U.S. patent application number 14/476679 was filed with the patent office on 2014-12-25 for system and method for express refill.
The applicant listed for this patent is WALGREEN CO.. Invention is credited to Tim McCauley, Satya Chandra Mouli, Quynh Chieu H. Tran.
Application Number | 20140379371 14/476679 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49840965 |
Filed Date | 2014-12-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140379371 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tran; Quynh Chieu H. ; et
al. |
December 25, 2014 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXPRESS REFILL
Abstract
A system and method may provide a refill interface and service
which allow a customer to order refills of one or more prescription
medications in a quick and hassle-free manner from a mobile device.
The customer provides prescription data from a barcode image that
includes a number associated with an order. The prescription number
is received by a server and a pickup store and a pickup time are
determined. The refill system and method provide the service
through a series of web pages and/or via an application running on
a mobile device.
Inventors: |
Tran; Quynh Chieu H.;
(Chicago, IL) ; Mouli; Satya Chandra; (Kota,
IL) ; McCauley; Tim; (Evanston, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
WALGREEN CO. |
Deerfield |
IL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49840965 |
Appl. No.: |
14/476679 |
Filed: |
September 3, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13367507 |
Feb 7, 2012 |
8626530 |
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14476679 |
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12869983 |
Aug 27, 2010 |
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13367507 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G16H 20/10 20180101;
G16H 40/20 20180101; G06Q 10/087 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/2 |
International
Class: |
G06F 19/00 20060101
G06F019/00 |
Claims
1. A method for allowing a customer to refill a prescription with
an application executing on a web enabled mobile device, where the
web enabled mobile device includes a processor, a memory coupled to
the processor and a camera configured to capture a barcode image
that has at least a prescription number encoded therein, the method
comprising: causing the processor to display an interface in the
application executing on the web enabled mobile device, the
interface for selection of a prescription refill option; receiving
an input at the processor from the customer indicating, via the
application, a selection of the prescription refill option; the
application causing the processor to activate the web enabled
mobile device's camera for scanning of a barcode; the application
causing automatically or upon a user input, the camera to capture
an image, displayed in the application, of the barcode indicating
at least a prescription number, the prescription number
corresponding to a prescription medication and a patient; the
application causing the processor to transmit from the application,
over a network, to a server, data indicative of at least the
prescription number so that the server can automatically validate
the prescription number by verifying that the prescription number
exists in a database of prescription numbers corresponding to a
previously filled prescription medication; transmitting from the
web enabled mobile device, to the server and via the network, a
confirmation to refill the prescription; receiving information at
the web enabled mobile device, over the network, at least a portion
of which is to be displayed in an order review page of the
application executing on the web enabled mobile device; and causing
the processor to generate a display in the application including
the at least the portion of received information in an order review
page, wherein the received information includes the prescription
number and a pharmacy location where the prescription medication in
the prescription will be filled.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information at the web
enabled mobile device further comprises receiving a default pickup
time and a default pickup date.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein causing the processor to generate
the display comprises displaying an option to facilitate a change
by the customer to the default pickup time and the default pickup
date before transmitting the order confirmation.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information at the web
enabled mobile device further comprises receiving the pharmacy
location and an option to change the pharmacy location.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the processor to generate
the display comprises displaying either the most recent pharmacy
location at which the prescription medication was filled or a
default location for a patient associated with the prescription
number.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the processor
to generate another display that includes an identified area to
assist the customer in positioning the web enabled mobile device's
camera over the barcode.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein causing the camera to capture the
image of the barcode comprises causing the processor to
automatically recognize that the barcode is present in the
identified area.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the camera to capture the
image of the barcode indicating at least a prescription number
further comprises causing the processor to decode the barcode to
determine the prescription number.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the processor to
transmit, over the network, to the server, data indicative of at
least the prescription number comprises transmitting the captured
image, over the network, to the server and further comprises
receiving at the web enabled mobile device at least the
prescription number that was decoded at the server from the
captured image.
14. A system for receiving a refill order for one or more
prescription medications, the system comprising: a communication
network; one or more web enabled mobile devices, each web enabled
mobile device having a processor, a memory coupled to the processor
and a camera coupled to the processor and the memory; and one or
more server computers communicatively coupled to the communication
network and the one or more web enabled mobile devices; one of the
one or more web enabled mobile devices having an application stored
thereon; the application configured to cause the processor to
display an interface in the application executing on the web
enabled mobile device, the interface for selection of a
prescription refill option; the application configured to receive
an input at the processor from the customer indicating, via the
application, a selection of the prescription refill option; the
application configured to cause the processor to activate the web
enabled mobile device's camera for scanning of a barcode; the
application configured to cause, automatically or upon a user
input, the camera to capture an image, displayed in the
application, of the barcode indicating at least a prescription
number, the prescription number corresponding to a prescription
medication and a patient; the application configured to cause the
processor to transmit from the application, over the communication
network, to at least one of the one or more server computers, data
indicative of at least the prescription number so that the server
can automatically validate the prescription number by verifying
that the prescription number exists in a database of prescription
numbers corresponding to a previously filled prescription
medication; the application configured to transmit from the web
enabled mobile device to at least one of the one or more server
computers and via the communication network, a confirmation to
refill the prescription; the application configured to receive
information at the web enabled mobile device, over the
communication network, at least a portion of which is to be
displayed in an order review page of the application executing on
the web enabled mobile device; and the application configured to
cause the processor to generate a display in the application
including the at least the portion of received information in an
order review page, wherein the received information includes the
pharmacy location where the prescription medication in the
prescription will be filled.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more
server computers is further configured to transmit to the
customer's web enabled mobile device data corresponding to a
default pickup time and a default pickup date, wherein the default
pickup time and the default pickup date are editable by the
customer before confirming the order.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the application is further
configured to allow the customer to edit the default pickup time
and the default pickup date before confirming the order.
17. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more
server computers is further configured to retrieve a default
pharmacy location for a patient associated with the prescription
number.
18. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more
server computers is further configured to receive a store number
from the web enabled mobile device and associate the store number
with a particular pharmacy location.
19. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more
server computers is further configured to electronically transmit
the prescription refill order to the determined pharmacy
location.
20. A nontransitory, computer-readable storage medium having
computer-executable instructions stored in a memory, the
instructions to be executed on a processor in a web enabled mobile
device for providing an application operable to allow a user access
to a refill by scan prescription system, the computer executable
instructions comprising instructions for: causing the processor to
generate a first display in the application executing on the web
enabled mobile device to allow a user to order a prescription
refill from within the application; the application causing the
processor to activate a camera in the application executing on the
web enabled mobile device to scan a barcode automatically or in
response to a user input; the application causing the camera to
capture an image of the barcode indicating at least a prescription
number; the application causing the processor to transmit from the
application executing on the web enabled mobile device at least
data indicative of the prescription number to a pharmacy server so
that the server can verify the prescription number by verifying
that the prescription number exists in a database of prescription
numbers corresponding to previously filled prescription
medications; transmitting from the web enabled mobile device, to
the server and via the network, a confirmation to refill the
prescription when the prescription number was verified; receiving
over a network at the web enabled mobile device prescription pickup
information; the application causing the processor to generate a
second display in the application, the second display including the
prescription pickup information on the web enabled mobile device;
wherein the prescription pickup information to be displayed in the
second display of the application includes a pharmacy pickup
location.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 12/869,983, filed Aug. 27, 2010 and U.S. application Ser. No.
13/367,507, filed Feb. 7, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,626,530, issued
Jan. 7, 2014, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to a system and
method for refilling prescription medications using a camera in a
web enabled device to scan a barcode and decode a prescription
number.
BACKGROUND
[0003] While some medications prescribed to patients may be taken
only for a brief period of time, other medications may be taken for
extended periods of time. For convenience, when a doctor prescribes
a medication that will be taken over an extended period, the doctor
may write the prescription such that a pharmacy can refill the
prescription one or more times without requiring renewed
authorization from the doctor (i.e., without requiring a new
prescription). When a patient runs out of the prescribed medication
(or slightly before), the patient may contact the pharmacy at which
the prescription was originally filled and request a refill, if
there are any refills remaining.
[0004] In the past, a patient (or customer) wishing to order a
refill of a prescription medication called the pharmacy or visited
the pharmacy to ask for the refill in person. In some instances, a
patient could request a refill of a prescription medication by mail
or by facsimile. More recently, pharmacies have implemented
internet-based interfaces (i.e., web sites) through which a patient
could request a refill. To access the web pages through which
prescription refills may be requested, a patient must be logged
into a user profile. Generally, though not always, the user profile
is associated with only one person, and the user can order refills
only of the prescriptions associated with his profile. Some systems
allow for a profile to be associated with multiple people (e.g.,
family members, patients in the charge of a caregiver, etc.), but
this requires additional configuration steps, such as sending and
responding to requests for permission, that often must be
coordinated between multiple people.
[0005] In any event, the systems currently in place require a user
who wishes to order a prescription refill to log into the system.
This requires the patient to input a user name or email address and
a password. For some patients, remembering the user name or
password may be difficult and, if the patient does not have access
to the information, the login requirement may prevent access to the
system entirely. Even in cases where the patient knows (or has
access to) the user name and password, entering the log-in
information may be an impediment, especially for users attempting
to order refills through a mobile device, many of which have input
mechanisms that are difficult or, at least, inconvenient to use.
Further, to order refills of prescriptions related to multiple
patients, the systems often require a customer to have access to
multiple profiles, require the customer to contact the pharmacy by
alternate means, or to log into multiple profiles using an
associated user name and password for each.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The figures described below depict various aspects of the
system and methods disclosed herein. It should be understood that
each figure depicts an embodiment of a particular aspect of the
disclosed system and methods, and that each of the figures is
intended to accord with a possible embodiment of thereof. Further,
wherever possible, the following description refers to the
reference numerals included in the following figures, in which
features depicted in multiple figures are designated with
consistent reference numerals.
[0007] FIG. 1A illustrates a block diagram of a computer network
and system on which an exemplary express refill system and method
may operate in accordance with the described embodiments;
[0008] FIG. 1B illustrates a block diagram of a computer server and
computer terminals on which an exemplary express refill system and
method may operate;
[0009] FIG. 1C illustrates web-enabled devices and associated
equipment that may operate with a network and a server;
[0010] FIG. 1D illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary web
server;
[0011] FIG. 2 depicts a landing web page transmitted by the web
server of FIG. 1D;
[0012] FIG. 3 depicts a pharmacy web page transmitted by the web
server of FIG. 1D;
[0013] FIG. 4 depicts an express refill web page transmitted by the
web server of FIG. 1D;
[0014] FIG. 5 depicts data entered into the pharmacy web page of
FIG. 3;
[0015] FIG. 6 depicts data entered into the express refill web page
of FIG. 4;
[0016] FIG. 7 depicts an order review web page transmitted by the
web server of FIG. 1D;
[0017] FIG. 8 depicts a store selection web page transmitted by the
web server of FIG. 1D;
[0018] FIG. 9 depicts an order summary web page transmitted by the
web server of FIG. 1D;
[0019] FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary method implementing the
express refill system in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0020] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary detailed method
implementing the express refill system in accordance with the
presently described embodiments;
[0021] FIG. 12A depicts a second embodiment of the landing web page
of FIG. 2;
[0022] FIG. 12B depicts a second embodiment of the pharmacy web
page of FIG. 3;
[0023] FIG. 12C depicts a second embodiment of the express refill
web page of FIG. 4;
[0024] FIG. 12D depicts a second embodiment of the order review web
page of FIG. 7;
[0025] FIG. 12E depicts a pickup selection web page in accordance
with an embodiment of the described embodiments;
[0026] FIG. 12F depicts a second embodiment of the order summary
web page of FIG. 9;
[0027] FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary execution flow of an
implementation of the express refill system using a mobile device
application in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0028] FIG. 14A depicts an image capture screen of a mobile device
application in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0029] FIG. 14B depicts a screen indicating successful capture of
an image in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0030] FIG. 14C depicts an order review screen of a mobile device
application in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0031] FIG. 14D depicts an order summary screen of a mobile device
application in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0032] FIG. 14E depicts an error message screen of a mobile device
application in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0033] FIG. 14F depicts a second error message screen of a mobile
device application in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0034] FIG. 14G depicts a pickup time selection screen of a mobile
device application in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0035] FIG. 14H depicts a pickup date selection screen of a mobile
device application in accordance with the presently described
embodiments;
[0036] FIG. 14I depicts a manual prescription number entry screen
of a mobile device application in accordance with the presently
described embodiments;
[0037] FIG. 14J depicts a first error message screen associated
with the manual prescription number entry screen depicted in FIG.
14I;
[0038] FIG. 14K depicts a second error message screen associated
with the manual prescription number entry screen of FIG. 14I;
[0039] FIG. 15 depicts an exemplary method of implementing the
mobile device application in accordance with the presently
described embodiments; and
[0040] FIG. 16 depicts an exemplary method corresponding to a
portion of the method depicted in FIG. 15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0041] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate various aspects of an exemplary
architecture implementing an express refill system 100. In
particular, FIG. 1A illustrates a block diagram of the exemplary
express refill system 100. The high-level architecture includes
both hardware and software applications, as well as various data
communications channels for communicating data between the various
hardware and software components. The express refill system 100 may
be roughly divided into front-end components 102 and back-end
components 104. The front-end components 102 are primarily disposed
within a retail network 110 including one or more pharmacies 112.
The pharmacies 112 may be located, by way of example rather than
limitation, in separate geographic locations from each other,
including different areas of the same city, different cities, or
even different states. The front-end components 102 comprise a
number of pharmacy workstations 128. The pharmacy workstations 128
are local computers located in the various pharmacies 112
throughout the retail network 110 and executing various pharmacy
management-related applications. Pharmacists, technicians, and
other pharmacy personnel, referred to collectively herein simply as
"pharmacists" (not shown), use the pharmacy workstations 128 to
access customer information, enter new prescriptions, access
insurance and payment information and so forth. Each of the
pharmacies 112 may be, for example, an in-store retail pharmacy, an
on-line pharmacy, a mail-order pharmacy, a long-term care pharmacy,
a workplace/on-site pharmacy, or a specialty pharmacy. Retail
network 110 may also include one or more warehouses or
central-filling facilities 118. The warehouses or central-filling
facilities 118 may distribute medications to the various retail
pharmacies 112 in the retail network 110, or may distribute
medications directly to customers. Web-enabled devices 114 (e.g.,
personal computers, cellular phones, smart phones, web-enabled
televisions, etc.) may be communicatively connected to pharmacies
112 and the system 140 through a digital network 130, as described
below.
[0042] Returning now to FIG. 1A, those of ordinary skill in the art
will recognize that the front-end components 102 could also
comprise a plurality of facility servers 126 disposed at the
plurality of pharmacies 112 instead of, or in addition to, a
plurality of pharmacy workstations 128. Each of the pharmacies 112
may include one or more facility servers 126 that may facilitate
communications between the web-enabled devices 114 and the back-end
components 104 via a digital network 130, described below, and
between the terminals 128, 128A of the pharmacies 112 via the
digital network 129, and may store information for a plurality of
customers/employees/accounts/etc. associated with each facility. Of
course, a local digital network 184 may also operatively connect
each of the workstations 128 to the facility server 126. Unless
otherwise indicated, any discussion of the workstations 128 also
refers to the facility servers 126, and vice versa. Moreover,
environments other than the pharmacies 112, such as the kiosks,
call centers, and Internet interface terminals may employ the
workstations 128, the web-enabled devices 114, and the servers 126.
As used herein, the term "pharmacy" refers to any of these points
of contact (e.g., call centers, kiosks, Internet interface
terminals, etc.) in addition to the retail pharmacies 112, etc.
described above.
[0043] The front-end components 102 communicate with the back-end
components 104 via the digital network 130. One or more of the
front-end components 102 may be excluded from communication with
the back-end components 104 by configuration or by limiting access
due to security concerns. For example, the web enabled devices 114
may be excluded from direct access to the back-end components 104.
In some embodiments, the pharmacies 112 may communicate with the
back-end components via the digital network 130. In other
embodiments, the pharmacies 112 and web-enabled devices 114 may
communicate with the back-end components 104 via the same digital
network 130, but digital access rights, IP masking, and other
network configurations may deny access of the web-enabled devices
114.
[0044] The digital network 130 may be a proprietary network, a
secure public Internet, a virtual private network or some other
type of network, such as dedicated access lines, plain ordinary
telephone lines, satellite links, combinations of these, etc. Where
the digital network 130 comprises the Internet, data communication
may take place over the digital network 130 via an Internet
communication protocol. In addition to one or more web servers 202
(described below), the back-end components 104 include a central
processing system 140 within a central processing facility, such
as, for example, the central processing facility described in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/271,686 entitled "DISTRIBUTED
PHARMACY PRESCRIPTION PROCESSING SYSTEM" the entire disclosure of
which is incorporated by reference herein. Of course, the
pharmacies 112 may be communicatively connected to different
back-end components 104 having one or more functions or
capabilities that are similar to the central processing system 140
(e.g., a processing system 141, 142). The central processing system
140 may include one or more computer processors 162 adapted and
configured to execute various software applications and components
of the express refill system 100, in addition to other software
applications, such as a medication management system. The central
processing system 140 further includes a database 146. The database
146 is adapted to store data related to the operation of the
express refill system 100 (e.g., patient profile data including
diagnoses, past healthcare product and medication purchases,
prescription histories, etc.) The central processing system 140 may
access data stored in the database 146 when executing various
functions and tasks associated with the operation of the express
refill system 100.
