Unified ingestion package and process for patient compliance with prescribed medication regimen

• US 20050267356A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anand Subra, Narayanan Ramasubramanian
• Original Assignee: Anand Subra, Narayanan Ramasubramanian
• Inventors: Ramasubramanian, Narayanan, Subra, Anand
• Granted Patent: US 7,712,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/411
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

Techniques for reducing non-compliance of medication use are described. The techniques involve generating and storing an identifier for a specific dosage instance of a specific patient, and creating a package that includes a mechanism for conveying the identifier. Once the package is created, a set of one or more medications that are prescribed to be taken by the specific patient at the specific dosage instance are placed in the package. The set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened. Once opened, the identifier is perceived and communicated back to an automated compliance system.

Claims

1. A method for reducing non-compliance of medication use, the method comprising:

generating and storing an identifier for a specific dosage instance of a specific patient;

creating a package that includes a mechanism for conveying the identifier;

placing in the package a set of one or more medications that are prescribed to be taken by the specific patient at said specific dosage instance; and

sealing the set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the specific dosage instance is one of a plurality of dosage instances in which the specific patient is prescribed to take medications;

the method includes generating an identifier for each dosage instance of the plurality of dosage instances; and

the identifier generated for each dosage instance of the plurality of dosage instances is unique relative to identifiers provided to the specific patient for any other dosage instance of the plurality of dosage instances.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

capturing identifiers associated with dosage instances of the specific patient, and

analyzing a set of captured identifiers to characterize a specific patient'"'"'s compliance behavior.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising predicting probable medical outcomes based on characterization of the specific patient'"'"'s compliance behavior.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the steps of generating, creating, placing and sealing are performed for each patient of a plurality of patients; and

the identifier generated for each specific dosage instance for each specific patient is unique relative to all other identifiers generated for other patients.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the steps of generating, creating, placing and sealing are performed for each patient of a plurality of patients;

the identifier generated for each specific dosage instance for each specific patient is not unique relative to all other identifiers generated for other patients; and

the identifier generated for each specific dosage instance for each specific patient is combined with another number associated with the specific patient to create a composite identifier that is unique relative to all other identifiers generated for other patients.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

the receiving an indication of the identifier through a communication; and

capturing the number associated with the specific patient from the communication.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the step of receiving an indication of the identifier through a communication includes receiving an indication of the identifier by a telephone communication; and

the step of capturing the number associated with the specific patient from the communication includes capturing caller identifier information associated with the telephone communication.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating a reminder to the specific patient, wherein the reminder is associated with the specific dosage instance; and

determining whether the specific patient has complied with taking the set of medications at the specific dosage instance based on whether the identifier is received in response to the reminder.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the step of communicating a reminder includes using an automated compliance system to send a text message to cell phone of the specific patient; and

the step of determining whether the specific patient has complied with taking the set of medications at the specific dosage instance is based on whether the automated compliance system receives a response, to the text message, that includes the identifier.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising an automated compliance system determining whether the specific patient has complied with taking the set of medications at the specific dosage instance based on whether the automated compliance system receives a communication that includes the identifier prior to a predetermined deadline.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising an automated compliance system determining whether the specific patient has complied with taking the set of medications at the specific dosage instance based on whether the automated compliance system receives a communication that includes the identifier within a predetermined window of time before and after the prescribed time of the specific dosage instance.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the mechanism is an RFID Tag, and

the step of sealing the set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened includes sealing the package in a manner that shields the RFID Tag.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of sealing the package in a manner that shields the RFID Tag includes covering the RFID Tag with a material that shields the RFID Tag.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the mechanism is printed material from which the identifier may be visually perceived, and

the step of sealing the set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened includes sealing the package in a manner that prevents the printed material from being visually perceived.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the identifier is printed on the printed material using human-readable symbols.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the identifier is printed on the printed material using a bar code.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the mechanism is a magnetic strip on a card material, and

the step of sealing the set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened includes sealing the package in a manner using a material that shields the magnetic strip.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the set of medications includes tablets and/or capsules, each representing a specific dosage of a specific medication.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the set of medications is comprised of multiple subsets of micro-spheres, granules or pellets, each subset comprised of a specific number or weight of micro-spheres, granules or pellets that are customized to represent a specific dosage of a specific medication for a specific patient, for a specific dosage ingestion time.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein:

each subset of micro-spheres, granules or pellets comprising a specific dosage of a specific medication, is treated with a time-release coating that delays the release, in the patient'"'"'s body, of the specific medication for a specific time after ingestion.

22. A package designed for use in a system for reducing non-compliance of medication use, the package comprising:

an enclosure for storing a set of one or more medications that are prescribed to be taken by a specific patient at a specific dosage instance;

a mechanism for conveying an identifier generated for the specific dosage instance of the specific patient; and

a sealing mechanism that seals the set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened.