Patient medication dispensing and associated record keeping system

Abstract

. .In a nurse administered medication dispensing system a mobile cart contains a plurality of doctor prescribed medication in accordance with a like plurality of patients scheduled to receive such medication. The medication containers stored in the cart is accessible by the nurse only in response to a patient ID code entered by the nurse into the keyboard of a cart supported microprocessor including a software program responding to the input code energizing mechanical components which obtains the medication from an onboard supply and transfers it to a specified nurse accessible cubicle or which releases secured medication dispensing units on or in the cart and records the time, date and quantity of medication dispensed..!..Iadd.A fully automatic apparatus for dispensing medications in tablet or capsule form for a patient is disclosed. This apparatus includes several open containers to hold tablets or capsules, with the location of each container fixed relative to the apparatus, and with the containers not readily accessible to an unauthorized person. The apparatus also includes a computer programmed to correlate a patient's identity with the medications that are appropriate for the patient. The computer controls a carrier that moves to the location of each of the containers holding medication appropriate for the patient. The carrier retrieves the medication from each such container, and then releases the medication in a location where it may readily be retrieved by a human to administer to the patient.

I claim: . .1. An electronic medication dispensing and accounting system for use in nurse car facilities to ensure correlation of doctor prescribed medication with individual patients and provide a running account of all medications dispensed to patients, comprising: 
     
        said support frame side members..!.. .5.  The medication accounting system according to claim 4 in which the Z axis carriage means includes: a plurality or standards vertically supported by said first platform;   a motor mount extending between the upper limit of said standards;   an externally threaded shaft extending vertically between and journalled by said first platform and said motor mount;   a second platform surrounding an intermediate portion of the threaded shaft and slidably guided by said standards;   Z axis motor means for angularly rotating said threaded shaft and vertically reciprocating said second platform;   a motor driven vacuum pump supported by said second platform; and,   a plurality of telescoping tubes vertically depending from and operatively connected with said vacuum pump for removing a tablet or capsule from a   
     
     
        selected container of said plurality of containers..!..Iadd.6.  An apparatus for dispensing appropriate medications in tablet or capsule form to a patient, comprising: (a) a compartment adapted to house a plurality of containers for holding medications in tablet or capsule form, wherein each location of the compartment for housing a container is fixed relative to the apparatus, and wherein said compartment is not readily accessible to an unauthorized person;   (b) a computer adapted to be programmed to correlate a patient's identity with the medications that are appropriate for the patient at the time;   (c) a carrier responsive to said computer, wherein said carrier is adapted to move under the control of said computer to the location for each container that holds a medication appropriate for the patient, then to create a partial vacuum to retrieve the medication from each appropriate container, and then to release the partial vacuum and place the retrieved medication where it may readily be retrieved by a human to administer to the patient. .Iaddend..Iadd.7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, additionally adapted to house a plurality of second containers for holding   
     
     
        medications not in tablet or capsule form. .Iaddend..Iadd.8.  An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said computer is additionally programmed to maintain a record of all medications administered to each patient. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.9.  An apparatus for dispensing appropriate medications in tablet or capsule form to a patient, comprising: (a) a compartment adapted to house a plurality of containers for holding medications in tablet or capsule form; wherein, with respect to a hypothetical rectangular x, y, z-Cartesian coordinate system superimposed on said apparatus, in which the z-direction is vertical, said compartment is adapted to house a plurality of containers that are accessible along the z-direction; wherein each location of the compartment for housing a container is fixed relative to the apparatus, with the fixed locations regularly spaced with respect to one another in both the x-direction and the z-direction; and wherein said compartment is not readily accessible to an unauthorized person;   (b) a computer adapted to be programmed to correlate a patient's identity with the medications that are appropriate for the patient at the time;   (c) a carrier responsive to said computer, wherein said carrier is adapted to move above the containers under the control of said computer to the x and y coordinates of each of the containers that holds a medication that is appropriate for the patient, then to lower a retrieval device along the z-direction into each appropriate container to retrieve medication from that container, and then to release the retrieved medication where it may readily be retrieved by a human to administer to the patient.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.10.  An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said retrieval device is adapted to create a partial vacuum to retrieve medication from the appropriate containers, and then to release the partial vacuum and to place the medication where it may readily be retrieved by a human to administer to the patient. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said computer is additionally programmed to maintain a record of all medications administered to each patient. .Iaddend.