[0045] Although the express refill system 100 is shown to include a
central processing system 140 in communication with three
pharmacies 112, and various web-enabled devices 114 it should be
understood that different numbers of processing systems,
pharmacies, and devices may be utilized. For example, the digital
network 130 (or other digital networks, not shown) may interconnect
the system 100 to a plurality of included central processing
systems 140, hundreds of pharmacies 112, and thousands of
web-enabled devices 114. According to the disclosed example, this
configuration may provide several advantages, such as, for example,
enabling near real-time uploads and downloads of information as
well as periodic uploads and downloads of information. This
provides for a primary backup of all the information generated in
the express refill process. Alternatively, some of the pharmacies
112 may store data locally on the facility server 126 and/or the
workstations 128.
[0046] FIG. 1A also depicts one possible embodiment of the central
processing system 140. The central processing system 140 may have a
controller 155 operatively connected to the database 146 via a link
156 connected to an input/output (I/O) circuit 166. It should be
noted that, while not shown, additional databases may be linked to
the controller 155 in a known manner.
[0047] The controller 155 includes a program memory 160, the
processor 162 (may be called a microcontroller or a
microprocessor), a random-access memory (RAM) 164, and the
input/output (I/O) circuit 166, all of which are interconnected via
an address/data bus 165. It should be appreciated that although
only one microprocessor 162 is shown, the controller 155 may
include multiple microprocessors 162. Similarly, the memory of the
controller 155 may include multiple RAMs 164 and multiple program
memories 160. Although the I/O circuit 166 is shown as a single
block, it should be appreciated that the I/O circuit 166 may
include a number of different types of I/O circuits. The RAM(s) 164
and the program memories 160 may be implemented as semiconductor
memories, magnetically readable memories, and/or optically readable
memories, for example. A link 135 may operatively connect the
controller 155 to the digital network 130 through the I/O circuit
166.
[0048] FIG. 1B depicts one possible embodiment of the front-end
components 102 located in one or more of the pharmacies 112 from
FIG. 1A. Although the following description addresses the design of
the pharmacies 112, it should be understood that the design of one
or more of the pharmacies 112 may be different from the design of
others of the pharmacies 112. Also, each of the pharmacies 112 may
have various different structures and methods of operation. It
should also be understood that while the embodiment shown in FIG.
1B illustrates some of the components and data connections that may
be present in a pharmacy 112, it does not illustrate all of the
data connections that may be present in a pharmacy 112. For
exemplary purposes, one design of a pharmacy is described below,
but it should be understood that numerous other designs may be
utilized.
[0049] Each of the pharmacies 112 has one or more pharmacy
workstations 128 and/or a facility server 126. The digital network
184 operatively connects the facility server 126 to the plurality
of workstations 128 and/or to the web-enabled devices 114. The
digital network 184 may be a wide area network (WAN), a local area
network (LAN), or any other type of digital network readily known
to those persons skilled in the art. The digital network 130 may
operatively connect the facility server 126, the workstations 128,
and/or the web-enabled devices 114 to the central processing system
140.
[0050] Each workstation 128, client device terminal 128A, or
facility server 126 includes a controller 170. Similar to the
controller 155 from FIG. 1A, the controller 170 includes a program
memory 172, a microcontroller or a microprocessor (MP) 174, a
random-access memory (RAM) 176, and an input/output (I/O) circuit
180, all of which are interconnected via an address/data bus 178.
In some embodiments, the controller 170 may also include, or
otherwise be communicatively connected to, a database 182. The
database 182 (and/or the database 146 of FIG. 1A) includes data
such as customer records, insurer information records, and other
rules and miscellaneous information. As discussed with reference to
the controller 155, it should be appreciated that although FIG. 1B
depicts only one microprocessor 174, the controller 170 may include
multiple microprocessors 174. Similarly, the memory of the
controller 170 may include multiple RAMs 176 and multiple program
memories 172. Although the FIG. depicts the I/O circuit 180 as a
single block, the I/O circuit 180 may include a number of different
types of I/O circuits. The controller 170 may implement the RAM(s)
176 and the program memories 172 as semiconductor memories,
magnetically readable memories, and/or optically readable memories,
for example.
[0051] Either or both of the program memories 160 (FIG. 1A) and 172
may also contain machine-readable instructions (i.e., software)
171, for execution within the processors 162 (FIG. 1A) and 174,
respectively. The software 171 may perform the various tasks
associated with operation of the pharmacy or pharmacies, and may be
a single module 171 or a plurality of modules 171A, 171B. While the
software 171 is depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B as including two
modules, 171A and 171B, the software 171 may include any number of
modules accomplishing tasks related to pharmacy operation
including, for example, receiving prescription orders, managing
prescription workflow, etc.
[0052] In addition to the controller 170, the workstations 128 and
the web-enabled devices 114 may further include a display 186 and a
keyboard 190 as well as a variety of other input/output devices
(not shown) such as a scanner, printer, mouse, touch screen, track
pad, track ball, isopoint, voice recognition system, digital
camera, bar code scanner, RFID reader, etc. A pharmacy employee may
sign on and occupy each workstation 128 or client device terminal
128A to assist the pharmacy employee in performing his or her
duties. Pharmacy employees may sign onto the workstation 128 or the
client device terminal 128A using any available technique, such as
entering a user name and password. If a pharmacy employee signs on
to the system using a client device terminal 128A, the network 184
communicates this information to the facility server 126, so that
the controller 170 may identify which pharmacy employees are signed
onto the system 100 and which workstation 128 or client device
terminal 128A the employee is signed onto. This may be useful for
record keeping and/or monitoring the pharmacy employees'
productivity as well as in record-keeping or routing prescription
transfers to pharmacists who are authorized to accept controlled
prescriptions, or other transfer tasks requiring various levels of
authority or access corresponding to a login identification or
other information.
[0053] Various software applications resident in the front-end
components 102 and the back-end components 104 implement functions
related to pharmacy operation, and provide various user interface
means to allow users (i.e., pharmacists and/or customers) to access
the system 100. One or more of the front-end components 102 and/or
the back-end components 104 may include a user-interface
application 111 for allowing a user, such as the patient, the
pharmacist, or a customer service representative, to input and view
data associated with the system 100, and to interact with the
express refill system described below. In one embodiment, the user
interface application 111 is a web browser client, and the facility
server 126 or the central processing system 140 implements a server
application 113 for providing data to the user interface
application 111. However, the user interface application 111 may be
any type of interface, including a proprietary interface, and may
communicate with the facility server 126 or the central processing
system 140 using any type of protocol including, but not limited
to, file transfer protocol (FTP), telnet, hypertext-transfer
protocol (HTTP), etc. Moreover, some embodiments may include the
user interface application 111 running on one of the web-enabled
devices 114 (as when a patient is accessing the system), while
other embodiments may include the application 111 running on one of
the workstations 128 in a pharmacy 112. The information sent to the
workstations 128 and to the web-enabled devices 114 from the
facility server 126 and/or the central processing system 140
includes data retrieved from the database 146 and/or the database
182. The central processing system 140 and/or the facility server
126 may implement any known protocol compatible with the
user-interface application 111 running on the workstations 128 and
the web-enabled devices 114 and adapted to the purpose of receiving
and providing the necessary patient/customer information during the
express refill process.
[0054] For purposes of implementing the express refill system 100,
the customer interacts with pharmacy systems (e.g., the central
processing system 140) via a plurality of web pages. FIG. 1C
depicts a web server 202 connected via the network 130 to a
plurality of web-enabled devices through which a user 204 may
initiate and interact with the express refill system 100. The web
enabled devices may include, by way of example, a smart-phone 206,
a web-enabled cell phone 208, a tablet computer 210, a personal
digital assistant (PDA) 212, a laptop computer 214, a desktop
computer 216, a portable media player (not shown), etc. Of course,
any web-enabled device appropriately configured may interact with
the express refill system 100. The web-enabled devices 206-216 need
not necessarily communicate with the network 130 via a wired
connection. In some instances, the web enabled devices 206-216 may
communicate with the network 130 via wireless signals 220 and, in
some instances, may communicate with the network 130 via an
intervening wireless or wired device 118, which may be a wireless
router, a wireless repeater, a base transceiver station of a mobile
telephony provider, etc. Each of the web-enabled devices 206-216
may interact with the web server 202 to receive web pages, such as
the web page 222 depicted in FIG. 1C, for display on a display
associated with the web-enabled device 206-216. It will be
appreciated that although only one web server 202 is depicted in
FIG. 1C, multiple web servers 202 may be provided for the purpose
of distributing server load, serving different web pages,
implementing different portions of the pharmacy web interface,
etc.
