PRESCRIPTION COMPLIANCE DEVICE AND METHOD OF USING DEVICE
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring patient compliance to medical therapy, comprising:
- repeatedly measuring therapy compliance of a patient and storing such information on a device;
uploading the therapy compliance measurements stored on the device to a computing unit;
evaluating patient compliance based on the received therapy compliance measurements;
identifying instances where patient compliance fails to meet predetermined compliance requirements; and
sending a notification, about one or more instances, to a party based on patient compliance whereby action can be taken by that party.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A prescription compliance device which aids patients in complying with instructions given by a physician for taking prescription medication. The device reminds a patient when the next dose of medication is to be taken and indicates whether a specified dose has been taken. The device includes a microcontroller, a display, a program memory for storing pre-programmed medication-taking regimens for single and multiple medications, a real time clock, a selector for selecting one of the regimens and for programming the device as to the time and day on which a first dose of medication is to be taken, a display which alternately displays the current time and a time at which a next dose of medication is to be taken and an alarm which alerts the patient at times when a dose of medication is to be taken. The selector includes an event switch which is activated by the patient after taking a dose of medication so as to record the taking of medication and to cause the microcontroller to effect the display of the next time at which a dose of medication is to be taken. A memory may also be included to record the times at which a patient takes doses of medication. The device also includes a remote programming feature via a wireless link.
33 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring patient compliance to medical therapy, comprising:
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repeatedly measuring therapy compliance of a patient and storing such information on a device; uploading the therapy compliance measurements stored on the device to a computing unit; evaluating patient compliance based on the received therapy compliance measurements; identifying instances where patient compliance fails to meet predetermined compliance requirements; and sending a notification, about one or more instances, to a party based on patient compliance whereby action can be taken by that party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A prescription compliance device comprising:
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microcontroller; a program memory storing data representing a plurality of pre-programmed commonly prescribed medication-taking regimens; a selector selecting one of said regimens and programming said device in accordance therewith; and a display, said selector including an event switch which is activated in conjunction with a patient taking a dose of a medication corresponding to a respective medication-taking regimen to record the taking of said medication, said event switch causing said microcontroller to effect the display of the time at which a next dose of medication is scheduled to be taken, in accordance with the regimen selected by said selector, wherein the microcontroller recalculates the time the next dose is to be taken based on a last time the dose of medication was taken in conjunction with a time change of the prescription compliance device to ensure a medically acceptable minimum time interval is maintained between doses of the medication.
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31. A prescription compliance device comprising:
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control means; program memory means for storing data representing a plurality of pre-programmed commonly prescribed medication-taking regimens; select means for selecting one of said regimens and programming said device in accordance therewith; and display means, said select means including an event switch which is activated in conjunction with a patient taking a dose of a medication corresponding to a respective medication-taking regimen for recording the taking of said medication, said event switch causing said control means to effect the display of the time at which a next dose of medication is scheduled to be taken, in accordance with the regimen selected by said select means, wherein the control means recalculates the time the next dose is to be taken based on a last time the dose of medication was taken in conjunction with a time change of the prescription compliance device to ensure a medically acceptable minimum time interval is maintained between doses of the medication.
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32. A method of operating a prescription compliance device, comprising the steps of:
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(a) switching said device to a setup state;
(b) programming the current time into said device;(c) selecting one of a plurality of pre-programmed commonly prescribed medication-taking regimens; (d) programming a time of day a first dose of medication is to be taken in accordance with the selected regimen; (e) switching said device from a setup state to an operation state; (f) indicating to said device that a dose of medication has been taken; and (g) recalculating the time the next dose is to be taken based on a last time the dose of medication was taken in conjunction with a time change of the prescription compliance device to ensure a medically acceptable minimum time interval is maintained between doses of the medication.
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Specification