Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MEDICAL PRODUCT SELECTION APPARATUS
Related Application
This application claims the benefit of provisional application Serial
No. 60/201,204, filed May 2, 2000, which is hereby incorporated herein by
reference.
Background and Summar~of the Invention
Consumers spend a large amount of money - nearly $40 billion
worldwide in 1998 - on non-prescription drugs. In recent years many formerly
prescription drugs have dropped to non-prescription status primarily due to
managed
care economics. In addition, demand for other alternatives to prescription
drugs and
physician's visits, such as herbal remedies, vitamins and diagnostic self-
tests, has
increased.
The present invention relates to a medical product selection apparatus.
More particularly, the present invention provides a computer system which
presents
an individual with a list of available drugs and medical products for
treatment of a
selected condition and symptoms and information related to the listed
products, so
that the individual can quickly compare the available products and choose
products
that best fit his or her particular needs.
The present invention contains several variables that describe
nonprescription drug and other medical products and organizes the information
so that
the user may compare products on the basis of these variables. The present
invention
supports the user's decision process by displaying the comparison of all of
the
variables and drug products for examination in a single viewing.
The present invention also may be integrated with a vendor's inventory
system so that price, availability, and store location information are
automatically
included in the product data made available to users. The ability to interface
with
inventory systems enables the apparatus of the present invention to keep price
and
availability data, which frequently fluctuate, up to date.
The present invention also may be integrated with a vendor's e-
commerce applications to allow users to use the selection apparatus and obtain
product information before placing an online order.
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In an illustrated embodiment of the present invention, a medical
product selection apparatus comprises a computer, a display coupled to the
computer,
and an input device coupled to the computer. The input device is configured to
permit
a user to input at least one selected symptom for which a medical product is
desired.
The apparatus also includes a memory coupled to the computer, the memory being
configured to store information related to a plurality of medical products for
treating
selected symptoms, and means for generating and displaying a list from the
stored
information. The list includes all of the medical products stored in the
memory which
are used for treating a selected condition.
In another illustrated embodiment, a medical product selection
apparatus comprises a computer, a display coupled to the computer, and an
input
device coupled to the computer. The input device is configured to permit a
user to
input at least one selected symptom for which a medical product is desired.
The
apparatus also includes a memory coupled to the computer. The memory is
configured to store information related to a plurality of medical products,
each of the
medical products being linked to at least one symptom. The computer is also
programmed to generate a list from the stored information and display the list
on the
display, the list including all of the medical products stored in the memory
which are
used for treating a selected condition.
Illustratively, the plurality of medical products includes at least one of
non-prescription drugs, herbal products, nutrition supplements, vitamins,
diagnostic
tests, and medical devices. In one illustrated embodiment, the computer is
configured
to compare the medical products on the generated list with medical products
available
in an inventory of a vendor.
In yet another illustrated embodiment, a medical product information
system operable over a communication network comprises a first computer
coupled to
the communications network, and an input device coupled to the first computer.
The
input device is configured to permit a user to input at least one selected
symptom for
which a medical product is desired. The system also includes a memory coupled
to
the first computer. The memory is configured to store information related to a
plurality of medical products. Each of the medical products is linked to at
least one
symptom. The first computer is programmed to generate a list of medical
products
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from the stored information based on the selected symptom. The system further
includes a second computer coupled to the communications network and
configured
to provide inventory information to the first computer for the at least one
medical
product via the communications network.
