Personalized healthcare management system

• US 8,234,127 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bilcare Limited
• Original Assignee: Bilcare Limited
• Inventors: Naik, Praful Ramachandra, Bhandari, Mohan Harakchand
• Primary Examiner(s): MORGAN, ROBERT W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fuelling, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/528,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

Personalized healthcare management system. The personalized integrated healthcare anti-counterfeit management system provides pack authentication, user (5) feedback and compliance, documentation of the dosage uptake by the users (5), maintenance of user (5) related data and displaying compliance and feedback information, and liaising with healthcare agencies, users'"'"' nominated persons and/or medical practitioners (6). It further provides real-time and authentic data in raw and analysed form to diverse agencies in the healthcare chain. Moreover, a method for delivering pharmacovigilance related information in clinical trials is disclosed. Authentication of diverse healthcare agencies in the healthcare value chain such as medical practitioners (6), users (5), pharmacists (7), pharmaceutical companies (9), and clinical researchers is taken care of.

Claims

1. A method of providing an integrated healthcare management system relating to a patient which is interactive between a first healthcare agency and at least one other party, said other party being selected from the patient and at least one other healthcare agency, the method comprising:

i. registering a defined healthcare regime for the patient in a remote system;

ii. providing to the patient a patient medication system comprising;

a. a package comprising a product for dispensing and information relating to the identity of the package;

b. an associated device with which the package is engagable so as to be readable by the associated device, the associated device being communicably linked to the remote system and registrable with the remote system;

iii. the patient medication system being communicably linked to the remote system through the associated device;

iv. recording information relating to the identity of the package in the associated device or remote system whereby upon engagement of the package and the associated device, the recorded information is comparable with the information of the package to determine whether or not the information of the engaged package corresponds with the recorded information;

v. recording information relating to the identity of the package in the patient medication system or remote system and whereby upon dispensing of the product said recorded information is comparable with the information of the package to determine whether or not the information of said package corresponds with said recorded information;

vi. providing a unique identifier for the associated device and recording the identifier with the healthcare regime of the patient in the remote system to register the associated device;

vii. registering the patient with the associated device in the remote system;

viii. engaging the package of the patient medication system into the associated device;

ix. comparing the recorded information which relates to the identity of the package and which is stored in the associated device or remote system with the information of the package engaged with the associated device to determine whether or not the information of the engaged package corresponds with said recorded information;

x. provided the information of the package corresponds to the stored information relating to the identity of the package, registering the package with the associated device in the remote system;

whereby information is provided to the remote system linking the package and associated device with the healthcare regime of the patient so as to enable authentication and registration of the medication package identity;

xi. providing to the at least one healthcare agency a communication port communicably linked to the remote system;

xii. periodically providing information relating to the identity of the patient and/or the status of the package from the patient medication system to the remote system;

xiii. comparing the information periodically transmitted to the remote system with the healthcare regime recorded for the patient in the remote system to ascertain whether the information corresponds with the recorded healthcare regime;

xiv. providing information from the remote system to the at least one healthcare agency indicating that a periodic transmission of information has been received by the remote system;

whereby the first healthcare agency and at least one other party are able to transmit and/or receive via the remote system information relating directly or indirectly to the healthcare regime of the patient.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the patient medication system comprises a package system comprising:

a dispensing system with an optional product outlet provision;

an embedded system comprising a data logging and storing device;

a power source;

a non-accessible compartment for said operating system;

a separate non-accessible product containment;

an authentication element

a sensing means that activates or deactivates upon dispensing of the product from the package;

the power source being connected with said operating system;

wherein said operating system is configured with the sensing means and is housed in-the said non-accessible compartment wherein said non-accessible compartment is operably connected with said separate non-accessible containment;

wherein said package is authenticated by the remote system; and

said sensing means senses the product dispensed, said operating system records and transmits or communicates real time product dispense data to the remote device, rendering the package un-authentic in case of compromise or tampering.

3. The method of claim 2 further wherein the data logging and storing device comprises a data processor.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the authentication element comprises an encoded chip, a pattern, a random pattern, a marker or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said operating system is configured with the authentication element.

