Pharmacy printer system and method

Abstract

A computer network system and method for printing accompanying information and prescription labels in pharmacies, comprises: a central CS; a PMS; a data transmission network through which said PMS and said central CS can communicate; wherein said PMS includes an I/O terminal, a scanner, and a first printer; wherein said PMS includes a PMS SO and a Catalina SO; said PMS SO is configured to receive and store prescription information for a prescription, and to associate a prescription identification with said prescription; said Catalina SO is configure to select accompanying information for said prescription, to format and save said accompanying information in an accompanying information print file; and said PMS is configured to print a prescription label for said prescription and said accompanying information print file.

Claims

1. A method of processing accompanying information related to a prescription, the method being implemented on a computing device having a processor programmed by one or more computer program instructions, the method comprising: receiving sponsored content from a server; determining a layout used to print accompanying information and sponsored content for a prescription request, the layout comprises an indication of a number of columns to be printed per page and the accompanying information is based on prescription information and comprises two or more elements; removing competing elements from the print layout, the competing elements are content conflicting with the sponsored content in the prescription request; determining print indicia that indicates continuity data for at least one of the two or more elements that spans more than one column; generating a print file used to print the accompanying information based on the layout, the print file including the determined print indicia; and printing the accompanying information using the print file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting the prescription information to the server; and receiving accompanying information from the server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the layout comprises: determining a layout for printing the accompanying information and the sponsored content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the layout comprises: applying a rule for at least one of selecting content or formatting content.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: receiving from a server an update for at least one of a content selection rule or a content formatting rule.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the content selection rule or the content formatting rule is provided by a retailer operating a pharmacy management system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating a print file further comprises: generating a print file based on the layout.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining the layout comprises an unprinted region; and inserting additional information in the layout to fill the unprinted region.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing the print file in association with the prescription request, the prescription request comprises an associated bar code.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: printing the print file using a printer when the printer is presented with the associated bar code.

11. A method of processing accompanying information related to a prescription, the method being implemented on a computing device having a processor programmed by one or more computer program instructions, the method comprising: determining, by the processor, accompanying information and sponsored content to be printed for a prescription request, the accompanying information is based on prescription information and includes a plurality of elements; determining, by the processor, a layout used to print the accompanying information, wherein the layout comprises a plurality of columns to be printed per page, and wherein the determining the layout comprises formatting a first element to be printed on a first column and a second element to be printed; removing competing elements from the print layout, the competing elements are content conflicting with the sponsored content in the prescription request; generating, by the processor, a print file used to print the accompanying information based on the layout; and printing the print file using a printer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining the layout further comprises: formatting at least a first portion of the second element to be printed in the first column.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: formatting at least a second portion of the second element to be printed in a second column.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining the second column comprises an unprinted region; and inserting additional information into the unprinted region.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: determining a second layout rule provided by a retailer; and prioritizing the second layout rule from the retailer as a higher priority than the first layout rule to determine the layout.

16. A device for processing accompanying information related to a prescription, the device comprising: a processor programmed with one or more computer program instructions to: determine accompanying information and sponsored content to be printed for a prescription request having an associated bar code, the accompanying information is based on prescription information in the prescription request and includes a plurality of elements; determine a layout used to print the accompanying information, wherein the layout comprises a number of columns to be printed per page; removing competing elements from the print layout, the competing elements are content conflicting with the sponsored content in the prescription request; format a first element of the plurality of elements and a first portion of a second element of the plurality of elements to be printed in a first column; format at least a second portion of the second element to be printed in a second column different from the first column; format additional information to fill the second column based on a determination that the second column comprises an unprinted region; generate a print file used to print the accompanying information and sponsored content based on the layout; and cause a printer to print the print file using paper having a size that is defined by a layout rule.

17. The device of claim 16, the processor further programmed to: store the print file in association with the prescription request.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the printer prints the print file upon being presented with the associated bar code.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic of computer network 1;

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic of PMS 30 of FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is a container schematic of database 260 of FIG. 2;

(4) FIG. 4 is a container schematic of Catalina SO data 320 of FIG. 3;

(5) FIG. 5 is a container schematic of rules data 420 of FIG. 4;

(6) FIG. 6 is a design view of drug data table 410A for drug data fields of drug data 410 of FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 7 is a design view of content selection rules table 510A for content selection rules data 510;

(8) FIG. 8 is a design view of formatting rules table 520A for formatting rules data 520;

(9) FIG. 9 shows simplified plan view of accompanying data laid out on plates of printed page size;

(10) FIG. 10 shows front and back plan views of a first alternative format for printing of accompanying information shown in FIG. 9;

(11) FIG. 11 shows front and back plan views of a second alternative format for printing of accompanying information shown in FIG. 9;

(12) FIG. 12 shows front and back plan views of a third alternative format for printing of accompanying information shown in FIG. 9 that includes printing fill data; and

(13) FIG. 13 is a schematic process flow diagram for the Catalina SO.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(14) FIG. 1 shows a computer network including a central CS 10, and a series of PMSs including PMS1 30, PMS2 40, etc, connected via a wide area network 20, such as the Internet.