[0055] Turning now to FIG. 1D, the web server 202, like the
facility server 126, includes a controller 234. Similar to the
controllers 155 and 170, the controller 234 includes a program
memory 226, a microcontroller or a microprocessor (MP) 228, a
random-access memory (RAM) 230, and an input/output (I/O) circuit
234, all of which are interconnected via an address/data bus 232.
In some embodiments, the controller 234 may also include, or
otherwise be communicatively connected to, a database 240 or other
data storage mechanism (e.g., one or more hard disk drives, optical
storage drives, solid state storage devices, etc.). The database
240 may include data such as customer web profiles, product data,
web page templates and/or web pages, and other data necessary to
interact with the user 204 through the network 130. As discussed
with reference to the controllers 155 and 170, it should be
appreciated that although FIG. 1D depicts only one microprocessor
228, the controller 224 may include multiple microprocessors 228.
Similarly, the memory of the controller 224 may include multiple
RAMs 230 and multiple program memories 226. Although the FIG.
depicts the I/O circuit 234 as a single block, the I/O circuit 234
may include a number of different types of I/O circuits. The
controller 224 may implement the RAM(s) 230 and the program
memories 226 as semiconductor memories, magnetically readable
memories, and/or optically readable memories, for example.
[0056] In addition to being connected through the network 130 to
the user devices 206-216, as depicted in FIG. 1C, FIG. 1D
illustrates that the web server 202 may also be connected through
the network 130 to the central processing system 140 and/or one or
more facility servers 126. As described below, connection to the
central processing system 140 and/or to the one or more facility
servers 126 facilitates both the express refill ordering process
and the subsequent process of forwarding the order so that it can
be filled for pickup by the customer.
[0057] The program memory 226 and/or the RAM 230 may store various
applications for execution by the microprocessor 228. For example,
an application 236 may provide a user interface to the server,
which user interface may, for example, allow a network
administrator to configure, troubleshoot, or test various aspects
of the server's operation, or otherwise to access information
thereon. A server application 238 operates to populate and transmit
web pages to the web-enabled devices 206-216, receive information
from the user 204 transmitted back to the server 202, and forward
appropriate data to the central processing system 140 and the
facility servers 126, as described below. Like the software 171,
the server application 238 may be a single module 238 or a
plurality of modules 238A, 238B. While the server application 238
is depicted in FIG. 1D as including two modules, 238A and 238B, the
server application 238 may include any number of modules
accomplishing tasks related to implantation of the web server 202.
By way of example, the module 238A may populate and transmit the
web pages and/or may receive and evaluate inputs from the user 204
to receive an express refill order, while the module 238B may
communicate with one or more of the back end components 104 to
fulfill the express refill order.
[0058] Typically, a patient or customer may launch or instantiate a
user interface application (e.g., a web browser or other client
application) from a web-enabled device, such as the web-enabled
devices 206-216, to access the web server 202 cooperating with the
system 140 to implement the express refill system 100. As used
herein, the term "customer" may be, by way of example, a patient
(i.e., the person named on the prescription), a guardian (e.g., the
parent of a child named on the prescription), a care-giver (i.e.,
anyone who takes care of a patient or picks up the medication on
the patient's behalf), etc. Moreover, the term "customer" is not
limited to a single person, but may instead be any person or
persons having a reason or desire to refill one or more
prescriptions, whether the prescriptions are related to a single
patient or multiple patients. For example, a customer could be a
caregiver responsible for patients with a specific disease that
progresses in a known manner. The caregiver customer might greatly
benefit from gaining information related to various medications and
health products to assist in his or her caregiver responsibilities.
In any event, while the term "customer" is used interchangeably
with the term "patient," in this specification the term "customer"
is used primarily so as to avoid confusion. Generally, the term
"user" is used when referring to a person who is operating one of
the web-enabled devices 206-216.
[0059] Also, as mentioned above, the pharmacy 112 may be any of the
channels through which the entity implementing the express refill
system 100 serves its pharmacy customers. Thus, the pharmacy 112
may be a retail pharmacy 112 in the customer's neighborhood (or any
other drug store in a drug store chain), an on-line pharmacy or an
on-line interface to a pharmacy 112 or to a retail network 110
(where the customer uses a web-browser to communicate with the
server application 238, a phone/touch-tone interface to a pharmacy
112 or to a retail network 110 (where the customer uses a phone
service to communicate with the server application 238), a
mail-order pharmacy, a central-filling facility, a specialty
pharmacy, or any other type of pharmacy affiliated with the entity
implementing the express refill system 100.
[0060] In some embodiments, a pharmacist, other pharmacy staff, or
a customer service representative (all referred to herein simply as
"the pharmacist") invokes the express refill system 100 while
interacting with a customer at a pharmacy 112 or over the telephone
(e.g., from a retail pharmacy 112, or a call center). The
pharmacist will have access to one of the pharmacy workstations 128
or to one of the web-enabled devices 114 and may invoke the express
refill system 100. In other embodiments, the customer invokes the
express refill system 100 (e.g., at a kiosk, via an Internet
interface terminal at the pharmacy, etc.) by accessing the express
refill system while physically present in a pharmacy 112.
[0061] As described above, one or both of the databases 146 and
182, illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, respectively, include various
information about the pharmacy's customers and the prescriptions
filled by the pharmacy, as well as various business information
including, but not limited to, information associated with
third-party payors (e.g., insurance companies), employee
information, and the like. Customer records are among the exemplary
data that the system 100 may store on the databases 146 and 182. A
customer record contains important information about the customer
and the various pharmacy services that have been invoked by, or on
behalf of, the customer in a customer profile. The customer profile
includes basic biographical information about the customer, such as
a customer name, a customer address, a customer phone number, an
insurance carrier associated with the customer, an insurance group
number for the customer, an insurance ID number for the customer, a
customer birth date, a health history or condition, customer
purchase history, etc.
[0062] The purchase history may include data related to purchases
the customer routinely makes or has made at the pharmacies 110. For
example, a customer may make purchases of several healthcare
products such as OTC cold and flu symptom relievers, or may
purchase or rent rehabilitative products such as crutches, a cane,
a heating pad, bandages, etc. The purchase history data may include
any product sold by the pharmacies 110 and purchased by a customer,
whether in person or online. Where purchases are made by the
customer in the store, the purchase data made be linked to the
customer record though credit card, an in-store savings card, or
other type of point-of-sale identification. Where the purchases are
made by the customer over the network 130 or on-line, the purchases
may be linked to the customer record through a web-based profile
that is accessible by the customer through the web-enabled device
206-216, as herein described.
[0063] Additionally, the customer profile may include other
information such as credit card information or other payment
information, one or more customer e-mail addresses, user name
and/or password information, online security question/answer
information, etc. Of course, the customer record may also include
other, more or less information than that described above.
[0064] The customer record also includes prescription data for each
prescription filled by the pharmacy for the customer. The
prescription data generally include, but are not limited to: a name
of the medication; an indication whether a generic may be
substituted; a dose (i.e., pills per day) of the medication; a
number of days of medication to be dispensed (also referred to
herein as a "day supply" or a "prescribed day supply"); a number of
refills prescribed; a number of refills remaining; a prescription
date; a prescribing physician; a phone number for the prescribing
physician; a date on which the prescription was most recently
adjudicated; a calculated date on which the prescription may next
be adjudicated for the prescription; a remaining day supply for the
prescription; a percent-consumption period indicating the number of
days it would take to consume the required minimum percent-fill
consumed of the fill for the prescription); and a prescription
number. Of course, the prescription data need not include all of
the information above, such as when the system 100 determines some
information (e.g., the next adjudication date) but does not store
it, or stores it some place other than with the prescription data
in the database 146 or the database 182. Moreover, the prescription
data may include additional information not mentioned above.
