Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.

Express Scripts, Inc.

Jonathan W. Joplin

Charles E. Eller

Jonathan W Joplin

Robert E Hoffman

Charles E Eller

Jerry W Christopher

Steve Hanlon

A pharmaceutical order filling system uses a physical parameter that occurs during attaching cap to a pharmaceutical container to determine if the cap is properly engaged. The physical parameter may be torque on the cap when placed on the container. An order processing device receives a pharmaceutical order and sends the order to a dispensing device that fills the container with a pharmaceutical in the pharmaceutical order. A cap device is configured to apply the cap the container containing the pharmaceutical from the dispensing device, wherein the cap device is configured to sense the physical parameter, e.g., torque, to the cap when applying the cap to the container.

Systems and methods for capping

A pharmaceutical order filling system receives pharmaceutical orders and uses an accumulation device to accumulate bottles of pharmaceuticals corresponding to the pharmaceutical orders. The accumulation device is configured with a table assembly that includes a plurality of holding tubes configured to accumulate multiple bottles corresponding to pharmaceutical orders. The accumulation device also includes a bottle pick and place assembly configured to place bottles into holding tubes and an unload assembly configured to empty accumulated bottles from holding tubes into an unload assembly tube. The accumulation device may be further configured to receive and temporarily store a single bottle of a prescription order. The accumulation device may be configured to release accumulated bottles onto a conveyor in an upright position.

Methods and systems for collecting pharmaceutical containers

A drug dispensing system includes fulfillment stations that are each characterized by a set of dispensary attributes. The fulfillment stations each, in response to receiving a first order message including a first unique drug identifier, fill a container with pills matching the first unique drug identifier. A routing determination module, for each order message corresponding to a prescription order, selects one of the fulfillment stations based on compatibility between dispensary attributes for the selected fulfillment station and dispensation preferences related to the order message and transmits the order message to the selected fulfillment station. An order status subsystem conditionally sends a cancellation instruction relating to one of the order messages to the respective fulfillment station to cancel dispensing of pills. Each fulfillment station is configured to, in response to receiving a first cancellation instruction indicating a specified order message, terminate dispensing of pills corresponding to the specified order message.

Methods and systems for fulfilling drug orders

A system comprising a staging area and a packing area. The staging area may include a plurality of staging bins and a shuttle moveable along the plurality of staging bins. A staging bin of the plurality of staging bins may be configured to selectively retain a component of an order therein. Such staging bin may be configured to selectively release the component to the shuttle. The packing area may include a slide, a scanner, and a wrap seal conveyor. The shuttle may be configured to release the component onto the slide, and the scanner may be operable to scan and verify the component during placement of the component onto the wrap seal conveyor.

Systems and methods for a unit-of-use wrap seal packing station

A pharmaceutical order filling system receives pharmaceutical orders and uses a loading device to label containers and load the labeled containers onto a pallet. The loading device is configured with at least one container drop assembly that receives containers to be labelled and loaded onto the pallet and that is in communication with a label assembly configured to print and apply labels to the containers. The loading device also includes at least one loading rotary wheel configured to receive the labelled containers and hold the labelled containers in a pick position to be moved from the pick position to a predetermined position on the pallet. The loading device may be configured to accommodate multiple sizes of containers and to consolidate multiple sizes of labelled containers into a single loading rotary wheel for loading onto the pallet.

Methods and systems for labeling and loading pharmaceutical containers

A prescription handling system that takes filled prescription containers in an automated pharmacy and places them into a package for shipment is described. The handling system includes an inflow to feed containers to a turntable and a robot moves containers from the turntable to a container placement section, which places the containers in a pocket of a package for shipping. Each container for a prescription order is tracked to ensure that only associated containers are packaged together.

Systems and methods for prescription container shipping

Systems and methods for manually filling a prescription order. A manual fill device may be incorporated into a manual fill center of a pharmacy operated by one or more pharmacists and/or pharmacist technicians to manually fill certain prescription containers. The manual fill device may include a control unit which may operate at the direction of the order processing device. The manual fill device may also include a distribution section automating distribution of containers for manual fulfillment, and a manual section in which a pharmacist may utilize available pharmaceuticals to manually fill orders.

Systems and methods for manual countables

A pharmaceutical order filling system uses pucks disposed on a pallet to accommodate a plurality of container sizes into which pharmaceuticals can be dispensed. An order processing device receives a pharmaceutical order and identifies a size of container into which a pharmaceutical in the pharmaceutical order should be dispensed. A pallet sizing and pucking device is configured: to configure a pallet with a plurality of pucks adapted to accommodate containers and to configure the pucks on a pallet in a manner that will facilitate efficient fulfillment of the pharmaceutical order.

Methods and systems for pallet sizing and pucking

An automated dispensing device for a pharmaceutical order filling system includes an order processing device to receive a pharmaceutical order. The order processing device includes a cell for containing an available quantity of a pharmaceutical of the pharmaceutical order, and an insert received in the cell. The insert has a dispensing tube, and is adapted to receive the available quantity of the pharmaceutical and to dispense a measured quantity of the pharmaceutical through the dispensing tube. The cell includes a funnel having a weighted gate adapted to receive the dispensing tube of the insert.

Methods and systems for automated pharmaceutical dispensing

A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a manual pick/pack device and method. The system may include a rotation assembly, a left door and a right door, both positioned below the rotation assembly, a left divider positioned below the left door, and a right divider positioned below the right door, and a left gathering table positioned below the left divider, and a right gathering table positioned below the right divider. The system may also include a control device in electronic communication with the rotation assembly, the doors and the dividers for control of same.

Growing community of inventors

Chesterfield, MO, United States of America

Jonathan W Joplin