Apparatuses, systems, and methods for dispensing medication

Abstract

Provided herein are various apparatuses, systems, and methods for improving the efficiency of medication distribution and replenishment within a healthcare facility. In particular, embodiments may provide for receiving an indication of a transfer of a medication unit of the first medication type to the container and advancing the container away from the automated storage device in response to receiving the indication of a transfer. The indication of a transfer of the medication unit of the first medication type may include receiving a barcode scan indicative of the first medication type. The indication of a transfer may further include receiving a barcode scan indicative of the container and associating the medication unit with the container.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a first medication order comprising a first medication type;   determining a container size for the first medication order;   causing an automated storage device comprising a plurality of medication types to present the first medication type in an accessible position; and   causing a container of the determined container size to be dispensed to a position proximate the accessible position of the first medication type.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first medication order comprises an order for one or more articles, wherein at least one article is a medication unit dose of the first medication type, wherein the container size is determined based on the cumulative size of the one or more articles. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , determining the size based on the cumulative size of the one or more articles comprises determining a smallest container size available to hold the one or more articles. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining a container size further comprises determining a plurality of container sizes for the first medication order in response to the one or more articles of the first medication order having a cumulative size larger than a single available container size. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication of a transfer of a medication unit of the first medication type to the container; and   advancing the container away from the automated storage device in response to receiving the indication of a transfer.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the indication of a transfer of the medication unit of the first medication type comprises receiving a barcode scan indicative of the first medication type. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the indication of a transfer of the medication unit of the first medication type further comprises receiving a barcode scan indicative of the container and associating the medication unit with the container. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the position of the first medication type is visually distinguished from other positions of the automated storage device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the visual distinction comprises illumination of a position light. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the visual distinction further comprises an indication of a quantity of the first medication type in the first medication order. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein causing the container of the determined container size to be dispensed comprises causing the container to be dispensed to a conveyor, wherein the conveyor is configured to advance the container to the position proximate the automated storage device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second medication order comprising a second medication type;   determining a container size for the second medication order;   causing the automated storage device to present the second medication type is presented in an accessible position; and   causing of the container for the second medication order to be dispensed to a position proximate the accessible position of the second medication type.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication of a transfer of the second medication type to the container for the second medication order; and   advancing the container for the second medication order away from the automated storage device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automated medication storage device comprises a medication carousel, and wherein causing the automated storage device to present a first medication type in an accessible position comprises advancing the medication carousel until a shelf containing the first medication type is presented in the accessible position. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 an automated storage device comprising a plurality of medication types, each medication type arranged in a bulk container at a location within the automated storage device;   a container dispenser configured to dispense containers of a plurality of sizes; and   a controller configured to:
 receive a first medication order comprising a first medication type; 
 advance the automated storage device to a position in which a container containing the first medication type is presented in an accessible position; and 
 cause a container to be dispensed from the container dispenser of a first size corresponding to the first medication order. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a conveyor configured to advance the container of a first size to the automated storage device proximate the accessible position of the first medication type. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a cumulative size of articles in the first medication order; and   determine the first container size in response to the cumulative size of articles in the first medication order.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive an indication of a transfer of a medication unit of the first medication type to the container dispensed from the container dispenser; and   cause the container to be advanced away from the automated storage device in response to receiving the indication of a transfer of the medication unit.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the indication of a transfer of a medication unit of the first medication type comprises a scanned barcode of the medication unit. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the automated storage device comprises a medication storage carousel, and wherein advancing the automated storage device to a position in which a container containing the first medication type is presented in an accessible position comprises advancing a plurality of carousel shelves until a carousel shelf containing the container containing the first medication type is presented in an accessible position.