INTERACTIVE MEDICATION CONTAINER LABELING

• US 20090294521A1
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Southwest Technology Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Southwest Technology Innovations LLC
• Inventors: de la Huerga, Carlos
• Granted Patent: US 8,391,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1437 Locking means requiring key or combination to open the container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0445 for preventing drug dispensing during a predetermined time period
• 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: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

This invention relates to the dispensing, creation, and selecting of memory devices that are used with interactive medication containers, dispensers, reminders, or consoles that hold or otherwise organize one or more medication vials or containers. The memory device is attached or adhered to a medication container or vial and has information corresponding to medication and prescription information. The memory device can be prepared when a standard medication label is printed by a pharmacist and can be part of the standard printed label. In other instances the memory device is separate from the medication label. When separate, the memory device has a printed section that identifies the dosing schedule or medication name that corresponds to the reminder schedule the memory device is associated with. The pharmacist or the customer/patient can match the text printed on the memory device with the text of the medical container label to ensure the memory device is only attached to the correct medication container.

Claims

1. A method of labeling a medication container, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing medication in a container wherein the container includes a first label that includes a first indicator;

b. providing a second label having a second indicator and a memory device wherein the memory device provides information related to the medication in the container;

c. comparing the first indicator and the second indicator; and

d. attaching the second label to the container when the first indicator and the second indicator match.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second indicators are text representing at least a medication identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second indicators are text representing at least a dosing regimen identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

a. using a medication reminder system to obtain information from the memory device;

b. using the information obtained by the reminder system to establish a dosing schedule where the schedule is used to provide consumption alerts when the medication is to be consumed.

6. The method of claim 1 where in the step of providing the second label includes providing a second label that includes at least one of an electronic memory readable by contact, an electronic memory readable by a wireless reader, conductive contacts, and at least one bar code.

7. The method of claim 1 where the step of providing the medication in a container includes a pharmacist providing the medication and preparing the first label.

8. The method of claim 1 where the step of providing the second label includes the pharmacist preparing the second label.

10. The method of claim 1 where the step of providing the second label further includes a customer preparing the second label using personal preferences.

11. The method of claim 1 where the step of providing the second label includes a customer selecting the second label from a stock of prepared labels.

12. The method of claim 1 where the step of attaching the second label to the container includes attaching the second label so the first indicator remains visible.

13. The method of claim 1 where the step of attaching the second label includes attaching the second label so a reminder system can read the memory device and so normal operation of the container is preserved.

14. The method of claims 1 where the step of attaching the second label includes attaching the second label to the bottom of the container.

15. The method of claim 1 where the step of providing the second label includes providing a second label with a mechanical feature that operates with a medication reminder system.

16. The method of claim 10 where the step of providing the second label includes the step of reading a machine readable indicator on the container and using the machine readable indicator to obtain stored medication information from a database and using the stored medication information to prepare the second label.

5. The method of claim 5 further including the step of using the dosing schedule to provide alerts when a medication is being consumed prematurely before a next scheduled consumption alert.

9. The method of claim 9 where the step of providing the second label includes the pharmacist selecting the second label from a stock of prepared labels.

17. A method of labeling a medication container, the method comprising the steps of:

a. dispensing medication for a patient into a container;

b. preparing a label for the medication where the label includes both a releasable text portion with a first indicator and a releasable memory device with a second indicator and where the memory device provides information related to consuming the medication;

c. removing the text portion and attaching the text portion to the container; and

d. removing the memory device and attaching the memory device to the container.

21. The method of claim 17 where the steps of attaching the text portion and attaching the memory device to the container includes the step of ensuring the first and second indicators are visible.

22. The method of claim 17 where the step of attaching the memory device to the container includes positioning the memory device so that a reminder system can obtain information from the memory device related to the medication and use the obtained information to establish a dosing schedule to provide consumption alerts when the medication is to be consumed.

18. The method of claim 18 wherein, prior to the step of attaching the memory device to the container, the method further includes the steps of comparing the first and second indicators and determining that the first and second indicators match.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first and second indicators are text representing a medication identifier.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the first and second indicators are text representing a dosing regimen identifier.

23. A method of providing a medication container having a memory device, the method comprising the steps of:

a. entering first information about a medication including a first medication identifier and dosing information into a database for a patient;

b. selecting at least a subset of the first information;

c. using the selected information to prepare a memory device where the memory device includes the first medication identifier as a human readable portion and includes the dosing information as a machine readable portion; and

d. attaching the memory device to the container.

24. The method of claim 23 further including the steps of attaching the memory device to the container so that at least a portion of a previously applied label with a second medication identifier remains readable.

25. The method if claim 23 further including the step of providing prescription information for the medication and for the patient and storing the prescription information in a database and using the stored prescription information to limit the step of entering the dosing information.

26. The method of claim 24 further including the step of providing second medication information for the medication and storing the second medication information in a database and using the stored second medication information to assist in the entry of at least a portion of the first information about a medication.