| abstract |
A medical item dispensing and disposal system includes a dispensing portion configured for dispensing a first medical item and a disposal portion coupled with the dispensing portion. The disposal portion comprises a scanner, a plurality of waste containers, and a disposal control system. The scanner is configured for scanning an identifier associated with a second medical item to be disposed within the disposal portion. Each of the plurality of waste containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories. The disposal control system is configured to: allow access to one of the plurality of waste containers based on a waste category, of the plurality of waste categories, being associated with and common to both the scanned identifier and the one waste container; and prevent access to others of the plurality of waste containers to ensure proper disposal of the second medical item within the system. |