In another embodiment, the system further comprises a third computer
coupled to the communication network and configured to provide information
related
to the plurality of medical products to the first computer.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those
skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of
the
illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the
invention as
presently perceived.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures
in which:
Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware of the product
selection apparatus of the present invention;
Fig. 2a is a flow chart illustrating the steps performed by the apparatus
in one embodiment of the present invention for providing a consumer with a
comparison table listing all available drug products for treatment of selected
conditions and symptoms;
Fig. 2b is a flow chait illustrating the steps performed by the apparatus
of the present invention for providing a consumer with information on drugs or
other
medical products;
Fig. 3 is a block diagram further illustrating the steps performed by the
computer during generation of the table of drug or medical products in one
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 illustrates an opening screen display for the medical product
selection apparatus of the present invention;
Fig. 5 illustrates a screen display which permits the consumer to select
the category of medical product desired;
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Fig. 6 is another illustrative screen display which permits the consumer
to select a condition for which medication is desired;
Fig. 7 illustrates a screen display which permits the consumer to input
the name of a particular product or medication on which information is
desired;
Fig. 8 illustrates a screen display that permits the consumer to select
symptoms associated with the condition selected at Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a table illustrating the drug products available for the selected
condition and symptoms displayed for easy comparison of all the available drug
products by the consumer;
Fig. 10 illustrates a screen display for detailed information on a product
selected from the table of drug products;
Fig. 11 illustrates a screen display which permits the consumer to
select detailed information on a specific herbal or natural product or
information on
all herbal or natural products used to treat a selected condition;
Fig. 12 illustrates a screen display that permits the consumer to select a
condition for which treatment by herbal or natural products is desired;
Fig. 13 illustrates a screen display that permits the consumer to select
symptoms associated with the condition selected at Fig. 12;
Fig. 14 illustrates a table displayed to the user showing the herbal
products that are related to the selected conditions and symptoms;
Fig. 15 shows a screen display for accessing detailed information on a
product selected from the table of herbal products at Fig. 14;
Fig. 16 illustrates a screen display which permits the user to select
detailed information on a specific vitamin or nutrition product or information
on all
vitamin or nutrition products associated with a selected condition;
Fig. 17 illustrates a screen display which permits the user to select the
type of vitamin, mineral, or nutrition product for which information is
desired;
Fig. 18 illustrates a screen display which permits the user to select the
patient category and desired dosage form for the vitamin, mineral or nutrition
product;
Fig. 19 illustrates a screen display showing a table of information about
the particular vitamin, mineral, or nutrition products that correspond to the
user's
selections performed at Figs. 17 and 18;
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Fig. 20 shows a screen display for accessing detailed information on a
product selected from the table of vitamin, mineral, or nutrition products at
Fig. 19;
Fig. 21 shows a screen display which permits the user to select a
category of medical supplies and tests for which information is desired;
Fig. 22 shows a screen display which permits the user to select the type
of test for which information is desired;
Fig. 23 illustrates a table displayed to the user showing the particular
tests of the type selected in Fig. 22;
Fig. 24 illustrates a screen display which permits the user to select
detailed information on a test product selected from the table at Fig. 23;
Fig. 25 shows a screen display which permits a system administrator to
maintain the information available in the system of the present invention;
Fig. 26 shows a screen display which appears when the "OTC" button
is selected at Fig. 25;
Fig. 27 shows a screen display for inputting information on a particular
drug product;
Fig. 28 shows a screen display for inputting information on a particular
herbal product;
Fig. 29 shows a screen display for inputting information on a particular
test product;
Fig. 30 shows another screen display for inputting information related
to a particular test product;
Fig. 31 shows a screen display for inputting information related to a
particular single vitamin product;
Fig. 32 shows a screen display for inputting information related to a
particular multivitamin product;
Fig. 33 shows a screen display for linking one or more symptoms with
a particular condition;
Fig. 34 sho~,vs a screen display for inputting information related to
frequently asked questions about products in a certain therapeutic class;
Fig. 35 shows a screen display that appears when the "Active
Ingredients" box is selected at Fig. 25;
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Fig. 36 shows a screen display that appears when the "Conditions" box
is selected at Fig. 25; and
Fig. 37 shows a screen display which permits the administrator to
associate particular symptoms with a particular product.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
Refernng now to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates the hardware used in
the medical product selection apparatus of the present invention. Remote
computer
and main computer 9 are programmed to perform the functions described herein.
10 Remote computer 10 and main computer 9 may include any type of processor or
an
ASIC chip, if desired. Remote computer 10 and main computer 9 (shown only for
computer 10) are coupled to a display 12, an input device 16, a memory 18, and
may
also be coupled to a network connection 20, and a printer 14, if desired.
Also, remote
computer 10 and main computer 9 may be linked to a vendor's inventory system
via
network 20.
In one embodiment, the selection and display functions are performed
on the remote computer 10 and the data input and administrative functions are
performed on main computer 9. In an alternative embodiment, all functions are
performed on one computer.
In the illustrated embodiments, the input device is a touch screen on
the display 12. It is understood, however, that any type of suitable input
device
including a mouse, keypad, control buttons, stylus, joy stick, etc. may be
used in
accordance with the present invention. Computer 10 is illustratively capable
of being
connected to the network connection 20 for receiving and transmitting
information to
and from other devices over a local area network, wide area network, intranet,
or via
the Internet.
