초록 ▼

A method of checking the accuracy of a prescription fill including activating an electronic scale operatively coupled to a network, accessing a prescription to fill; selecting an appropriate stock container corresponding to the prescription from a plurality of available stock containers, entering da

A method of checking the accuracy of a prescription fill including activating an electronic scale operatively coupled to a network, accessing a prescription to fill; selecting an appropriate stock container corresponding to the prescription from a plurality of available stock containers, entering data that is associated with a stock container selected by the user; determining if the stock container selected by the user is the correct stock container to fill the prescription by determining if the drug corresponding to the selected stock container is the appropriate drug for the accessed prescription; retrieving a piece weight of the drug from the selected stock container; measuring a weight of a plurality of pills to be dispensed; comparing the measured weight of the pills to be dispensed to a standard weight; determining if the comparison is within an acceptable range; and generating an automated authorization for the prescription fill.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of checking the accuracy of a prescription fill comprising: activating an electronic scale operatively coupled to a network, the network including a plurality of operatively coupled electronic scales and a plurality of pharmacy computers;accessing, via one of the plurality of pharmacy co

1. A method of checking the accuracy of a prescription fill comprising: activating an electronic scale operatively coupled to a network, the network including a plurality of operatively coupled electronic scales and a plurality of pharmacy computers;accessing, via one of the plurality of pharmacy computers, a prescription to fill;displaying to a user a set of data associated with the prescription;selecting an appropriate stock container corresponding to the prescription from a plurality of available stock containers, wherein the stock container contains a drug corresponding to the prescription;causing data to be entered that is associated with a stock container selected by the user;causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to automatically determine if the stock container selected by the user is the correct stock container to fill the prescription by automatically determining if the drug corresponding to the selected stock container is the appropriate drug for the accessed prescription;retrieving a piece weight of the drug from the selected stock container from a memory, the memory operatively coupled to the network;measuring a weight of a plurality of pills to be dispensed corresponding to the drug in the prescription;causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to compare the measured weight of the pills to be dispensed to a standard weight, the standard weight equaling a predicted total weight of the plurality of pills;causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to determine if the comparison is within an acceptable range; andcausing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to generate an automated authorization for the prescription fill if it is determined that the stock container selected by the user is the correct stock container to fill the prescription and if the comparison is within the acceptable range. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to prompt a user to provide login information to access the network. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to check a local inventory for an availability of the drug in the prescription. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein causing data to be entered that is associated with the stock container comprises positioning a radio frequency (RF) ID tag on the stock container in proximity of an RFID tag reader. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying to the user plurality of unfilled prescriptions to be filled at a pharmacy. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to generate an override report for prescriptions filled at a pharmacy that did not have authorizations generated. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of operatively coupled electronic scales are located at geographically separate pharmacies. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein causing data to be entered that is associated with the stock container comprises scanning a barcode on the stock container corresponding to the prescription, and further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to determine if the barcode is located in a memory, and retrieving the set of data associated with the prescription from the memory. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the electronic scale comprises transmitting a unique scale identifier to a server computer, where at least a portion of the unique scale identifier identifies a geographic location of the electronic scale. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising permitting the user to override the computer system and fill the prescription without the system generated authorization. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to prompt the user to record a reason for the override. 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to generate a report itemizing all authorizations and reasons for overrides for the user. 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to measure performance of the user based on the electronic scale usage statistics. 14. A method of checking the accuracy of a prescription fill comprising: activating an electronic scale operatively coupled to a network, the network including a plurality of operatively coupled electronic scales and a plurality of pharmacy computers;accessing, via one of the plurality of pharmacy computers, a prescription to fill;selecting an appropriate stock container corresponding to the prescription from a plurality of available stock containers, wherein the stock container contains a drug corresponding to the prescription;causing data to be entered that is associated with a stock container selected by the user;causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to automatically determine if the stock container selected by the user is the correct stock container to fill the prescription by automatically determining if the drug corresponding to the selected stock container is the appropriate drug for the accessed prescription;retrieving a piece weight of the drug from the selected stock container from a memory;measuring a weight of a plurality of pills to be dispensed corresponding to the drug in the prescription;causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to compare the measured weight of the pills to be dispensed to a standard weight, the standard weight equaling a predicted total weight of the plurality of pills;causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to determine if the comparison is within an acceptable range; andcausing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to generate an authorization for the prescription fill if it is determined that the stock container selected by the user is the correct stock container to fill the prescription and if the comparison is within the acceptable range. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to check a local inventory for an availability of the drug in the prescription. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein causing data to be entered that is associated with the stock container comprises positioning a radio frequency (RF) ID tag on the stock container in proximity of an RFID tag reader. 17. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying to the user plurality of unfilled prescriptions to be filled at a pharmacy. 18. The method of claim 14, further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to generate an override report for prescriptions filled at a pharmacy that did not have authorizations generated. 19. The method of claim 14, wherein causing data to be entered that is associated with the stock container comprises scanning a barcode on the stock container corresponding to the prescription, and further comprising causing one of the plurality of pharmacy computers to determine if the barcode is located in a memory, and retrieving the set of data associated with the prescription from the memory.