Patent ID: 8260632
Filing Date: 2012-09-04
Classification: B65B,G06Q,G16H

Abstract:
1. A method of restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between one or more long-term care facility staff members, each located at one of a plurality of long-term care facilities, and a long-term care facility remote pharmacy positioned remote from the plurality of long-term care facilities, the method comprising the steps of: installing at least one pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities operable by the one or more long-term care facility staff members, each of the at least one pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts being positioned remote from, and adapted to be in communication with, a long-term care facility pharmacy management server via a communications network, the long-term care facility pharmacy management server having memory storing long-term care facility management software including at least a patient prescription receiver to receive a digital image of a patient medication prescription order and a medication dispensing apparatus administrator to selectively remotely control one or more pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart functions; verifying, at the long-term care facility remote pharmacy, via the patient prescription receiver, the digital image of the patient medication prescription order from a pharmaceutical prescription document processor adapted to be in communication with one of the at least one pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts to thereby reduce miscommunication between one or more long-term care facility staff members and the long-term care remote pharmacy and enhance reduction of medication order errors; and providing remote training to the one or more long-term care facility staff members from the long-term care facility remote pharmacy by selectively remotely controlling one or more functions, available to the one or more long-term care facility staff members from a terminal of one of the at least one pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts, by the medication dispensing apparatus administrator via the communications network responsive to input received from one or more long-term care facility remote pharmacy personnel.