Pharmacy supply tracking system

Abstract

A pharmacy supply container tracking system that automatically detects and tracks a pharmacy supply container within a defined area is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment the system also detects and tracks prescription orders of customers, and automatically verifies that the correct pharmacy supply is used to fill a particular prescription order. One disclosed system includes using machine-readable wireless tags, such as Radio-Frequency Identification (“RFID”) tags, and their related readers to locate objects through electromagnetic interrogation of a spatial region to determine the presence of an object within that special region.

1 . A method for tracking a prescription supply container within a defined area having a plurality of physically spaced apart locations, said method including the following steps:
 positioning a first tag reader near a first station in the defined area, said first tag reader in communication with a computer system and able to automatically detect the presence of a machine readable wireless tag when said tag is moved by hand to a position in close proximity to the first tag reader and send a first signal to said computer system;   tagging the prescription supply container with the machine readable wireless tag;   the computer system associating the tag with identifying information related to the material received within the prescription supply container;   manually moving the prescription supply container to an area in close proximity to said first tag reader;   the computer system detecting the presence of the prescription supply container at the first station by automatically sensing the machine readable remote tag attached to the supply container; and,   the computer system automatically recording the location of the prescription supply container at said first station.   
     
     
         2 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 1 , further including the step of:
 displaying the location of the prescription supply container on a computer system display, thereby facilitating the easy location of said prescription supply container.   
     
     
         3 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 1 , further including the steps of:
 the computer detecting when the machine readable wireless tag is removed from close proximity to the first tag reader, and,   the computer system recording the removal of the prescription supply container from the first position when the removal of the machine readable wireless tag from close proximity to the first tag reader is detected.   
     
     
         4 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 1 , further including the steps of:
 automatically collecting timing information about the amount of time the prescription supply container remains at the first location; and,   storing said timing information into the computer system.   
     
     
         5 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 4 , further including the step of:
 associating the timing information with a particular worker to evaluate worker efficiency.   
     
     
         6 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 5 , wherein said defined area is a retail pharmacy. 
     
     
         7 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 1 , further including the steps of:
 positioning a second tag reader near a second station in the defined area, the second station spaced apart from the first station, said second tag reader in communication with the computer system and able to automatically detect the presence of the machine readable wireless tag when said tag is moved by hand to a position in close proximity to the second tag reader and send a first signal to said computer system;   moving by hand the supply container from said first station to said second station;   the computer system detecting the presence of the prescription supply container at the second station by automatically sensing the machine readable remote tag attached to the supply container; and,   the computer system automatically recording the location of the prescription supply container at said second station.   
     
     
         8 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 7 , wherein:
 said second station is a storage bin having a plurality of cubbies, each said cubby having an individual identifier, and each cubby having a cubby wireless machine readable tag reader in communication with the computer system such that the presence of said machine readable wireless tag within one of said plurality of cubbies is automatically detected by that cubby's tag reader and sends a cubby location signal to said computer system, said cubby location signal including the individual identifier of said one of said plurality of cubbies; and,   the computer system processes said cubby location signal to display the location of said tag at said plurality of cubbies thereby allowing the location of said supply container within said storage device.   
     
     
         9 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 3 , further including the steps of:
 a worker informing the computer system of a desired supply container;   the computer system determining the location of the desired supply container; and,   the computer system alerting the worker of the location of the desired supply container.   
     
     
         10 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 9 , further including the step of the computer system alerting the worker if a supply container other than the desired supply container is removed from the first station. 
     
     
         11 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 9 , wherein said alerting the worker step includes activating a transducer near the desired supply container. 
     
     
         12 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 1 , further including the step of the computer system correlating expiration date information about the material within the supply container with the supply container; and verifying that the expiration date has not passed when the supply container is present at the first station. 
     
     
         13 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 12 , further including the step of the computer system alerting a pharmacy worker if the expiration date has passed. 
     
     
         14 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 1 , wherein said machine readable wireless tag is a radio frequency identification tag and said first tag reader is a radio frequency identification tag reader. 
     
     
         15 . The method for tracking a prescription supply container of  claim 1 , further including the steps of:
 operably securing a second machine readable wireless tag to a customer's prescription order;   the computer system associating the second machine readable wireless tag with customer identifying information related to the customer's prescription order;   manually moving the customer's prescription order to an area in close proximity to said first tag reader;   the computer system detecting the presence of the customer's prescription order at the first station by automatically sensing the second machine readable remote tag attached to the supply container; and,   the computer system automatically recording the location of the customer's prescription order at said first station.   
     
     
         16 . The method for tracking a prescription order supply container of  claim 15 , further including the steps of:
 the computer system uses the customer identifying information to determine the desired contents of the customer's prescription order;   the computer system determines the contents of the supply container located at the first station; and,   the computer system validates that the desired contents of the customer's prescription order match the contents of the supply container.   
     
     
         17 . The method for tracking a prescription order supply container of  claim 16 , further including the step of the computer system alerting a worker if the desired contents of a customer's prescription order do not match the contents of the supply container. 
     
     
         18 . The method for tracking a prescription order supply container of  claim 17 , wherein said alerting step includes the computer system activating a transducer selected from an audible alarm, a light, and a warning display. 
     
     
         19 . The method for tracking a prescription order supply container of  claim 7 , further including the steps of:
 assigning a desired location to the prescription order supply container between the first and second stations;   informing the computer system of the desired location;   the computer system alerting a worker when the detected location of the supply container differs from the desired location.