Pharmaceutical Locator System for Generic Manufacturer Selection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Patients are not provided with a selection between multiple generic pharmaceutical sources when filling a prescription, as pharmacies typically offer only the generic medication they have on hand, limiting patient choice and preference for specific manufacturers.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for an application server to receive requests for pharmaceutical availability, identify nearby pharmacies stocking a specific generic pharmaceutical manufactured by a specified manufacturer, and transmit this information to the user device, along with estimated availability based on sales and chargeback data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pharmacies offer only the generic medication they have on hand, then pharmacy operation is simplified, but patient choice and preference for specific manufacturers are limited
Solution Approach 1:
A centralized server acts as an intermediary between pharmacies and patients. The server receives inventory information from multiple pharmacies, processes it according to patient preferences (specific manufacturer, location, availability), and returns customized pharmacy recommendations. This intermediary system enables patient choice without requiring complex direct interactions between patients and multiple pharmacies.
Solution Approach 2:
The server system performs multiple functions: it collects inventory data from various pharmacies, processes patient preferences, estimates availability using transaction data, and provides customized recommendations. This multi-functional system resolves the contradiction by handling both pharmacy operational simplicity and patient choice requirements within a single centralized platform.
2Adaptability or versatility
If pharmacies maintain real-time inventory visibility for multiple generic manufacturers, then patient choice is improved, but system complexity and data management requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the inventory tracking function into two parts: pharmacies report their inventory to a centralized server, and the server processes this data to provide patient recommendations. This segmentation allows pharmacies to maintain simple inventory tracking while the server handles the complexity of aggregating and analyzing data from multiple sources according to various patient preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses transaction data (sales, chargebacks) as feedback to estimate current inventory availability. By analyzing historical transaction patterns, the server can infer current stock levels even when direct real-time inventory data is unavailable, reducing the need for complex real-time tracking systems at pharmacies while still providing accurate availability information to patients.
3Loss of information
If pharmacies track detailed inventory information for multiple generic sources, then information accuracy is improved, but data collection and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Pharmacies perform preliminary data collection by reporting inventory information to the centralized server. The server then performs additional preliminary processing by analyzing transaction data and estimating availability before patient queries are made. This preliminary action ensures accurate information is prepared in advance, reducing the need for complex real-time data collection when patients search for medications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses automated transaction data (sales and chargeback records) to self-generate inventory availability estimates without requiring manual data entry or complex processing. The transaction data speaks for itself, providing objective evidence of inventory levels through analysis of purchase and return patterns, which maintains information accuracy while minimizing data collection burden.
Data Source
AI summary
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, device, and storage medium including one or more of the following: receiving, from a user device, a request for pharmaceutical availability, the request including a pharmaceutical identification and a location; identifying a pharmacy near the received location that is known to stock a non-branded pharmaceutical identified by the pharmaceutical identification that is manufactured by a specified pharmaceutical manufacturer; and transmitting the identified pharmacy to the user device, whereby the user device receives a list of at least one nearby pharmacy that carries the non-branded pharmaceutical manufactured by the specified pharmaceutical manufacturer.