Patent Publication Number: US-2012040319-A1

Title: Systems and methods for medication compliance

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for medication compliance. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for medication compliance that allow a user to keep medications in their original containers, remind users when to take what medication, and keep track of a user&#39;s medication supply and compliance. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The number one reason why a patient is re-admitted to a hospital within thirty days of his or her release is that he or she is not following his or her medication regime properly. There are a number reasons why patients do not follow a prescribed medication regime. For example, some patients choose to ignore a prescribed medication regime. 
     However, some patients want to follow a prescribed medication regime, but find it hard to do so. For example, some patients are prescribed many medications and find it difficult to keep track of what to take when and with what. Therefore, systems and methods are needed for medication compliance. 
     Medication compliance systems are known in the art. However, known medication compliance systems have not been able to truly guarantee medication compliance because there are many ways in which a user can bypass or “fool” the system. 
     Some known medication compliance systems are merely systems that provide reminders to a user to take his or her medications. For example, programs or applications can be downloaded to a smart phone or other personal digital assistant, to remind a user to take his or her medications according to a predetermined schedule. The reminder systems do not truly guarantee compliance. 
     Furthermore, known medication compliance systems have presented various disadvantages to users of those systems. For example, many known medication compliance systems require a user to transfer his or her medications from their original container to a separate physical box. Often the new container is too big, not big enough, not portable, or expensive. Furthermore, it can be dangerous when transferring medications from a prescription bottle to another container. 
     Systems and methods for medication compliance are important in the market. However, known systems and methods have been ineffective and/or too expensive, cumbersome, or complex. 
     There is thus a continuing, ongoing need for improved systems and methods for medication compliance. Preferably, such systems and methods for medication compliance allow a user to keep medications in their original containers, remind users when to take what medication, and keep track of a user&#39;s medication supply and compliance. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of a method of medication compliance in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a system for carrying out the method of  FIG. 1  in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an installed system for medication compliance in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a system for medication compliance in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a back perspective view of a system for medication compliance in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an interactive window displayed on a viewing screen of a graphical user interface for greeting a user in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an interactive window displayed on a viewing screen of a graphical user interface for instructing a user to select a medication in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is an interactive viewing window displayed on a viewing screen of a graphical user interface for confirming a selected medication bottle and for instructing a user to ingest a predetermined quantity of a medication in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a second interactive window displayed on a viewing screen of a graphical user interface for instructing a user to select a medication in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is an interactive window displayed on a viewing screen of a graphical user interface for rejecting a selected medication and for instructing a user to select a different medication bottle; and 
         FIG. 11  is an interactive window displayed on a viewing screen of graphical user interface for advising a user of medication compliance in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While this invention is susceptible of an embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention. It is not intended to limit the invention to the specific illustrated embodiments. 
     Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for medication compliance that allow a user to keep medications in their original containers, remind users when to take what medication, and keep track of a user&#39;s medication supply and compliance. Systems and methods in accordance with the present invention can be incorporated into a personal computer, patient hub, smart phone, personal digital assistant or the like. 
     In embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods can register the type and amount of medications a user is taking. When registering the medication, a user can input the medication&#39;s name, routing information, and dosage schedule. The user can also input timing information for when systems in accordance with the present invention should exit a power-saving sleep state and issue a reminder to the user. 
     In accordance with the present invention, when the system exits a sleep state and wakes up, a user can be told what medication to take, and the system can verity that that user has selected the correct medication bottle. The user can hold a particular medication bottle in front of an associated camera so the camera can read the label of the bottle. For example, the camera can capture a picture of the label and read the label or associated bar code using, for example, OCR. Based on information registered by the user, the selected medication bottle can be either confirmed or rejected. 
     When a medication bottle is rejected, a user can be instructed to put down the rejected bottle and select the correct bottle. When a medication bottle is confirmed, a user can be instructed about what amount of the medication to take so compliance can be tracked. 
       FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of an exemplary method  100  of medication compliance in accordance with the present invention. In the method  100 , it can be determined whether there are medications to register as in  110 . If there are medications to register, then a registration process can commence for a particular medication. 
     For example, the medication&#39;s name, routing information, and dosage schedule can be input as in  120 . Timing information for when the system should exit a sleep state and issue reminders can also be entered as in  130 . After the registration process for a particular medication is complete, the method  100  can again determine whether there are medications to register as in  110 . 
     When it is determined that there aren&#39;t any (or any more) medications to register as in  110 , then it can be determined whether it is time to take any medication that has not yet been taken as in  140 . If it is determined that there are no medications to take, then the system continues monitoring whether there are medications to take as in  140 . 
     However, when it is determined that there are medications to take that have not yet been taken, the system can exit a power-saving sleep state and wake up as in  150 . Timing information entered as in  130  can be used to determine when the system wakes up as in  150 . 
     A user can be instructed what medication to select as in  160 . To verify that the correct medication has been selected, a user can hold a medication bottle in front of an associate camera, and the label of the medication bottle can be read as in  170 . Reading the bottle can include scanning an associated barcode and/or taking a picture of the bottle and using OCR to identify the bottle. 
     Once the bottle is read, it can be determined whether the medication bottle is the correct bottle for the instructions issued as in  160 . If the medication bottle is incorrect, then the user can be instructed to put down the rejected bottle as in  190  and select the correct bottle as in  160 . 
     If the selected medication bottle is correct, then the user can be instructed what amount of the medication to take as in  200 . The user can also be provided with any additional or special instructions associated with the selected medication as in  210 . For example, the user can be instructed to take the medication with water or food, or to eat food within a certain period of time. 
