Patent ID: 7813939
Filing Date: 2010-10-12
Classification: G16H

Abstract:
1. A method for computerized monitoring of dispensation of pharmaceuticals to inmates and dispensation of prescribed medication to prisoners within correctional facilities defining inmates in conjunction with computerized records including an electronic medical record containing information about a specific inmate to receive prescribed medication and the inmate's medical history, the method comprising the steps of: reviewing the inmate's electronic medical record to verify that the prescribed medication is suitable for the inmate responsive to electronic medical record data contained therein, the electronic medical record stored in computer memory of a first computer defining a computerized records computer configured to manipulate and store the computerized records including the electronic medical record; authorizing release of the inmate's prescribed medication by a pharmacist located at a central pharmacy responsive to the prescribed medication being verified as suitable for the inmate; labeling a unit packet of the inmate's prescribed medication for dispensing to the inmate responsive to the authorization; delivering the unit packet of the inmate's prescribed medication to a correctional facility unit that houses the inmate, the correctional facility unit located remote from the central pharmacy; transferring the unit packet of the inmate's prescribed medication within the correctional facility unit to administer the inmate's prescribed medication to the inmate; performing an automated verification that the inmate is the inmate who has been prescribed the inmate's prescribed medication by a second computer defining a correctional facility unit computer prior to forming a record of dispensing the unit packet of the inmate's prescribed medication to the inmate responsive to the inmate swiping an identification card through a card swiper, the correctional facility unit computer configured to store computerized dispensation, received verification, and administration verification records, dispensing the unit packet of the inmate's prescribed medication to the inmate; forming a record of dispensing the unit packet of the inmate's prescribed medication to the inmate in computer memory of the correctional facility unit computer responsive to the dispensing of the prescribed medication to the inmate, the correctional facility unit computer positioned in communication with the computerized records computer to update the inmate's electronic medical record; verifying receipt by the inmate of the unit packet of the inmate's prescribed medication; forming a receipt verification record in the computer memory of the correctional facility unit computer indicating verification that the inmate received the unit packet of the inmate's prescribed medication responsive to the verification of receipt by the inmate; performing an actual physical verification verifying whether or not the inmate consumed the inmate's prescribed medication; performing one of the following administration verification steps: updating the inmate's electronic medical record by the computerized records computer responsive to receiving the administration verification record from the correctional facility unit computer; receiving a data entry from a correctional facility pill window technician for the respective correctional facility unit indicating an allergic reaction to the inmate's prescribed medication; and updating the inmate's electronic medical record over a communications network responsive to the step of receiving the data entry indicating an allergic reaction to the inmate's prescribed medication.