Prescription drug compliance monitoring system

• US 20040133305A1
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratamed Labs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratamed Labs Incorporated
• Inventors: Jean-Pierre, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,295,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/231
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The drug compliance monitoring system provides a patient with a portable medication dispenser programmed with medication-taking data. The dispenser alerts the patient to take a dose of medication and gathers compliance data relating to the medication-taking data. The compliance data is accessible to a physician, or other caregivers, etc., via a network database.

Claims

1. A medication compliance device comprising:

a base station having a communication link and memory, the base station for receiving and storing medication-taking data and compliance data;

a portable cap assembly for association with a container of medication, the portable cap assembly comprising;

a communication link;

a memory;

an indicator;

a sensor; and

a controller for directing the communication link to receive and transmit and the memory to store the medication-taking data, for directing the indicator to activate according to the medication-taking data, for directing the sensor to gather and the memory to store the compliance data, and for directing the communication link to transmit the compliance data.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the medication-taking data further comprises a medication-taking regimen.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the portable cap assembly further comprises:

a transparent top with a child-proof lock mechanism.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the wireless communication is via infrared light emitting diode.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the base station transmits the compliance data to a remote location through a data network.

6. The device of claim 1 and further comprising:

a programming station for programming the portable cap assembly with the medication-taking data;

wherein the portable cap assembly further comprises;

a cap; and

a collar for attaching the cap to a container and interfacing with the programming station.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the collar further comprises:

a pivoting base for dispensing medication from the container.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the indicator is a visual indicator.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the indicator is an audible indicator.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the indicator is a tactile indicator.

11. A medication compliance device comprising:

a portable cap assembly for attaching to a container, the cap assembly having memory for storing medication-taking data and compliance data, wireless communication for transmitting the medication-taking data and compliance data, a first indicator for indicating when a user should take a dose of medication stored in the container, and a sensor for sensing that the user has taken the dose of medication; and

a programming station for programming the portable cap assembly with the medication-taking data; and

a base station having wireless communication for receiving the medication-taking data and the compliance data from the portable cap assembly, memory for storing the medication-taking data and the compliance data, and wired communication for transmitting the compliance data to a remote location.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the portable cap assembly further comprises:

a collar removably connected adjacent an opening of the container;

a cap removably attached to the collar; and

wherein the collar and container are disposable and the cap is reusable.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the portable cap assembly further comprises:

a pivoting base that moves relative to a stationary base of the collar for dispensing the medication from the container; and

wherein the sensor senses cap movement, which is stored as compliance data.

15. The device of claim 11 and further comprising:

a computer terminal electrically coupled to the programming station for programming the portable cap assembly with the medication-taking data.

16. The device of claim 11 wherein the base station further comprises:

a second indicator for indicating when the user should take the dose of medication; and

wherein the second indicator is activated when the cap is within a range for communication with the base station.

14. The device of claim 111 wherein the base station is programed with medication-taking data from a remote location.

17. A medication compliance system comprising:

a portable medication dispenser having an indicator for inducing compliance with medicaton-taking data, and a sensor for obtaining compliance data;

a base station in communication with the dispenser, the base station for transmitting the compliance data from the sensor;

a first computer in communication with the base station, the first computer for receiving the compliance data; and

a programming station in communication with a second computer, the programming station for interfacing with the dispenser to program the dispenser with the medication-taking data.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the base station and first computer communicate through a data network.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the data network is coupled to a data server for storing data for the system.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the second computer transmits the medication-taking data to the base station, which transmits the medication-taking data to the dispenser.

22. A medication compliance device comprising:

a collar for attaching adjacent an opening of a medication container, the collar having a first communication link and memory for storing medication-taking data and compliance data; and

a cap attached to the collar, the cap further comprising;

a first communication link;

an indicator for inducing compliance with the medication-taking data;

a sensor for sensing compliance with the medication-taking data;

a microcontroller for engaging communication with the collar through the communication link, activating the indicator according to the medication-taking data, and gathering the compliance data from the sensor.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the cap further comprises:

a second communication link for transmitting the medication-taking data and compliance data such that the data is accessible through a data network.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein the collar further comprises:

a second communication link for receiving the medication-taking data.

25. The device of claim 22 wherein the indicator is a visual indicator.

26. The device of claim 22 wherein the indicator is an audio indicator.

27. The device of claim 22 wherein the collar further comprises:

a stationary base adjacent the opening of the container;

a pivoting base coupled to the stationary base; and

wherein the pivoting base pivots relative to the stationary base to dispense the medication and the sensor senses movement of the pivoting base.

28. A method of inducing and tracking compliance with a medication-taking regimen, the method comprising:

receiving medication-taking data;

alerting a user to take a dose of medication;

gathering compliance data; and

transmitting the compliance data to a base station by wireless communication.

29. The method of claim 28 and further comprising:

transmitting the compliance data from the base station to a data network; and

accessing the compliance data from the network.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein medication-taking data is received and compliance data is gathered for a plurality of users.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein medication-taking data is received and compliance data is gathered for a plurality of medications.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein accessing the compliance data is carried out with proprietary software for programming a remote terminal, tracking the medication-taking data and compliance data, displaying the medication-taking data and compliance data, and generating custom reports.