초록 ▼

This invention relates to a process and a device for automatically delivering and retrieving singular medication from a plurality of containers or product blister packages, storing and recording medication transactions for each patient, and the crushing of designated medications. This invention also

This invention relates to a process and a device for automatically delivering and retrieving singular medication from a plurality of containers or product blister packages, storing and recording medication transactions for each patient, and the crushing of designated medications. This invention also relates to medication control, delivery, consumption verification and monitoring within institutional entities.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An automated medication delivery system comprising: a storage facility having a plurality of storage bins;at least one med card carrying a plurality of medications positioned within at least one storage bin;a controller in electronic communication with a computer;at least one input station associ

1. An automated medication delivery system comprising: a storage facility having a plurality of storage bins;at least one med card carrying a plurality of medications positioned within at least one storage bin;a controller in electronic communication with a computer;at least one input station associated with said storage facility and in electronic communication with said controller, said input station including: an input port;a positive identification device;a display device;a med card retrieval device positioned inside of said storage facility;a punchout system adapted to receive said med card from said retrieval device, said punchout system including: a punch;a tray sized to hold said med card, said tray having a plurality of holes, wherein when said med card is positioned on said tray said plurality of medications carried by said med card align with said plurality of holes in said tray;a conveyor located inside of said storage facilitya cup carried by said conveyor, said cup positioned below at least one hole of said tray;said storage facility including a cup slot adapted to dispense said cup; andsaid storage facility including a med card slot adapted to dispense said med card. 2. The automated medication delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a pill crusher. 3. The automated medication delivery system of claim 1, wherein said storage bins are positioned in at least two rows within said storage facility. 4. The automated medication delivery system of claim 3, wherein said retriever is positioned between said rows, said retriever further including: a track positioned above said rows of said storage bins, said track extending along at least at length of said rows;an elevation rod movably positioned in said track;a picker arm movably positioned on said elevation rod; anda retriever attached to said picker arm. 5. The automated medication delivery system of claim 4, wherein said retriever is a clamp. 6. The automated medication delivery system of claim 1, wherein said retriever is a spatula. 7. The automated medication delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a second cup slot and a second med card slot. 8. The automated medication delivery system of claim 7, wherein said conveyor is adapted to move said cup through said second cup slot. 9. The automated medication delivery system of claim 7, further comprising a second conveyor, said second conveyor adapted to move said med card from said second conveyor to said second med card slot. 10. The automated medication delivery system of claim 9, further comprising a med card sweeper, wherein said med card sweeper is positioned to push said med card from said second conveyor through said med card slot. 11. The automated medication delivery system of claim 7, further comprising a distribution conveyor, said distribution conveyor positioned to receive said cups from said second cup slot. 12. The automated medication delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a second input port positioned on a second side of said storage facility. 13. The automated medication delivery system of claim 1, wherein said positive identification device includes a biometric identification device. 14. The automated medication delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a barcode scanner positioned within said storage facility at a location suitable for scanning said med cards before and after insertion into said storage bins. 15. The automated medication delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a cup sweeper, wherein said cup sweeper is positioned to push said cup from said conveyor through said cup slot. 16. An automated medication delivery system comprising: a storage facility, said storage facility including: a secure interior;a plurality of storage bins positioned within said secure interior, said storage bins sized to store a med card;a controller in electronic communication with a computer, said controller being attached to said storage facility and adapted to control said facility, wherein said controller stores information associated with each of said med cards;at least one barcode scanner positioned within said facility and capable of scanning said med cards before insertion into said storage bins and after removal from said storage bins; said barcode scanner in electronic communication with said controller;at least one input station incorporated with said storage facility and in electronic communication with said controller, said input station including: an input port positioned on a side of said storage facility for entering a user's personal identification data;a positive identification device;a display device;a menu displaying at least one medication associated with a patient, said medication available for dispensing, said menu presented on said display device;a retrieval device in electronic communication with said controller and positioned within said facility, said retrieval device including: a track;an elevation rod movably mounted in said track;a picker arm movably mounted on said elevation rod;a retriever attached to said picker arm;a dispensing device positioned within said facility, said dispensing device including: a punchout system positioned inside of said facility and in electronic communication with said controller, said punchout system adapted to receive said med card from said retrieval device, said punchout system including: a punch;a tray sized to hold said med card, said tray having a plurality of holes thereon, wherein said holes are compatible with a plurality of pills positioned on said med card;a cup positioned below said holes, said cup sized to receive one of said plurality of pills;a first conveyor having said cup positioned thereon;a second conveyor being positioned to receive said med card;an anti-contamination film mounted on and stretched between a first and a second spool;a pill crusher having a crusher head and positioned between said first and second spools, wherein said anti-contamination film is positioned between said crusher head and an interior of said cup;a cup sweeper positioned to move said cup from said first conveyor;a med card sweeper positioned to move said med card from said second conveyor;at least one cup dispensing slot, said cup dispensing slot being positioned to receive said cup from said cup sweeper;at least one med card dispensing slot, said med card dispensing slot positioned to receive said med card from said med card sweeper;a positive consumption feedback device in electronic communication with said controller; andan audio/video communications link with a separate location, said audio/video communications link providing real-time positive consumption feedback to said separate location. 