Method of Delivering Goods and Services Via Media

Abstract

A method for distributing a prescription pharmaceutical product includes recording a unique identifier in a database that identifies a medium and a prescription pharmaceutical product associated with the medium. The database is provisioned with criteria that establish different potential values for the medium. Thus, the medium has a variable value that varies according to the criteria provisioned in the database. A holder of the medium then presents the medium to a provider of the prescription pharmaceutical product. Upon receipt the medium, the provider communicates the unique identifier associated with the medium. Based on the unique identifier of the medium and the variable value criteria provisioned in the database, the value of the medium is determined and communicated to the provider. The holder then utilizes the determined value to purchase the prescription pharmaceutical product associated with the medium.

1 . A system, comprising:
 at least one computing station configured to:   associate a plurality of media with a pharmaceutical prescription product in a database, wherein each of the plurality of media is issued for presentation by a different patient;   assign an inactive status to the plurality of media and record the inactive status of each of the media in the database, the inactive status of each of the plurality of media indicating that each of the plurality of the media may not be redeemed for the pharmaceutical prescription product associated with each of the plurality of media; and   after presentation of one of the plurality of media by a redeeming patient to a provider of the pharmaceutical product, apply a financial rule that determines a value of the one of the presented media and the value is based on the redeeming patient's copayment.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the media are distributed to a plurality of patients who present the media to providers of the one or more pharmaceutical prescription products for the purpose of obtaining the one or more pharmaceutical prescription products associated with the media. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to:
 receive a request to activate one or more of the plurality of media.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to:
 identify each of the media with a unique identifier in the database, wherein each unique identifier is associated with the pharmaceutical prescription product.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to:
 receive a request from the provider of the pharmaceutical prescription product for authorization to deliver the pharmaceutical prescription product to the redeeming patient.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to:
 identify each of the media with a unique identifier in the database, wherein each unique identifier is associated with the pharmaceutical prescription product; and   receive a request for authorization to deliver the pharmaceutical prescription product to a holder of the media, the request including the unique identifier associated with one of the plurality of media.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to:
 apply the value of one of the plurality of media to a purchase price of the pharmaceutical prescription product; and   send authorization to a provider of the at least one good or service to deliver the pharmaceutical prescription product to a holder of the media.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to:
 receive confirmation from a provider of the pharmaceutical prescription product that the pharmaceutical prescription product was delivered to the redeeming patient; and   update the database to reflect that the pharmaceutical prescription product was delivered to the redeeming patient.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to activate the at least one of the plurality of media by changing a status of the at least one of the plurality of media from the inactive status to an active status and recording the active status of the at least one of the plurality of media in the database. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to:
 deactivate at least one of the plurality of media by changing the status of the media from the active status to the inactive status.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to:
 reactivate at least one of the media after the media has been deactivated.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing station is further configured to:
 provision the database with criteria for establishing each of a plurality of different potential values for the media.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the criteria for establishing potential values for the media includes copayments owed by patients presenting the media for the pharmaceutical prescription product. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the media comprise machine readable cards. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the media are used to track and manage the distribution of the pharmaceutical prescription product. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the value of the one of the plurality of media is based on a manner of activation of the media. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing station is configured to assign the inactive status to each of the plurality of media before distribution to a plurality of patients. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the value of the one of the plurality of media is based on a location of the provider of the pharmaceutical product. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the value of the one of the plurality of media is based on an identity of the redeeming patient. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the value of the one of the plurality of media is based on an identity of the provider of the pharmaceutical prescription product. 
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising:
 at least one computing station configured to:   upon a patient presenting the medium to a provider of the pharmaceutical prescription product, receive information that includes the patient's copayment for the product;   determine value information of the medium based on the patient's copayment by applying one or more financial rules, wherein the medium assumes a value based on the one or more financial rules and the patient's co-payment, and wherein the one or more financial rules are associated with a co-payment program where a pharmaceutical company covers at least a portion of the patient's copayment; and   send data from the at least one computing station indicating the determined value information of the medium to the provider.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one computing station is configured to perform said determination after a status of the medium has been changed in the database from an inactive status to an active status, wherein the medium is not redeemable with an inactive status and is redeemable with an active status. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one computing station is configured to determine the value information of the medium also based on at least one of a time and location at which the patient is redeeming the medium for the product. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one computing station is configured to determine the value information of the medium also based on an identity of at least one of the patient and the provider. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the value information includes an amount to be paid by the patient. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the redeeming patient redeems the one of the plurality of media for the value to be applied against a purchase price of the pharmaceutical product.