(15) Lines shown connecting elements represent conventional network packet switched or always connected data communication lines. Each computer includes a central processing unit for processing instructions, memory, and input/output devices for interacting with human beings. Each PMS controls the prescription fulfillment process at one or more pharmacies.

(16) FIG. 2 show PMS 30 including CS 210, memory or database 260, read and write access to which is controlled by CS 210, terminal 220, for input and output of data, scanner 230, for input of data in the form of optically recognizable bar codes, prescription label printer 240 for printing inter alia prescription labels and bar codes, and accompanying information printer 250 for printing inter alia accompanying information. Alternatively, any or each of the elements 220-250 may comprise a CS networked via a local area network to CS 210. In one alternative, accompanying information printer 250 stores all text and graphical accompanying information, and it receives from CS210 reference to elements of that information indicating to printer 250 what accompanying information to print in association with a specified prescription. More details on such an alternative exists in attorney docket number PIP174BANFP-US, U.S. application 60/759,552, filed Jan. 18, 2006, and PIP174BANFU-US, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/366,397, filed Mar. 3, 2006, both entitled “PHARMACY NETWORK COMPUTER SYSTEM AND INTEGRATED PRINTER” and both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

(17) FIG. 3 shows contents of database 260 including PMS SO data 310, Catalina SO data 320, prescription label print files 330, each associated with a prescription ID, and accompanying information print files 340, each associated with a prescription ID. Files 330, 340, are the files ready for printing the prescription labels and accompanying information associated with specified prescription identifications.

(18) FIG. 4 shows contents of the Catalina SO data including drug data 410 and rules data 420. Drug data 410 includes all accompanying information for each identified drug product. Rules data 420 includes rules determining what accompanying information content to print for a prescription, and how to format that content for printing.

(19) FIG. 5 shows rules data 420 including content selection rules 510 and print formatting rules 520.

(20) FIG. 6 shows a design view of table 410A storing fields for drug data 410. FIG. 6 shows fields with names representing the data stored in the field. The field names are drug brand name, NDC, DCC, MedGuide, monograph, prescribing information, Catalina generated content, Sponsor generated content, MedGuide length, monograph length, prescribing information length, Catalina generated content length, sponsor generated content length, and fill blank space content. The field names are only exemplary in that for example, there may be additional fields for additional sponsored content, and additional field for the various different types of prescribing information. The “length” fields contain a measure of print length for text content, such as character count or line count. The length fields may be used by formatting rules as specified below.

(21) Alternatively, the field for potentially repetitive content, repetitive over more than one drug product such as MedGuide, monograph, prescribing information, and generated content, may be stored in a separate table and identified in table 410A only by a reference therein to the other table, for example using a foreign key.

(22) Moreover, the drug data 410 may in fact be stored in a database in the printer that prints the accompanying information. In this embodiment, the drug data stored in database 260 (database controlled by CS 210), may only store a reference to the data fields for the MedGuide, monograph, prescribing information, etc, such a reference for example being the DCC and/or NDC. In this embodiment, the processor in the printer may perform the content and format determinations noted above as performed by the Catalina SO.

(23) FIG. 7 shows a design view of table 510A representing content selecting rules 510. This is only one of alternative ways to represent content selection rules. In this representation, table 510A includes field names wherein the field names describe the content, and those field names are: NDC, DDC, Switch—MedGuide; Switch—PI; Switch—Catalina generated content; Switch—Sponsor generated content; and Pharmacy or PMS ID. The “Switch” fields are boolean fields indicating whether to print the corresponding accompanying information: MedGuide, PI, and generated contents.

(24) FIG. 8 shows a design view of table 520A having fields for storing formatting rules 520. In this representation, table 520A includes field names wherein the field names describe the content, and those field names are: Pharmacy (or PMS) ID; NDC; DDC; Content location sequence; Switch—Wrap Print; and Switch—Fill Blank Space. The content location sequence contains datum indicating sequence of print of the various identified components of accompanying information, such as MedGuide, then Monograph, then Catalina Generated content. As a result, these elements of accompanying content would print with MedGuide starting on page 1, and the other elements following on sequential from where the MedGuide print ended.

(25) Print text and graphics are laid out in “plates” which correspond to the height and width of a column of text to appear on a printed page. For example, there may be 1, 2, or 3 printed columns.

(26) The Switch—Wrap Print is a value determining where to begin printing a subsequent element of accompanying data, such as monograph, after end of print of a prior element, such as MedGuide. For example, printing of the monograph may begin on the next line after the last line of the MedGuide in the same column in which the MedGuide print ends, in the sequentially next column after the end of the MedGuide, or on the sequentially next page after then end of the MedGuide.

