual patient characteristics, preferences, and circumstances. Rather than providing uniform detailed information to all patients, the system adapts the level and type of information shown to each patient's specific needs, thereby improving choice flexibility without overwhelming any single patient with excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the information presentation adaptive and flexible rather than static. The system can dynamically adjust the level of detail, organization, and prioritization of alternative drug information based on patient responses and interactions, allowing the decision framework to evolve and simplify as the patient progresses through the decision-making process.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for providing to a patient a user experience for securely submitting a prescription to a pharmacy is provided. The system receives a notification of a prescription prescribed by a prescriber for the patient. The system displays to the patient information on drug options relating to the prescribed drug. The system then receives from the patient a selection of a drug option. The system displays to the patient pharmacy options relating to the selected drug option. Each pharmacy option identifies a pharmacy. The system receives from the patient a selection of a pharmacy option. The system then directs that an indication of the prescription be sent to the pharmacy identified by the selected pharmacy option so that that pharmacy can dispense the prescription.