The apparatus of the present invention provides a consumer with a list
of a plurality of drug or other medical products usable to treat selected
conditions and
symptoms. Figs. 2a and 2b illustrate generally the steps performed to provide
the list
of products. Illustratively, the present invention is designed for use as a
kiosk either
in a pharmacy or in a retail setting that does not include a pharmacy. In
another
embodiment, it is understood that the system can be implemented using a
computer at
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a remote location connected to a main computer or server by a communication
network. Network connection 20 can be a dial-in connection, a LAN, a WAN such
as
the Internet, or a wireless network. Therefore, in one embodiment the consumer
can
access the system and order products from a remote location, e.g., from home.
As shown in Fig. 2a, an opening screen is illustratively displayed on
display 12 to provide the consumer with options for selecting medical
products. A
first option is for the user to look up specific products by name as
illustrated at block
24. A second option is for the user to look up products by selecting
conditions to be
treated as illustrated at block 28. If the consumer selects the manual lookup
at block
26, the consumer types in the name of a desired product or looks up the
products in
alphabetical order. The consumer can then access information such as leaflets
or
frequently asked questions related to the selected drug products as
illustrated at block
25 and as discussed below in connection with Exhibits A-D. The consumer may
also
make an e-commerce purchase of a drug product as illustrated at block 27. The
purchase at block 27 is particularly useful in the embodiment where the
consumer
accesses the information from a remote location away from the retail setting
or
pharmacy. In addition, an e-commerce purchase may be made at the retail
setting if
the particular desired drug product is not available at the store location.
Therefore, the
product can be sent directly to the consumer's home.
If the user selects the option to generate a list of products based upon
selected conditions at block 28, a list of conditions is then presented on the
display
screen 12 for the consumer to review. The consumer then chooses a condition
using
the input device 16. Next, a list of symptoms related to the selected
condition is
displayed as illustrated at block 30. The consumer chooses one or more
symptoms for
which treatment is desired. Next, a list of patient information categories and
choices
within the categories is displayed on display 12. The consumer then provides
the
patient information via the input device 16 related to such information as
age, dosage
form preferences (tablets, capsules, liquid, chewable tablets), and any known
drug
allergies or chronic conditions.
The computer 10 then uses the condition, symptoms, and patient
information to generate a table listing all of the products available to treat
the
particular selected condition and symptoms as illustrated at block 34. This
table,
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which includes all pharmaceutically equivalent products stored in memory 18,
is
presented on the display screen 12 for review by the consumer. The consumer
can
print the table on printer 14, if desired. The products are matched to the
consumer's
condition and symptoms and to the patient information provided by the
consumer.
The consumer can then elect to look at additional information related to the
selected
products as illustrated at block 36. When the consumer requests additional
information, leaflets related to the products or list of frequently asked
questions are
presented on the display screen 12 for review. The consumer can also access
promotional offers or coupons associated with any of the drug products on the
list as
illustrated at block 38. The consumer can also select to make an e-commerce
purchase as illustrated at block 39. As discussed above, the e-commerce
purchase
may be made from a remote location or from the kiosk at the retail store or
pharmacy
if the desired drug product is not available at the store. The drug product
may then be
sent to the customer's home location. The consumer can then either exit the
system or
return to the opening screen to select other conditions.
In an alternative embodiment, the user can obtain information on over-
the-counter drugs, herbal remedies, vitamins, and other medical products, as
shown in
Fig. 2b. At block 60 of Fig. 2b the user begins the selection process and
enters some
basic information about himself or herself, including age and, optionally,
gender.
This information does not uniquely identify the user. Blocks 62, 64, 66 and 68
represent different choices of product categories available to the user. If
the user
desires information on non-prescription drugs, the user selects "non-
prescription" at
block 62. If the user desires information on herbal or natural products, the
user selects
"herbals" at block 64. If the user desires information on vitamins, minerals,
or other
nutritional products, the user selects "vitamins" at block 66. If the user
desires
information on medical tests and devices, the user selects "tests and devices"
at block
68.
If the user selects non-prescription drugs at block 62, the user is taken
through a series of steps illustrated by blocks 70, 80, 100, 110, and 120. At
block 70,
the user selects a condition for which he or she desires treatment by non-
prescription
drugs. Alternatively, at block 71, if the user already knows the particular
medication
that he or she would like information on, the user so indicates. If the user
is searching
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for information on a specific medication, the user is prompted to enter the
name of the
particular medication at block 80. Once the name of the particular medication
has
been entered at block 80, information on that particular medication is
displayed at
blocks 110 and 120. If the user has selected a condition at block 70, the user
will be
prompted to select particular symptoms or preferred medication forms at block
100.
