Method and apparatus for delivery of medical items on an electronic prescription

1. A method for providing medical items to a patient, comprising the steps of:

receiving an encrypted message on a computer system at an intermediary agent from a trusted sender, the encrypted message containing a consent statement from the patient, the consent statement providing permission of the patient for the intermediary agent to receive a prescription prepared for the patient by a medical professional and providing permission of the patient for the intermediary agent to transmit the prescription to a pharmacy service, said consent statement being one of two types, wherein a first type of consent statement is a general consent statement granting permission by the patient to fill a plurality of prescriptions and a second type of consent statement being a per-case consent statement granting permission by the patient to file a predetermined prescription;

receiving an encrypted message on a computer system at the intermediary agent from a trusted sender, the encrypted message containing an electronic prescription prepared for the patient by a medical professional;

storing the electronic prescription on a server; and

transmitting an encrypted message containing the electronic prescription to a trusted receiver via the computer system from the intermediary service, the trusted receiver being a pharmacy service for filling of the prescription as authorized by the consent statement if the consent statement is a general consent statement, otherwise

receiving a confirmation from the patient of instructions to transmit an encrypted message containing the electronic prescription to the pharmacy service as a trusted receiver if the consent statement is a per-case consent statement, and transmitting an encrypted message containing the electronic prescription to the pharmacy service as a trusted receiver.

2. A method for providing medical items to a patient, comprising the steps of:

receiving an encrypted message from a trusted sender on a computer system at a pharmacy service, the encrypted message containing a consent statement from the patient, the consent statement providing permission of the patient for the pharmacy service to receive a prescription prepared for the patient by a medical professional and providing permission of the patient for the pharmacy service to fill the prescription, said consent statement being one of two types, wherein a first type of consent statement is a general consent statement granting permission by the patient to fill a plurality of prescriptions and a second type of consent statement being a per-case consent statement granting permission by the patient to file a predetermined prescription;

receiving an encrypted message from a trusted sender on the computer system at the pharmacy service, the encrypted message containing an electronic prescription prepared for the patient by a medical professional;

storing the consent statement on a server of the pharmacy service;

storing the electronic prescription on the server of the pharmacy service;

for a general consent statement, providing the medical item identified in the prescription to the patient;

for a per-case consent statement, receiving a confirmation from the patient of instructions to transmit the electronic prescription to the pharmacy service if the consent statement is a per-case consent statement, and transmitting the electronic prescription to the pharmacy service;

wherein said consent statement is provided by the patient to the pharmacy service authorizing the pharmacy service to act as an agent for the patient for purposes of receiving and filling the prescription.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said step of receiving the encrypted message containing the electronic prescription includes receiving the electronic prescription at a server.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said intermediary agent is a server acting as an agent of the patient for purposes of receiving the prescription and transmitting the prescription to a pharmacy to be filled.

5. A method for providing medical items to a patient, comprising the steps of:

establishing a first communication connection with a patient via a computer network;

establishing the identity of the patient via communications over said first communication connection;

receiving a secure communication from the patient via the first communication connection;

accessing contents of the secure communication from the patient, said secure communication including a consent statement of the patient for a pharmacy service to receive a prescription prepared for the patient by a medical professional and for the pharmacy service to fill the prescription with a medical item, said consent statement also providing consent to the pharmacy service to provide the medical item of the prescription to an authorized agent of the patient;

storing the consent statement on a server of the computer network;

establishing a second communication connection to a medical professional via the computer network;

establishing the identity of the medical professional via communications over said second communications connection;

receiving a secure communication from the medical professional via the second communication connection;

accessing contents of the secure communication from the medical professional, said secure communication including a prescription for a medical item for the patient;

storing the prescription on a server of the computer network;

notifying at least one of the patient and the authorized agent that the prescription has been received;

receiving contact from the authorized agent at the service;

establishing a verified identify of the authorized agent; and

providing the medical item of the prescription to the authorized agent for transport to the patient.