Patent ID: 9665688
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: G06Q,G16H

Claim:
1. An automated prescription dispensing method comprising the steps of: a. providing a plurality of dispensing stations for dispensing medications, the dispensing stations each including a container magazine containing a quantity of empty fillable containers; a plurality of product magazines, each product magazine containing a quantity of medication; and a labeler; b. providing a plurality of container carrier queue lanes each configured to store a plurality of empty carriers, each of the plurality of container carrier queue lanes adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of dispensing stations; c. providing a computerized dispensing control system having a stored patient order for a medication or a plurality of different medications; d. the computerized dispensing control system directing a subset of the plurality of empty carriers into one of the plurality of container carrier queue lanes adjacent to one of the plurality of dispensing stations; e. selected ones of the dispensing stations each dispensing a selected quantity of a selected one of the dispensable medications into an empty fillable container in accordance with the patient order stored in the computerized dispensing control system; f. next, the selected dispensing stations applying a patient-specific prescription order-identifying label to the filled container, thereby assigning the filled container to the patient order; g. the selected dispensing stations discharging the filled, labeled container into a corresponding empty carrier in a corresponding container carrier queue lane, the container carrier queue lane dispensing the combined filled, labeled container and carrier onto a transport conveyor; and h. the transport conveyor transporting the combined filled, labeled container and carrier to an accumulation area for accumulating the dispensed medication filled containers to fulfill the patient order.