[0065] As described above, to access the express refill system 100
the customer 204 executes a client application on the web-enabled
device 206-216 (e.g., by opening a web browser). Using the client
application the user 204 may request and navigate a series of web
pages transmitted, preferably in a secure manner (e.g., using
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, known as "HTTPS"), by the web
server 202 to the web-enabled device 206-216. FIGS. 2-9 and 12A-12F
depict web pages that the web server 202 may transmit in various
embodiments of the express refill system 100. Some of the web pages
share common elements. With reference to a "landing" web page 250
(i.e., the web page at which users "land" when they enter the
pharmacy's domain name into their browser) depicted in FIG. 2, each
of FIGS. 2-6 includes a store logo 252, a store locator link 254, a
log in block 256, a navigation banner 258, a search bar 260, a
shopping list link 262, and a shopping cart link 264. The
navigation banner 258 allows users to navigate to different product
areas (e.g., beauty, health & well being, home medical, etc.)
of the virtual store and to access the store's various services
(e.g., photo services, pharmacy services, clinic services,
etc.).
[0066] It should be understood that it may be desirable for some or
all of the data transmitted from the web server 202 to the
web-enabled device 206-216, or vice versa, to be encrypted and/or
otherwise transmitted in a secure manner.
[0067] The landing web page 250 depicted in FIG. 2 includes several
links related to the store's pharmacy services. In addition to a
"pharmacy" link 266 in the navigation banner 258, the landing web
page 250 also includes an "Order Prescriptions" area 268
highlighting and providing direct access to specific pharmacy
services. By clicking on one of links 270, 272, and 274, for
example, users may access prescription refill services,
prescription transfer services, and new prescription services,
respectively. In some embodiments, accessing one or more of the
refill, transfer, or new prescription services requires the user to
register with and/or log into the web site by, for example,
clicking on the "register" link in the log in block 256 or entering
a username and password in the log in block 256 if the user is
already registered.
[0068] In some embodiments, the landing web page 250 also includes
an express refill area 276 that provides one or both of a link 278
to an express refill web page and an express refill field 280 that
allows a user to enter a prescription number and, by clicking on a
"refill" button 282, to place a prescription order through the
express refill system 100.
[0069] FIG. 3 illustrates a pharmacy web page 290 that the web
server 202 may transmit to a web-enabled device 206-216 in response
to the user 204 clicking on the pharmacy link 266. The pharmacy web
page 290 includes links to pharmacy-related information, such as
drug information, drug interactions, and health-related news and
products, and to pharmacy services such as ordering prescriptions,
viewing prescription records, and various convenience services such
as setting up auto refills, electronic mail reminders, and the
like. The pharmacy web page 290 also includes the Order
Prescriptions area 268 and/or the express refill area 276.
[0070] When a user clicks on the express refill link 278
illustrated FIGS. 2 and 3, the web server 202 receives the request
and, in response, transmits an express refill web page 300,
illustrated in FIG. 4. The express refill web page 300 includes a
prescription number entry section 302 providing one or more fields
304 into which a user may enter prescription numbers for express
refill. In the event that the fields 304 that are initially
displayed on the express refill web page 300 are insufficient for
the user, the user 204 may click an "add more prescriptions" link
306 to increase the number of fields 304 displayed. The number of
fields 304 initially displayed, as well as the number of fields
added in response to a user clicking the add more prescriptions
link 306 and the maximum number of prescriptions that a user may
enter at one time are selectable at the time that the web page 300
and the system 100 are programmed. However, in some embodiments,
there are between one and five fields 304 provided initially, and
the link 306 adds an additional one to five fields 304. Depending
on the arrangement of the fields 304, it may be preferable in some
embodiments to select the number of fields 304 such that all
relevant information on the express refill web page 300 is
displayed without requiring the user 204 to scroll the screen.
[0071] In some embodiments, an electronic mail address field 308 is
also provided so that a user may enter an electronic mail address
to which notifications regarding the prescriptions may be sent. The
electronic mail address field 308 may be a required field or an
optional field, depending on the proprietor's preference. If a user
provides an electronic mail address, the express refill system may
use the electronic mail address to notify the user that requested
prescriptions are ready for pick up, that the pharmacy was unable
to refill a prescription, and/or that the order was successfully
placed.
[0072] A button 310, which may be labeled "continue" or "submit,"
for example, transmits the information entered into the fields 304
and the field 308 to the web server 202. The fields 304 into which
prescription numbers are entered, in many embodiments, may accept
prescription numbers related to a single patient or to multiple
patients. By way of example, this flexibility allows a caregiver to
refill prescriptions for multiple patients in the caregiver's
charge or a family member to refill prescriptions for multiple
family members.
[0073] In some instances, a user viewing the web pages 250 or 290,
illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, may enter a
prescription number into the express refill field 280 and click on
the refill button 282, instead of clicking on express refills link
278. FIG. 5 depicts the pharmacy web page 290 having a prescription
number 312 entered into the express refill field 280. In some
embodiments in which the user enters a prescription number into the
express refill field 280, the web server 202 responds to a click on
the refill button 282 in the same manner in which it would respond
to a click on the continue button 310 on the express refill web
page 300 (i.e., by proceeding with the express refill order, as
described below). In other embodiments, however, the web server 202
responds to a click on the refill button 282 by transmitting the
express refill web page 300 to the web-enabled device 206-216, and
automatically entering the prescription number 312 (FIG. 5) into
one of the fields 304, as illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0074] In any event, when the web server 202 receives the
prescription numbers 312 entered by the user into the field or
fields 304, the web server may issue a query to a database having a
plurality of records corresponding to prescription numbers. The
query may, in various implementations, be directed to the database
146, the database 182, or the database 240. In response to the
query, the database may return results providing to the web server
202 information regarding whether each received prescription number
is valid, the patient associated with the prescription, whether the
prescription associated with each of the received prescription
numbers has remaining refills, the store at which the prescription
was last filled, the medication name, the medication strength, the
drug quantity and/or day supply, etc.
[0075] With reference now to FIG. 7, the web server 202, after
receiving a query response from the database may transmit an order
review web page 320 to the web-enabled device 206-216. The order
review web page 320 includes a prescription information area 322
listing, for each prescription number received, the prescription
number 324 and may also include information about the corresponding
prescription medication such as the quantity, the medication name,
the medication strength, the patient name, and the date on which
the prescription was last filled. In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 7, the prescription information area 322 includes the
prescription number 324 and the corresponding drug name and
strength 326. To protect patient privacy, some or all of certain
fields may be masked. For example, the drug name and strength 326
may be masked but for a numerical portion of medication strength
(i.e., "500"), as depicted in FIG. 7, or a patient name (e.g., "Joe
Smith") may be masked but for one or two characters (e.g., Jxx
Sxxxx). A "remove" link 328 next to each received prescription
number 324 may allow the user to remove the prescription from the
list of prescriptions requested for express refill.
[0076] The order review web page 320 may also include a pick up
details area 330 that displays a pick up time 332 and a pickup
store 334. A link 336 may allow the user to request additional
details about the store, such as directions to the store, a map of
the store location, store hours, store services, etc. Links 338 and
340, respectively, may allow the user to view a web page or a
pop-up window (not shown) for changing the pickup time 332 and/or
the pickup store 334. A submit button 342 allows the customer to
finalize the order.
[0077] The express refill system 100 may determine the pickup store
by any of several methods. Where the user submits only a single
prescription number to the express refill system 100, the pickup
store 334 may default to the store at which that prescription was
last filled. The store at which the prescription was last filled
may be determinable from the prescription number itself, for
example, where some portion of the prescription specifies the store
number. In the depicted embodiments, the prescription number (e.g.,
the store numbers 312, 324) specifies the store number 334 as the
last 5 digits of the prescription number (i.e., "XXXXXXX-12345") or
by a portion of the prescription number that falls after a
delimiter (e.g., the portion after "-"). However, in other
embodiments, the store number is determined according to
information about the prescription number that is stored in one of
the databases 146, 182, or 240. In the latter embodiments, the
pickup store 334 may alternatively default to the last store at
which any prescription associated with the patient was last filled.
That is, the express refill system 100 could determine the patient
associated with the received prescription number, and find the last
store at which the patient picked up any of his medications.
[0078] In any event, in embodiments in which a user may submit
multiple prescription numbers at a time, the possibility exists
that two or more of the prescriptions may have been filled most
recently at different stores. In these instances, the pickup store
334 may similarly default to the store at which the most recently
filled of the associated prescriptions was filled or the pickup
store 334 may default to the store at which the most recently
filled prescription associated with the patient or patients was
filled. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the two or more stores
associated with the prescription numbers received by the express
refill system 100 may be displayed to the user and the user asked
to specify a pickup store 334. FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary
store selection web page 350. The store selection web page 350
displays two or more store areas 352, each of which may display
information about the store such as a store number, a store
address, a store phone number, cross streets for the store, store
hours, pharmacy hours, etc. Each store area 352 may have a button
354, labeled "choose this store," for example, by which the user
may select a store at which to pick up the multiple prescriptions
associated with the prescription numbers the user submitted. The
store selection web page 350 may also include a link 356 to allow
the user to find another store at which to pick up the multiple
prescriptions.
