Methods for item management

摘要

Item-management systems, apparatus, and methods are described, preferably for management of items such as medicaments. In a method embodiment, a method of hand-loading a container with at least one type of medicament is provided. A portable container having plural cells for holding medicament-type items is gotten and is docked at a docking station. Visible information, preferably viewable on the docked container, indicates the cell into which each medicament is to be hand-loaded. The visible information assists a user to hand-load a medicament into the correct cell. The docked container is removed from the docking station after the cells have been loaded with the medicaments.

主权项

1. A method for management of medicament-type items enabling pharmacy personnel to rapidly and accurately perform repetitive manual tasks of hand-loading a holder having medicament-holding cells with at least one type of medicament, the method comprising the steps of:
docking a portable holder with a pharmacy docking station located at a first location, the holder having medicament-holding cells with upper and lower cell openings and a gate movable to close the lower openings or to open the lower openings, the docking station including structure to which the holder is temporarily docked during hand-loading of medicaments into the cells, the docking station further including circuitry which enables operation of indicators between at least yes and no states to provide visible information viewable on the docked holder indicating the cell into which each medicament is to be hand-loaded; indicating the cell of the docked holder into which each medicament is to be hand-loaded by operating the docking station circuitry so that an indicator is in the yes state to provide the visible information viewable on the docked holder proximate the cell into which the medicament is to be hand-loaded; hand-loading the medicament into the indicated cell; undocking the holder from the docking station; carrying the holder to an automated dispensing machine located at a second location spaced from the first location; and moving the gate to open the lower openings thereby transferring the medicaments from the holder to the automated dispensing machine.