Medication Dispenser with Integrated Monitoring System

• US 20080119958A1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RxAdvance Corp.
• Original Assignee: SentiCare, Inc. (RxAdvance Corp.)
• Inventors: Jain, Yogendra, Bear, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/244
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for remote visualization of the storage compartments in a medication dispenser device, to monitor a patient'"'"'s compliance with a medication dosage schedule and for verifying the proper loading of medication into the patient'"'"'s medication dispenser device. The device may include a plurality of storage compartments, each having an interior space for storing at least one medication or medication reminder marker; an image capturing device (e.g., a camera) positionable to capture an image of the interior space of each storage compartment; and a communications module for electronically transmitting the captured image to a central monitoring station.

Claims

1. A device for the monitored storage and dispensing of medication comprising:

a plurality of storage compartments, wherein each storage compartment has an interior space for storing at least one medication or at least one medication reminder marker;

an image capturing device positionable to capture an image of the interior space of each of the plurality of storage compartments; and

a communications module for electronically transmitting the image captured by the image capturing device to a central monitoring station.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each storage compartment comprises a wall through which the image can be captured, for direct visualization of any medication or medication reminder marker within the interior space of the storage compartment.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of storage compartments is provided in an array corresponding to the days of the week and periods of time throughout the day.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the storage compartments are replaceably removable from the device.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the storage compartments are removable in two or more subunits of two or more storage compartments.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein each subunit comprises storage compartments corresponding to at least one day of the week.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device comprises a camera.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the camera comprises a digital still camera or a digital video camera.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications module for electronically transmitting at least a portion of the captured image comprises a network link for a telephone line, power line, wireless gateway, or cellular network.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the network link comprises an embedded or dongle circuitry for WiFi, zigbee, powerline, or bluetooth transmission circuity.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising an electronic communications component for communicating information to a user of the dispenser, from a user of the dispenser to the central monitoring station, or both to and from the user.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the information communicated to the user comprises battery power level or other operational status information about the device.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the information communicated to the user comprises information about the user'"'"'s compliance with his or her medication dosage schedule.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the information communicated from a user of the dispenser to the central monitoring station comprises personal identity information of the user of the dispenser.

15. A patient medication compliance monitoring system comprising:

at least one visually monitored medication dispenser assigned to an individual patient having a medication dosage schedule, wherein the medication dispenser comprises (i) a plurality of storage compartments, wherein each compartment has an interior space for storing at least one medication or medication reminder marker, (ii) an image capturing device positionable to capture at least one image of the interior space of each of the plurality of compartments, and (iii) a communications module for electronically transmitting the image captured by the image capturing device to a central monitoring station; and

a central monitoring station that is capable of receiving and viewing the image transmitted from the at least one medication dispenser.

16. The compliance monitoring system of claim 15, comprising a plurality of visually monitored medication dispensers, wherein each medication dispenser is assigned to a different individual patient having a medication dosage schedule.

17. The compliance monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the image capturing device comprises a camera, and the communications module for electronically transmitting the captured image comprises a network link for a telephone line, wireless gateway, or cellular network.

18. The compliance monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the medication dispenser further comprises an electronic communications component for communicating information to a user of the dispenser, from a user of the dispenser to the central monitoring station, or both to and from the user.

19. The compliance monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the medication dispenser is adapted to receive image capture instructions from the central monitoring station.

20. The compliance monitoring system of claim 15, which comprises the use of at least one computer.

21. A method of monitoring a patient'"'"'s compliance with the patient'"'"'s medication dosage schedule, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a central monitoring station an image of an interior space of at least one medication storage compartment within a medication dispenser device which is associated with the patient and remote from the monitoring station; and

determining from the image at the central monitoring station the presence or absence of at least one medication or medication reminder marker in said at least one medication storage compartment.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the received image is examined to determine whether the presence or absence of at least one medication matches that which is expected for the compartment according to the medication dosage schedule.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

alerting the patient or a caregiver for the patient if the image captured does not match what is expected for the compartment of the medication dispenser device.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

transmitting from the central monitoring station an instruction to the medication dispenser to capture an image of the interior space of the at least one medication storage compartment at one or more selected times or to adjust the frequency of random capture of an image of the interior space of the at least one medication storage compartment.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

transmitting to the medication dispenser information regarding the patient'"'"'s compliance with the medication dosage schedule.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the information transmitted to the medication dispenser device is visually displayed on and/or audibly broadcast from the medication dispenser device.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the information transmitted to the medication dispenser is visually displayed on or audibly broadcast from an auxiliary device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the auxiliary device is selected from a home computer, a land-line telephone, a mobile telephone, or a personal digital assistant device.

29. A central station for medication compliance monitoring, comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions; and

a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the memory is operable to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

receive at least one image from a visually monitored medication dispenser,

determine, based upon the received image, the presence or absence of at least one medication or medication marker, and

transmit compliance information to the medication dispenser based on the determination.

30. A method of verifying proper loading of medication in a medication dispenser comprising the steps of:

loading at least one medication or medication reminder marker into all or a subset of a plurality of medication storage compartments located in one or more containers for use in a medication dispenser device, according to a medication dosage schedule for a patient;

instructing the medication dispenser to capture an image of the interior space of at least one of the medication storage compartments and to electronically transmit the image to a central monitoring station; and

receiving information from the central monitoring station verifying whether the image corresponds to that which is expected for the medication storage compartment according to the medication dosage schedule.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the steps are performed by the patient.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the steps are performed by an automated dispenser, by remote operator guidance, or by a caregiver for the patient.