[0079] Once a user has reviewed the order review web page 320 and
is satisfied with the selected prescription numbers, the pickup
time 332, and the pickup store 334, the user may click on the
submit button 342. Upon receiving an indication that the user has
clicked on the submit button 342, the web server 202 transmits an
order summary web page, such as the exemplary order summary web
page 360 illustrated in FIG. 9. Like the order review web page 320,
the order summary web page 360 includes a prescription information
area 362 and a pickup details area 364. A button 366 may allow the
user to print the order summary web page 360.
[0080] FIG. 10 depicts an overview 370 of an express refill method
performed by the express refill system 100. Generally speaking, the
express refill method begins by transmitting (from the web server
202) a web page (e.g., web pages 250, 290, 300) including at least
one prescription number entry field (e.g., the fields 280, 304)
(block 372). After a user enters one or more prescription numbers
(e.g., the prescription number 312) into the prescription number
entry field(s), and clicks on a button (e.g., buttons 282, 310) to
submit the one or more prescription numbers, the express refill
system 100 and, in particular, the web server 202, receives the
prescription numbers (block 374). In some embodiments, the express
refill system 100 validates the prescription numbers received (step
376), as described in more detail below. Thereafter, the express
refill system 100 determines a refill retail location (i.e., a
pickup store) (block 378). The web server 202 then transmits an
order review web page (e.g., the web page 320) (block 380) and
waits until it receives an indication that the customer has
confirmed the order (block 382). Having received the order
confirmation, the web server 202 may transmit an order summary web
page (e.g., the web page 350) (block 384).
[0081] The method 400 illustrated in FIG. 11 provides additional
detail about the method executed by the express refill system 100.
In one of the various manners described above, a customer may enter
the express refill system 100 by, for example, entering the
pharmacy domain name into a web browser and clicking on the express
refills link 278 on the landing web page 250. Of course, the user
could alternatively enter the express refill system 100 by
navigating from the landing web page 250 to the pharmacy web page
290 (e.g., by clicking on the pharmacy link 266), and then clicking
on the express refills link 278 on the pharmacy web page 290, or by
entering a prescription number 312 into the express refill field
280 on either the landing web page 250 or the pharmacy web page
290.
[0082] In any event, upon receiving a request for the express
refill web page 300 (block 402), the web server 202 transmits the
express refill web page 300 over the network 130 for display on the
web-enabled device 206-216 (block 404). If the user clicks the "add
more prescriptions" button 306 (block 406), the web server 202 may
retransmit the express refill web page 300 with additional fields
304, and may optionally include any prescription numbers 312
already entered into the fields 304. When the user clicks on the
continue button 310 (presumably after the user is finished entering
prescription numbers 312 into the fields 304) the prescription
numbers 312 are transmitted to the web server 202. If the user has
entered an electronic mail address into the field 308, the
electronic mail address is also captured and transmitted to the web
server 202. Of course, because some embodiments of the express
refill system 100 do not require the user to log into the system,
the electronic mail address may be stored with the order so that
the user can be notified when the order is ready.
[0083] Having received the prescription numbers 312 and,
optionally, the electronic mail address (block 410), the web server
202 may proceed to validate the received prescription numbers 312
and electronic mail address (block 412). Validation of the
prescription numbers 312 may include one process or multiple steps.
In various embodiments, the web server 202 may check the length of
each prescription number 312 (e.g., to determine whether it is the
right length), determine whether the prescription number 312
includes any unacceptable characters (e.g., special characters,
non-numeric characters, etc.), determine whether each prescription
number 312 includes a delimiter (e.g., a hyphen or a space), and/or
determine whether the prescription number 312 indicates a pickup
store 334 and, if so, if the indicated pickup store 334 is valid.
Whether an indicated pickup store is valid may be based on the type
of store indicated in some embodiments (e.g., in some instances
mail order stores may not be valid) or whether the prescription in
question has been previously filled at the indicated store. Of
course, while some embodiments may validate the received
prescription numbers 312 in each of these manners, other
embodiments may skip the validation step entirely, may perform
validation later in the express refill process, or validate the
prescription numbers 312 according to some combination of these
manners. While the validation process is described as performed by
the web server 202, it should be understood that one or more
portions of the validation process may occur in the web-enabled
user device 206-216, such as when computer-executable instructions
(e.g, JAVA, JAVAscript, etc.) are transmitted as part of the web
page 300. Further, in some embodiments, the web server 202 (or the
computer-executable instructions transmitted as part of the web
page 300) may perform validation on an electronic mail address if
the user enters an electronic mail address into the field 308
(e.g., to verify that it includes at least `@` and `.`
characters.
[0084] Validation of the received prescription numbers 312 (block
412) may also include validating each prescription number 312
against a database of prescription numbers (e.g., in one of the
databases 146, 182, or 240). If the express refill system 100
determines that one or more of the received prescription numbers
312 are invalid (block 414) (e.g., wrong format, not enough
characters, invalid prescription number, etc.), the web server 202
may retransmit the express refill web page 300 with an error
message included (block 416), and the web server 202 may again wait
to receive prescription numbers (block 410). If, instead, the
system 100 determines that all of the received prescription numbers
312 are valid, the system 100 proceeds to determine whether the
received prescription numbers 312 indicate (or are associated with)
multiple stores (block 418). Of course, if the web server 202
receives only one prescription number, only one store will be
indicated.
[0085] If, on the other hand, the web server 202 received multiple
prescription numbers 312 from the user, and if the multiple
prescription numbers 312 indicate (or are associated with) multiple
stores, the web server 202 may transmit a store selection web page
(e.g., the web page 350) or, in some embodiments, may assume or
default to one of the indicated (or associated) stores, or even a
different store, as described above with reference to FIG. 7.
[0086] If the web server 202 transmits the store selection web page
350 (block 420), the next input the web server 202 receives from
the user may be an indication that the user clicked on the "find
another store" link 356 (block 422), in response to which the web
server 202 may transmit a "find a store" web page (block 424),
allowing the user to input an address or zip code and to find
stores in a given vicinity. Alternatively, if the user clicks on
one of the "choose this store" links 354, the web server 202 may
receive a pickup store selection (block 426).
[0087] Upon receiving the pickup store selection (block 426) or
determining that only a single store was indicated (block 418), the
web server 202 may, in some embodiments, contact a server at the
selected store (e.g., the facility server 126) to verify that the
store can refill the prescription (block 427), considering current
inventory, regulatory issues, pharmacy load, and/or any other
factor that could prevent the prescription from being filled at
that location. Of course, if the selected store cannot fill the
prescription, the web server 202 may transmit an error message to
that effect and may return the user to the find store web page.
Otherwise, the web server 202 may transmit an order review web page
(block 428), such as the order review web page 320.
[0088] As described above, the order review web page 320 may
include links including a change store link 340, a change pickup
time link 338, and a submit button 342. The web server 202 will
respond according to the inputs received from the user. For
example, if the user clicks on the "change store" link 340 (block
430), the web server 202 may transmit the "find a store" web page
(block 424). Alternatively, if the user clicks on the "change
pickup time" link 338 (block 432), the web server 202 may transmit
a pickup time selection web page (block 434) and, in response to
which the user may select a new pickup time (block 436). In any
event, if the user opts to change the pickup store (block 430) or
to change the pickup time (block 432), the method returns the user
to the order review web page 320 (block 428) after the web server
202 receives the corresponding input (i.e., a store selection
and/or a pickup time selection) from the user.
[0089] Once the user clicks on the submit button 342 (block 438)
the web server 202 may, depending on the particular implementation
of the system, perform one or more of several steps. In the
implementation depicted by the method of FIG. 11, the web server
202, upon receiving an indication that the user has clicked the
submit button 342 (block 438), may create an order for the patient
(block 440). As described above, in some embodiments, the express
refill system 100 may receive prescription numbers 312 associated
with more than a single patient. For example, a person may submit
refills for a spouse and/or children through the express refill
system 100. In such embodiments, the web server 202 may create a
single order or may create one order for each patient associated
with a received prescription. In any event, the web server 202 may
then submit the order or orders (block 442) created to the
designated pickup store 334, to a central database handling
prescription processing, to prescription handling routine, to a
prescription processing system, or to any routine or system
otherwise appropriately routing the prescription orders. The web
server 202 may then transmit an order summary web page for display
to the user (block 444) such as the order summary web page 360
illustrated in FIG. 9.
