Controlled substance tracking system and method

Abstract

A method for tracking prescriptive medications is provided whereby a complete prescriptive medication history including active and inactive prescriptive medications is stored for a plurality of patients utilizing a plurality of pharmacies wherein the pharmacies may be affiliated or unaffiliated. The information may be selectively retrieved through a secure computer connection by entities such as hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, insurance companies, government agencies and the like. The information may be utilized to benefit the patient whereby a doctor is able to obtain an accurate view of the complete prescriptive medication history of the patient including prescriptive medications by other doctors. Hospitals will be able to obtain, in accord with the invention, a prescriptive medication history prior to treatment such as emergency treatment where such information is not normally available. The stored data for each prescriptive medication transaction includes searchable data such as the patient's name, address, doctor, pharmacy, aberrant use flag, and the like.

It is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method for tracking prescriptive medications, said method comprising: 
 providing respective computer connections to a plurality of entities, said plurality of entities comprising a plurality of unaffiliated pharmacies;    storing pharmaceutical computer data relating to prescriptive medication purchases obtained by a plurality of prescriptive medication purchasers from said plurality of unaffiliated pharmacies; and    selectively transferring said pharmaceutical computer data through said computer connections to at least one of said plurality of entities for obtaining a prescriptive history of a selected prescriptive medication purchaser for all prescriptive medications purchased by said selected prescriptive medication purchaser from all of said plurality of unaffiliated pharmacies based on said transferred pharmaceutical computer data.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing that said at least one of said plurality of entities comprises a physician's office and said selected prescriptive medication purchaser is a patient of said physician, and    said physician's office utilizing said pharmaceutical computer data to verify said prescriptive history of said selected prescriptive medication purchaser.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing that said at least one of said plurality of entities comprises a pharmacy with a pharmacist,    said selected prescriptive medication purchaser requesting that said pharmacist fill a new prescriptive medication, and    said pharmacist utilizing said pharmaceutical computer data to compare said new prescriptive medication with respect to said prescriptive history of said selected prescriptive medication purchaser.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 said pharmacist accepting or declining to fill said new prescriptive medication based on said prescriptive history.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 providing that said plurality of entities comprises a plurality of affiliated and unaffiliated pharmacies, and    selectively transferring said pharmaceutical computer data through said computer connections to at least one of said plurality of entities for obtaining said prescriptive history of said selected prescriptive medication purchaser for all prescriptive medications purchased by said selected prescriptive medication purchaser from all of said plurality of affiliated and unaffiliated pharmacies based on said transferred pharmaceutical computer data.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing that at least one of said plurality of entities comprises a hospital and said selected prescriptive medication purchaser is a patient of said hospital, and    said hospital utilizing said pharmaceutical computer data to determine said prescriptive history of said selected prescriptive medication purchaser.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing that said pharmaceutical computer data for each of said prescriptive medication purchases comprises a name of a respective prescriptive medication purchaser, an address of said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, a drug prescribed, said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, a quantity of said drug, a dosage of said drug, a pharmacist name, and a doctor name.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 searching said stored pharmaceutical computer data based on one or more of said name of a respective prescriptive medication purchaser, said address of said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, said drug prescribed, said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, said quantity of said drug, said dosage of said drug, said pharmacist name, and said doctor name.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 storing pharmaceutical data related to whether a request for filling a prescriptive medication is filled or declined.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 providing that at least one of said plurality of entities comprises a government agency.    
     
