“Systems And Methods For Managing A Medical Supply Chain” in Patent Application Approval Process (USPTO 20230197236): Zorday IP LLC

2023 JUL 10 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at NewsRx Medical Devices Daily -- A patent application by the inventor Skoda, Brent M. (Mayfield Village, OH, US), filed on February 16, 2023, was made available online on June 22, 2023, according to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx correspondents.

This patent application is assigned to Zorday IP LLC (Mayfield Village, Ohio, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Patients in need of medication either have to visit pharmacies to pick up medication or have the medicines delivered to them. Oftentimes, doctors treating these patients are unable to gauge the efficacy of the medications they prescribe until the patient either returns to the clinic for follow up testing or goes to a laboratory for blood work.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent application, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent application: “The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing a medical supply chain. According to one aspect, a remote medical management environment can include a medical management system intermediary to a plurality of patients and a plurality of medical care providers. The medical management system can communicate with medical dispensing devices configured to dispense medication to patients. Further, the medical management system can communicate with provider devices through which medical care providers can provide information regarding services provided to users or instructions associated with medication use. The medical management system can detect medication supply events based on information communicated by the medical dispensing devices and/or provider devices or based on information stored at the medical management system. Upon detecting a supply/refill event, the medical management system can initiate a supply refill process for supplying medication or medical device(s) to a patient.

“In some implementations, the medical management system can be configured to determine supply/refill events based on a remotely monitored medication dispensing rate. The medical management system can estimate or calculate the medication dispensing rate based on reported dispensing events. Using the medication dispensing rate, the medical management system can determine an expected supply/refill date. In some implementations, the medical management system can detect a supply/refill event based on communications from provider devices including explicit requests for supply/refill, indication of a new prescription, or reminder of an approaching refill date.

“According to at least one aspect, the medial management system can execute a supply/refill process based on patient location. The medical management system can be configured to determine a patient location, for instance, based on GPS data provided by communication device or medical dispensing device of the patient, information provided by a provider and/or other communications with patient (e.g., via email, SMS, chat or voice communication). The medical management system can be configured to determine a provider store or facility of providing medication the patient based on the patient’s location. Other factors in determining a pharmacy provider can include medication price by each provider, user preferences, medical insurance requirements, medication type and/or medication availability at each potential provider store. In some implementations, the medical management system can be configured to obtain patient approval/confirmation regarding selected provider(s). The medical management system can send a supply/refill request to a selected provider and inform patient.

“The medical management system can include a processor and a memory including instructions configured to cause the medical management system to allow a medical care provider to remotely manage and administer medications to one or more patients. The medical management system includes a patient database, a provider database, a medical manager and a prescription manager. The medical management system can include one or more communication modules through which the medical management system can communicate with patient devices and provider devices. The medical management system can include an inventory manager for full or partial remote management of a medical provider inventory. The medical management system can include a patient location manager for managing or monitoring patient location over time.

“According to at least one aspect, the medical management system can be configured to collect patient location data based on communications with patient devices, provider devices or a combination thereof. Patient devices, such as medical dispensing devices, mobile devices, wearable devices, etc., can be configured to report respective location when reporting medical measurements, sensor measurement, dispensing events, etc. In some implementations, patient devices can be configured to communicate respective location(s) to the medical management system periodically or upon request from the medical management system. The patient location manager can be configured to apply location determination policy to determine locations of interest.

“According to at least one aspect, the inventory manager can be configured to manage medical provider inventory with regard to all medical product or specific items. The medical management system can be configured to obtain periodic or transaction-based updates from a point of sale (POS) terminal of the medical provider indicative of amount of medication (or medical devices) sold. The medical management system can also have access (or receive indications) of medication replenishment events at provider stores. The medical management system can use maintained provider inventory information when selecting a provider store for medication supply/refill to a patient. Remote inventory management can be offered as a service for medical providers.

“According to at least one aspect, the medical management system can be configured to provide a variety of service packages for medical providers. Each service package can include one or more services provided by the medical management system, such as GPS and location based services, radio-frequency identification of medication and medical devices, medication dispensing monitoring, full and partial remote inventory management, access to statistical data generated by the medical management system, bidding for refill/supply events, advertisement to patients and other users, etc. In some implementations, service packages can be provided through a respective computer, mobile or web application/platform instances. The medical management system can offer different levels of services that involve different features. A first level may provide inventory management, a second level may provide inventory management as well as patient coordination management, and a third level may provide inventory management, patient coordination management and automatic location based medication delivery management.

“The patient device, otherwise referred to as a medical dispensing device can be configured to allow a medical care provider, for example, a doctor, the ability to remotely monitor, regulate and manipulate medication administration to a patient associated with the patient device. Through the medical dispensing device, the medical care provider can adjust either the dosage of medications or the time at which the medication is administered. In some implementations, the medical care provider may receive feedback through the medical dispensing device or other medical device monitoring the patient and adjust the dosage or time at which to administer medication based on the received feedback. The medical dispensing device can be equipped with a communications module that is configured to communicate with the medical management system through which the medical care provider can remotely communicate with the medical dispensing device. The communications module can include both hardware and software components that allow the medical dispensing device to receive and transmit instructions and information. In some implementations, the communications module can be configured to provide wireless communications, for example, BLUETOOTH, WiFi, cellular communications, near-field communication (NFC), among others. In some implementations, the communications module can be configured to communicate with another device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or other device that allows the medical dispensing device to receive and execute instructions received from the medical care provider. The medical dispensing device can include one or more electronic actuators that can be configured or programmed to control the amount of medication dispensed from the medical dispensing device.

“In some implementations, the medical dispensing device is programmable and capable of maintaining activity logs. The activity logs can identify a date and time at which medication was dispensed, a dosage of medication dispensed as well as any other physiological measurements, for example, temperature, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, sugar levels, among others, taken around the time the medication was dispensed. In addition to medication dispensing related activity, the activity logs can identify when a medical care provider communicated with the medical dispensing device. In some implementations, the activity logs can include information related to dosage changes as well as changes in the time at which medication is to be administered.

“The medical dispensing device can also include sensors measuring a quantity of medication remaining in the medical dispensing device. In some implementations, the medical dispensing device an determine an amount of medication remaining in the medical dispensing device based on the amount of medication included in a medicine cartridge and an amount of medication already dispensed since the medicine cartridge was first inserted. The medical dispensing device can be configured to communicate medicine quantity levels such that refills can be ordered before the medicine cartridge is completely empty.”

There is additional summary information. Please visit full patent to read further.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A remote medical management system, comprising: a first communication module configured to communicate with medical dispensing devices configured to dispense medication to patients; a second communication module configured to communicate with provider devices through which medical care providers can provide information regarding services provided to users or instructions associated with medication use; a medical supply event detection module configured to detect medication supply events based on information communicated by the medical dispensing devices and/or provider devices or based on information stored at the medical management; and a refill module configured to initiate a supply refill process for supplying medication or medical device(s) to a patient.”

URL and more information on this patent application, see: Skoda, Brent M. Systems And Methods For Managing A Medical Supply Chain. U.S. Patent Application Number 20230197236, filed February 16, 2023 and posted June 22, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(20230197236)&db=US-PGPUB&type=ids

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