At block 110, a table showing the list of available products that match the
user's
criteria, as entered in blocks 60, 70, 100 and is displayed, allowing user to
compare
the available products. At block 110, the user may select a particular product
for
which he or she desires mare information. More detailed information is
displayed to
the user at block 120 for the product selected at block 110.
A similar process is performed for each of the other product categories.
At block 64, the user indicates that he or she wishes to obtain more
information on
herbal or natural products. At blocks 72 and 73, the user is prompted to
decide
whether he or she wants more detailed information on a specific known product
or
wants the system to help determine a suitable herbal product based on a
particular
condition and symptoms. If the user already knows the name of the product that
he
desires detailed information on as illustrated at block 73, the user is
prompted to input
the name of that product at block 82. Once the user has entered in the name of
the
particular product at block 82, information for that product is displayed to
the user at
blocks 112 and 122. If instead, the user would like to find a product
appropriate for a
particular condition as illustrated at block 72, the user is prompted to
select a
condition to be treated at block 90. At block 102, the user is prompted to
select one or
more symptoms that are associated with the condition selected in block 90.
Only the
symptoms that relate to the particular condition selected at block 90 are
displayed at
block 102 as choices for the user to select from. At block 112, the system
displays a
table of all of the products matching the condition and symptoms selected by
the user
at block 90 and 102. From this table, the user may select an individual
product on
which it would like more detailed information. At block 122, more detailed
information is displayed for the particular product selected by the user at
block 112.
If the user selects vitamins as the category of products on which he or
she would like information, he or she so indicates at block 66. The user is
prompted
to decide whether he or she would like specific information on a particular
product at
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block 75, or would like to use the system to help determine a suitable
vitamin, a
mineral or nutritional product based on the user's needs at block 74. If the
user knows
the particular vitamin, mineral or nutritional product on which it would like
more
information, the user is prompted to enter the product name at block 84. Once
the
product name is entered at block 84, the system displays information about
that
product at blocks 114 and 124. I~ the user does not know the particular
product he or
she needs, the system will proceed to block 92. At block 92 the user is
prompted to
select a particular type of vitamin, mineral or nutritional product. At block
104, the
user is prompted to select additional criteria for selecting a product, such
as dosage
form. At block 114, the system displays a table of all of the products
matching the
criteria entered by user at block 92 and 104. Viewing the table at block 114,
the user
may select a particular product from the table for which he or she desires
more
information. At block 124. the user is shown more detailed information about
the
particular product selected at block 114.
If the user desires information on medical tests or devices, the user so
indicates at block 68. At block 78, the user is prompted to enter the category
of
products for which it desires information, for example, diabetes supplies or
general
tests. At block 94, based on his or her selection at block 78, the user is
prompted to
select additional criteria to help identify particular products that are most
suitable for
the user's needs, for example, if "tests" is selected at block 78, the user
selects the
type of test desired at block 94. At block 116, the system displays a table of
test or
medical device products which match the criteria entered by the user at blocks
78 and
94. At block 116, the user may select an individual product from the table for
which
it would like more information. At block 126, more detailed information is
displayed
for the particular product selected by the user at block 116.
Fig. 3 illustrates additional processes related to the generation of the
table of products matching the condition, symptoms, and patient information
input by
the consumer. In the illustrated embodiments, information related to a
plurality of
medical products is stored in memory 18. All products stored in the memory 18
which treat the conditions and symptoms selected by the user are identified at
block
40. These identified drug products are compared to drug products in the
vendor's
inventory which are also stored in memory 18 or in the separate inventory
system 21
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as illustrated at block 42. The products in the inventory can be updated
manually, or
automatically through the network connection 20 to inventory system 21. In one
embodiment, the remote computer 10 or main computer 9 of the present invention
is
linked to a computerized inventory system so that remote computer 10 or main
computer 9 constantly determines whether products are available within the
store
inventory. In alternative embodiments, either remote computer 10 is linked
directly to
inventory system 21 via network 20, or main computer 9 is linked to inventory
system
21 and periodically updates remote computer 10. The comparison step is
illustrated at
block 44.
Products in the database which are not identified as treating the
conditions and symptoms are not displayed to the user, as illustrated at block
46. If a
product is identified as treating a particular condition or symptom, but is
not available
in the vendor's inventory, the identified product may either not be displayed
at all or
marked as not available on the table, depending upon the preference of the
vendor, as
illustrated at block 48. If products are identified at block 40 as treating
the symptoms
and conditions and are also in the store inventory at block 42, these products
are
included in the table of products displayed to the user and marked as
available, if
applicable, as illustrated at block 50. In another embodiment, the products
identified
at block 40 are displayed without comparing the identified products to the
products in
inventory.
