WO2016151180A1

WO2016151180A1 - A method and a system for controlling the storage of drug packages or ampoules, and a storage for drug packages

Info

Publication number: WO2016151180A1
Application number: PCT/FI2015/050202
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ossi Parviainen; Jukka Mauranen
Original assignee: Newicon Oy
Priority date: 2015-03-25
Filing date: 2015-03-25
Publication date: 2016-09-29

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling the storage of drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules, in which method drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules are stored in a storage (1; 11) comprising storage locations (2; 17) for storing drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules, and a storage data system for controlling the drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules in the storage (1; 11). In the method according to the invention, the storage data system detects a stock change in a storage location (2; 17) by a proximity sensor (4, 24) connected to the storage data system, transmitting radiation towards the drug package (3; 19) or ampoule (23) in the storage location (2; 17), and receiving radiation reflected back from the drug package (3; 19) or ampoule (23) by a receiver in the proximity sensor (4; 24), and that the storage data system enters the stock change in the storage data system, if the quantity of radiation received by the proximity sensor (4; 24) changes at least temporarily so that the state of the proximity sensor (4; 24) changes from a state in which it does not receive reflected radiation to a state in which it receives reflected radiation, or from a state in which it receives reflected radiation to a state in which it does not receive reflected radiation. The invention also relates to a system for controlling items to be stored, and a storage for drug packages.

Description

A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING THE STORAGE OF DRUG PACKAGES OR AMPOULES, AND A STORAGE FOR DRUG PACKAGES Field of the invention

The invention relates to a method and a system for controlling the storage of drug packages or ampoules, and a storage for drug packages. Background of the invention

The management of the storing of drug packages or ampoules added into or removed from a storage for drug packages is normally still based on manual stock records. However, almost without exception, even the manual man- agement of the storage of drug packages or ampoules is normally performed by using a computer and software installed in it for controlling the storage, i.e. a storage data system. In drug cabinets or other corresponding relatively small storages of drug packages, changes in the quantities of drugs contained in the drug cabinet are typically entered in an electronic (storage) data system which may e.g. take care of the placement of orders for new drugs needed in a fully automated way or in a way that e.g. a report on the storage balance or a list of drugs in deficit may be printed out from the system, on the basis of which the orders for new drugs are placed. Normally, the places for storing different drug packages or ampoules in this kind of a storage are determined so that the drug packages or ampoules containing specific drugs or at least drugs of a specific type (e.g. analgesics) are placed in specific storage locations (which may be one or more locations on shelves, in compartments or in drawers). In some newer concepts (and particularly in the case of storing, for example, so-called narcotic drugs), access to the storage locations of the drug cabinet may be restricted so that access to the storage location containing said drug is only gained by logging in said storage data system and selecting the desired drug or package, whereby the storage data system opens the storage location locked by an electronic lock (e.g. a lid, door, hatch, or drawer) after the person who made the storage entry has logged in the system and selected the drugs to be fetched from the storage in the data system, and the data system has verified that the user of the drug cabinet is authorized to fetch said drugs from this drug cabinet.

Because the drug packages and ampoules stored in such drug cabinets or other corresponding storages are entered in the storage data system manually (for example by typing and/or reading a bar code on the drug package), it is also possible that a mistake is made in the entry. This will result in a deviation between the stock records maintained by the storage data system and the real quantity of drug packages or ampoules in the storage. For example in the case of a drug cabinet or a corresponding storage for drugs or drug packages, this may lead to an unexpected shortage of drugs at a critical moment, or if caused deliberately, it may enable consumption (e.g. abuse in the case of narcotic drugs) off the books, without being noticed by the persons responsible for the purchasing and dispensing of the drugs.

Brief summary of the invention

The aim of the invention is to provide a method for managing the stock of drug packages or ampoules, whereby it is more secure and reliable than before to remove them from or add them into the storage for drug packages in such a way that the data relating to this change in the stock is also entered in the data system used for managing the stock. Furthermore, it is an aim of the invention to introduce a system functioning according to the method of the invention for managing the stock of drug packages or ampoules in a stor- age for drug packages in the above mentioned way, as well as a storage for drug packages.

