Method for Administering A Pharmaceutical Product Donation Program
A method of distributing and tracking donated prescription medicines includes a pharmaceutical donor donating in-kind pharmaceutical products to a non-profit organization which then transfers the donated pharmaceutical products to a pharmaceutical distributor. An electronic record is established indicating a credit with pharmaceutical distributor in favor of the non-profit organization. After a pharmacy has distributed a pharmaceutical to an eligible patient, the pharmacy notifies the non-profit organization of the transaction and the non-profit organization authorizes the pharmaceutical distributor to apply to the credit to the benefit of the pharmacy.
1 . A method of distributing prescription medicines to eligible patients at no cost comprising:
a. receiving an in-kind pharmaceutical product donation from a donor;
b. transferring the donated pharmaceutical product to a pharmaceutical distributor;
c. establishing an electronic record indicating a credit with the pharmaceutical distributor in response to transferring the donated pharmaceutical product to the pharmaceutical distributor;
d. receiving and authenticating electronic notification that a pharmacy associated with the pharmaceutical distributor delivered a pharmaceutical product to a patient at no cost, wherein the pharmaceutical product is of the same type as the donated pharmaceutical product;
e. electronically authorizing the pharmaceutical distributor to transfer the credit to the pharmacy so that the pharmacy can be reimbursed for the delivery of the pharmaceutical product to the patient.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein establishing an electronic record indicating a credit further comprises determining the value of the credit based on the value of the pharmaceutical product donation.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein establishing an electronic record indicating a credit further comprises determining the value of the credit based on the wholesale value of the pharmaceutical product donation.
4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying the donor that a charitable donation of in-kind pharmaceutical product has been made on the donor's behalf.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining eligibility requirements for patients to receive pharmaceutical products at no cost.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing eligibility requirements for patients to a program administrator so that the program administrator can approve patients for receiving pharmaceutical products at no cost from the pharmacy.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving electronic notification that the pharmacy delivered the pharmaceutical product to a patient at no cost comprises receiving the electronic notification from the pharmacy.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving electronic notification that the pharmacy delivered the pharmaceutical product to a patient at no cost comprises receiving the electronic notification from a program administrator.
9 . A processor configured to:
a. update an electronic record indicating receipt of an in-kind pharmaceutical product donation from a donor;
b. update the electronic record indicating that the received donated pharmaceutical product has been transferred to a pharmaceutical distributor;
c. establish an electronic record indicating a credit with the pharmaceutical distributor;
d. receive electronic notification that a pharmacy associated with the pharmaceutical distributor delivered a pharmaceutical product to a patient at no cost, wherein the pharmaceutical product is of the same type as the donated pharmaceutical product;
e. electronically authorize the pharmaceutical distributor to transfer the credit to the pharmacy so that the pharmacy can be reimbursed for the delivery of the pharmaceutical product to the patient.
10 . The processor of claim 9 further configured to determine the value of the credit based on the value of the pharmaceutical product donation.
11 . The processor of claim 9 further configured to determine the value of the credit based on the wholesale value of the pharmaceutical product donation.
12 . The processor of claim 9 further configured to electronically notify the donor that a charitable donation of in-kind pharmaceutical product has been made on the donor's behalf.
13 . The processor of claim 9 further configured to determine eligibility for patients to receive pharmaceutical products at no cost.
14 . A method of donating prescription pharmaceutical products and distributing the donated prescription pharmaceutical products to eligible patients, comprising:
a. receiving in-kind donations of prescription pharmaceutical products from a donor;
b. transferring the in-kind donated prescription pharmaceutical products to a pharmaceutical distributor who in turn sells the donated prescription pharmaceutical products to one or more pharmacies;
c. establishing an electronic record indicating a credit with the pharmaceutical distributor as a result of the donated pharmaceutical prescription products being transferred to the pharmaceutical distributor;
d. receiving an electronic notification that one of the pharmacies has delivered a donated pharmaceutical product to a patient at no cost; and
e. electronically authorizing the pharmaceutical distributor to transfer an appropriate credit to the pharmacy that delivered the donated prescription product to the patient.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the credit established is a function of a value of the donated pharmaceutical products.
16 . The method of claim 14 further comprising notifying the donor that a charitable donation of an in-kind pharmaceutical product has been made on the donor's behalf.
17 . The method of claim 14 further including electronically determining the dollar amount of charitable donations made as a result of the donated pharmaceutical products being delivered to patients.
18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising notifying the donor of the amount of charitable donations that resulted from the delivery of a certain amount of donated pharmaceutical products.