Methods and systems for prescription drug shipping selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11727342-B2
Application number	US-202017123433-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2020
Priority date	Feb 24, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

Methods and systems for prescription drug shipping selection are provided. In one embodiment, a shipping temperature for a prescription drug may be identified. A forecast temperature may be determined for a shipping origin and a forecast temperature may be determined for a shipping destination. One or more potential packing configurations capable of achieving the shipping temperature between the shipping origin and the shipping destination may be determined. A shipping cost for each of the one or more potential packing configurations may be calculated. Packaging materials and labor cost may additionally be considered. Other methods and systems are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mail order pharmacy system comprising:
an order processing device to:
associate an expected shipping duration associated with delivery of a prescription drug to a shipping destination, the expected shipping duration being based on a shipping carrier and a shipping mode;
selectively adjust the expected shipping duration in response to a known shipping delay;
determine an origin forecasted temperature for a shipping origin of the prescription drug and a destination forecasted temperature for the shipping destination of the prescription drug,
associate a shipping container with the prescription drug to ship the prescription drug to the shipping destination,
access temperature model data associated with the shipping container, and
determine a predicted temperature of the prescription drug at the shipping destination based on (i) forecasted temperatures to be experienced by the shipping container along a shipping route from the shipping origin to the shipping destination, (ii) the expected shipping duration, (iii) the temperature model data associated with the shipping container, (iv) a next pickup time based on a specific carrier indicated by the shipping mode, (v) an associated storage location of the prescription drug prior to the next pickup time of the specific carrier, and (vi) a difference between a time of packing and the next pickup time of the specific carrier, the forecasted temperatures to be experienced by the shipping container being based on the origin forecasted temperature and the destination forecasted temperature; and

a transport mechanism to transport the prescription drug to a packing device, the packing device being controlled by a processor,
the packing device to:
communicate with the processor directly or indirectly,
under control of the processor, receive the prescription drug from the transport mechanism, and
under control of the processor, package the prescription drug within the shipping container in response to the predicted temperature meeting a temperature-related storage requirement of the prescription drug.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the order processing device is further configured to:
select a shipping configuration among a plurality of shipping configurations, the shipping configuration including insertion of a phase change unit and the prescription drug within the shipping container,
wherein a determination of the predicted temperature of the prescription drug at the shipping destination is further based on selection of the shipping configuration.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the order processing device is further configured to:
verify the phase change unit is retainable in the shipping container with the prescription drug in accordance with the shipping configuration.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein verification that the phase change unit is retainable in the shipping container with the prescription drug comprises:
performing a cubing technique on the shipping container relative to the prescription drug and the phase change unit.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the order processing device is further configured to:
access a safety factor associated with the shipping carrier and the shipping mode, the safety factor being based upon experimentally derived data to account for a variance between forecast temperature data and shipping temperature data,
wherein a determination of the predicted temperature of the prescription drug at the shipping destination is further based on the safety factor.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the order processing device is further configured to:
schedule a prescription drug order of the prescription drug with a patient, and
determine an order timing of when to pack the prescription drug order for delivery of the prescription drug to the patient based on scheduling of the prescription drug order,
wherein a determination of the predicted temperature of the prescription drug at the shipping destination is further based on the timing of when to pack the order timing.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the transport mechanism includes a conveyor in communication with the order processing device and the packing device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the order processing device is further configured to:
calculate a cost to ship the shipping container with the shipping carrier through the shipping mode.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the order processing device is configured to determine the predicted temperature further based on respective forecast temperature offsets that are based on the origin forecasted temperature and the destination forecasted temperature.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the order processing device is further configured to determine refrigeration availability of whether refrigeration of the shipping container is available before transit by the shipping carrier, during shipment by the shipping carrier, or both before transit by the shipping carrier and during shipment by the shipping carrier, and
the predicted temperature is determined based on a determination of the refrigeration availability.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the shipping container includes a plurality of phase change units, and the order processing device is further configured to:
verify that the plurality of phase change units fit in the shipping container with the prescription drug.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the expected shipping duration is based on the shipping carrier, the shipping mode, and allocated porch time.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the expected shipping duration is based on an expected pickup time of the shipping container by the shipping carrier and an expected delivery time of the shipping container through the shipping carrier.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the temperature model data is associated with the shipping container, the origin forecasted temperature, and the destination forecasted temperature.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
the shipping container,
wherein the shipping container includes a cooler.

Assignees

• Express Scripts Strategic Dev Inc
• Express Scripts Strategie Dev Inc

Inventors

• Reinhardt Jacob J

Classifications

• G06Q10/0832 Primary

  Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833 Primary

  Tracking · CPC title