Medication regimen communicator apparatus and method

• US 20040088132A1
• Filed: 11/04/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lindsay Holt Schvaneveldt
• Original Assignee: Lindsay Holt Schvaneveldt
• Inventors: Schvaneveldt, Lindsay Holt
• Granted Patent: US 7,773,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/00 Accommodation for nursing, e.g. in hospitals, not covered by groups A61G1/00 - A61G11/00, e.g. trolleys for transport of medicaments or food service or tea-tables, trolleys or wagons A47B31/00; Prescription lists
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/70 with special adaptations, e.g. for safety or comfort
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A “medication communicator” chart is used as a teaching tool to educate patients and to schedule events corresponding to a prescribed medication regimen. The “medication communicator” chart includes a scheduling graph having the shape of a 12-hour or 24-hour analog clock. The scheduling graph is divided into regions corresponding to each hour of a day for scheduling event information. Fields, on the “medication communicator” chart, are receptive to labels communicating information corresponding to numerous medications in the medication regimen. Timing indicators may be applied to the regions of the scheduling graph to indicate consumption or application times of each of the medications.

Claims

1. An apparatus for communicating a prescribed medication regimen to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

a scheduling graph characterized by a shape of at least one of a 12-hour analog clock and a 24-hour analog clock, the scheduling graph being divided into regions corresponding to hours of a day;

a first field having a first area sufficient to communicate first medication information corresponding to a first medication in the prescribed medication regimen;

a second field having a second area sufficient to communicate second medication information corresponding to a second medication in the prescribed medication regimen; and

a first timing indicator disposed to be applied to a region of the scheduling graph, and communicating a first consumption time of the first medication.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second timing indicator disposed to be applied to a region of the scheduling graph, and communicating a second consumption time of the second medication.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first medication is distinguished from the second medication due to a difference in a property selected from the group consisting of a color, a pattern, a symbol, a word, and a texture.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a third field having an area sufficient to communicate patient information.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a fourth field having an area sufficient to communicate a first frequency for consuming the first medication.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second medication information is printed on first and second medication information labels, respectively, in order to be adhered to the first and second fields, respectively.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first and second timing indicators are embodied as first and second timing indicator labels, respectively, in order to be adhered to regions of the scheduling graph.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a calendar to assist the patient in following the medication regimen.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the scheduling graph is characterized by two separate 12-hour analog clocks to represent A.M and P.M, respectively.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising A.M. and P.M. icons to identify the A.M. scheduling graph and the P.M. scheduling graph, respectively.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising at least one of record-keeping labels, pins, magnets, magnetic labels, and a marker, to record times of consumption of the first and second medications.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first medication is distinguished from the second medication due to a difference in a property selected from the group consisting of a color, a pattern, a symbol, a word and a texture.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third field having an area sufficient to communicate patient information.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third field having an area sufficient to communicate a first frequency for consuming the first medication.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second medication information is printed on first and second medication information labels, respectively, in order to be adhered to the first and second fields, respectively.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a calendar to assist the patient in following the medication regimen.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scheduling graph is characterized by two separate 12-hour analog clocks to represent A.M and P.M, respectively.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising A.M. and P.M. icons to identify the A.M. scheduling graph and the P.M. scheduling graph, respectively.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of record-keeping labels, pins, magnets, magnetic labels, and a marker, to record times of consumption of the first and second medications.

20. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second timing indicators are embodied as first and second timing indicator labels, respectively, in order to be adhered to regions of the scheduling graph.

21. A method for communicating a prescribed medication regimen to a patient, the method comprising:

providing a scheduling graph characterized by a shape of at least one of a 12-hour analog clock and a 24-hour analog clock, the scheduling graph being divided into regions corresponding to each hour of a day;

communicating first medication information corresponding to a first medication in the prescribed medication regimen;

communicating second medication information corresponding to a second medication in the prescribed medication regimen; and

indicating on a region of the scheduling graph, a first consumption time of the first medication.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising indicating on a region of the scheduling graph, a second consumption time of the second medication.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising distinguishing the first medication from the second medication due to a difference in a property selected from the group consisting of a color, a pattern, a symbol, a word and a texture.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising communicating, to the patient, a first frequency for consuming the first medication.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising printing the first and second medication information on first and second medication information labels, respectively.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising providing a calendar to assist the patient in following the medication regimen.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the scheduling graph is characterized by two separate 12-hour analog clocks to represent A.M and P.M, respectively.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising recording times of consumption of the first and second medications using at least one of labels, pins, magnets, magnetic labels, and a marker.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein indicating the first and second consumption times further comprises providing first and second timing indicator labels, respectively, to be adhered to regions of the scheduling graph.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising distinguishing the first medication from the second medication due to a difference in a property selected from the group consisting of a color, a pattern, a symbol, and a texture.

31. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising communicating, to the patient, a first frequency for consuming the first medication.

32. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising printing the first and second medication information on first and second medication information labels, respectively.

33. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising providing a calendar to assist the patient in following the medication regimen.

34. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the scheduling graph is characterized by two separate 12-hour analog clocks to represent A.M and P.M, respectively.

35. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising recording times of consumption of the first and second medications using at least one of labels, pins, magnets, magnetic labels, and a marker.

36. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein indicating the first and second consumption times further comprises providing first and second timing indicator labels, respectively, to be adhered to regions of the scheduling graph.

37. A method for communicating a prescribed medication regimen to a patient, the method comprising:

providing a scheduling graph characterized by a shape of at least one of a 12-hour analog clock and a 24-hour analog clock, the scheduling graph being divided into regions corresponding to each hour of a day;

selecting a class from the group consisting of a color, a pattern, a symbol, and a texture.

assigning to a first medication a first characteristic within the selected class;

assigning to a second medication a second characteristic, distinct from the first characteristic, within the selected class;

indicating on a region of the scheduling graph, a first consumption time of the first medication.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising indicating on a region of the scheduling graph, a second consumption time of the second medication.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising indicating a first frequency for consuming the first medication.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising printing the first and second medication information on first and second medication information labels, respectively.

41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein indicating the first and second consumption times further comprises providing first and second timing indicator labels, respectively, to be adhered to regions of the scheduling graph.