Abstract: A system and apparatus for accurate and secure dispensing of products using an automated dispensing machine, and transmission, processing and analysis of data concerning items dispensed. In one embodiment the system provides the possibility of combined pharmaceutical supply chain management and medication treatment compliance management and may be applied to controlled dispensing of medications, enabling incentives to encourage higher compliance, recording and processing of patient and health care data. The system allows for automatic replenishment of medications to the RFID equipped medication storage enclosure at the healthcare site. It also allows for complete logging of data relating to which patient has received the correct dosage at what time, by whom this medication was administered, and correlation with other possible RFID tagged documents.

Abstract: An apparatus (500) for detecting removal of items from a compartment is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a reader (540) for reading Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags attached to items in the compartment and a processor (510), coupled to the reader (540), for identifying items removed from the compartment. Removal of an item from the compartment is detected based on absence of a RFID tag that was previously detected by the reader (540). The RFID tags may be read exclusively when a door of the compartment is closed and the apparatus may further comprise a detector coupled to the processor (510) for detecting open/close status of the door. Removal of an item is preferably confirmed only when a RFID tag attached to an item has been absent from the compartment for longer than a defined time period.

Abstract: An apparatus (500) for detecting removal of items from a compartment is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a reader (540) for reading Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags attached to items in the compartment and a processor (510), coupled to the reader (540), for identifying items removed from the compartment. Removal of an item from the compartment is detected based on absence of a RFID tag that was previously detected by the reader (540). The RFID tags may be read exclusively when a door of the compartment is closed and the apparatus may further comprise a detector coupled to the processor (510) for detecting open/close status of the door. Removal of an item is preferably confirmed only when a RFID tag attached to an item has been absent from the compartment for longer than a defined time period.