METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR ASSISTING A PATIENT IN COMPLYING WITH A MEDICAL REGIME

• US 20090030730A1
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitaphone Gmbh
• Original Assignee: Vitaphone Nederland B.V.
• Inventors: Westerink, Annemieke, Doucet-Liem, Noor, Van Der Star, Erwin Christiaan, Van Oort, Andreas Bernardus Petrus, Dullemen, Marlies Van
• Granted Patent: US 8,757,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/06 Arrangements on packages concerning bar-codes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0472 the band being wound in flat spiral, folded in accordion or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/68 in which the articles are torn or severed from strips or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, system and dispensing device for assisting a patient in complying with a medical regimen. The system includes an electronic dispensing device to be used by the patient which comprises a device to obtain information about the regimen. A device registers operation of the dispensing device by the patient taking the medicines. A warning device reminds a patient of the regimen. A medicine packing station packs the medicine within a package in portions to be taken according to the regimen. A database stores information about the regimen. A service center is provided to assist when necessary. A communication network is provided for communication between the dispensing device and the service center and/or between the service center and the patient.

Claims

1. A method of assisting a patient in complying with a medical regimen, comprising:

supplying the patient with a dispensing device;

supplying the patient with a package comprising a plurality of portions of a medicine to be taken in the regime;

providing the dispensing device with information about the patient and his/her regimen;

reminding a patient when a portion of the medicine is to be taken,

warning a service center when the patient has not taken a portion of the medicine within a certain time frame;

contacting the patient by the service center.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein supplying the dispensing device with information about the patient and his/her regimen includes providing the package of the medicine with information about the patient and his/her regimen and providing the dispensing device with a reader to read the information on the package.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing device registers the compliance to the regimen through a communication network, wherein the patient is warned directly or indirectly through said communication network.

4. A system for assisting a patient in complying with a medical regimen, including an electronic dispensing device to be used by the patient which comprises a device to obtain information about the regimen, a device to register operation of the dispensing device by the patient taking the medicines, and a warning device to remind a patient of the regimen, a medicine packing station for packing the medicine within a package in portions to be taken according to the regimen, a database with information about the regimen, a service center, and a communication network for communicating between the dispensing device and the service center and/or between the service center and the patient.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the dispensing device is provided with a telephone module and wherein the communication network is a wireless telecommunication network, which particularly also includes at least one of a medical doctor, a pharmacy and the database, and wherein the dispensing device is connectable to a measuring device and is configured to interpret and show or transfer to the service center data from the measuring device.

6. A dispensing device for storing and dispensing medicines which are packed in a package in portions to be taken at a specific time according to a medical regimen, the package comprising a strip containing a plurality of containers, the device including a housing, a holding element within the housing to take up the strip of containers, an assisting device to at least assist in separating one or more containers from the strips adjacent an outlet opening of the housing, and a reading member to read information about the regimen on the strip of containers, wherein the holding element is mounted to a part of the housing which includes a portion adjacent the outlet opening, the strip of medicine containers, the holding element and the housing part being exchangeable as a unit.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the holding element is a spindle on which the strip of containers are prewound, the spindle having a drive to wind and/or unwind the strip of containers.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the drive for the spindle is a gripping part, such as finger grips, connected to the spindle to manually rotate the spindle.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the housing part of the holding element is a bottom of the housing, or protrudes through a bottom of the housing.

10. The device according to claim 6, wherein the assisting device is a clamping member adjacent an outlet opening for the containers in order to clamp the strip of containers adjacent a position where one or more containers are to be separated.

11. The device according to claim 6, wherein housing part of the holding element and a remaining part of the housing are movable with respect to each other in the operable position, the clamping member being coupled to one of said parts of the housing and cooperating with the other part of the housing to clamp the strip of containers.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the clamping member is attached to an upper part of the housing and cooperates with a bottom of the housing which is united with the holding element.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the upper part of the housing is pivotable with respect to the bottom, and wherein the bottom includes a support member supporting the upper housing part in a pivotal manner.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the holding element is a spindle and the support member for the upper housing part also supports the spindle, the bottom of the housing being adapted to click into the upper housing part through a push button on one end of the spindle.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein the reading member is activated by an element that is coupled to the clamping member.

16. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device includes a positioning member, in particular a flattening member, such as a elastically loaded rubber flap, to position the strip with respect to the device adjacent the reading member.