The aim of the invention is achieved by the method according to the invention, because in the method, drug packages and ampoules in storage loca- tions of the storage for drug packages are monitored by a proximity sensor which is placed in a storage location for drug packages or ampoules, or in a compartment for a single drug package or ampoule, and which detects a stock change in the storage location if a change takes place in the radiation emitted by the proximity sensor and reflected from the drug package in the storage location so that the state of the proximity sensor is changed at least momentarily; in other words, the proximity sensor starts to receive the reflected radiation at least temporarily, or the reception of reflected radiation is stopped at least temporarily. The change in the state of the proximity sensor is automatically entered in the storage data system, together with the data entered in the storage data system when a change is made in the stock. Thus, a stock change (that is, adding of drug packages into the storage or removing them from the storage) cannot be made without generating data about this change in the storage data system. To put it more precisely, the method according to the invention is characterized in what will be presented in the independent claim 1 , and the system in what will be presented in the independent claim 10, and the storage for drug packages in what will be presented in the independent claim 1 1 . Dependent claims 2 to 9 and 1 1 to 15 present some advantageous embodiments of the method and the storage for drug packages according to the invention. The method, the system, and the storage for drug packages according to the invention have the advantage that it is now easier and more reliable than before to keep the drug packages or ampoules in a storage for drug packages consistent with the corresponding data in the storage data system. It is thus significantly less probable that a sudden shortage of any important drug in the storage for drug packages would occur at a critical moment, or that drugs could be lost from the drug cabinet without anybody noticing it.

Description of the drawings In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a storage for drug packages, formed of a set of drawers placed in a cabinet enclosed by walls and equipped with a system according to the method of the invention, in a slanted view from above,

Fig. 2 shows one drawer of the storage for drug packages shown in

Fig. 1 , in a partially cut slanted view seen from above, Fig. 3 shows a slanted front view of a pass-through cabinet equipped with another system according to the method of the invention for managing the storage of drug packages, Fig. 4 shows a storage tray for ampoules in a slanted side view crosscut at one compartment when an ampoule is being inserted in a compartment in the storage tray, and

Fig. 5 shows the storage tray of Fig. 4 in a slanted side view cross-cut at one compartment after the ampoule has been inserted in the compartment at the cross section.

Detailed description of some advantageous embodiments of the invention Figure 1 shows a "cabinet type" storage 1 for drug packages, comprising several drawers 2 of the type shown in Fig. 2. In this storage 1 of drug packages, the drug packages 3 are stored in a space enclosed by the walls (rear wall, front wall, side walls, bottom, and lid) of the cabinet so that they cannot be accessed except by opening the drawers 2 shown in Fig. 1 and withdraw- able from the storage 1 , which can only be opened and locked by means of the storage data system controlling the storage 1 for drug packages. Therefore, such a storage for drug packages is well suited for storing drug packages 3 or ampoules (not shown), whose consumption has to be precisely controlled to know how many new drug packages 3 have been added to the storage and/or how many drug packages 3 have been picked up from the storage 1 , by whom and when. In such a storage 1 of drug packages, ampoules are stored in dedicated storage trays which are placed in drawers 2 to be closed and opened by electronic locks. Figures 4 and 5 show an example of such a storage tray 20.

For the storage data system, the storage 1 comprises a computer (not shown in the figures) in which the storage data system is installed. A bar code reader may be connected or coupled to the computer, for entering the data of the items to be added to the storage by reading a bar code on the items. Alternatively or in addition to the bar code reader, the data of the items can be entered, for example, by typing the data of said item to be added in the storage data system, on the keyboard of the computer.

The drawers 2 of the storage 1 for drug packages are equipped with elec- tronic locks 5 which can be opened by software under the control of the storage data system. For this, the computer with the storage data system is connected by a wired or wireless data transmission connection to a control device placed in a suitable location and controlling the electronic locks of the drawers, which control device can be controlled by software to supply elec- tricity to the electronic locks 5 so that the locks are either opened or closed. The electronic locks 5 may be any locking devices powered by electricity, for moving or turning a bolt or latch 5 in the locking device so that it moves, for example, to a cavity or another suitable obstacle formed for the drawer 2 in the front wall of the storage 1 or in the frame between the drawers of the storage 1 , in support structures, or the like, and preventing the drawer 2 and the bolt or latch 6 from moving with respect to the front wall of the storage 1 .

