Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing multiple drug product packaging systems using a common database management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11327469-B2
Application number	US-201916694198-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2019
Priority date	Jun 26, 2017
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A method includes performing, by a processor: providing a database that contains records corresponding to a plurality of drug product packaging systems, the records in the database being accessible through a common database management system, receiving a packaging order for at least one drug product, evaluating at least one criterion for fulfilling the packaging order, and identifying one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems to package the at least one drug product based on evaluating the at least one criterion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
performing by a processor:
providing a database that contains records corresponding to a plurality of drug product packaging systems, each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems being configured to package drug product using a same package type, the records in the database being accessible through a common database management system;
receiving a packaging order for at least one drug product;
evaluating a plurality of criteria for fulfilling the packaging order;
identifying one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems to package the at least one drug product based on evaluating the plurality of criteria; and
registering a same spare dispensing canister with each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems;
wherein the plurality of criteria comprises operational status information for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems, inventory status information for the at least one drug product for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems, and historical usage information in packaging the at least one drug product for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of drug product packaging systems are configured to package the at least one drug product in pouches formed in a container strip or in a vial.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the packaging order comprises:
placing the packaging order in a queue comprising a plurality of packaging orders; and
selecting the packaging order from the queue based on a priority assigned to the packaging order or a length of time the packaging order has been in the queue;
wherein evaluating the plurality of criteria comprises evaluating the plurality of criteria for fulfilling the packaging order that was selected.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assigning a plurality of weights to the plurality of criteria, respectively;
wherein evaluating the plurality of criteria for fulfilling the packaging order comprises applying each of the plurality of criteria to the plurality of drug product packaging systems; and
wherein identifying one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems to package the at least one drug product comprises identifying one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems based on weights corresponding to any ones of the plurality of criteria for which a difference is determined between the ones of the plurality of drug product packaging systems.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational status information for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems comprises an idle or active status for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems;
wherein the inventory status information for the at least one drug product for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems comprises a number of the at least one drug product that does not have a dispensing canister associated therewith for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems, an amount of the at least one drug product that is contained in at least one dispensing canister, respectively, for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems, or an amount of the at least one drug product that is contained in at least one dispensing canister, respectively, that is associated with, but not installed in each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems; and
wherein the historical usage information in packaging the at least one drug product for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems comprises an amount of time since each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems has been used to package the at least one drug product.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the plurality of criteria for fulfilling the packaging order comprises applying the plurality of criteria to the plurality of drug product packaging systems in a sequential order until a difference is determined between one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems and all other ones of the plurality of drug product packaging systems based on one of the plurality of criteria; and
wherein identifying one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems to package the at least one drug product comprises identifying one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems based on the one of the plurality of criteria for which the difference is determined between the ones of the plurality of drug product packaging systems.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising assigning a plurality of priorities to the plurality of criteria, respectively;
wherein the sequential order is based on the plurality of priorities.

8. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor and comprising computer readable program code embodied in the memory that is executable by the processor to perform operations comprising:
providing a database that contains records corresponding to a plurality of drug product packaging systems, each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems being configured to package drug product using a same package type, the records in the database being accessible through a common database management system;
receiving a packaging order for at least one drug product;
evaluating a plurality of criteria for fulfilling the packaging order;
identifying one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems to package the at least one drug product based on evaluating the plurality of criteria; and
registering a same spare dispensing canister with each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems;
wherein the plurality of criteria comprises operational status information for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems, inventory status information for the at least one drug product for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems, and historical usage information in packaging the at least one drug product for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of drug product packaging systems are configured to package the at least one drug product in pouches formed in a container strip or in a vial.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein receiving the packaging order comprises:
placing the packaging order in a queue comprising a plurality of packaging orders; and
selecting the packaging order from the queue based on a priority assigned to the packaging order or a length of time the packaging order has been in the queue;
wherein evaluating the plurality of criteria comprises evaluating the plurality of criteria for fulfilling the packaging order that was selected.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise assigning a plurality of weights to the plurality of criteria, respectively;
wherein evaluating the plurality of criteria for fulfilling the packaging order comprises applying each of the plurality of criteria to the plurality of drug product packaging systems; and
wherein identifying one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems to package the at least one drug product comprises identifying one of the plurality of drug product packaging systems based on weights corresponding to any ones of the plurality of criteria for which a difference is determined between the ones of the plurality of drug product packaging systems.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operational status information for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems comprises an idle or active status for each of the plurality of drug product packaging systems;
wherein the inventory status infor

Assignees

• Parata Systems Llc

Inventors

• Blalock Collin D
• Cristobal Brian
• Owen Gary M
• Longley Mark

Classifications

• G16H40/20 Primary

  for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms · CPC title

• A61J1/06

  Ampoules or carpules (syringe ampoules or carpules A61M5/28) · CPC title

• G05B19/4183 Primary

  characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification · CPC title

• G16H20/13

  delivered from dispensers · CPC title

• A61J1/03

  for pills or tablets (containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04) · CPC title