Medication dispensing system
First Claim
1. A medication dispensing system comprising:
- a central monitoring station; and
an on-site medication dispensing unit comprising;
a plurality of canisters for storing pills;
canister support means for supportably holding said canisters;
a main enclosure means for enclosing said canister support means, said main enclosure means having a movable access cover, and having a canister dispensing port, said access cover movable to an open position for manually placing said canisters into said canister support means, and movable to a closed lockable position for preventing manual access to said canisters;
a missed dose enclosure means for holding at least one of said canisters in a manually inaccessible manner, said missed dose enclosure means having a canister input port;
means for storing a dispensing schedule information;
means for generating a dispensing notification signal detectable by human senses based on said pill dispensing schedule;
a human interface means for receiving a manually entered dispense request signal;
means for selecting a first canister from among said containers within said canister support means and for dispensing said first canister through said canister dispense port based on receipt of said dispense request signal within a first predetermined time after generation of said dispensing notification signal;
means for detecting a failure to receive said dispense request signal within said first predetermined time after generation of said dispensing notification signal;
means for placing said first canister through said canister input port into said missed dose enclosure means based on said detecting a failure;
means for transmitting a first alarm call to a first caregiver receiver based on said detecting a failure;
means for receiving a first confirmation signal from said first caregiver;
means for contacting said central monitoring station based on a failure to receive said first confirmation signal.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medication dispensing system comprising an on-site medication dispensing unit and a central monitoring facility. The on-site medication dispensing unit holds medication in a plurality of canisters which it selects from according to an entered and stored prescription regimen and then notifies the patient by an audible or other sensory signal. If the patient presses a button within a prescribed time, the unit dispenses the selected canisters. If the patient does not press the button within the prescribed time, or if the unit detects a failure to dispense the selected canister, the unit makes the canister inaccessible and contacts a predetermined list of caregivers and then a central monitoring facility.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A medication dispensing system comprising:
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a central monitoring station; and an on-site medication dispensing unit comprising; a plurality of canisters for storing pills; canister support means for supportably holding said canisters; a main enclosure means for enclosing said canister support means, said main enclosure means having a movable access cover, and having a canister dispensing port, said access cover movable to an open position for manually placing said canisters into said canister support means, and movable to a closed lockable position for preventing manual access to said canisters; a missed dose enclosure means for holding at least one of said canisters in a manually inaccessible manner, said missed dose enclosure means having a canister input port; means for storing a dispensing schedule information; means for generating a dispensing notification signal detectable by human senses based on said pill dispensing schedule; a human interface means for receiving a manually entered dispense request signal; means for selecting a first canister from among said containers within said canister support means and for dispensing said first canister through said canister dispense port based on receipt of said dispense request signal within a first predetermined time after generation of said dispensing notification signal; means for detecting a failure to receive said dispense request signal within said first predetermined time after generation of said dispensing notification signal; means for placing said first canister through said canister input port into said missed dose enclosure means based on said detecting a failure; means for transmitting a first alarm call to a first caregiver receiver based on said detecting a failure; means for receiving a first confirmation signal from said first caregiver; means for contacting said central monitoring station based on a failure to receive said first confirmation signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A medication dispensing system comprising:
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a central monitoring station; and an on-site medication dispensing unit comprising; a plurality of canisters for storing pills; canister support means for supportably holding said canisters; a main enclosure means for enclosing said canister support means, said main enclosure means having a movable access cover, and having a canister dispensing port, said access cover movable to an open position for manually placing said canisters into said canister support means, and movable to a closed lockable position for preventing manual access to said canisters; means for storing a dispensing schedule information; means for generating a dispensing activation signal based on said pill dispensing schedule; a human interface means for receiving a manually entered dispense request signal; means for selecting a first canister from among said containers within said canister support means and for dispensing said first canister through said canister dispense port based on receipt of said dispense request signal within a first predetermined time window relative to said dispensing activation signal; means for detecting a failure to receive said dispense request signal within said predetermined time window; means for transmitting a first alarm call to a first caregiver receiver based on said detecting a failure; means for receiving a first confirmation signal from said first caregiver; means for contacting said central monitoring station based on a failure to receive said first confirmation signal.
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Specification