Medication dispensing system including medicine cabinet and tray therefor

Abstract

A medication dispensing system includes a medicine cabinet having a plurality of compartments for containing supplies of different kinds of medications to be accessed by a healthcare attendant for preparing individual medication dosages for named patients; and a delivery device, preferably in the form of a mobile cart, having a plurality of sections for receiving medication dosages prescribed for named patients. The medicine cabinet includes a processor having a memory for storing the names of patients and their prescribed medication dosages, and a display screen for displaying the patient names and their respective prescribed medication dosages. The delivery device includes a display screen for displaying the patient names and their respective medication dosages, and a communication link with the medicine cabinet through which the cabinet processor communicates to the delivery device the patient names and their respective medication dosages.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A medication dispensing system, comprising: 
 a medicine cabinet having a plurality of compartments for containing supplies of different kinds of medications to be accessed by a healthcare attendant for preparing individual medication dosages for named patients;    and at least one delivery device having a plurality of sections for receiving medication dosages prescribed for named patients;    said medicine cabinet including a cabinet processor having a memory for storing the names of patients and their prescribed medication dosages, and a display screen for displaying said patient names and their respective prescribed medication dosages;    said delivery device including a display screen for displaying the patient names and their respective medication dosages, and a communication link with said medicine cabinet through which said cabinet processor communicates to said delivery device the patient names and their respective medication dosages.    
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein said compartments in the medicine cabinet are in the form of drawers which are normally locked but which are selectively unlocked by said cabinet processor when containing a medication supply to be included in a prescribed medication dosage for a named patient.  
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said delivery device is a tray.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said delivery device is a mobile cart.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein said mobile cart further includes a reader device for reading an identification of a named patient to enable matching the read identification with an identification communicated by said medicine cabinet of a named patient to receive a prescribed medication dosage.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein said reading device is a bar code reader to read the bar code on a wrist band carried by the respective patient.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein said plurality of sections of the mobile cart are compartments which are normally locked but which are selectively unlocked by said mobile cart processor when a medication therein is to be included in a medication dosage prescribed for a named patient.  
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said medicine cabinet further includes a label printer for printing the names of new medications to be introduced into empty compartments to receive supplies of the new medications.  
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cabinet processor further stores in its memory a running inventory of each medication supply in each compartment including all quantities supplied less all dosages removed.  
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a central processor having a memory for storing said patient names and the respective medication dosages prescribed for said patients; and a communication link with said medicine cabinet through which said central processor communicates to said cabinet processor the patient names and their respective prescribe medication dosages.  
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein one of said processors stores in its memory running inventories of the medications in said compartments, including all quantities introduced into the respective compartment less all dosages removed therefrom.  
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said delivery device includes an input device for inputting data regarding vital signs of a respective patients, and said communication link of the delivery device with the cabinet processor communicates said vital signs data to said central processor via said cabinet processor and its communication link with the central processor.  
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the system further comprises a plurality of portable computers units for use by physicians and/or pharmacists; each of said portable computer units including an input device for inputting data regarding a prescribed medication dosage for a named patient, a storage device for storing the electronic signature of the user, and a communication link for communicating to said central processor said inputted data and said electronic signature.  
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said medicine cabiner is divided into two units; one unit containing compartments for stock medications, the other unit containing compartments for medications sorted by patient names and identifications.  
     
     
         15 . A medication dispensing system, comprising: 
 a medicine cabinet having a plurality of compartments for containing supplies of different kinds of medications to be accessed by a healthcare attendant for preparing individual medication dosages for named patients;    at least one delivery device having a plurality of sections for receiving medication dosages prescribed for named patients;    and a central processor having a memory for storing the names of said patients and the prescribed medication dosages;    said medicine cabinet including a communication link with said central processor, and a memory for storing the names of patients and their prescribed medication dosages communicated thereto by said central processor;    said delivery device including a communication link with said cabinet processor, and having a display for displaying the patient names and their respective medication dosages communicated thereto by said cabinet processor.    
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said cabinet processor also has a display screen for displaying said patient names and their respective prescribed medication dosages.  
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein one of said processors further stores in its memory running inventories of the medications in said medicine cabinet compartments, including all quantities introduced into the respective compartment less all dosages removed therefrom.  
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said delivery device includes an input device for inputting data regarding vital signs of a respective patient, and said communication link of the delivery device with the cabinet processor communicates said vital signs data to said central processor via said cabinet processor and its communication link with the central processor.  
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said delivery device further includes a reader device for reading an identification of a named patient to enable matching said read identification with an identification communicated by said medicine cabinet of a named patient to receive a prescribed medication dosage.  
     
