Methods and systems for automated pharmaceutical dispensing

1. An automated dispensing device for a pharmaceutical order filling system comprising:

an order processing device,

a plurality of cells, each cell adapted to contain a quantity of a pharmaceutical and including a funnel having a funnel gate,

an insert having an insert code and a dispensing tube, the insert sized for insertion into one cell of the plurality of cells, the dispensing tube adapted to engage the funnel gate of the funnel when the insert is in the one cell;

a prefill assembly including buffer tubes, each buffer tube having a holding area and associated with one of the plurality of cells; and

a pallet assembly including a pallet and movement apparatus adapted to move the pallet, the pallet being configured to hold containers and each container having a container code,

wherein a communication from the order processing device is generated when the insert code on the insert corresponds to the container code on the container.

2. The automated dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the automated dispensing device is configured to dispense a first measured quantity of a first pharmaceutical from a first cell into a first holding area of a first buffer tube associated with the first cell and to dispense the first measured quantity of the first pharmaceutical from the first holding area of the first buffer tube into a first container when the first container is positioned below the first buffer tube.

3. The automated dispensing device of claim 2 , wherein the first buffer tube includes a second holding area and wherein the automated dispensing device is configured to release the first measured quantity of the first pharmaceutical into the second holding area and to dispense a second measured quantity of the first pharmaceutical into the first holding area of the first buffer tube after the first measured quantity of the first pharmaceutical has been released into the second holding area.

4. The automated dispensing device of claim 2 , wherein the insert comprises a hopper, a vibratory bowl, and a level sensor, wherein the level sensor is configured to cause the hopper to spin and to release a released quantity of the first pharmaceutical into the vibratory bowl, wherein the released quantity of the first pharmaceutical comprises at least a portion of the first measured quantity of the first pharmaceutical.

5. The automated dispensing device of claim 2 , wherein the first buffer tube comprises a buffer tube gate configured to release the first measured quantity of the first pharmaceutical from the first holding area, wherein the buffer tube gate is configured to flutter by opening and closing in quick succession.

6. The automated dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the insert code corresponds to the container code when the insert code and the container code are both associated with a same pharmaceutical.

7. The automated dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein a first buffer tube of the buffer tubes comprises a holding area adapted to receive and retain a first measured quantity of the pharmaceutical.

8. The automated dispensing device of claim 7 , wherein the holding area of the first buffer tube comprises a first holding area and a second holding area, and

wherein the first holding area is adapted to receive, retain, and release the first measured quantity of the pharmaceutical; and

wherein the automated dispensing device is configured to release the first measured quantity of the pharmaceutical from the first holding area into the second holding area and to dispense a second measured quantity of the pharmaceutical into the first holding area of the first buffer tube after the first measured quantity of the pharmaceutical has been released into the second holding area.

9. The automated dispensing device of claim 8 , wherein the automated dispensing device is configured to generate an alert when an available quantity of the pharmaceutical in a first cell associated with the first buffer tube is less than a pre-determined level.

10. The automated dispensing device of claim 9 , further comprising a sequencing module to determine an order for dispensing each of the first measured quantity and second measured quantity of the pharmaceutical in the containers.

11. An automated dispensing device for a pharmaceutical order filling system comprising:

an order processing device to receive a pharmaceutical order, and including:

a cell for containing an available quantity of a pharmaceutical of the pharmaceutical order; and

an insert received in the cell and having a dispensing tube, the insert adapted to receive the available quantity of the pharmaceutical and to dispense a measured quantity of the pharmaceutical through the dispensing tube; and

the cell including a funnel having a weighted gate adapted to receive the dispensing tube of the insert.

12. The automated dispensing device of claim 11 , wherein the device further comprises a prefill assembly including a buffer tube that is in communication with the cell.

13. The automated dispensing device of claim 12 , wherein the buffer tube comprises a holding area adapted to receive and retain the measured quantity of the pharmaceutical.

14. The automated dispensing device of claim 12 , wherein the device further comprises a pallet assembly and a filling cabinet physically housed above the prefill assembly and the prefill assembly is located above the pallet assembly.

15. The automated dispensing device of claim 14 , wherein the filling cabinet includes the cell and is disposed on a first floor of a structure and the pallet assembly is disposed on a second floor of the structure.

16. The automated dispensing device of claim 12 , further comprising a tube that connects a stem opening of the funnel to an opening of the buffer tube.

17. The automated dispensing device of claim 11 , wherein the insert includes a door configured to unlock to receive the available quantity of the pharmaceutical.