For example, one or more identical drug packages 3 can be stored in one drawer 2 of this storage 1 . Thus, each drawer constitutes one storage loca- tion in this storage 1 . Inside the drawers 2, compartments 21 separated by intermediate walls are provided, each comprising at least one proximity sensor 4, by which the storage data system controls the drug packages 3 stored in the compartments 21 so that it detects a change in the compartment 21 when a drug package 3 is removed from any compartment 21 of the drawer 2, on the basis of an at least temporary change in the state of the proximity sensor 4.

In this case, the proximity sensor 4 is a sensor comprising a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is a radiation source (e.g. LED or laser LED), for emitting radiation that is e.g. visible light or infra-red light. The receiver is e.g. a CCD cell capable of receiving radiation emitted by the transmitter and reflected from the surface of an item placed at not more than a given maximum distance in front of the transmitter. In the use of the proximity sensor 4, the surface should reflect radiation sufficiently well, being normally e.g. light in colour or glossy (specular). A surface of black or other dark colour, for example a dark grey surface, does not sufficiently reflect radiation emitted by the transmitter. Therefore, the walls of the compartments 21 are dark in colour (preferably black or dark grey) so that when the radiation emitting object, i.e. the drug package, is absent from the compartment 21 , the proximity sensor 4 is in a state where it does not receive radiation. In this embodiment, the proximity sensor 4 is placed inside the front or side wall of each compartment 21 . Each compartment can also be provided with several proximity sensors 4 so that these are placed, for example, on opposite sides of each drug package 3 stored in the compartment 21 . The proximity sensor 4 is (or possible several proximity sensors 4 are) configured to emit radiation towards the drug packages 3 at given intervals or continuously. The computer in which the storage data system is installed is connected to each proximity sensor 4 and configured to monitor the state of each proximity sensor 4 at given intervals. This interval is so short that by monitoring at such intervals, it is not possible to remove or add drug packages from or into any compartment 21 of the drawers 2 without the computer detecting changes in the state of the proximity sensor 4 caused by the addition or removal of drug packages. Typically, this interval is e.g. about 10 milliseconds. The storage data system installed in the computer is pro- grammed to monitor the state of each proximity sensor 4 at intervals of e.g. the above mentioned period of time. If, during the monitoring of the state, a proximity sensor 4 has not received reflected radiation in a compartment 21 of a drawer 2 where it has previously received radiation, or if the proximity sensor receives emitted radiation in a compartment 21 in which it has previ- ously not received radiation, the storage data system will conclude that a change has taken place in the stock. The type of the stock change, that is, the addition or removal of a drug package, is concluded e.g. on the basis of an entry made by the person logged in the storage data system of the storage of drug packages when logging in the storage data system; that is, if the person logging in has entered taking drugs from the storage for drug packages, the stock change detected by the proximity sensor 4 is recorded in the storage data system as a removal of a drug package from the storage for drug packages. If, on the other hand, the person logging in the storage data system has entered adding drug packages into the storage for drug pack- ages, the stock change is entered in the storage data system as an addition of drug packages into the storage for drug packages. The storage 1 for drug packages shown in Fig. 1 and the relating stock management system operate in the following way:

- For making a stock entry, the person making the stock entry has to log in the storage data system (i.e. give a personal ID and password, on the basis of which the storage data system stores the data about the person making the stock entry in connection with the stock entry).

- Next, the person making the stock entry indicates whether drug packages 3 are added to the storage 1 , to be stored, or whether they are removed, and identifies the drug packages 3 stored in this storage.

- After the data has been entered, the electronic lock 5 of the drawer 2 to which the stock change relates, will open.

