Medication preparation system

Abstract

A system for preparing compounded medication doses is disclosed. The system includes a medication compounding workstation configured to receive a medication dose order over a network and retrieve an electronically stored protocol having a set of steps to prepare a compounded medication dose specified by the medication dose order. The example workstation is also configured to display, on a display screen to a pharmacy operator, information related to the set of steps for preparing the compounded medication dose and receive input related to the preparation of the compounded medication dose including at least medication information from at least one source medication container. The workstation verifies completion for each step for preparing the compounded medication dose.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A medication compounding workstation system comprising:
 a medication compounding workstation including:
 a communications interface configured to receive a compounded medication dose order over a network, 
 a digital camera configured to record digital images, 
 a display screen, and 
 a processor communicatively coupled to the communications interface, the digital camera, and the display screen, the processor configured to:
 receive or retrieve an electronically stored protocol having a sequence of a set of steps to prepare a compounded medication dose specified by the compounded medication dose order, 
 sequentially display each step in the set of steps on the display screen to guide a pharmacy operator through the preparation of the compounded medication dose, wherein, for each step in the set of steps to prepare the compounded medication dose, the processor is configured to prompt the pharmacy operator for verification before moving to a next step that at least one of:
 (1) a source medication container suitable for preparing the compounded medication dose, as identified in medication information recorded by the digital camera of the source medication container, is present at the medication compounding workstation, wherein the medication compounding workstation is configured to display an error in real-time requiring the pharmacy operator to repeat the respective step if the processor does not receive verification that the source medication container suitable for preparing compounded medication dose, is present at the medication compounding workstation, or 
 (2) if required by the step, a digital image corresponding to completion of the step is received, and 
 
 store in a database the compounded medication dose order and information used to verify completion of each step in the set of steps to prepare the compounded medication dose; and 
 
   a portal that is accessible remotely from the medication compounding workstation and in communication with the database that stores the compounded medication dose order and the information used to verify completion of each step in the set of steps to prepare the compounded medication dose, the portal configured to at least one of:
 display the stored compounded medication dose order and the information used to verify completion of each step in the set of steps to prepare the compounded medication dose for subsequent inspection or approval of the completed compounded medication dose order, and 
 display reports relating to the preparation of a plurality of compounded medication doses. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol is electronically stored with a plurality of different protocols, and
 wherein the processor of the medication compounding workstation is configured to determine the compounded medication dose order is associated with the protocol before retrieving the protocol.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the association between the compounded medication dose order and the protocol based on a match between at least one of a medication and a form of dose specified within the compounded medication dose order and the protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol is electronically stored with a plurality of different protocols at a remote database, and
 wherein the processor is configured to receive the protocol from the remote database after a server determines the compounded medication dose order is associated with the protocol.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information used to verify completion of each step includes a measurement performed by at least one of a scale, a hydrometer, or a spectrometer on at least one of the completed compounded medication dose, medication in the source medication container, or an intermediary mixture formed during the step, 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein completion for each step in the set of steps is alternatively based on receipt of the measurement within an acceptable range. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the medication compounding workstation is configured to prevent the pharmacy operator from completing the protocol or progressing to a next step in the sequence of steps if the measurement is outside the acceptable range. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the measurement is received electronically in the medication compounding workstation from the at least one of the scale, the hydrometer, and the spectrometer. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor of the medication compounding workstation is configured to:
 determine one step in the set of steps to prepare the compounded medication dose has not been verified as being complete;   flag the compounded medication dose order as being incomplete due to an error; and   store in the database the compounded medication dose order, the flag, and information indicative of the determined one step that has not been verified as being complete.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the medication compounding workstation is configured to permit processing of another compounded medication dose order after the compounded medication dose order has been flagged as being incomplete. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the digital image includes at least one of the source medication container including an identification of at least one of a barcode, a medication name, a lot number, an expiration date, or quality control information. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the medication compounding workstation is communicatively coupled to a printer and the processor is configured to cause a label to be printed, the label identifying a completed compounded medication dose order. 
     
     
         13 . A medication compounding workstation system comprising:
 a medication compounding workstation including:
 a communications interface configured to receive a compounded medication dose order over a network, 
 a digital camera configured to record digital images, and 
 a processor communicatively coupled to the communications interface, and the digital camera, the processor configured to:
 receive or retrieve an electronically stored protocol having a sequence of a set of steps to prepare a compounded medication dose specified by the compounded medication dose order, 
 sequentially display each step in the set of steps on a display screen to guide a pharmacy operator through the preparation of the compounded medication dose, wherein, for each step in the set of steps to prepare the compounded medication dose, the processor is configured to prompt the pharmacy operator for verification before moving to a next step that at least one of:
 (1) a source medication container suitable for preparing the compounded medication dose, as identified in medication information recorded by the digital camera of the source medication container, is present at the medication compounding workstation, wherein the medication compounding workstation is configured to display an error in real-time requiring the pharmacy operator to repeat the respective step if the processor does not receive verification that the source medication container suitable for preparing compounded medication dose, is present at the medication compounding workstation, or 
 (2) if required by the step, a digital image corresponding to completion of the step is received, and 
 
 store in a database the compounded medication dose order and information used to verify completion of each step in the set of steps to prepare the compounded medication dose; and 
 
   a portal that is accessible remotely from the medication compounding workstation and in communication with the database that stores the compounded medication dose order and the information used to verify completion of each step in the set of steps to prepare the compounded medication dose, the portal configured to at least one of:
 display the stored compounded medication dose order and the information used to verify completion of each step in the set of steps to prepare the compounded medication dose for subsequent inspection or approval of the completed compounded medication dose order, and 
 display reports relating to the preparation of a plurality of compounded medication doses. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the protocol is electronically stored with a plurality of different protocols, and
 wherein the processor of the medication compounding workstation is configured to determine the compounded medication dose order is associated with the protocol before retrieving the protocol.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the association between the compounded medication dose order and the protocol based on a match between at least one of a medication and a form of dose specified within the compounded medication dose order and the protocol. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the protocol is electronically stored with a plurality of different protocols at a remote database, and
 wherein the processor is configured to receive the protocol from the remote database after a server determines the compounded medication dose order is associated with the protocol.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the information used to verify completion of each step includes a measurement performed by at least one of a scale, a hydrometer, or a spectrometer on at least one of the completed compounded medication dose, medication in the source medication container, or an intermediary mixture formed during the step, 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein completion for each step in the set of steps is alternatively based on receipt of the measurement within an acceptable range. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the medication compounding workstation is configured to prevent the pharmacy operator from completing the protocol or progressing to a next step in the sequence of steps if the measurement is outside the acceptable range. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the digital image includes at least one of the source medication container including an identification of at least one of a barcode, a medication name, a lot number, an expiration date, or quality control information, and 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the medication compounding workstation is communicatively coupled to a printer and the processor is configured to cause a label to be printed, the label identifying a completed compounded medication dose order.