     
         11 . A method for tracking prescriptive medication needs, said method comprising: 
 providing respective computer connections to a plurality of entities, said plurality of entities comprising a plurality of unaffiliated pharmacies;    storing pharmaceutical computer data relating to prescriptive medication purchases obtained by a plurality of prescriptive medication purchasers from said plurality of unaffiliated pharmacies, said pharmaceutical computer data for each of said prescriptive medication purchases comprising a name of a respective prescriptive medication purchaser, an address of said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, a drug prescribed, said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, a quantity of said drug, a dosage of said drug, a pharmacist name, and a doctor name; and    selectively transferring said pharmaceutical computer data through said computer connections to at least one of said plurality of entities.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 searching said stored pharmaceutical computer data based on one or more of said name of said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, said address of said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, said drug prescribed, said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, said quantity of said drug, said dosage of said drug, said pharmacist name, and said doctor name.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 storing pharmaceutical computer data relating to approving prescriptive medications and declining prescriptive medications.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 storing pharmaceutical computer data relating to aberrant use of prescriptive medications.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 providing that said at least one of said plurality of entities comprises a physician's office and said selected prescriptive medication purchaser is a patient of said physician, and    said physician's office utilizing said pharmaceutical computer data to determine a prescriptive history of said selected prescriptive medication purchaser.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 providing that said at least one of said plurality of entities comprises a pharmacy with a pharmacist,    said selected prescriptive medication purchaser requesting that said pharmacist fill a new prescriptive medication, and    said pharmacist utilizing said pharmaceutical computer data to compare said new prescriptive medication with respect to a prescriptive history of said selected prescriptive medication purchaser.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 said plurality of entities comprising a plurality of hospitals, a plurality of doctors, at least one government agency, and a plurality of doctors, and    selectively transferring said pharmaceutical computer data through said computer connections to at least one of said plurality of hospitals, said plurality of doctors, or said at least one government agency.    
     
     
         18 . A method for tracking prescriptive medications, said method comprising: 
 providing respective computer connections to a plurality of entities, said plurality of entities comprising a plurality of pharmacies, a plurality of hospitals, a plurality of doctors, at least one government agency, and a plurality of doctors;    storing pharmaceutical computer data relating to prescriptive medication purchases obtained by a plurality of prescriptive medication purchasers from said plurality of pharmacies; and    selectively transferring said pharmaceutical computer data through said computer connections to at least one of said plurality of hospitals, said plurality of doctors, or said at least one government agency.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 storing pharmaceutical computer data relating to prescriptive medication purchases obtained by a plurality of prescriptive medication purchasers from said plurality of unaffiliated pharmacies, and    obtaining a prescriptive history of a selected prescriptive medication purchaser for all prescriptive medications purchased by said selected prescriptive medication purchaser from all of said plurality of unaffiliated pharmacies based on said transferred pharmaceutical computer data.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 storing pharmaceutical computer data relating to prescriptive medication purchases obtained by said plurality of prescriptive medication purchasers from a plurality of unaffiliated pharmacies, said pharmaceutical computer data for each of said prescriptive medication purchases comprising a name of a respective prescriptive medication purchaser, an address of said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, a drug prescribed, said respective prescriptive medication purchaser, a quantity of said drug, a dosage of said drug, a pharmacist name, and a doctor name.    
     
     
         21 . A method for tracking prescriptive medications, said method comprising: 
 providing respective computer connections to a plurality of physician offices;    storing pharmaceutical computer data relating to prescriptive medication purchases obtained by a plurality of prescriptive medication purchasers from a plurality of pharmacies; and    selectively transferring said pharmaceutical computer data through said computer connections to at least one of said plurality of physician offices for obtaining a prescriptive history of a selected prescriptive medication purchaser for all prescriptive medications purchased by said selected prescriptive medication purchaser from said plurality of pharmacies based on said transferred pharmaceutical computer data.    
     
     
         22 . A method for tracking prescriptive medications, said method comprising: 
 providing respective computer connections to a plurality of entities, said plurality of entities comprising at least one of a group comprising a plurality of hospitals, a plurality of doctors, at least one government agency, and a plurality of doctors;    storing pharmaceutical computer data relating to prescriptive medication purchases obtained by a plurality of prescriptive medication purchasers from a plurality of pharmacies; and    selectively transferring said pharmaceutical computer data through said computer connections to said at least one of said plurality of entities for obtaining a prescriptive history of a selected prescriptive medication purchaser for all prescriptive medications purchased by said selected prescriptive medication purchaser from all of said plurality of pharmacies based on said transferred pharmaceutical computer data.