Pharmacy will-call and prescription order article management system
View Patent ↗A pharmacy will-call and prescription order article management system and method for managing articles selected to fulfill patient prescription orders awaiting patient pick-up from the pharmacy. An exemplary system includes a storage module including a plurality of separate spaced-apart storage locations for storing containers containing the articles. The containers may be stored at any of the storage locations, thereby maximizing storage density. A visual indicator is provided to indicate each storage location and each storage location has a unique machine-readable identification code identifying that storage location. A code reader is provided to read a unique identification code associated with each container and the unique code at each storage location. Control apparatus controls system operation by locating each container at a storage location and operating the indicator to indicate the relevant storage location when a pick-up request for the prescription order articles is made. Hanging bags may be utilized and exemplary storage apparatus may include hanging rack apparatus.
1. A pharmacy will-call system for management of articles selected to fulfill prescription orders while awaiting pick-up of the prescription orders from the pharmacy, the system comprising:
a will-call storage module having a plurality of discrete storage locations each configured to accept only a single container holding at least one article for a patient's prescription order;
a machine-readable code proximate each one of the storage locations;
a code reader operative to read a code associated with each container and the code proximate each one of the storage locations;
a visual indicator operative to visually indicate the storage location at which each container is located and to guide a user toward the storage location; and
control apparatus operative to receive the codes from the code reader, associate the container holding the at least one article for the patient's prescription order with any available one of the storage locations and operate the indicator to indicate the storage location of the container holding the at least one article for the patient's prescription order to guide the user toward the storage location.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the containers are hanging bags and the will-call storage module comprises:
a support structure;
at least one hanging bag rack supported by the support structure, said at least one hanging bag rack including the plurality of discrete storage locations; and
a hanging bag connector at each storage location.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the containers are reusable hanging bags.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein the containers are single-use hanging bags.
5. The system of claim 2 wherein the support structure comprises:
a base; and
a support extending from the base and supporting the at least one hanging bag rack.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one hanging bag rack comprises a rotatable carousel.
7. The system of claim 2 wherein the support structure comprises:
a cabinet; and
a drawer supported by the cabinet for movement out of, and alternatively, into the cabinet, the drawer supporting the at least one hanging bag rack.
8. The system of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of the hanging bags, each hanging bag including:
a bag defining an opening for receiving the at least one article for the patient's prescription order; and
a hanger attached to the bag including a mating part configured to mate with the hanging bag connector at any storage location,
wherein at least one of the bag and hanger includes the code associated with the container.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein:
each hanging bag connector includes a surface defining a mating-part-receiving notch; and
each mating part includes a neck with a flanged end,
wherein the hanging bag is mated to the hanging bag connector by contact between the flanged end and the surface with the neck received in the notch.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein each hanging bag connector further includes a wall defining a keyway in communication with the notch, said keyway having a shape complementary to the flanged end and neck, thereby restricting entry of non-complementary mating parts to the notch.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the hanger comprises a plural-part hanger body having complementary halves joined together by at least one connector, one half being attached to a first side of the bag defining an upper opening and the other half being attached to a second side of the bag defining an upper opening, said halves providing closure of the bag opening when joined together.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein the will-call storage module further comprises:
a cabinet; and
a drawer supported by the cabinet for movement out of, and alternatively, into the cabinet and the plurality of discrete storage locations comprise discrete container-receiving cells in the drawer, each cell including one of the machine-readable codes.
13. The system of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator includes a lamp.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the visual indicator further includes a display operative to indicate the storage location of the container holding the at least one article for the patient's prescription order.
15. The system of claim 1 wherein the codes are bar codes and the code reader is a bar code reader.
16. A method for management of containers holding articles selected to fulfill patient prescription orders while awaiting pick-up from a pharmacy, the method comprising:
reading a first code associated with a container holding at least one article selected for a patient's prescription order;
reading a second code uniquely identifying any available one of a plurality of separate storage locations, the second code being proximate the storage location and each storage location being configured to accept only a single container;
associating the first code with the second code to locate the container to the storage location;
storing the container at the storage location; and
visually indicating the storage location of the container responsive to a pick-up request thereby guiding a user toward the storage location.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first and second codes are bar codes and reading the first code comprises reading the first bar code with a bar code scanner and reading the second code comprises reading the second bar code with the bar code scanner.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the containers are hanging bags and storing the container at the storage location comprises hanging the hanging bag at the storage location.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the containers are reusable hanging bags.
20. The system of claim 18 wherein the containers are single-use hanging bags.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein hanging the hanging bag at the storage location further includes temporarily connecting a mating part on the hanging bag with a connector at the storage location.
22. The method of claim 16 wherein storing the container at the storage location further includes placing the container in a cell of a drawer containing a plurality of cells.
23. The method of claim 16 wherein visually indicating the storage location of the container responsive to a pick-up request includes energizing a lamp.
24. The method of claim 16 wherein visually indicating the storage location of the container responsive to a pick-up request further includes displaying a unique address of the storage location to facilitate picking of the container from the storage location.
25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:
removing the container from the indicated storage location; and
providing the at least one article to the patient.