AUTOMATED PHARMACY ADMIXTURE SYSTEM (APAS)

摘要

In a preferred embodiment, an Automated Pharmacy Admixture System (APAS) may include a manipulator system to transport medical containers such as bags, vials, or syringes in a compounding chamber regulated to a pressure below atmospheric pressure. In a preferred implementation, the manipulator system is configured to grasp and convey syringes, IV bags, and vials of varying shapes and sizes from a storage system in an adjacent chamber regulated at a pressure above atmospheric pressure. Various embodiments may include a controller adapted to actuate the manipulator system to bring a fill port of an IV bag, vial, or syringe into register with a filling port at a fluid transfer station in the chamber. A preferred implementation includes a sanitization system that can substantially sanitize a bung on a fill port of a vial or IV bag in preparation for transport to the fluid transfer station.

主权项

1. A robotic automated pharmaceutical processing system comprising:
a processor-based interface configured to receive requests to prepare one or more pharmaceutical prescriptions; and a controller coupled to the interface and configured to operate an automated prescription preparation device in response to the received requests, the automated prescription preparation device comprising: an inventory chamber comprising a housing to store within the inventory chamber a plurality of inventory items to be used in preparation of one or more pharmaceutical prescriptions, a compounding chamber access portal in a first side of the inventory chamber, a compounding chamber adjacent to the inventory chamber and communicating with the inventory chamber through the compounding chamber access portal in the first side, a multi-axis multi-linkage robot disposed within the compounding chamber and configured to grasp a first inventory item being presented from the inventory chamber through the compounding chamber access portal, convey the first inventory item to a first process location, release the first inventory item for processing at the first process location, and subsequently convey the first inventory item to a second process location in the compounding chamber, a syringe manipulator station within the compounding chamber configured to hold a syringe, and an IV bag holding station adapted to receive an IV bag from the multi-axis multi-linkage robot and operable to rotate between a first position configured to support the received IV bag with a port of the IV bag directed substantially upwards, and a second position configured to support the received IV bag with the port of the IV bag directed substantially downwards, wherein the IV bag holding station is further adapted to register the port of the IV bag with a first needle of the syringe held by the syringe manipulator station while the IV bag holding station is in either the first position or the second position.