Prescription medication notification system

• US H1,782 H
• Filed: 01/04/1996
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Edward Wicks, Michael S. Lang
• Original Assignee: James Edward Wicks, Michael S. Lang
• Inventors: Wicks, James Edward, Lang, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US85/829,34
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 34028607, 34030915, 34082506, 34082544, 368004, 368013, 379037, 4550381
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0463 for multiple patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis

Abstract

A medication notification system uses a wireless paging receiver to alert a patient concerning the time or times a specific medication is to be taken. The pharmacy filling the original prescription provides the relevant information as to kind of medication, dosage, and frequency to the paging dispatch center at the time the prescription is filled. This data is stored at the paging dispatch center and automatically transmitted to the paging receiver at the appropriate time. A two-way system is also provided in which, in addition to receiving the instructions relating to taking medication, the patient can transmit health-related information back to his or her health care provider.

Claims

1. A prescription medication notification system, comprising:

a wireless paging receiver/transmitter having a visual display for displaving a message corresponding to a received signal and having an alphanumeric keypad for use by a patient to input an alphanumeric message for transmission;

a transmitter for sending signals for reception and display by the wireless paging receiver/transmitter;

a paging dispatch center for providing information to the transmitter for subsequent transmission to the wireless paging receiver/transmitter and for receiving the alphanumeric message from the wireless raging receiver/transmitter; and

a data entry and transmission unit located at a pharmacy whereat the patient has a medication prescription filled for operation by a pharmacy employee to transmit prescription data to the paging dispatch center, wherein

the prescription data includes medication identification data, dosage, and specified future time of day data, so that upon the occurrence of the specified time of day the paging dispatch center automatically causes the transmitter to transmit the medication identification data and the dosage to the wireless paging receiver/transmitter for visual display to the patient.

2. The prescription medication notification system according to claim 1, wherein the paging dispatch center includes data storage means for storing the prescription data from the data entry and transmission unit at the pharmacy.

3. A method for notifying a person to take medication, comprising the steps of:

advising a pharmacist at a pharmacy of prescription medication to be taken by a patient;

transmitting prescription data, dosage, and medication timing data from the pharmacy by a pharmacy employee to a paging dispatch center;

storing the transmitted prescription data, dosage, and medication timing data at the paging dispatch center;

transmitting the stored prescription data and dosage in accordance with the stored medication timing data;

receiving the transmitted stored prescription data at a paging receiver/transmitter located at the same location as the patient;

displaying the received prescription data to the patient using a display on the paging receiver/transmitter; and

transmitting an alphanumeric message input by the patient from the paging receiver/transmitter to the paging dispatch center.

4. A medical notification system for a patient, comprising:

a wireless paging receiver/transmitter having a display for displaying received information and an alphanumeric keypad for operation by the patient for entering an alphanumeric message for transmission;

a transmitting and receiving antenna for transmitting information to the wireless paging receiver/transmitter and for receiving the alphanumeric message transmitted by the wireless paging receiver/transmitter;

a paging dispatch center for providing information for transmission by the antenna to the wireless paging receiver/transmitter and for receiving information from the antenna transmitted by the wireless paging receiver/transmitter;

a data entry and data storage means located at an office of the patient'"'"'s physician and connected to the paging dispatch center for entering prescription medication data including medication identification data, dosage, and specified time of day data for storing in the paging dispatch center, so that upon the occurrence of the specified time of dav the paging dispatch center causes transmission by the antenna of the medication identification data and the dosage to the wireless paging receiver/transmitter for display to the patient, wherein

the alphanumeric message entered by the patient using the alphanumeric keypad is transmitted by the wireless paging receiver/transmitter to the paging dispatch center and the paging dispatch center transmits the alphanumeric message entered by the patient to the office of the physician for storage in the data storage means located thereat.