17. The automated medication delivery system of claim 16, wherein said retriever is a clamp. 18. The automated medication delivery system of claim 16, wherein said retriever is a spatula. 19. The automated medication delivery system of claim 16, wherein said positive identification device is a biometric device selected from the group consisting of a finger print identification device, a retinal scan identification device, and a voice identification device. 20. The automated medication delivery system of claim 16, further comprising a drinking water dispenser. 21. The automated medication delivery system of claim 16, further comprising a staff member input station including: a second input port adapted to allow entry of at least one personal identifying data element associated with said staff member; anda second positive identification device. 22. The automated medication delivery system of claim 21, further comprising a second cup dispensing slot positioned to allow access to only said staff member. 23. The automated medication delivery system of claim 21, further comprising a second med card dispensing slot positioned to allow access to only said staff member. 24. The automated medication delivery system of claim 21, further comprising a distribution conveyor proximately positioned to receive said cups from said first conveyor. 25. The automated medication delivery system of claim 16 further comprising a mobile delivery system associated with said automated medication delivery system, said mobile delivery system comprising: a cart;said storage bins internally positioned within said cart;an on-board computer in wireless electronic communication with said controller, wherein said on-board computer is attached to said cart provides local control of said cart;a wireless communications device providing electronic communication for said on-board computer;at least one remote input station incorporated with said cart and in electronic communication with said on-board computer, said input station including: an input port positioned on a side of said cart for entering a user's personal identification data;a positive identification device;a display device;a menu displaying at least one medication associated with a patient, said medication available for dispensing, said menu presented on said display device;a remote retrieval device positioned inside of said cart capable of retrieving said med cards from said storage bins;said punchout system positioned inside of said cart and adapted to receive said med card from said retrieval device, said punchout system including: a punch;a tray sized to hold said med card, said tray having a plurality of holes thereon, wherein said holes are compatible with a plurality of pills positioned on said med card;a cup slot positioned in said side of said cart, said cup slot adapted to dispense said cup;a med card slot positioned in said side of said cart, said med card slot adapted to dispense said med card. 26. The mobile automated medication delivery system of claim 25, wherein said cart is robotic. 27. The mobile automated medication delivery system of claim 25, further comprising a pill crusher positioned inside of said storage facility between said punchout system and said cup slot, said pill crusher having an anti-contamination film positioned between a crusher head and an interior of said cup. 28. The mobile automated medication delivery system of claim 25, wherein said retriever is positioned adjacent to said storage bins, said retriever further including: a track positioned above said storage bins, said track extending along at least a length of said storage bins;an elevation rod movably positioned in said track;a picker arm movably positioned on said elevation rod; anda retriever attached to said picker arm. 29. The mobile automated medication delivery system of claim 25, wherein said retriever is a clamp. 30. The mobile automated medication delivery system of claim 25, wherein said retriever is a spatula. 31. The mobile automated medication delivery system of claim 25, wherein said positive identification device includes a biometric identification device. 32. The mobile automated medication delivery system of claim 25, wherein said cart has at least one secure access panel. 33. The mobile automated medication delivery system of claim 25, further comprising a barcode scanner positioned within said cart, and capable of scanning said med cards before and after insertion into said storage bins. 34. A method for dispensing medication comprising: a requestor logging on to an automated medication delivery system by;identifying said requestor through a security protocol, said security protocol including: said requestor entering a unique identifier associated with said requestor;said requestor entering a security password/personal identification number;comparing said entries by said requestor with a database in a controller electronically connected to and communicating with said automated medication delivery system;displaying at least one medication available for a patient from a list of available medications for said patient, said list of available medications stored in a patient database;selecting at least one medication from said list;directing said controller to retrieve said medication from a storage bin located in said automated medication delivery system;scanning said selected medication with a barcode reader;verifying said scanned medication matches said selected medication;dispensing said medication according to a pre-selected protocol that identifies said medication as a keep on person medication or an individual dosage medication;printing a receipt for said patient, said receipt having information regarding said medication; andupdating said patient database. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein said dispensing by said pre-selected protocol further comprises: identifying all medications in a med card designated as being a keep on person medication;delivering said med card designated as keep on person medications to a slot in said automated medication delivery system;passing said med card to said requestor through said slot; and,repeating until all med cards requested are dispensed. 36. The method of claim 34, wherein said dispensing by said pre-selected protocol further comprises: identifying all medication designated as an individual dose medication;identifying a location on said med card of a pill to be dispensed next;delivering said med card to a punchout system, said delivering accomplished by a retrieval device positioned inside of said automated medication delivery system;positioning said med card on said punchout system where said pill is positioned over a hole in a tray sized to hold said med card;punching out said pill from said med card using a punch;receiving said pill in a cup, said cup positioned upon a conveyor;removing said med card from said punchout system;returning said med card to said storage bin;moving said conveyor until said cup is positioned under a pill crusher;replacing said cup under said punchout system with a new cup;crushing said pills for those that are prescribed to be crushed;moving said conveyor until said cup is positioned under a printer;printing a receipt with said printer;depositing said receipt into said cup;moving said conveyor until said cup passes through a slot, thereby dispensing said medication to said requestor; andrepeating until all individual doses requested are dispensed. 37. The method of claim 34, further comprising an additional step of verifying said identity of said patient with a biometric device.