     Compliance can be tracked as in  220 , and then the system can continue monitoring whether there are more medications to take as in  140 . 
     The method shown in  FIG. 1  and others in accordance with the present invention can be implemented with a programmable processor and associated control circuitry. As seen in  FIG. 2 , control circuitry  10  can include a programmable processor  12  and software  14 , stored on a local computer readable medium, as would be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     An associated user interface  16  can be in communication with the processor  12  and associated circuitry  10 . A viewing screen  18  of the user interface  16 , as would be known by those of skill in the art, can display interactive and viewing windows. In embodiments of the present invention, the user interface can be a multi-dimensional graphical user interface. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an installed system for medication compliance in accordance with the present invention. As seen in  FIG. 3 , the control circuitry  10  can be associated with a viewing screen  18 , a data collection device  15 , for example, a camera, and a data input device  19 , for example, a keyboard. A user may input information to the control circuitry  10  and associated programmable processor  12  of the system during a medication registration process and/or while selecting and taking medication by any or all of the viewing screen  18 , the camera  15 , or the keyboard  19 . 
     The camera  15  can receive input by capturing pictures of an object within the viewing range of the camera  15 . For example, as explained above, the camera  15  can capture a picture of a medication bottle held in front of the camera. The camera can also capture a picture of a user making a gesture or symbol, or performing an action. 
     The data input device  19  can receive input by obtaining information from a user as would be known by those of skill in the art for the particular data input device employed. For example, if the data input device  19  includes a keyboard, a user can enter keystrokes. 
     The viewing screen  18  can receive input via a graphical user interface. In embodiments of the present invention, the viewing screen  18  can be interactive. For example, the viewing screen  18  can be associated with touch screen technology as known in the art, and a user can select or deselect various icons or other representations for inputting information. 
     The viewing screen  18  can also provide information to the user. For example, the viewing screen  18  can display instructions to the user for what medication to take and the dosage amount for that medication. In some embodiments, instructions displayed to the user via the viewing screen  18  can also be orally conveyed to the user via an associated speaker or audio terminal. 
       FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a system for medication compliance in accordance with the present invention, and  FIG. 5  is a back perspective view of a system for medication compliance in accordance with the present invention. As seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a system  50  in accordance with the present invention can include a terminal housing  52 , a camera  54 , and a viewing screen  56 . In some embodiments of the present invention, the camera  54  can be detachable from the terminal housing  52 . In some embodiments, the terminal housing  52  can also include USB ports  58  for connecting to the Internet or other devices as would be known by those of skill in the art. 
     The interactive and viewing windows shown and described herein are exemplary only. Those of skill in the art will understand that the features of the windows shown and described herein may be displayed by additional or alternate windows. 
       FIG. 6  is an interactive window displayed on a viewing screen  56  of a graphical user interface for greeting a user in accordance with the present invention. When a system in accordance with the present invention exits a sleep state, the viewing screen  56  can display a welcome or greeting message to the user. For example, the message can advise the user that it is time to take his or her medications and can instruct the user about what medications will be taken during the present session. 
     As seen in  FIG. 6 , the viewing screen  56  can employ touch screen technology known in the art and display a GO icon or “button”  60 . When the user is ready to proceed, he or she can select the icon  60  by touching the screen  56  on or near the location where the icon  60  is displayed. 
       FIG. 7  is an interactive window displayed on a viewing screen  56  of a graphical user interface for instructing a user to select a medication in accordance with the present invention. As seen in  FIG. 7 , the viewing screen  56  can display instructions to a user for selecting a particular medication bottle. 
       FIG. 8  is an interactive viewing window displayed on a viewing screen  56  of a graphical user interface for confirming a selected medication bottle and for instructing a user to ingest a predetermined quantity of a medication in accordance with the present invention. As seen in  FIG. 8 , a selected medication bottle  300  can be held in front of the camera  54  or other data collection device for capturing a picture of the bottle and/or reading the bottle or an associated barcode. If the bottle  300  is confirmed as being the correct medication bottle, then the viewing screen  56  can display a confirmation symbol  62  that the correct bottle was chosen. 
     Once it is confirmed that the correct medication bottle is chosen, the viewing screen  56  can display instructions to a user for ingesting a predetermined quantity of the medication. Information entered during the registration of the medication can be used to determine the dosage amount for the selected medication. 
       FIG. 9  is a second interactive window displayed on a viewing screen  56  of a graphical user interface for instructing a user to select a medication in accordance with the present invention. The viewing screen  56  can display instructions to a user for selecting a particular medication bottle. 
       FIG. 10  is an interactive window displayed on a viewing screen of a graphical user interface for rejecting a selected medication and for instructing a user to select a different medication bottle. As seen in  FIG. 10 , a selected medication bottle  300 ′ can be held in front of the camera  54  or other data collection device for capturing a picture of the bottle  300 ′ and/or reading the bottle  300 ′ or an associated barcode. 
     If the bottle is not the correct bottle in accordance with previous instructions provided to the user, then the viewing screen can display a rejection symbol  64  that the incorrect bottle was selected. If the incorrect bottle was selected, the viewing screen  56  can display instructions to put down the previously selected bottle and select the correct bottle. 
       FIG. 11  is an interactive window displayed on a viewing screen  56  of graphical user interface for advising a user of medication compliance in accordance with the present invention. As seen in  FIG. 11 , when all medications have been completely and correctly taken, a user can be advised that his or her medication session is complete. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific system or method illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the sprit and scope of the claims.