Healthcare fulfillment methods and systems

Abstract

Systems for filling and managing a patient's healthcare needs are provided. Some systems and methods described herein relate to a total healthcare fulfillment system. The healthcare fulfillment system of various embodiments is a central portal which coordinates with multiple parties, for example, with physicians, retail pharmacies, mail-order pharmacies, specialty providers, and patients in order to address all of a patient's prescription drug needs or other healthcare needs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for fulfilling and managing prescriptions, the method implemented by a specialized prescription benefit manager's computer programmed to concurrently manage prescriptions for a multitude of patients, the method comprising:
 electronically receiving a plurality of prescriptions for a patient from one or more users' computers, wherein each of the plurality of prescriptions identifies the patient and a prescribed treatment;   selecting supplier selection criteria to apply to the plurality of prescriptions;   applying the supplier selection criteria to automatically select a plurality of suppliers from a set of certified suppliers, wherein each of the plurality of suppliers is selected to fill one or more of the plurality of prescriptions;   transmitting the plurality of prescriptions to the respective plurality of suppliers for fulfillment;   receiving status updates from each of the plurality of suppliers, wherein the status updates comprise prescription receipt confirmation, fulfillment confirmation, and shipment confirmation; and   transmitting the status updates to a patient's computer in a format through which the status updates from all the plurality of suppliers are together viewable by the patient within a single user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjudicating and authorizing fulfillment of each of the plurality of prescriptions, wherein adjudicating and authorizing fulfillment occurs prior to transmitting the plurality of prescriptions to the respective plurality of suppliers for fulfillment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating a copayment price owed by the patient for each of the plurality of prescriptions;   accessing account information for a financial account of the patient from a database;   deducting the copayment price from the financial account; and   transmitting a payment to each of the plurality of suppliers.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying the patient from each of the plurality of prescriptions;   searching a database to identify a plan to which the patient belongs; and   searching a database to identify the supplier selection criteria associated with the plan;   wherein selecting supplier selection criteria to apply to the plurality of prescriptions comprises selecting the identified supplier selection criteria associated with the plan.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the supplier selection criteria comprises evaluating the set of certified suppliers and selecting the plurality of suppliers based on total price of adjudication, wherein for each of the plurality of prescriptions, the certified supplier offering the lowest total price is selected. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the supplier selection criteria comprises evaluating the set of certified suppliers and selecting the plurality of suppliers based on a combination of total price of adjudication, performance rating, and ancillary service offerings. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of certified suppliers comprise suppliers that meet a minimum level of service requirements and have integrated into a healthcare needs fulfillment system operated by a benefits manager. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a supplier is a pharmacy, a provider of vitamins and nutritional supplements, a provider of durable medical equipment, or a provider of disposable medical supplies. 
     
     
         9 . A computing system for fulfilling and managing prescriptions, the system comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive a plurality of prescriptions for a patient from one or more users' computers, wherein each of the plurality of prescriptions identifies the patient and a prescribed treatment;   a transmitter configured to transmit the plurality of prescriptions to a plurality of suppliers for fulfillment, wherein each of the plurality of suppliers has been selected from a set of certified suppliers to fill one or more of the plurality of prescriptions; and   a processor configured to perform a method comprising:
 selecting supplier selection criteria; and 
 applying the supplier selection criteria to automatically select the plurality of suppliers from the set of certified suppliers; 
   wherein the receiver is further configured to receive status updates from each of the plurality of suppliers, the status updates comprising prescription receipt confirmation, fulfillment confirmation, and shipment confirmation, and   wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the status updates to a patient's computer in a format through which the status updates from all the plurality of suppliers are together viewable by the patient within a single user interface.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive data from the set of certified suppliers on which the set of certified suppliers are evaluated, the data comprising one or more of pricing data and ancillary service offerings. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform a method comprising adjudicating and authorizing fulfillment of each of the plurality of prescriptions prior to transmission of the plurality of prescriptions to the plurality of suppliers for fulfillment. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform a method comprising:
 calculating a copayment price owed by the patient for each of the plurality of prescriptions;   accessing account information for a financial account of the patient from a database; and   deducting the copayment price from the financial account; and   wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a payment to each of the plurality of suppliers.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform a method comprising:
 identifying the patient from each of the plurality of prescriptions;   searching a database to identify a plan to which the patient belongs; and   searching a database to identify the supplier selection criteria associated with the plan;   wherein selecting supplier selection criteria to apply to the plurality of prescriptions comprises selecting the identified supplier selection criteria associated with the plan.   
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for fulfilling and managing prescriptions, the operations comprising:
 electronically receiving a plurality of prescriptions for a patient from one or more users' computers, wherein each of the plurality of prescriptions identifies the patient and a prescribed treatment;   selecting supplier selection criteria to apply to the plurality of prescriptions;   applying the supplier selection criteria to automatically select a plurality of suppliers from a set of certified suppliers, wherein each of the plurality of suppliers is selected to fill one or more of the plurality of prescriptions;   transmitting the plurality of prescriptions to the respective plurality of suppliers for fulfillment;   receiving status updates from each of the plurality of suppliers, wherein the status updates comprise prescription receipt confirmation, fulfillment confirmation, and shipment confirmation; and   transmitting the status updates to a patient's computer in a format through which the status updates from all the plurality of suppliers are together viewable by the patient within a single user interface.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise adjudicating and authorizing fulfillment of each of the plurality of prescriptions, wherein adjudicating and authorizing fulfillment occurs prior to transmitting the plurality of prescriptions to the respective plurality of suppliers for fulfillment. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 calculating a copayment price owed by the patient for each of the plurality of prescriptions;   accessing account information for a financial account of the patient from a database;   deducting the copayment price from the financial account; and   transmitting a payment to each of the plurality of suppliers.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 identifying the patient from each of the plurality of prescriptions;   searching a database to identify a plan to which the patient belongs; and   searching a database to identify the supplier selection criteria associated with the plan;   wherein selecting supplier selection criteria to apply to the plurality of prescriptions comprises selecting the identified supplier selection criteria associated with the plan.