- When a drug package 3 is removed from a compartment 21 of the drawer 2, or when a new drug package 3 is added into a previously empty compart- ment 21 , the state of the proximity sensor 4 in said compartment 21 will change; that is, the receiver of the proximity sensor 4 will either start to receive emitted radiation (the drug package 3 has been inserted in said compartment), or the reception of radiation will stop (the drug package 3 has been removed from said compartment 21 ). On the basis of this change, the storage data system will conclude that the intended removal or addition of the drug package 3 from/into the storage 1 has taken place, and will store the event together with the other data entered in connection with the addition or removal of the drug package 3, whereby the stock change entered in the storage data system and the stock change that has taken place in reality always remain identical. If the proximity sensor 4 does not detect a change in the state of any compartment of the drawer 2, the stock change will not be entered in the storage data system. If, on the other hand, the proximity sensor 4 detects a change in one or more compartments 21 of the drawer 2 in which the receiver of the proximity sensor 4 was previously in a radiation receiving state but the storage data system has not been logged in and a corresponding change data has not been entered, the storage data system will not enter the change but may, for example, give an alarm that drug packages 3 have been taken from the storage 1 without authorization.

- After the stock change has been made, the person acknowledges the stock change as completed, e.g. by applying a mouse connected to the computer to click a choice box corresponding to this change, or e.g. simply by pushing the opened drawer 2 to close it again, whereby a sensor may be placed e.g. on the outside of the rear wall of the drawer 2, or on the inside of the rear wall of the cabinet, and also monitored by the storage data system so that when the drawer 2 is closed after being opened, the storage data system will interpret the stock change to be completed when this sensor detects that the whole drawer 2 is completely pushed in again. After this, the storage data system will automatically control the electronic lock 5 of said drawer 2 to lock said drawer 2. Figure 3 shows another storage 1 1 for drug packages according to the invention. In this case, the storage for drug packages is a so-called pass- through cabinet. It comprises several slanted shelves 12 placed inside the cabinet enclosed by walls. In this storage 1 1 for drug packages, several doors 15 and 16 are provided in the front wall 13 and the rear wall 14, placed opposite to the slanted shelves 12 and equipped with electronic locks controlled by the storage data system, for either closing or opening the doors 15 by electronic control. Each storage location 17 inside such a pass-through cabinet 1 1 comprises an area at the door 15 in the front wall 13 of the pass- through cabinet 1 1 and at the door 16 in the rear wall. Thus, intermediate walls or other corresponding structures may be provided in areas between the doors 15 and 16 to prevent the removal or addition of drug packages 19 in the pass-through cabinet 1 1 via the doors 15 and 16 of said storage location 17 to adjacent storage locations 17 at adjacent doors. The slanted shelves 12 are tilted so that the edges of the slanted shelves 12 on the side of the front wall 13 are at a lower level than the edges of the slanted shelves 12 on the side of the rear wall 14. The tilting angle of the slanted shelves 12 is so large that the drug packages 19 placed on them always slide to that end of each slanted shelf 12 which is on the side of the lower edge. Thus, drug packages 19 which are inserted into the pass-through cabinet 1 1 via the doors on the rear wall 14 always slide against the front wall 13 or against other drug packages 19 that have already slid there earlier. If a drug package 19 placed on the shelves 12 is removed via the doors 15 on the side of the front wall 13, other drug packages behind that drug package 19 will slide the length of this drug package 19 by gravity along the surface of the slanted shelf 12 closer to the front edge of the slanted shelves 12. Thus, if there is at least one drug package 19 in any of the storage locations 17 on the slanted shelf 12 of the pass-through cabinet 1 1 , it is always abutting the front edge of the slanted shelf 12. Finger openings may be provided close to the front edge of the slanted shelves, to facilitate the picking up of the drug packages 19. A finger opening is an opening or a hole in the slanted shelf, sufficiently large for lifting up the drug package 3 closest to the front edge of the slanted shelf 12 from below so that the drug package can be lifted above and across the front edge of the slanted shelf 12. In this storage for drug packages, too, proximity sensors (not shown in Fig. 3) similar to those in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 are placed on the front and rear edges of the slanted shelves at each door 15, i.e. at the storage locations 17, for detecting a stock change in said storage location 17 on the basis of a change in the state of the proximity sensor in a way corresponding to that in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.

In this embodiment, the storage data system is configured to control the doors 15 in the front wall 13 when the stock change to be made refers to a removal of stored items 19 from any storage location 17 of the pass-through cabinet 1 1 , and doors 16 in the rear wall 14 when the stock change refers to an addition of new drug packages 19 to one or some storage locations 17.

