A system for notifying users of the occurrence of medication supply events, the system comprising: a) a medication dispenser configured to store medications for multiple patients and that generates a medication supply event signal representative of an occurrence at the medication dispenser of a medication supply event; b) a hospital information system server comprising: b1)a memory in which may be stored user-selected event types; and b2) a messaging processor; wherein the system is adapted to: receive message criteria, including one or more user-selected event types relating to a status of the medication dispenser and its contents and pertaining to a particular patient under the care of a user, store the one or more user-selected event types in the memory, wherein the messaging processor is adapted to: receive medication supply event signals from the medication dispenser; compare the received medication supply event signals to the user-selected event types in the memory, and send a message to a messaging device that the medical supply event has occurred if the comparison indicates that the medication supply event signals received by the messaging processor correspond to a user-selected event type stored in the memory; and c) a messaging device, remote from the messaging processor and the medication dispenser, and configured to be carried by the user, and is adapted to receive the message from the messaging processor and to communicate the received message to the user, wherein the message criteria include an indication that medication is newly available in the medication dispenser and that a message regarding the new availability of the medication in the medication dispenser be sent only when it is a medication for the user's patient, and wherein the medication dispenser is configured to automatically communicate to the hospital information system server when a medication has just been loaded into the medication dispenser and is now ready for dispensing. a) a medication dispenser configured to store medications for multiple patients and that generates a medication supply event signal representative of an occurrence at the medication dispenser of a medication supply event; b) a hospital information system server comprising: b1)a memory in which may be stored user-selected event types; and b2) a messaging processor; wherein the system is adapted to: receive message criteria, including one or more user-selected event types relating to a status of the medication dispenser and its contents and pertaining to a particular patient under the care of a user, store the one or more user-selected event types in the memory, wherein the messaging processor is adapted to: receive medication supply event signals from the medication dispenser; compare the received medication supply event signals to the user-selected event types in the memory, and send a message to a messaging device that the medical supply event has occurred if the comparison indicates that the medication supply event signals received by the messaging processor correspond to a user-selected event type stored in the memory; and b1)a memory in which may be stored user-selected event types; and b2) a messaging processor; receive message criteria, including one or more user-selected event types relating to a status of the medication dispenser and its contents and pertaining to a particular patient under the care of a user, store the one or more user-selected event types in the memory, receive medication supply event signals from the medication dispenser; compare the received medication supply event signals to the user-selected event types in the memory, and send a message to a messaging device that the medical supply event has occurred if the comparison indicates that the medication supply event signals received by the messaging processor correspond to a user-selected event type stored in the memory; and c) a messaging device, remote from the messaging processor and the medication dispenser, and configured to be carried by the user, and is adapted to receive the message from the messaging processor and to communicate the received message to the user,