Apparatus and method for dispensing medicine

Claim 1

A cart for use in supplying medications to a plurality of patients comprising a base, wheel means on said base for moving said cart about, means upstanding from said base providing a plurality of laterally accessible bins each having an entrance, said plurality of bins having a common top wall and a common bottom wall and a common rear wall, and the bins respectively being further defined by fixed upstanding side walls, each bin being relatively high and narrow, each bin being assigned to a respective patient, means adjacent each bin identifying the patient to which it is assigned, each bin containing a patient card on edge in substantially upright position and a long term supply of disparate medicines for that patient, horizontal support means adjacent each bin entrance substantially forming a continuation of said bottom wall, said support means having a plurality of upwardly opening recesses therein respectively aligned with said bins and each comprising a substantially circular aperture sized to receive a disposable cup, and a disposable cup in each of at least selected ones of said recesses of said support means for holding the medicine to be dispensed to the respective patient at a given time according to the adjacent patient card in the respective bin.