(27) Switch—Fill Blank Space contains one or more values indicating how the Catalina SO should fill any blank space. Blank space is space resulting from unfilled rows or pages due to the values for Switch—Wrap Print and whether there exists blank space on the last page of the printed document.

(28) FIG. 9 shows plates 901-904 (height and width each corresponding to a column for text printing) and printed material thereon indicated by hashing. Plates 901 and 902 have print 910 and 920 indicating MedGuide text/graphics. Plate 903 has print 930 indicating PI text/graphics. Plate 904 has print 940 indicating sponsor generated content. Plates 901-904 are each shown having a single column of text for simplicity of illustration.

(29) FIG. 10 shows a front side 1010 and a back side 1020 of a paper having the information shown in FIG. 9 printed thereon. FIG. 10 shows each type of information, MedGuide, PI, and Monograph, starting on a distinct page/column of paper, corresponding to a value of Switch Wrap Print, indicating print for each element of accompanying information starting on a new page or column.

(30) FIG. 11 shows a front side 1110 and a back side 1120 of a paper having the information shown in FIG. 9 printed thereon. FIG. 11 shows printing in which Switch Wrap Print indicates printing of accompanying information continues in the same column after one element of accompanying information ends. As a result, an unprinted region exists at the bottom of page 3, and there is no print on page 4. Switch—Fill blank space determines whether the Catalina SO retrieves additional information to fill the blank space. The additional information for filling blank space may be PMS specific information, such as PMS advertising, PMS incentive offers, manufacturer sponsored incentive offers, or other informational materials. This information may be stored in the PMS in a location and in a format accessible to the Catalina SO.

(31) FIG. 12 shows the same information as FIG. 11, except that it includes on page 4 fill content 1210.

(32) FIG. 13 shows the process flow 1300 for a preferred embodiment of the Catalina SO. In step 1305, the Catalina SO receives a prescription message from the PMS SO and optional retailer content to print. As to the retailer content, this is information that the retailer specifies for the Catalina SO to configure and print. For example, a particular retailer may desire to have their versions of drug monographs printed. In that case, their PMS SO would send data defining their drug monograph to the Catalina SO.

(33) In step 1310, the Catalina SO selects additional content based upon patient or prescription information. Note that in step 1305 the prescription message may include Unique Patient ID. The patient ID may be used to trigger print of patient ID specific information. This information may have previously been stored locally in the PMS. This information may have been associated with the patient ID at a central CS and thereafter transmitted to the PMS, for the Catalina SO.

(34) In step 1315, the Catalina SO removes any competing elements. For example, when the retailer sends a drug monograph and the Catalina SO determines another drug monograph for the same drug.

(35) In step 1320, the Catalina SO selects the drug monograph for the prescribed drug.

(36) In step 1325, the Catalina SO determines whether to print a MedGuide. If yes, it proceeds to step 1330. If no, it proceeds to step 1335.

(37) In step 1330, the Catalina SO selects a MedGuide for printing.

(38) In step 1335, the Catalina SO determines if Ad1 is required, PI, PPI, BS, and repeats this process n times. Ad1 means advertisment number 1. Pi means perscribing information, which is a document produced by drug manurfacturers and intended for us by doctors as aid in prescribing and accompanies medicine shipped to pharmacies. PPI means patient product information designed for patients. BS means brief summary and is a breif summary of the PI. In operation, in step 1335, advertisments for prescription drugs are associated with at least one of a corresponding PI, PPI, BS for that drug. The process of determining print information repeats for each prescription drug advertisement to be printed, hence, n times for n such advertisements.

(39) In step 1340, the Catalina SO reviews and implements retailer specific rules regarding layout, such as a rule requiring the drug monograph be on the front page of the print.

(40) In step 1345, the Catalina SO processes a final table of content to print.

(41) In step 1350, the Catalina SO determines optimal layout of print elements, determines the TOC, and layout of any teaser content.

(42) In step 1355, the Catalina SO generates the final print job in either pdf or PCL format.

(43) In step 1360, the Catalina SO determines whether or not to print immediately. If yes, proceed to step 1365. If no, proceed to step 1370.

(44) In step 1365, the Catalina SO sends the print job to the printer, which prints the print job for the customer.

(45) In step 1370, the Catalina SO writes to disk or memory the print job.

(46) In an additional step related to step 1370, the prescription ID is scanned, which triggers printing of the print job. In practice, this is usually when the pharmacist is assembling the prescription drugs in a package, so that the pharmacist can then affix the printed information to the corresponding prescription drug package. Alternatively, the print job may be triggered by scanning the prescription ID at the time the customer picks up the drub package, and at that time also provided to the customer along with the prescription drug package.