An opening screen which is displayed by remote computer 10 on
display 12 is illustrated in Fig. 4. The entry of a user name, password or
other unique
identification not required. The user selects the age range of the patient for
whom
medical product information is desired at area 130 of the display screen by
clicking,
selecting or touching one of the available buttons. At area 132, the user is
given an
option to select the patient's gender by touching, clicking, or otherwise
selecting
either the "Male" or "Female" button.
The user is asked to submit his or her zip code at area 134 by pressing
the appropriate number buttons. However, this information is not required. In
area
136, the user can choose to start over and reenter the patient information,
proceed to
the next display screen, quit the program, or obtain "help" information on how
to use
the system, by selecting the applicable button.
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Fig. 5 illustrates the display screen that appears if the user selects the
"Next" button at Fig. 4. Fig. 5 presents the user with the available
categories of
medical products. The user selects one of non-prescription medication 140,
herbal
and natural products 142, vitamins and nutritional information 144 and medical
supplies and tests 146. The user selects the "New Patient" button in area 148
to go
back to the screen at Fig. 4 and start over.
The screen of Fig. 6 is displayed if the non-prescription drug button
140 is selected at Fig. 5. The consumer can elect to look up known specific
non-
prescription drug products by touching, selecting or clicking on area 150 of
Fig. 6. If
the user already knows the name of the product, he or she is prompted to
select the
first few letters of the name, as shown in Fig. 7. Otherwise, the consumer
proceeds by
selecting or clicking a condition from those displayed on the screen of Fig.
6. An
example of illustrated conditions to be selected is shown in Fig. 6. For
instance,
conditions may include pain, fever, headache, common cold, cough, allergy,
sore
throat, flu, indigestion, nausea, skin disorders, infections, foot and hand
care, sleep
disorders, weight gain/loss, smoking dependence, eye care and ear care.
Illustratively,
these conditions are displayed on display 12 to permit the consumer to click
or select a
desired condition. Once a particular condition is selected at Fig. 6, remote
computer
10 provides a list of symptoms corresponding to the selected condition on
display 12
as shown in Fig. 8.
The consumer then selects one or more symptoms at region 154 of Fig.
8. The symptoms displayed at Fig. 8 are only those symptoms associated with
the
condition selected at Fig. 6. For example, illustrative symptoms for the pain,
fever,
and headache condition selected at Fig. 6 are shown in Fig. 8. It is
understood that
additional or fewer symptoms may be provided for each condition. At region
156, the
user selects one or more preferred medication forms. Example medication forms
include tablets, caplets, liquid, rubs, spray, and suppositories. Once the
desired
number of symptoms and medication forms are selected, the user clicks on or
selects
the "Next Screen" region at location 152 of Fig. 8.
Remote computer 10 then matches drug products stored in the memory
18 with referenced conditions and symptoms and generates a table including all
available drug products for treatment of the selected condition and symptoms
as
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illustrated at Fig. 9. ComFuter 10 deletes items from the list which may cause
problems based on the known patient information. The customer can view the
table
on display 12 or print the table on printer 14, if desired. By providing the
consumer
with table of all available products, the consumer can compare the drug
products to
determine which drug product to select based upon ingredients and strength,
side
effects, warnings and cautions, dosage form, dose, pack size, pack price,
price per
dose, coupon availability, brand name, etc. The present invention does not
eliminate
products from the list unless a problem is identified based upon the
particular patient
information input at Fig. 4.
If the consumer selects a particular product from region 158 of Fig. 9,
additional information on the selected product is printed or displayed as
shown in Fig.
10. At Fig. 10, information illustratively made available to the user includes
patient
education sheets, frequently asked questions, and store location. A sample of
additional information is illustrated in Exhibits A and C. A consumer can also
display
or print "Frequently Asked Questions" related to the selected drug product as
illustrated in Exhibits B and D by selecting the appropriate area of the
screen of
Fig.lO. The consumer may also display or print a coupon for the selected
product (not
shown). Coupons may not be available for all of the products. Coupon
availability,
price, and other information related to the drug products can be stored in
memory 18
of the main computer and updated regularly via the network connection 20 from
main
computer 9 or inventory system 21. As discussed above, the remote computer 10
may
either eliminate drug products from the table which are not in the inventory
of the
particular vendor or store, or provide a separate column in the table of Fig.
