Patent ID: 7801765

Claim:
A method for verifying a renewal of a filled prescription provided by a member health care provider for a patient which can be filled through any one of a variety of member pharmacies with the member health care provider being associated with a computer system having a web browser and each member pharmacy having a computer system with a web browser, comprising the steps of: implementing a host system comprising one or more processors; establishing the host system as a website communicating with the Internet and available for login by member pharmacies and member health care providers, the host system storing records for a plurality of patients, each of the records containing a set of prescription information including a unique health care provider code identifying the member health care provider who prescribed the prescription, and a patient code uniquely identifying the patient receiving the prescription, at least some of the records containing prescription information indicative of filled prescriptions; providing electronically a prescription renewal screen by the host system to a computer system associated with one of the member pharmacies, the prescription renewal screen being associated with a previously filled prescription; receiving, by the host system via the internet, renewal request information from the computer system associated with one of the member pharmacies, the renewal request information identifying a requested renewal of the previously filled prescription; transmitting, by the host system via the internet, the renewal request information through the host system to a computer system associated with the member health care provider identified by the previously filled prescription stored on the host system such that the renewal request information is loaded within the web browser of the computer system and perceivable by the health care provider, wherein the renewal request information being transmitted is text based; receiving, by the host system via the internet, an authorization from the computer system associated with the health care provider authorizing the requested renewal of the previously filled prescription; and transmitting, by the host system via the internet, the authorization to a computer system associated with the member pharmacy from which the renewal request originated, the authorization being loaded within the web browser of the computer system whereby the pharmacist associated with the pharmacy system is authorized to provide the requested renewal of the previously filled prescription to the patient.