Patent ID: 7490047

Claim:
A method of constructing a formulary, comprising: (a) storing a plurality of pharmaceutical products in a computer; (b) storing in the computer a plurality of pharmaceutical categories, wherein each pharmaceutical category comprises: (i) a category definition based on predetermined relational characteristics shared by the plurality of pharmaceutical products; (ii) a therapeutic description; (c) sorting, by the computer, the plurality of pharmaceutical products into the appropriate pharmaceutical category based on each pharmaceutical product's matching with individual category definitions and therapeutic descriptions for the respective pharmaceutical category; (d) displaying, by the computer, the sorted plurality of pharmaceutical products, wherein each pharmaceutical product is classified into at least one pharmaceutical category, (e) creating a plurality of base formularies, wherein each base formulary is created by: (i) selecting on the computer at least one of the sorted pharmaceutical products for inclusion in the base formulary, (ii) entering into the computer inclusion rules descriptive of the base formulary; (iii) saving the base formulary in the computer, (f) creating a new formulary by: (i) defining desired inclusion rules comprising criteria for accepting coverage of non-formulary pharmaceutical products when present; (ii) selecting at least one of the preexisting base formularies when the selected base formulary's inclusion rules are substantially similar to the desired inclusion rules by: (1) displaying to the user information for selection of the base formulary and respective inclusion rules; (2) allowing the user to select using the computer the preexisting base formulary responsive to said prompting; (iii) modifying the selected base formulary when additional pharmaceutical products are present by allowing the user to select on the computer the additional pharmaceutical products to be included into the new formulary; (iv) saving when the selected base formulary is modified in the computer as the new formulary; (g) adding the new formulary for use by the user to administer a pharmaceutical benefits plan for a plurality of members.