9 which
indicates the drug products that are available from the particular vendor.
Fig. 11 illustrates the display screen that is shown if the user selects the
herbal and natural products button 142 of Fig. 5. If the user would like the
system to
help determine a suitable product for his or her condition, the user selects
the "help
me" button 160. If the user already knows the specific products that he or she
needs
and just wants more information on the product, the user selects the "I know"
button
162. If the "I know" button 162 is selected, the user is prompted to enter the
first few
letters of the product on a screen similar to that shown in Fig. 7. If the
user selects the
"help me" button 160, the user is prompted to select a condition, as shown in
Fig. 12.
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For example, some of the condition categories for herbal or natural products
include
digestive disorders, kidney or urinary, prostate, respiratory, asthma, heart,
blood
pressure and cholesterol, brain and nervous system, arthritis, muscles and
bones,
joints, skin, hair, sport supplements, sexual energy, chronic fatigue,
diabetes, lip,
mouth, eye disorders, and cancer prevention.
Fig. 13 illustrates a screen which prompts the user to select one or
more symptoms that are associated with the condition that was selected at Fig.
12.
For example, Fig. 13 shows the listed symptoms associated with brain and
nervous
system disorders, the condition selected at Fig. 12. Some symptoms applicable
to the
brain and nervous system are anxiety, mood swings, depression and headaches.
Fig.
14 shows the list of herbal and natural products that match the condition and
symptoms selected by the user in Figs. 12 and 13. Some of the information
illustratively displayed in the list of products includes the active
ingredients, inactive
ingredients, warnings and side effects, anti-ingredients, package sizes and
prices,
prices per dose, and an indication of whether or not a coupon is available for
the
particular product. The user may select a particular product for additional
information
by clicking or touching the area where the product name is displayed in region
162 of
Fig. 14. If the user selects that particular product for more information at
Fig. 14, a
screen such as illustrated in Fig. 15 is displayed. Fig. 15 provides the user
with more
detailed information about the product selected from the table at Fig. 14. For
example, if a user selected "Gotu Kola" from the table at Fig. 14, the
information
displayed at Fig. 15 would illustratively include the location of the product
in the
store, and provide means to access patient education sheets and frequently
asked
questions.
If the user selects the vitamins and nutritional information button 144
at Fig. 5, a screen such as the one illustrated in Fig. 16 is then displayed.
If the user
would like the system to assist him or her in finding the right vitamin or
nutritional
information for a particular condition, the user selects the "help me" button
164 of
Fig. 16. If the user already knows the particular vitamin or nutritional
information it
wants the user selects the "I know" button 166. If the "I know" button 166 is
selected,
the user is prompted to enter the first few letters of a product it would like
more
information on, from a screen similar to that shown in Fig. 7. If the user
selects the
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"help me" button 164, the user is prompted for more information about the type
of
product needed, as illustrated in Fig. 17. For example, the user may select
single
vitamins, multivitamin supplements, weight gain or loss products or
information on
recommended daily allowances of vitamins and minerals. The user also may
select a
button called "specific needs" which allows the user to identify particular
needs that a
particular vitamin may address. These needs are linked to a particular vitamin
as
shown in Fig. 31. Once the user has selected a particular type of vitamin,
mineral, or
nutrition product at Fig. 17, the user is prompted for additional information
which will
limit the selection of applicable vitamins, minerals and supplements available
at Fig.
18.
As shown in Fig. 18, the user may indicate whether the particular
product is needed for a specific class of individuals, such as female,
prenatal, male,
children, or seniors. The user may also select the particular dosage form that
he or she
prefers, for example, tablets, capsules, liquids, chewable tablets, or
powders. Once the
user completes the preferences requested at Fig. 18, the system generates a
table
listing the vitamin, mineral or nutritional products that match the
information selected
at Figs. 17 and 18.
For example, Fig. 19 shows the table that is generated if the user
selects multivitamin, female, and tablets, liquid and capsules at Fig. 18.
Fig. 19
illustratively shows the composition of each multivitamin including the amount
of
each vitamin included in the multivitamin, the package size, the package
price, the
price per dose, and whether a coupon is available for a particular product. At
Fig. 19,
the user may obtain more information about one of the listed products by
selecting or
clicking on the name of the product. If the user selects a particular product
for more
information, a screen such as shown in Fig. 20 is presented. For example, Fig.
