REMOTE MEDICATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20140114472A1
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: INRange Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: INRange Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Bossi, Christopher E., Stokes, Adam J., Stancliff, Timothy J.
• Application Number:
  US14/075,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114472A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/240
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• 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 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An integrated medication management and compliance system for enabling a care provider to remotely manage and deliver individual doses of medications to a patient, in a non-sequential fashion. The system includes delivery apparatus remotely located from the care provider, wherein the apparatus stores a plurality of sealed unit dose packages that are delivered to a patient at a scheduled dosing time. The delivery apparatus is coupled to a control facility and to a computer terminal of the care provider by way of a secure communications network. The system enables the patient'"'"'s medication regimen to be remotely tailored in real-time to accommodate fluid medical conditions.

Claims

1-55. -55. (canceled)

56. A method for controlling operation of a medication delivery unit capable of storing at least one medication carrier, the method comprising:

determining expiration information for at least one medication stored in the at least one medication carrier;

determining that the at least one medication is no longer usable based on the expiration information; and

inhibiting, by the medication delivery unit, delivery of the at least one medication based on the determination that the at least one medication is no longer usable.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein inhibiting delivery further comprises dispensing the at least one medication within the medication delivery unit such that the at least one medication is not dispensed to a patient.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein inhibiting delivery further comprises dispensing the at least one medication in response to a specific authorization provided to the medication delivery unit.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein inhibiting delivery further comprises refusing to dispense the at least one medication.

60. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

providing an indication that the at least one medication is no longer usable.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising providing the indication that the at least one medication is no longer usable to a user of the medication delivery unit.

62. The method of claim 60, further comprising providing the indication that the at least one medication is no longer usable to a remote controller.

63. The method of claim 56, wherein determining the expiration information further comprises receiving, by the medication delivery unit from a remote controller, the expiration information.

64. The method of claim 56, wherein determining the expiration information further comprises determining, by the medication delivery unit, the expiration information from at least one identifying indicia on the at least one medication carrier.

65-76. -76. (canceled)