When drug packages 19 are placed in the storage location 17 of the pass- through cabinet 1 1 , radiation emitted by the proximity sensor on the front edge of the slanted shelf 12 at this storage location is always reflected from that side of the first (lowest) package in the storage location 17, which is against the front edge of the slanted shelf 12. When drug packages 19 are removed from the slanted shelf 12, the drug package 19 that is abutting the front edge of the slanted shelf 12 is always removed; therefore, the proximity sensor at the front edge will detect this change, because at the moment when the drug package 19 is removed from the slanted shelf 12, the distance to the next upper drug package 19 is momentarily so large that the receiver of the proximity sensor does not receive radiation emitted from the next upper drug package 19. On the basis of this change, the storage data system monitoring the proximity sensor concludes that a stock change has taken place. After the first drug package 19 has been picked up from said storage location 17, the next, upper drug packages 19 of this storage location 17 can slide against the front edge of the slanted shelf 12. Thus, the receiver of the proximity sensor at the front edge starts to receive radiation again, now from the side of the first drug package 19 placed in said storage location 17 of the slanted shelf and abutting the front edge.

The receiver of the proximity sensor at the rear edge of the slanted shelves 12 does not receive emitted radiation continuously except when the storage location 17 of said slanted shelf is full. On the basis of this, in this embodi- ment, the storage data system receives information that said storage location 17 is full and no more drug packages 19 can be added into it. When there is room in the storage location 17, the proximity sensor at this storage location 17 at the rear edge of the slanted shelf 17 does not receive reflected radiation, because there is no suitable surface sufficiently close to it, from which the radiation would be reflected. However, at the moment when a new drug package 19 is added into said storage location 17, one side of the drug package will come so close to the proximity sensor at the rear edge of the slanted shelf 12 that the proximity sensor will receive reflected radiation at least momentarily (or for a longer time if the addition of the drug package causes that said storage location will become full). On the basis of this change in the state of the proximity sensor, the storage data system will conclude that a stock change has taken place in this storage location 17.

Because removing drug packages 19 from the pass-through cabinet 1 1 always causes a change in said storage location 17 at the front edge of the slanted shelves 12, and because an addition of drug packages always causes a change in said storage location 17 at the rear edge of the slanted shelves 12, in the case of the pass-through cabinet 1 1 , the proximity sensors also provide information whether the stock change is an addition or a reduc- tion of drug packages.

For example, the drug packages 3 and 19 to be stored in the storage 1 according to Fig. 1 for drug packages, equipped with drawers, may also be ampoules 23 instead of drug packages. Thus, the apparatus of Fig. 1 com- prises special trays 20 equipped with compartments 22 for ampoules 23 and placed inside the drawers 2 of the storage 1 for drug packages. Changes in the stock of ampoules 23 stored in these compartments 22 are also monitored by means of proximity sensors 24 operating in the way presented in the preceding embodiments. The trays 20 may be fastened to the drawers 2, or the trays 20 may be loose in the drawers 2, for example so that several trays 20 may be placed tightly next to and/or after each other in the drawer 2 so that they remain immovable inside the drawer 2 although they are not fastened to the drawer 2. Thus, the drawers 2 do not need compartments 21 for storing drug packages, although it is possible that one and the same drawer 2 might comprise both trays 20 and compartments 21 , if both drug packages 3 and ampoules 23 are to be stored in the same drawer 2.

Figure 4 shows an example of a tray 20 used for storing ampoules. This tray 20 may be placed in a drawer 2 to be locked and opened by an electronic lock, and connected to the storage data system. Each compartment 22 of the tray 20 is provided with a proximity sensor 24 whose receiver receives reflected radiation when an ampoule 23 is placed in the compartment 22, and when the compartment 22 is empty, the proximity sensor 24 does not receive radiation. Because the storage data system is connected to the tray 20, it receives information about the insertion of an ampoule 23 in a compartment 22 of the tray 20 when the proximity sensor 24 starts to receive reflected radiation, and information about the removal of an ampoule 23 from a given compartment 22 when the proximity sensor 24 stops receiving reflected radiation. In this way, changes in the stock of ampoules 23 stored in drawers 2 of a storage for drug packages according to Fig. 1 can be managed as pre- sented in the preceding embodiments.

