IP Library Granted Patent US 12,087,418
Granted Patent B1
US 12,087,418 · App. 17/079,387 · Granted Sep 10, 2024

Systems and methods for facilitating order and delivery of prescription medication

Inventors: Kevin MacKenzie Armstrong (Chicago, IL); Nicholas Phillip Baldwin (Chicago, IL)
Assignee: WALGREEN CO.
G16H20/10G06Q10/0836G06Q10/087G06Q10/1093G06Q50/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,087,418
App. No.
17/079,387
Granted
Sep 10, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

The following relates generally to facilitating order and delivery of prescription medication. In some embodiments, a first prescription for a first medication of a first patient is received; and a second prescription for a second medication of a second patient is received. A pickup time of a first pharmacy may then be determined by: determining a pickup time for the first medication at the first pharmacy; determining a pickup time for the second medication at the first pharmacy; and selecting, as the pickup time of the first pharmacy, the later of the pickup time for the first medication and the pickup time for the second medication. Identifications of all of: the first patient, the second patient, the first medication, the second medication, the first pharmacy, and the pickup time of the first pharmacy may then be displayed.

Claims (103)

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating order and delivery of prescription medication, the method comprising:

receiving, via one or more server processors, a first prescription for a first medication of a first patient;

receiving, via the one or more server processors, a second prescription for a second medication of a second patient;

determining, via the one or more server processors, a pickup time of a first pharmacy by:

determining a pickup time for the first medication at the first pharmacy;

determining a pickup time for the second medication at the first pharmacy; and

selecting, as the pickup time of the first pharmacy, the later of the pickup time for the first medication and the pickup time for the second medication;

causing a display of a mobile device to display identifications of all of: the first patient, the second patient, the first medication, the second medication, the first pharmacy, and the pickup time of the first pharmacy;

determining, via the one or more server processors, a pickup time of a second pharmacy by:

determining a pickup time for the first medication at the second pharmacy;

determining a pickup time for the second medication at the second pharmacy; and

selecting, as the pickup time of the second pharmacy, the later of the pickup time for the first medication at the second pharmacy and the pickup time for the second medication at the second pharmacy;

causing the display of the mobile device to display an identification of the second pharmacy, and an identification of the pickup time of the second pharmacy;

receiving, from the mobile device, a selection of either the first pharmacy or the second pharmacy; and

instructing either the first pharmacy or the second pharmacy to fill the first prescription and the second prescription.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the first patient, confirmation that the first patient will pick up the first and second medications at the first pharmacy;

receiving prepayment information from the first patient;

determining that both the first prescription and the second prescription have been filled at the first pharmacy; and

in response to the determination that both the first prescription and the second prescription have been filled at the first pharmacy, initiating a payment action according to the prepayment information.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising causing the display of the mobile device to display the identifications of the first pharmacy and the second pharmacy as a geographic locations on a map.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating with the first patient via an interactive voice recording (IVR); and

based on the communication with the first patient, sending, to the first patient, a link, wherein: (i) the link is sent via text message or email, and (ii) the link links to an application (app) of the first pharmacy.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the app allows the first patient to:

view an order comprising all of: the first patient, the second patient, the first medication, the second medication, the first pharmacy, and the pickup time of the first pharmacy; and

make changes to the order.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the first medication comprises a controlled substance; and

based on the determination that the first medication comprises a controlled substance, indicating to the first patient that the first patient will be allowed to pick up the first medication at a particular pharmacy only if the first patient has previously picked up a type of medication corresponding to the first medication at the particular pharmacy.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

building an artificial intelligence (AI) based model of the first patient;

based on the AI based model of the first patient, predicting that the first patient will not pick up the first medication; and

based on the prediction that the first patient will not pick up the first medication, requesting confirmation from the first patient that the first patient will fill the first prescription.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,

further comprising causing the display to further display: (i) insurance information of the first and second medications, and (ii) copayment information of the first and second medications.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

checking insurance information of both the first prescription and the second prescription;

based on the checking, determining that additional insurance information is required; and

in response to the determination that additional information is required, causing the display to further display an indication that an order comprising the first and second medication is delayed.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the first patient has an allergy to the first medication; and

in response to the determination that the first patient has an allergy to the first medication, causing the display to further display an indication that an order comprising the first medication is delayed.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the first medication is out of stock; and

in response to the determination that the first medication is out of stock, causing the display to further display an indication that an order comprising the first and second medications will be bifurcated.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that additional information is required from a prescriber before the first prescription may be filled; and