20
shows the screen that appears if the Centrum multivitamin liquid product is
selected at
Fig. 19. Illustratively Fig. 20 displays information about the location of the
product in
the store, patient education information and frequently asked questions
related to the
selected product.
If the user selects the medical supplies and tests button 146 at Fig. 5,
the system of the present invention displays a screen such as shown in Fig.
21. At Fig.
21, the user is prompted to identify the particular category of medical
supplies or tests
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for which it would like additional information. For example, the user may
select by
clicking or touching the screen at the appropriate position, general medical
supplies,
diabetes supplies, tests, or blood pressure supplies. Based on a category of
medical
supplies and diagnostic tests selected by the user in Fig. 21, the system next
prompts
the user for the particular type of product for which information is desired.
For
example, Fig. 22 shows the available tests if the "tests" button is selected
at Fig. 21.
At Fig. 22, the user selects the type of test for which information is
desired. For
example, Fig. 22 illustratively lists the following tests: Pregnancy tests,
ovulation
prediction, diabetes screening, drug tests, hepatitis C tests, colorectal
disease, HIV
tests, and urinary tract infection tests. At Fig. 23, the system generates a
table listing
the available tests based on the information provided by the user in Figs. 21
and 22.
For example, if the user selected "pregnancy tests" at Fig. 22, the products
listed in
Fig. 23 would be shown. Information associated with each product may also be
displayed, including, for erample, a product description, a product function,
a model
number, package size, package price, unit price, and whether a coupon is
available for
the particular product. While viewing the screen of Fig. 23, the user may
select or
click on the name of a particular product to obtain more detailed information
about
that product. If the user selects a product name for more detailed
information, a
screen such as shown in Fig. 24 is displayed. For example, if a user selected
the ept
pregnancy test from Fig. 23, the screen shown at Fig. 24 would appear.
Illustratively,
Fig. 24 includes information about the location of a product in the store,
patient
education sheets, and frequently asked questions.
Fig. 25 illustrates a screen which is presented to the person who is
responsible for entering and maintaining via an input device information in
the
apparatus of the present invention, such as a system administrator. The system
administrator typically uses an input device coupled to main computer 9, such
as a
keyboard or mouse, to maintain the data in the system. Typically this person
will be
required to enter a user name and password to access the maintenance portion
of the
system, beginning at Fig. 25. In the illustrative embodiment, the maintenance
portion
of the system resides on main computer 9. Region 170 of Fig. 25 includes a
list of the
types of products for which information is made available to consumers through
the
use of the system of the present invention. For example, over the counter or
non-
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prescription medications, herbals, vitamins, multivitamins, devices, and tests
are
major categories of products for which information is provided. By selecting,
clicking, or touching one of buttons 172 through 182, the administrator can
input,
modify, or delete information in any of these product categories. In region
184, the
administrator may input, modify or delete information related to key words
which are
used to organize and access particular information related to the products.
For
example, active ingredients, conditions, symptoms, conditions and symptoms,
dosages, age groups, manufacturers, price type, units of measure, and
therapeutic class
are all pieces of information associated with products which are maintained at
the
screen of Fig. 25. By clicking, touching, or selecting any of the boxes 186
through
204, the administrator may maintain the selected information. At box 206, the
administrator may generate reports, for example, detailed or summarized
information
on particular products or key words. Reports may be displayed on a display 12
or
printed via a printer 14.
Fig. 26 shows illustratively a screen that appears if the "OTC" button
170 of Fig. 25 is selected by the administrator. Fig. 26 shows a listing of
the products
in the non-prescription, or over the counter category. The user may select by
clicking
or touching the name of a particular product in the list to edit, modify or
delete the
information related to that product. If the user presses the "new" button, a
screen such
as shown in Fig. 27 appears whereby the administrator may enter information
for a
new product.
As shown in Fig. 27 the information which can be input for a particular
product includes the product name, the manufacturer, the NDC or National Drug
Code, the description, the UPC Code, the manufacturer's description, the
package
size, the package units, the age group, the therapeutic class, the gender of
the patient,
and the upper and lower age range limits. The NDC Code and/or the UPC Code are
used to link to inventory system 21. In addition, as shown in region 210, the
administrator may input or associate particular information with the product.
For
example, the administrator may associate active ingredients, inactive or
absent
ingredients, symptoms, warnings, side effects, and patient education
information with
the particular product. Similar data input screens are used by the
administrator to
enter information about products in the other available categories, including
the herbal
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products (Fig. 28), devices and tests (Fig. 29), tests (Fig. 30), single
vitamins (Fig.
