System and method for automating and verifying medication compliance

• US 8,154,390 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantum Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Quantum Group Co.
• Inventors: Heath, Chester, Martinez, Pedro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US12/470,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20100298975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 340/309.16, 340/539.12, 340/573.1, 340/309.7, 368/10, 705/2
• US Class Current: 340/309.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• 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 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients

Abstract

A computer-based system for monitoring medication compliance. The system can include one or more processors configured to process and manage data. Additionally, the system can also include one or more medication packagings comprising a machine-readable medium. Notably, the machine-readable medium can comprise medication information among other types of information. The one or more processors can be configured to receive the medication information of the machine-readable medium. The machine-readable medium and corresponding medication information can be adjustable based on a dispensing of a medication from the one or more medication packagings.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for monitoring medication compliance, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a communications device associated with a patient by utilizing a processor;

via at least one of the processor and the communications device, instructing the patient to take at least one medication associated with a medication packaging having a machine-readable medium storing medication information that is adjustable based on a dispensing of the at least one medication from the medication packaging and to capture and store an image of the medication information; and

determining a condition of the medication packaging based on the medication information, wherein the medication information is retrieved from the image by utilizing the communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the processor and the communications device are configured to store, receive, and maintain at least one of medication information and information relating to the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition of the medication packaging indicates at least one of a dispensing of a medication of the at least one medication from the medication packaging, whether the at least one medication of the medication packaging has expired, and whether the medication packaging has been tampered with.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising performing at least one of acknowledging that the medication of the at least one medication was dispensed from the medication packaging, rewarding the patient, and terminating access to the communications device after the determining step.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the medication packaging is in an unused state based on the retrieving step, wherein the medication packaging is in an unused state if the machine-readable medium has not been adjusted.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the medication of the at least one medication has been dispensed from the medication packaging based on the retrieving step, wherein the medication of the at least one medication has been dispensed if a portion of the machine-readable medium corresponding to the at least one medication has been adjusted.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising instructing the patient again to take the at least one medication if it is determined that the at least one medication has not been dispensed.

8. A computer-based system for monitoring medication compliance, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured to process and manage data;

at least one communications device communicatively linked to the at least one processor; and

at least one medication packaging comprising a machine-readable medium,

wherein the machine-readable medium comprises medication information;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

receive the medication information of the machine-readable medium, wherein the machine-readable medium and corresponding medication information are adjustable based on a dispensing of a medication from the at least one medication packaging;

wherein the at least one communications device captures and stores an image of the adjustable machine-readable medium; and

wherein the at least one communications device retrieves the medication information from the image.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one communications device is configured to forward the medication information to the at least one processor.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one communications device comprises a reader configured to retrieve the medication information from the adjustable machine-readable medium.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the at least one processor and the at least one communications device is configured to determine if the at least one medication packaging is in an unused state, wherein the at least one medication packaging is in an unused state if the machine-readable medium has not been adjusted.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the at least one processor and the at least one communications device is configured to determine if the medication has been dispensed from the at least one medication packaging, wherein the medication has been dispensed if a portion of the machine-readable medium corresponding to the medication has been adjusted.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the at least one processor and the at least one communications device is configured to perform at least one of acknowledging that the medication was dispensed from the at least one medication packaging and providing a reward.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable medium is at least one of a barcode, optical disk, magnetic disk, card, tape, magnetic strip, radio frequency tag, and other machine-readable medium.

15. A medication packaging, the medication packaging comprising:

at least one object holder;

a thermal sensitive paper; and

a machine-readable medium operably coupled to the at least one object holder,

wherein the machine-readable medium is adjustable upon dispensing an object from the at least one object holder;

wherein the machine-readable medium comprises a barcode; and

wherein the thermal sensitive paper resides over an array of resistive strips residing adjacent to a portion of the barcode.

16. The medication packaging of claim 15, wherein the object is a medication.

17. The medication packaging of claim 16, wherein the medication is at least one of a pill and a liquid.

18. The medication packaging of claim 15, wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises at least one of an optical disk, magnetic disk, card, tape, magnetic strip, or radio frequency tag.

19. The medication packaging of claim 15, further comprising a power source operably coupled to the array of resistive strips and to the at least one object holder, wherein the at least one object holder comprises a conductive cover, an insulator, and a conductive foil.

20. The medication packaging of claim 19, wherein the conductive cover, upon being depressed, causes the conductive foil to tear and release the object from the at least one object holder.

21. The medication packaging of claim 20, wherein the conductive cover contacts the conductive foil thereby closing a circuit with the power source.

22. The medication packaging of claim 21, wherein the closed circuit causes at least one resistive strip of the array of resistive strips to heat and self-destruct, thereby causing the at least one resistive strip to alter the thermal sensitive paper to create a readable image on the thermal sensitive paper.

23. The medication packaging of claim 22, wherein the readable image can adjust the barcode and indicate which object has been dispensed, and wherein the barcode can be read by a device configured to retrieve information from the barcode.

24. The medication packaging of claim 21, wherein the contact is utilized to activate at least one of a radio frequency device, Bluetooth interface, and other remote connectivity means.

25. A storage medium having stored therein machine-readable instructions to, which, when loaded in and executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of:

accessing a communications device associated with a patient by utilizing a processor;

via at least one of the processor and the communications device, instructing the patient to take at least one medication associated with a medication packaging having a machine-readable medium storing medication information that is adjustable based on a dispensing of the at least one medication from the medication packaging and to capture and store an image of the medication information; and

determining if the medication was dispensed from the medication packaging based on the medication information, wherein the medication information is retrieved from the image by utilizing the communications device.

26. A computer-based method for medication compliance, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying to a patient a medication package including a machine readable indicator of medication dosage compliance, said indicator adjustable based on a dispensing of at least one medication from the medication packaging, and the adjusting of said indicator generating medication compliance information associated with the patient;

providing a communications device capable of accessing said medication compliance information;

obtaining said medication compliance information from the medication package with the communications device, wherein said obtaining comprises storing image data for said indicator retrieving the medication compliance information from the image data; and

sending the obtained medication compliance information to a processor for managing medication compliance information associated with the patient.

27. A medication compliance monitoring device, comprising:

a medication package comprising at least one compartment which is yieldable for medication removal;

a machine readable indicator including medication compliance information disposed on said medication package such that removal of a unit dose of medication from said compartment will cause a transformation of said machine readable indicator, wherein the medication compliance information associated with the patient becomes updated based on the transformation of said machine readable indicator;

a communications device configured for obtaining said medication compliance information from said medication package, wherein said obtaining comprises storing image data for said machine readable indicator retrieving the medication compliance information from the image data;

a processor configured for receiving the obtained medication compliance information from the communications device for managing medication compliance information associated with the patient.