[0090] Of course, various embodiments of the express refill system
100 may include or omit one or more of the web pages 250, 290, 300,
320, 350, and 360, according to the specific preferences of the
proprietor. Likewise, various elements of the methods 370 and 400
depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11 may be executed at different times, and
some elements may be omitted entirely. Additionally, it should be
understood that each of the actions and/or decisions depicted as
included in the methods 370 and 400 may include a corresponding
action in another device. For example, each transmission of
information is, presumably, accompanied by a corresponding receipt
of that information at another device, and vice versa. It should
also be understood that the for each step performed by the
web-enabled devices 206-216, the web server 202, or any other
device in the express refill system 100, (e.g., for any
transmission step, receipt step, display step, storage step,
decision step, determination step, etc.,) corresponding
machine-readable instructions are stored in a memory for execution
by a processor to perform the step.
[0091] When the prescription order has been filled, and is ready at
the designated pickup store 334, the pharmacy (or a system operated
by the pharmacy) may transmit a notification to the customer to
inform the customer that the prescription order is ready for
pickup. The notification may be by telephone, by short message
service (SMS), by electronic mail, or by some combination of the
above. In instances where the customer provided an electronic mail
address in the electronic mail address field 308, a notification
may be generated and transmitted to the electronic mail address
received by the web server 202. In some embodiments, a notification
may be transmitted for each order. For example, if prescriptions
numbers for three patients are received, the system 100 groups them
into three orders and sends three notifications. In instances where
the customer did not provide an electronic mail address in the
electronic mail address field 308, a similar notification or
notifications may be transmitted to the electronic mail address (or
addresses) associated with patient profiles corresponding to the
received prescription numbers 312. If the customer did not provide
an electronic mail address in the electronic mail address field 308
and no electronic mail address is associated with a profile
corresponding to a particular patient, no notification will be
transmitted.
[0092] It should be appreciated that the methods 370 and 400
depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11, respectively, do not include any
mention of the user logging into the system 100. In contrast to
other prescription services that may be provided by the pharmacy
112, such as refilling prescriptions by selecting from a history of
prescriptions, or adding or transferring a prescription, the
express refill system 100 does not require access to a user profile
and, therefore, the user is freed from the necessity of inputting
and submitting a username and password. For users who are not yet
registered with the online store, and do not have a user profile,
the users are freed from having to complete the registration and
profile creation processes prior to refilling one or more
prescriptions.
[0093] While the description above relates primarily to embodiments
in which the customer will pick up the prescriptions ordered via
the express refill system 100, other embodiments are contemplated
in which the express refill system 100 may also interoperate with a
prescription mail delivery system and/or a prescription mail
delivery service, which may be associated with the retail network
110 or may operate as a separate service. For example a store
number embedded in the prescription number or otherwise associated
with a prescription number may indicate that the prescription was
last filled by mail order, and the express refill system 100 may
treat the prescription accordingly. In some embodiments, the
express refill system 100 may confirm a recipient address instead
of a pickup store, and may prevent the customer from changing the
pickup address from that currently associated with the
prescription. Of course, where multiple prescription numbers 312
are received and multiple addresses are associated with the
prescription numbers, the express refill system 100 may decline to
process the order and instead require the customer to log into the
store web site or place the order in person or by phone.
[0094] The ease with which a customer can place orders to refill
prescriptions through the express refill system 100 described
herein makes it particularly suitable for mobile customers. In
fact, the minimal input required by the customer makes the express
refill system 100 extremely versatile. Embodiments of the systems
and methods described above are contemplated in which the express
refill system 100 is implemented in a minimalistic interface suited
for a web-enabled mobile phone, smart phone, personal digital
assistant, etc., or in an application for execution on such a
device. For example, an application for a mobile device (e.g., the
web-enabled devices 206-212) may be developed for a mobile platform
such as the Android.TM., Palm.RTM. webOS, or iOS.RTM. mobile
technology platforms, developed by Google Inc., Palm, Inc. (now
Hewlett-Packard Company), and Apple, respectively. Accordingly, the
application may interact with the express refill web server 202
described above. Additionally or alternatively, the application may
interact with a server specially implemented and/or designated to
provide the express refill service in cooperation with the
application. Moreover, an application designed specifically to
interact with the express refill system 100 may provide the field
308 for entering an email address (e.g., as depicted in FIG. 12C)
or, alternatively, may transmit to the web server 202 (or other
server) a stored email address that the user has associated with
the mobile device. As another option, the application could
transmit a phone number associated with the device, an application
ID specific to the application instance operating on the mobile
device, or other data (e.g., an internet protocol ("IP") address or
a media access control ("MAC") address) associated specifically
with the mobile device. Accordingly, the express refill system 100
may send one or more notification messages when the prescription or
prescriptions are ready to be picked up. The notification may be
transmitted to the email address entered by the user, to the email
address transmitted automatically from the mobile device, to the
mobile device as a text message, to the application as a
notification or message displayed within the application, etc.
[0095] FIGS. 12A-12F depict various displays associated with an
embodiment of the express refill system 100 implemented with a
minimalistic interface such as, for example, a mobile-specific web
site or a mobile device application. Mobile-specific web sites may
used pared-down versions of HTML web pages, or may implement other
"lightweight" web pages written in languages including Extensible
Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML) or Wireless Markup Language
(WML). The FIGS. 12A-12F include many of the same elements as
described above with respect to FIGS. 2-9 and, just as described
above, a customer using the interface depicted in FIGS. 12A-12F can
complete an order to refill a prescription with as little as three
inputs into two web pages. That is, if the customer navigates
directly to a page having a prescription number field the customer
may (1) enter a prescription number, (2) click the continue button,
and (3) click the submit button after reviewing the order.
[0096] In embodiments implementing a mobile device application, the
mobile device includes a processor and a memory. The application
may be implemented as a series of machine-readable instructions for
performing the various tasks associated with receiving information
at, displaying information on, and transmitting information from
the web-enabled device 206-212. Of course, the application itself
may, at various times, be stored on the web-enabled device 206-212,
a server (not shown) from which users download the application to a
mobile device, a compact disc, a DVD, etc.
[0097] In some embodiments of the express refill system 100
implementing the mobile device application on a mobile device
206-216, the mobile device 206-216 includes an image capture device
(not shown). The image capture device may be used by the
application to capture an image of a barcode. Throughout this
application the use of the word "barcode" is intended to be generic
and inclusive of all types of barcodes. Barcodes could be, for
example, the conventional rectangular segment barcodes as well as
two dimensional QR codes or matrix barcodes. Most QR codes have
black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background.
Smaller versions may be referred to as micro QR codes and design QR
codes include a picture or logo to enhance conversion rates. In
some embodiments, the mobile device application may interpret the
captured barcode image to generate prescription data (such as a
prescription number) and transmit the prescription data to the
server 202. In other embodiments, the mobile device application may
transmit the barcode image to the server 202, which may interpret
the barcode image to obtain prescription data. In still other
embodiments, the mobile device application may transmit the barcode
image to a third-party server (not shown) which may interpret the
barcode image to obtain prescription data and transmit the obtained
prescription data to the server 202.
[0098] FIG. 13 depicts an exemplary process flow 370 of an
implementation of a mobile device application implementing the
express refill system 100. A user 372 executes the application on
the mobile device 374 to display a home screen of the application.
The user selects to refill a prescription and the application
displays a prescription scanning screen and activates an image
capture device (i.e., a camera). The user 372 scans a barcode (376)
to determine the prescription number by aligning the camera with a
barcode on a receipt or container associated with a previously
filled prescription, so that the barcode appears in an area of the
screen. The mobile device application, in some embodiments, may
automatically recognize that a barcode is present in the view of
the image capture device, and may act automatically to capture
and/or interpret the barcode. In other embodiments, the mobile
device may require the user 372 to cause the image capture device
to capture an image, before the mobile application interprets or
otherwise uses the barcode image.
[0099] In any event, assuming that the barcode is captured
successfully 380, the mobile device application may transmit the
prescription number associated with the barcode to a server 384. In
alternate embodiments, the mobile device application may transmit
the captured barcode image to the server 384 and the server 384 may
interpret the barcode image. In still other embodiments, the mobile
device application may transmit the captured barcode image to a
third-party server (not shown) and the third party server may
interpret the barcode image and transmit a prescription number to
the server 384 or back to the mobile device application for
transmission to the server 384.
[0100] The server 384 may also retrieve records associated with the
prescription number encoded by the barcode, including, by way of
example and not limitation, a store at which a prescription
associated with the prescription number was last filled, and a
default time and date at which the user may pick up the refilled
prescription. In the event that the barcode is not scanned
successfully or the prescription is invalid or not available using
express refill, an appropriate error message 382 may be displayed
to the user 372.