     
         20 . A medication dispensing system, comprising: 
 a medicine cabinet having a plurality of compartments for containing supplies of different kinds of medications to be accessed by a healthcare attendant for preparing individual medication dosages for named patients;    at least one delivery device having a plurality of sections for receiving medication dosages prescribed for named patients;    and a central processor having a memory for storing said patients names and prescribed medication dosages;    said medicine cabinet including a cabinet processor having a communication link with said central processor, and a plurality of indicators, one for each of said compartments, to indicate the compartment containing the medication supply to be included in a prescribed medication dosage for a named patient.    
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein said compartments in the medicine cabinet are in the form of drawers which are normally locked but which are selectively unlocked by said cabinet processor when containing a medication supply to be included in a prescribed medication dosage for a named patient.  
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein said medicine cabinet further includes a memory for storing the names of patients and their prescribed medication dosages, and a display screen for displaying said patient names and their respective medication dosages.  
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 22 , wherein one of said processors stores in its memory running inventories of the medications in said compartments at the medicine cabinet, including all quantities introduced into the respective compartment less all dosages removed therefrom.  
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 22 , wherein said delivery device includes a display screen for displaying the patient names and their respective dosages, and a communication link with said medicine cabinet through which said cabinet processor communicates to said delivery device the patient names and their respective prescribed medication dosages.  
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 22 , wherein said delivery device includes an input device for inputting data regarding vital signs of a respective patients, and said communication link of the delivery device with the cabinet processor communicates said vital signs data to said central processor via said cabinet processor and its communication link with the central processor.  
     
     
         26 . A medication dispensing system, comprising: 
 a medicine cabinet having a plurality of compartments for containing supplies of different kinds of medications to be accessed by a healthcare attendant for preparing individual medication dosages for named patients;    at least one delivery device having a plurality of sections for receiving medication dosages prescribed for named patients;    and a central processor having a memory for storing said patients names and prescribed medication dosages;    said compartments in the medicine cabinet being in the form of drawers which are normally locked but which are selectively unlocked by said cabinet processor when containing a medication supply to be included in a prescribed medication dosage for a named patient;    said medicine cabinet further including a plurality of light indicators, one for each of said compartments, controlled by said cabinet processor to indicate the compartment containing the medication supply to be included in a prescribed medication dosage for a named patient.    
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein said medicine cabinet further includes a memory for storing the names of patients and their prescribed medication dosages, and a display screen for displaying said patient names and their respective medication dosages.  
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein said cabinet processor further stores in its memory running inventories of the medications in said compartments, including all quantities introduced into the respective compartment less all dosages removed therefrom; said running inventories being communicated to said central processor via said communication link therewith.  
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein said delivery device includes a display screen for displaying the patient names and their respective dosages, and a communication link with said medicine cabinet through which said cabinet processor communicates to said delivery device the patient names and their respective prescribe medication dosages.  
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein said delivery device includes an input device for inputting data regarding vital signs of a respective patients, and said communication link of the delivery device with the cabinet processor communicates said vital signs data to said central processor via said cabinet processor and its communication link with the central processor.  
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein said delivery device further includes a reader device for reading an identification of a named patient to enable matching said read identification with an identification communicated by said medicine cabinet of a named patient to receive a prescribed medication dosage.  
     
     
         32 . A delivery device for a medication dispensing system, said delivery device comprising: 
 a plurality of sections for receiving medication dosages prescribed for named patients;    and a central display screen for displaying the patient names and their respective medication dosages.    
     
     
         33 . The delivery device according to  claim 32 , wherein the delivery device is a mobile cart, and said plurality of sections comprise a plurality of drawers for receiving a plurality of medication dosages prescribed for named patients; each of said drawers including a display screen.  
     
     
         34 . The delivery device according to  claim 33 , wherein said delivery device further includes a reader device for reading an identification of a named patient to enable matching the read identification with an identification of a named patient to receive a prescribed medication dosage communicated to the delivery device.  
     
     
         35 . The delivery device according to  claim 34 , wherein said delivery device includes an input device for inputting data regarding vital signs of a respective patient.  
     
     
         36 . A medicine cabinet for a medication dispensing system, said medicine cabinet comprising: 
 a housing including a plurality of compartments for containing supplies of different kinds of medications to be accessed by a health care attendant for preparing individual medication dosages for named patients;    a processor having a memory for storing the names of patients and their prescribed medication dosages;    and a display screen for displaying said patient names and their respective prescribed medication dosages.    
     
     
         37 . The medicine cabinet according to  claim 36 , wherein said medicine cabinet further includes a plurality of light indicators, one for each of said compartments controlled by said processor, to indicate the compartment containing the medication supply to be included in a prescribed medication dosage for a named patient.  
     
     
         38 . The medicine cabinet according to  claim 36 , wherein said compartments are in the form of drawers which are normally locked but which are selectively unlocked by said processor when containing a medication supply to be included in a prescribed medication dosage for a named patient.  
     
     
         39 . The medicine cabinet according to  claim 36 , wherein said medicine cabinet further includes a label printer for printing the names of new medications to be applied to empty compartments to receive supplies of the new medications.  
     
     
         40 . The medicine cabinet according to  claim 36 , wherein said processor further stores in its memory a running inventory of each medication supply in each compartment including all quantities supplied less all dosages removed.