Figures 4 and 5 show the structure and the principle of operation of the tray 20 in more detail. Each compartment 22 of the tray 20 is provided with a metal strip 25 bent away from the proximity sensor 24 (towards the compart- ment). Thus, the proximity sensor 24 does not receive reflected radiation, because the colour of the material of the tray 20 (and the compartments 22 therein) is dark or black, whereby radiation emitted by the proximity sensor 24 is not reflected from the surfaces of the compartments 22 to a sufficient extent in order that the proximity sensor 24 could be in a state to receive reflected radiation. When an ampoule 23 is inserted in the compartment 22, the metal strip 25 bends to a position transverse to the proximity sensor 24. Now, the proximity sensor 24 starts to receive radiation reflected from the metal strip 25, and thus the storage data system connected to the tray 20 receives information that an ampoule 23 has been inserted in said compartment 22. Correspondingly, when the ampoule 23 is removed from the com- partment, the metal strip 25 bends in the reverse direction, whereby the radiation emitted by the proximity sensor 24 is not incident on it, and thereby the storage data system detects that the ampoule 23 has been removed from said compartment 22. The metal strip 25 is typically of a colour that reflects radiation well, whereas the ampoules are often made of glass and may reflect poorly the radiation emitted by the proximity sensor. Thus, the metal strip 25 constitutes a transmitting member in the compartment 22 to make sure that the proximity sensor 24 is capable of detecting the ampoule 23 irrespective of how the surface of the ampoule 23 reflects radiation emitted by the proximity sensor 24.

The method according to the invention can be implemented, in many respects, in a way different from the example embodiments presented above. Instead of drawers or slanted shelves, the storage locations in the storage for drug packages to be managed by the method may be, for example, horizon- tal shelves or racks. In the case of horizontal shelves, e.g. only one drug package may be placed on each shelf or part of it, but also several packages in case several proximity sensors are placed in connection with the shelf so that at least one proximity sensor is provided for each drug package. Ampoules can also be placed on horizontal shelves, inserted in trays of the above described type. In this case, the trays may be quite loose on the shelves so that they can be freely moved or even lifted off the shelves, or the trays may be fastened to guide tracks on the shelves or in another way so that they can be pulled off the shelves, to make the removal and addition of ampoules on the tray as easy as possible. In the case of horizontal shelves, the storage of drug packages containing the apparatus may comprise, in the same way as the pass-through cabinet of Fig. 3, doors to be opened and closed by electric locks at each storage location, but in this case it will be sufficient to have doors on the front side of the storage of drug packages only. Moreover, the number of proximity sensors used for detecting a stock change is not limited to one for each drug package or ampoule, but e.g. in storage locations intended for several drug packages, several proximity sen- sors may be provided, for example so that two or more proximity sensors are provided for each drug package. Consequently, the invention is not limited to the above presented example embodiments but it may vary within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims:

1 . A method for controlling the storage of drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules, in which method the drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules are stored in a stor- age (1 ; 1 1 ) comprising storage locations (2; 17) for storing drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23), and a storage data system for controlling the drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23) in the storage, characterized in that the storage data system detects a stock change taking place in a storage location (2; 17) by a proximity sensor (4, 24) connected to the storage data sys- tern and equipped with a transmitter emitting radiation towards the drug package (3; 19) or ampoule (23) in the storage location (2; 17) and receiving radiation reflected from the drug package (3; 19) or ampoule (23) by a receiver in the proximity sensor (4; 24), and that the storage data system enters the stock change in the storage data system if the quantity of radiation received by the proximity sensor changes at least temporarily so that the state of the proximity sensor (4, 24) is changed from a state in which it does not receive reflected radiation to a state in which it receives reflected radiation, or from a state in which it receives reflected radiation to a state in which it does not receive reflected radiation.

2. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that when new drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23) are placed in the storage (1 ; 1 1 ) for drug packages, their data and number are entered in the storage data system.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when new drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23) are placed in a given storage location (2; 17), the storage data system detects the change in the storage location (2; 17) by a proximity sensor (4) and thereby concludes that an addition of drug packages (3; 19) and ampoules (23) has taken place.

4. The method according to any of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that upon removing drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23) from the storage (1 ; 1 1 ) for drug packages, or upon placing new drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules in the storage (1 ; 1 1 ) for drug packages, those drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23) are selected from the storage data system, which are to be removed from the storage (1 ; 1 1 ), whereby the storage data system opens the electronic lock preventing the opening of the door (2; 17) of said storage location (2; 17) or the drawer in question.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that upon removing drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23) from the selected storage location (2; 17), the storage data system detects the change in the storage location (2; 17) by means of a proximity sensor (4; 24) and thereby concludes that the removal of drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23) has taken place.

6. The method according to any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the method, at least two proximity sensors (4) placed on different sides of the drug packages (3) or ampoules (23) are used for detecting the stock change.

7. The method according to any of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a pass-through cabinet (1 1 ) is used as the storage (1 1 ) for drug packages (19), and that the location of the proximity sensors in the storage location (17) is used to conclude whether drug packages (19) have been added to or removed from the storage (1 1 ) for drug packages.

8. The method according to any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the proximity sensor (24) is used to detect stock changes of ampoules (23) stored in a tray (20) in a storage location (2) in the storage (1 ) for drug packages.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the ampoules (23) are inserted in compartments (22) in the tray (20), and that a transmitting member (25) is placed between the compartments (22) and the proximity sensors (24), moving from a position not reflecting radiation transmitted by the proximity sensor (24) to the proximity sensor (24), to a reflecting position, when the ampoule (23) is inserted in the compartment, and from a position reflecting radiation to the proximity sensor (24) to a position not reflecting radiation to the proximity sensor (24), when the ampoule (23) is removed from the compartment (22).

10. A system for controlling the storing of drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23), the system comprising a storage data system for con- trolling the storing of drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules in storage locations (2; 17) of a storage (1 ; 1 1 ), characterized in that the system comprises at least one proximity sensor (4; 24) connected to the storage data system and installable to monitor storage locations (2; 17) in the storage (1 ; 1 1 ) for drug packages, comprising a transmitter configurable to emit radiation towards a drug package (3; 19) or ampoule (23) in the storage location (2; 17) and to receive radiation reflected from the drug package (3; 19) or ampoule by means of a receiver in the proximity sensor (4; 24), and that the storage data system is configured to enter a stock change in the storage data system, if the quantity of radiation received by the proximity sensor (4; 24) changes so that the state of the proximity sensor (4) changes at least temporarily from a state in which it does not receive reflected radiation to a state in which it receives reflected radiation, or at least temporarily from a state in which it receives radiation to a state in which it does not receive radiation.

1 1 . A storage (1 ; 1 1 ) for drug packages, characterized in that it comprises a system according to claim 10.

12. The storage (1 ; 1 1 ) for drug packages according to claim 1 1 , characterized in that the storage locations (2; 17) of the storage (1 ; 1 1 ) for drug packages comprise at least one compartment (21 ; 22) equipped with at least one proximity sensor (4; 24) connected to a data storage system.

13. The storage for drug packages according to claim 1 1 or 12, characterized in that the drug packages (3; 19) or ampoules (23) are configured to be placed in a cabinet or a rack of shelves (1 ; 1 1 ) enclosed by walls and having a lid, door or drawers (2) equipped with an electronic lock.

14. The storage according to any of the claims 1 1 to 13 for storing drug packages (19), characterized in that the storage (1 1 ) for drug packages is a so-called pass-through cabinet (1 1 ) in which the drug packages (19) are received from the side of a first wall (13) of the cabinet and supplied from the side of a second wall (14) of the cabinet.

15. The storage for drug packages according to claim 14, characterized in that the pass-through cabinet (1 1 ) comprises at least one slanted shelf (12) whose rear edge is on a higher level than the front edge, and that at least one proximity sensor is placed at the rear edge of the slanted shelf (12) and at least one proximity sensor is placed at the front edge of the slanted shelf (12).