System and method for managing patient care through automated messaging

A system for detecting delivery of medications, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a medication dispenser comprising:
• a plurality of drawers configured to securely store a corresponding plurality of medications;
• a workstation configured to accept input from a user;
• and
• a control unit,
• wherein the medication dispenser is configured to automatically communicate when a medication is loaded into the medication dispenser and is ready for dispensing, the control unit causing the medication dispenser to:
• unlock one or more of the plurality of drawers to allow authorized users to have access to the medications;
• and
• automatically generate event signals for medication supply events occurring at the medication dispenser that match user-selected events types stored in a memory;
• provide a user interface for display via the workstation and configured to receive user input to configure the medication dispenser to generate the event signals;
• receive, via the user interface, a user input of user-selected message criteria, the user-selected message criteria including an identification of a user device associated with the user, an identification of a new medication, and a user-selected event type for configuring the medication dispenser to generate an event signal for automatically communicating a message to the user device when the new medication is loaded into the medication dispenser, and a user-selected condition that the message be sent to the user device if it is a medication for a patient under care of the user;
• store the user-selected message criteria including the user-selected event type in the memory;
• configure, responsive to receiving the user input, the medication dispenser to generate the event signal for automatically communicating the message to the user device when the new medication is loaded into the medication dispenser and the new medication is for a patient under care of the user;
• determine, based on the medication dispenser being configured to generate the event signal, that the new medication has been physically loaded into the medication dispenser and that the loading of the new medication to the medication dispenser satisfies the user-selected event type and that the new medication is prescribed to the patient under the care of the user according to the user-selected condition;
• and
• in response to determining the new medication was physically loaded into the medication dispenser and that the user-selected event type is satisfied and the new medication is prescribed to the patient under the care of the user:
• generate the event signal to indicate the new medication was delivered when the medication is physically delivered to the medication dispenser and is prescribed to the patient under the care of the user according to the user-selected condition;
• and
• cause, based on the generated event signal, the one or more processors send the message to the user device associated with the user, the message indicating that the new medication has been delivered to the medication dispenser and is a medication for the patient under care of the user.