Patent ID: 8065160

Claim:
A computerized method for fulfilling a pharmacy prescription order, the method comprising: receiving, via a computer network, one or more maintenance prescription orders on a first computer at a central pharmacy from a first customer base, wherein a maintenance prescription order is one that is prescribed on a scheduled and routine basis; receiving, via the computer network, one or more acute prescription orders on the first computer at the central pharmacy from the first customer base, wherein an acute prescription order is one that is identified as needed immediately, within a time period inconsistent with an overnight delivery, said prescription needed for a limited and defined duration; accessing the one or more acute prescription orders via the computer network with a second computer associated with a first satellite pharmacy, wherein the first satellite pharmacy is one of a plurality of satellite pharmacies, wherein each of the plurality of satellite pharmacies has a producer that has a contractual relationship with the central pharmacy, and wherein, of the plurality of satellite pharmacies, determining the first satellite pharmacy is located closest to the first customer base; filling the one or more maintenance prescription orders at the central pharmacy; and delivering the one or more filled maintenance prescription orders from the central pharmacy to the first customer base via a first shipment; wherein the one or more acute prescription orders are filled at the first satellite pharmacy and delivered from the first satellite pharmacy to the first customer base via a second shipment.