Prescription compliance monitoring system

• US 8,290,792 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: VivoNex, LLC
• Inventors: Sekura, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilligan, Luke
• Application Number:
  US13/090,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 600/300
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method for monitoring patient compliance to medical therapy that includes repeatedly measuring therapy compliance of a patient, uploading the therapy compliance measurements to a personal computer, connecting a central server using the personal computer, sending the uploaded therapy compliance measurements from the personal computer to the central server, providing a number of predetermined compliance threshold amounts, comparing the sent therapy compliance measurements with the number of predetermined compliance thresholds corresponding to the patient, determining a need and level of intervention based on the result of the comparing and reporting the determined need for intervention to a health professional corresponding to the patient and determined level.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring patient compliance to medical therapy using a device having a central processing unit and a server having a central processing unit, comprising:

receiving therapy compliance measurements of a patient repeatedly measured by obtaining a voluntary compliance response from the patient using the device;

selecting, using the server, a number of individualized compliance threshold amounts for the patient, the individualized compliance threshold amounts being uniquely selected for the patient based on characteristics of the medical therapy;

comparing, using the server, the received therapy compliance measurements with the number of individualized compliance thresholds corresponding to the patient;

identifying, using the server, instances where patient compliance fails to meet the individualized compliance thresholds; and

reporting a failure to meet the individualized compliance thresholds to a care-giving party enabling action to be taken by that party.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the medical therapy includes at least one of:

reminders for exercise and physical therapy, reminders to record vital sign data, reminders to record symptom severity for a medical condition, reminders for medical appointments, and reminders to record results for patient use tests.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the actions taken by that party include providing rewards.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the actions taken by that party include implementing patient cost increases.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a capacity to record voluntary responses and a capacity to transfer corresponding data to the server are both resident in the device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the medical therapy includes a recordation of medical information regarding the patient.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the medical therapy includes performance of an anaerobic activity.

8. A method for monitoring patient compliance to medical therapy using a device having a central processing unit and a server having a central processing unit, comprising:

receiving therapy compliance measurements of a patient repeatedly measured by obtaining a voluntary compliance response from the patient using the device;

selecting, using the server, a number of individualized compliance threshold amounts for the patient, the individualized compliance threshold amounts being uniquely selected for the patient based on characteristics of the medical therapy;

comparing, using the server, the received therapy compliance measurements with the number of individualized compliance thresholds corresponding to the patient;

identifying, using the server, instances where patient compliance meets the individualized compliance thresholds; and

reporting a success in meeting the individualized compliance thresholds to a care-giving party enabling action to be taken by that party.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the medical therapy includes at least one of:

reminders for exercise and physical therapy, reminders to record vital sign data, reminders to record symptom severity for a medical condition, reminders for medical appointments, and reminders to record results for patient use tests.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the actions taken by that party include providing rewards.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the actions taken by that party include implementing patient cost increases.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein a capacity to record voluntary responses and a capacity to transfer corresponding data to the server are both resident in the device.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the medical therapy includes a recordation of medical information regarding the patient.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the medical therapy includes performance of an anaerobic activity.

15. A server for monitoring patient compliance to medical therapy having a central processing unit, comprising:

a reception unit configured to receive therapy compliance measurements of a patient repeatedly measured by obtaining a voluntary compliance response from the patient using a device;

a selection unit implemented by the central processing unit and configured to select a number of individualized compliance threshold amounts for the patient, the individualized compliance threshold amounts being uniquely selected for the patient based on characteristics of the medical therapy;

a comparison unit configured to compare the received therapy compliance measurements with the number of individualized compliance thresholds corresponding to the patient;

an identification unit configured to identify instances where patient compliance fails to meet the individualized compliance thresholds; and

a reporting unit configured to report a failure to meet the individualized compliance thresholds to a care-giving party enabling action to be taken by that party.

16. The server according to claim 15, wherein the therapy compliance measurements are received via wireless connection.

17. The server according to claim 16 wherein the wireless connection is one of IR, Bluetooth, cellular and/or wireless local area network.

18. The server according to claim 15, wherein the therapy compliance measurements are received via wired connection.

19. The server according to claim 15, wherein the device is a NexDose device, a device containing compliance measurement software installed thereon, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, or a personal computer.

20. The server according to claim 19, wherein a capacity to record voluntary responses and a capacity to transfer corresponding data to the server are both resident in the device.

21. The server according to claim 15, wherein the therapy compliance measurements are integrated into a medical record or an insurance record.

22. The server according to claim 15, wherein a capacity to record voluntary responses and a capacity to transfer corresponding data to the server are both resident in the device.

23. A server for monitoring patient compliance to medical therapy having a central processing unit, comprising:

a reception unit configured to receive therapy compliance measurements of a patient repeatedly measured by obtaining a voluntary compliance response from the patient using a device;

a selection unit implemented by the central processing unit and configured to select a number of individualized compliance threshold amounts for the patient, the individualized compliance threshold amounts being uniquely selected for the patient based on characteristics of the medical therapy;

a comparison unit configured to compare the received therapy compliance measurements with the number of individualized compliance thresholds corresponding to the patient;

an identification unit configured to identify instances where patient compliance meets the individualized compliance thresholds; and

a reporting unit configured to report success in meeting the individualized compliance thresholds to a care-giving party enabling action to be taken by that party.

24. The server according to claim 23, wherein the therapy compliance measurements are received via wireless connection.

25. The server according to claim 24 wherein the wireless connection is one of IR, Bluetooth, cellular and/or wireless local area network.

26. The server according to claim 23, wherein the therapy compliance measurements are received via wired connection.

27. The server according to claim 23, wherein the device is a NexDose device, a device containing compliance measurement software installed thereon, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, or a personal computer.

28. The server according to claim 27, wherein a capacity to record voluntary responses and a capacity to transfer corresponding data to the server are both resident in the device.

29. The server according to claim 23, wherein the therapy compliance measurements are integrated into a medical record or an insurance record.

30. The server according to claim 23, wherein a capacity to record voluntary responses and a capacity to transfer corresponding data to the server are both resident in the device.