[0101] Once the server 384 has determined the necessary information
(prescription number, pickup store, default time and date, etc.)
associated with the barcode, the mobile device application displays
(386) the default pickup store, and the default time and date of
pickup, on the device 374. The user 372 may select from a plurality
of controls 390, including a control 390A to edit the store, a
control 390B to edit the pickup time, and a control 390C to edit
the pickup date. If the user 372 selects the edit store control
390A, the application may execute a store locator service 392 which
may cooperate with a store location database 394 to allow the user
372 to select a pickup store. If the user 372 accepts (388) the
information displayed at 386 (e.g., by selecting a "submit"
button), the mobile device application displays a confirmation
message 396, and returns the user to the home screen.
[0102] The various screens of the mobile device application,
referred to above, are depicted in FIGS. 14A-K. FIG. 14A depicts an
image capture screen 400 that may be displayed by the mobile device
application. The image capture screen 400 may include an
information button 402 that causes the mobile device application to
display instructions associated with the express refill system 100,
or causes a web browser of the mobile device to navigate to a web
page containing such instructions. A home button 404 may cause the
mobile device application to return to a home screen (not
shown).
[0103] The image capture screen 400 also includes an image capture
area 406, which may include an image capture frame indicated by
marks 407 on the display. Aligning the prescription barcode within
the marks 407 indicating the image capture frame may cause the
application to capture and/or interpret the barcode. Alternatively,
a button (not shown), when activated by a user, may cause the image
capture device to capture the barcode image. A button 408 allows
the user to input a prescription number manually, instead of
capturing an associated barcode. If the barcode is captured
successfully, the mobile device application may display a screen
410 with a success message 412, as depicted in FIG. 14B.
[0104] Having transmitted the prescription number (or image) to the
server, the mobile device application receives information back
from the server indicating the default pickup store and default
pickup time and date. This information may be displayed by the
mobile device application in an order review screen 414, as
depicted in FIG. 14C. As FIG. 14C illustrates, the order review
screen 414 may display the prescription number 416 and order
information 418. The order information 418 may include the pickup
store 420, the pickup date 422, and the pickup time 424. Each of
the pickup store 420, the pickup date 422, and the pickup time 424
may have an associated control 426, 428, and 430, respectively,
that allows the user to change the corresponding item, as described
below. A cancel button 432 may allow the user to cancel the process
and return to the home screen, while a submit button 434 allows the
user to submit the prescription refill order.
[0105] In some embodiments, the control 426 that allows the user to
change the selected store may activate--or give the user an option
to activate--a geolocation device (e.g., a global positioning
system (GPS) device) in the web-enabled device 206-216,
particularly if the device is a mobile device (e.g., the devices
206-214). The geolocation device may, by itself or cooperating with
another application or an online service, provide the mobile device
application with an indication of the mobile web-enabled device's
current position, which the mobile device application may use to
determine the closest store at which the requested prescriptions
can be filled.
[0106] If the user activates the submit button 434, the mobile
device application may display an order confirmation screen 436,
such as that depicted in FIG. 14D. The order confirmation screen
436 may include an order confirmation message 438. Buttons 440 and
442 may, respectively, allow the user to return to the home screen
or to scan another barcode. An additional button (not shown) may
cause a calendar entry or other reminder to be stored in another
application (e.g., a calendar application) on the mobile
device.
[0107] FIG. 14E depicts an error message 446 that the mobile device
application may display on an error screen 444. A button 447 allows
a user to dismiss the message.
[0108] FIG. 14F depicts a second embodiment of an error message
displayed by the mobile device application. Specifically, an error
screen 448 depicts an error message 450 directing the user to order
the requested prescription by phone. A button 452 may cause the
mobile device, if it is a mobile telephone, to dial the number
displayed. A button 454 may allow the user to dismiss the error
message.
[0109] If the user activates the control 424 (FIG. 14C), the mobile
device application may display a screen 456 to allow the user to
select and/or request a new pickup time. The screen 456 may include
a pick list 458 from which the user may select a time 460 to pick
up the refilled prescription. Of course, other input means may be
used, such as numeric entry fields, radio buttons, etc. When the
user has made a selection, the user may activate a button 462 to
accept the choice and return to the order review screen 414.
Alternatively, the user may activate a cancel button 464 to cancel
the request to change the pickup time and return to the order
review screen 414.
[0110] Similarly, if the user activates the control 422 (FIG. 14C),
the mobile device application may display a screen 466 to allow the
user to select and/or request a new pickup date. The screen 466 may
include a pick list 468 from which the user may select a date 470
on which to pick up the refilled prescription. Of course, other
input means may be used, such as numeric entry fields, radio
buttons, etc. When the user has made a selection, the user may
activate a button 472 to accept the choice and return to the order
review screen 414. Alternatively, the user may activate a cancel
button 474 to cancel the request to change the pickup time and
return to the order review screen 414.
[0111] A screen 476, depicted in FIG. 14I, may allow a user to
manually input a prescription number to submit to the express
refill service if the user activates the button 408 illustrated in
FIG. 14A. The screen 476 may include a numeric (or alphanumeric)
keypad 478 to allow the user to enter a prescription number into a
prescription number field 480. A backspace key 482 may allow the
user to delete one or more improperly entered characters, while a
button 484 may allow the user to submit the entered prescription
number.
[0112] The mobile device application may display error message
screens 486, 492 (depicted in FIGS. 14J, 14K, respectively) if the
user activated the button 484 while the prescription number field
480 in empty (i.e., null) (e.g., error message 488) or if the
prescription number entered by the user in the field 480 is not a
valid prescription number (e.g., error message 494). Buttons 490,
496 may allow the user to dismiss the respective error messages and
return to the manual entry screen 476.
[0113] FIG. 15 depicts a method 500 for implementing the express
refill service using a mobile device application. The user executes
the application (block 502) on the mobile device, causing the
mobile device application to display a home screen (block 504).
From the home screen, the user may select to refill a prescription
using the express refill service or, alternatively, the application
may assume the express refill functionality as the home screen. In
any event, activation of the express refill service triggers the
image capture device (block 506). The mobile device application may
automatically detect the barcode (block 508) when the barcode is
within the view of the image capture device. The mobile device
application thereafter captures and/or interprets the barcode image
(block 510) and transmits prescription data--which may be a
prescription number or the barcode image--to the server (block
512). The server may interpret the prescription data and send a
response to the mobile device application (block 514). If the
response indicates that the prescription data is invalid, the
mobile device application may display an error (block 518) and
return to the home screen (block 504). If the prescription data is
valid, the mobile device application may display a confirmation
message (block 520), such as the order review screen 414 depicted
in FIG. 14C. The user may edit the time and/or date at which the
prescription will be ready to be picked up, and/or may edit the
location at which the prescription will be refilled (block 522).
Once the user has done so, or if the user does not do so, the
mobile device application receives a "submit" input (block 524),
which causes the mobile device application to transmit the "submit"
input to the server (block 526). When the refill order has been
placed, the mobile device application receives and displays
confirmation information from the server (block 528), for example,
in the screen 436 depicted in FIG. 14D. The mobile device
application may also store the selected pickup time, date, and
location (block 530), before returning the user to the home screen
(block 504).
[0114] FIG. 16 depicts a method corresponding to the blocks 520-522
of FIG. 15. As described the mobile device application displays the
default time, date, and location of pickup (block 520). If the user
selects to edit the time (block 532), the mobile device application
displays a pick list of times (block 534) and then receives the
time selection input from the user (block 536) before returning the
display to the time, date, and location of pickup (block 520)
(though no longer the default time). Similarly, if the user selects
to edit the date (block 538), the mobile device application
displays a pick list of dates (block 540) and then receives the
date selection input from the user (block 542) before returning the
display to the time, date, and location of pickup (block 520).
Lastly, if the user selects to edit the pickup store (block 544),
the mobile device application may transmit a request to a store
finder service/routine (block 546) which may run on a server. The
mobile device application may receive a response from the
service/routine (block 548). After receiving a pickup location
selection input from the user (block 550), the mobile device
application may return the user to the time, date, and location
screen (block 520).
[0115] It should be recognized that different mobile devices may
implement different mechanisms for user input. In the examples
described above, the mobile phone is assumed to have a touch
sensitive display screen. Accordingly, "buttons" which are
displayed on the screen and are not physical buttons, are "pressed"
by touching the screen in the area of the button. However, those of
ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that such user
interface controls may be accomplished in other manners, such as
using soft-keys, navigating controls using navigation buttons on a
keyboard or using a roller ball, selecting numbers corresponding to
different controls, entering information on a keyboard, etc.
[0116] This detailed description is to be construed as exemplary
only and does not describe every possible embodiment, as describing
every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible.
One could implement numerous alternate embodiments, using either
current technology or technology developed after the filing date of
this application.
* * * * *