in response to the determination that additional information is required, causing the display to further display an indication that the first prescription must be reviewed with the prescriber.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving confirmation from either the first pharmacy or the second pharmacy that either the first or second prescription has been filled; and

in response to receiving the confirmation, locking an order comprising the first and second prescriptions so that the first patient may not change the order.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

checking a warehouse for an inventory of the first medication, wherein the checking is performed at a bottle level, and is not performed at a pill level; and

based on the checking, causing the display to further display an indication that the first medication is out of stock.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first medication is a new medication for the first patient; and

the method further comprises:

receiving a refill prescription for a refill medication of the first patient; and

bundling the new medication with the refill medication for delivery; and

causing the display to further display an identification of the refill medication along with refill information of the refill medication.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the first medication is less expensive to pay with cash than with an insurance contribution; and

in response to the determination that the first medication is less expensive to pay with cash than with the insurance contribution, causing the display to further display an indication that the first medication is less expensive to pay with cash than with the insurance contribution.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the first patient, a request for an alternative medication;

sending a message to a prescriber of the first medication requesting to replace the first medication with the alternative medication;

receiving, from the prescriber, a prescription for the alternative medication;

in response to receiving the prescription for the alternative medication, replacing the first medication with the alternative medication; and

causing the display to further display an indication that the first medication has been replaced with the alternative medication.

18. A computer system for facilitating order and delivery of prescription medication, the computer system comprising:

one or more server processors configured to:

receive a first prescription for a first medication of a first patient;

receive a second prescription for a second medication of a second patient;

determine a pickup time of a first pharmacy by:

determining a pickup time for the first medication at the first pharmacy;

determining a pickup time for the second medication at the first pharmacy; and

selecting, as the pickup time of the first pharmacy, the later of the pickup time for the first medication and the pickup time for the second medication;

cause a display of a mobile device to display identifications of all of: the first patient, the second patient, the first medication, the second medication, the first pharmacy, and the pickup time of the first pharmacy;

determine a pickup time of a second pharmacy by:

determining a pickup time for the first medication at the second pharmacy;

determining a pickup time for the second medication at the second pharmacy; and

selecting, as the pickup time of the second pharmacy, the later of the pickup time for the first medication at the second pharmacy and the pickup time for the second medication at the second pharmacy;

cause the display of the mobile device to display an identification of the second pharmacy, and an identification of the pickup time of the second pharmacy;

receive, from the mobile device, a selection of either the first pharmacy or the second pharmacy; and

instruct either the first pharmacy or the second pharmacy to fill the first prescription and the second prescription.

19. A computer system for facilitating order and delivery of prescription medication, comprising:

one or more server processors; and

a program memory coupled to the one or more server processors and storing executable instructions that when executed by the one or more server processors cause the computer system to:

receive a first prescription for a first medication of a first patient;

receive a second prescription for a second medication of a second patient;

determine a pickup time of a first pharmacy by:

determining a pickup time for the first medication at the first pharmacy;

determining a pickup time for the second medication at the first pharmacy; and

selecting, as the pickup time of the first pharmacy, the later of the pickup time for the first medication and the pickup time for the second medication;

cause a display of a mobile device to display identifications of all of: the first patient, the second patient, the first medication, the second medication, the first pharmacy, and the pickup time of the first pharmacy;

determine a pickup time of a second pharmacy by:

determining a pickup time for the first medication at the second pharmacy;

determining a pickup time for the second medication at the second pharmacy; and

selecting, as the pickup time of the second pharmacy, the later of the pickup time for the first medication at the second pharmacy and the pickup time for the second medication at the second pharmacy;

cause the display of the mobile device to display an identification of the second pharmacy, and an identification of the pickup time of the second pharmacy:

receive, from the mobile device, a selection of either the first pharmacy or the second pharmacy; and

instruct either the first pharmacy or the second pharmacy to fill the first prescription and the second prescription.

Assignments (3)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2025
From: WALGREEN CO.
To: SIXTH STREET LENDING PARTNERS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072606/0878 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2025
From: WALGREEN CO.; DUANE READE; WALGREENS SPECIALTY PHARMACY LLC; WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072679/0926 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2021
From: ARMSTRONG, KEVIN MACKENZIE; BALDWIN, NICHOLAS PHILLIP
To: WALGREEN CO.
Reel/Frame 058425/0518 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,561,644