31), and multiple vitamins (Fig. 32). Except for Figs. 31 and 32, the
"symptoms"
button of Figs. 28-30 is used to permit the administrator to associate
particular
symptoms with a product. Figs. 31 and 32 relate to vitamin products. In these
screens, the "conditions" area is used to link products to specific needs of
the user. If
the identity of the particular vitamins is not present in the product name,
the vitamin
name is also specified on Fig. 31 by selecting the vitamin from a list, and on
Fig. 32
by clicking or selecting the square boxes next to the name of the particular
vitamins)
included in the multivitamin product.
Fig. 33 displays a screen whereby the administrator associates
symptoms with each particular condition. The administrator clicks or selects
on
symptoms listed in the right hand box on the screen of Fig. 33. For example,
for the
arthritis, muscle, bone, or joint condition, the "aches/restless legs" symptom
may be
selected. Once the administrator has completed assigning symptoms to
conditions,
the administrator clicks or touches the save button to record the information
in
memory 18. The administrator completes this process for each of the available
conditions. Symptoms may be assigned to more than one condition. Also,
conditions
may have any number of symptoms associated with them. The linking of
conditions
and symptoms determine which systems will be displayed in Figs. 8 and 13 for
the
conditions selected in Figs. 6 and 12, respectively.
As discussed above, once a user has selected a particular product for
detailed information; one type of information available is frequently asked
questions.
In the illustrated embodiment, the frequently asked questions are associated
with the
therapeutic class of the particular selected products. Fig. 34 shows a display
screen
whereby the administrator may associate particular frequently asked questions
with a
therapeutic class. Products are assigned to therapeutic classes as illustrated
at Fig. 27.
Fig. 35 shows a display screen which appears if the administrator
selects the active ingredients button 186 at Fig. 25. Fig. 35 allows the
administrator to
add, delete or modify the information relating to ingredients, and to add new
ingredients or delete ingredients that are no longer used. To add a new
ingredient to
the list of available ingredients, the administrator clicks or selects the add
button on
Fig. 35. To modify an existing ingredient, the administrator selects or clicks
on the
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name of the ingredient to be modified. The data entry screen such as shown in
Figs.
27 through 32 is then used to add, delete or modify ingredient information.
Fig. 36 shows a screen that is displayed if the administrator selects the
conditions button 188 at Fig. 25. A similar process as discussed above for
active
ingredients is used to add, delete or modify conditions and condition
information, as
well as information relating to the other key words 188 through 204.
Fig. 37 shows the screen that appears if the "symptoms" button in
region 210 of Fig. 27 is selected by the administrator. At Fig. 37, the
administrator
associates particular symptoms with a particular product. As shown in Fig. 37,
all of
the available symptoms are displayed in the left-hand column. In order to add
or
associate a symptom with the product name displayed in the upper portion of
the
screen, the administrator clicks or selects the particular symptom to be added
and then
clicks the add button in the center of the screen. When a symptom has been
selected
to be added, it will appear in the right-hand column of the screen. To delete
a
symptom that has already been selected or associated with the product, the
administrator highlights the symptom in the right-hand column to be removed,
and
then clicks or selects the remove button. Once the symptom has been removed,
it will
no longer appear in the right-hand column of Fig. 37. All products linked to
symptoms selected by the user using screens in Figs. 8 and 13, for example,
are
included in the list or display grids of products unless the product is
optionally deleted
from the list by checking the inventory system 21. Therefore, the customer can
review and compare the entire list and make his or her own selection of the
drug
product based on the information presented.
One additional feature of the present invention includes the ability to
allow vendors to customize the process of matching products to symptoms and
conditions based on selected criterion, such as the particular prescribing
preferences
of the pharmacist, the vendor's marketing strategies, or according to
requirements of
promotional agreements. For example, a particular brand name may be configured
to
always be displayed first in the list of products generated for a particular
combination
of conditions and symptoms. Also, the present invention includes reporting
features
which allow vendors to track consumer usage of the system and the frequency in
which different product categories are accessed.
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As an example, the apparatus of the present invention may be
implemented using Macromedia Director and Flash software, an Oracle database,
and
Lingo, SQL and HTML programming languages. However, one skilled in the art
would readily understand that there are many suitable software programs and
tools for
developing systems consistent with the present invention.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to
certain illustrated embodiments, variations exist within the scope and spirit
of the
invention as described and as defined in the following claims.