6. A method according to claim 1 further including detecting compliance of the patient with the healthcare regime, the healthcare regime requiring administration of medication at a predetermined time, the method comprising:

i) periodically checking that the patient medication system is communicably linked to the remote system;

ii) where the patient medication system has not been communicably linked to the remote system after a predetermined time to validate adherence to the healthcare regime, generating and transmitting a message to the patient to link the patient medication system to the remote system;

iii) where the patient medication system is not communicably linked to the remote system after a pre-set delay from the time of transmission of the message in step ii), generating and transmitting a message to at least one of the medical practitioner of the patient or a nominated individual indicating non-compliance of the patient with the healthcare regime; and

iv) where the patient medication system is communicably linked to the remote system, recording information in the remote system relating to the time of the link and the identity and status of the package and providing access to said information to the medical practitioner;

wherein the healthcare regime is stored in the remote device by inputting the healthcare regime in the patient medication system and communicating the healthcare regime from the patient medication system to the remote system and storing the regime in the remote system.

7. A method according to claim 1 for further including generating a prescription identifier for a patient to whom a medical prescription has been issued by a health care agency, comprising:

i) generation of a prescription identifier, on presentation of the prescription the identifier comprising the healthcare regime and information relating to the patient

ii) communicating the prescription identifier to the remote system via a communication port;

wherein the prescription identifier is retrievable by a pharmacist from the remote system upon presentation of the prescription identifier and may be used to make up the medication of the package of the patient.

8. A method according to claim 1 for further comprising monitoring compliance of the patient with the healthcare regime comprising:

i) providing information relating to the date, time and medication taken by the patient to the remote system by communicably linking the patient medication system to the remote system; and

ii) communicating information relating to the date, time and status of the medication in the package to the remote system and comparing that information with the healthcare regime to determine compliance by the patient with the healthcare regime.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing information from the remote system to the patient medication system to indicate whether the status of the patient medication system and/or identity of the patient corresponds with the information relating to the healthcare regime and/or the identity of patient.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering other data relating directly or indirectly to the healthcare regime.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the product comprises medication.

12. A method of providing an integrated healthcare management system for conducting a clinical trial which is interactive between at least one patient in the clinical trial and a party carrying out a clinical trial the system comprising:

i) registering a defined healthcare regime for the patient in a remote system;

ii) providing to the patient a patient medication system comprising;

a. a package comprising a product for dispensing and, information relating to the identity of the package; and

b. an associated device with which the package is engagable so as to be readable by the associated device, the patient medication system being communicably linked to the remote system through the associated device;

iii) recording information relating to the identity of the package in the associated device or remote system whereby upon engagement of the package and the associated device, the recorded information is comparable with the information of the package to determine whether or not the information of the engaged package corresponds with the recorded information;

iv) recording information relating to the identity of the package in the patient medication system or remote system and whereby upon dispensing of the product said recorded information is comparable with the information of the package to determine whether or not the information of said package corresponds with said recorded information;

v. providing a unique identifier for the associated device and recording the identifier with the healthcare regime of the patient in the remote system to register the associated device;

vi. registering the patient with the associated device in the remote system;

vii. engaging the package of the patient medication system into the associated device;

viii. comparing the recorded information which relates to the identity of the package and which is stored in the associated device or remote system with the information of the package engaged with the associated device to determine whether or not the information of the engaged package corresponds with said recorded information;

ix. provided the information of the package corresponds to the stored information relating to the identity of the package, registering the package with the associated device in the remote system;

x. whereby information is provided to the remote system linking the package and associated device with the healthcare regime of the patient so as to enable authentication and registration of the medication package identity;

xi. providing to the party carrying out the clinical trial a communication port communicably linked to the remote system;

xii) periodically providing information relating to the identity of the patient and/or the status of the package from the patient medication system to the remote system;

xiii) comparing the information periodically transmitted to the remote system with the healthcare regime recorded for the patient in the remote system to ascertain whether the information corresponds with the recorded healthcare regime;

xiv) providing information from the remote system to the party carrying out the clinical trial indicating that a periodic transmission of information has been received by the remote system;

whereby the party carrying out the clinical trial may determine whether the patient has complied with the healthcare regime.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing information from the remote system to the patient medication system to indicate whether the status of the patient medication system and/or identity of the patient corresponds with the information relating to the healthcare regime and/or the identity of patient.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising registering other data relating directly or indirectly to the healthcare regime.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the product comprises medication.