Remote Medication Management System
AssigneeINRange Systems, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Bossi, Adam Stokes, Timothy Stancliff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated medication management and compliance system for enabling a care provider to remotely manage and deliver individual doses of medications to a patient, in a non-sequential fashion. The system includes delivery apparatus remotely located from the care provider, wherein the apparatus stores a plurality of sealed unit dose packages that are delivered to a patient at a scheduled dosing time. The delivery apparatus is coupled to a control facility and to a computer terminal of the care provider by way of a secure communications network. The system enables the patient's medication regimen to be remotely tailored in real-time to accommodate fluid medical conditions.
Claims76
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a medication delivery unit, an input medication carrier comprising a plurality of unit dose packages in a two-dimensional arrangement and storing at least one medication, each unit dose package of the plurality of unit dose packages comprising a unit dose of one of the at least one medication, the input medication carrier further comprising at least one identifying indicator capable of being read by the medication delivery unit;
- determining information regarding the at least one medication stored in the input medication carrier based on the at least one identifying indicator;
- and
- providing, by the medication delivery unit, the information regarding the at least one medication to a remote controller.
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a medication delivery unit, an input medication carrier comprising a plurality of unit dose packages in a two-dimensional arrangement and storing at least one medication, each unit dose package of the plurality of unit dose packages comprising a unit dose of one of the at least one medication, the input medication carrier further comprising at least one identifying indicator capable of being read by the medication delivery unit;
- determining information regarding the at least one medication stored in the input medication carrier based on the at least one identifying indicator;
- and
- determining information regarding the input medication carrier based on the at least one identifying indicator.
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a medication delivery unit, an input medication carrier comprising a plurality of unit dose packages in a two-dimensional arrangement and identifying indicia uniquely associated with each one of the plurality of unit dose packages;
- determining, by the medication delivery unit, information regarding each medication in each of the plurality of unit dose packages based on the identifying indicia;
- and
- providing, by the medication delivery unit, the information regarding each medication to a remote controller.
A method in a medication delivery unit comprising:
- receiving, by the medication delivery unit from a remote controller, authorized medication carrier information for the medication delivery unit;
- receiving an input medication carrier comprising one or more sealed unit dose packages in a two-dimensional arrangement and storing at least one medication, each unit dose package comprising a unit dose of one of the at least one medication, the input medication carrier further comprising at least one identifying indicator capable of being read by the medication delivery unit;
- determining whether the input medication carrier is authorized for the medication delivery unit based on whether the at least one identifying indicator compares favorably with the authorized medication carrier information;
- and
- when the input medication carrier is not authorized for the medication delivery unit, refusing to store the input medication carrier in the medication delivery unit.
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a medication delivery unit, an input medication carrier comprising at least one identifying indicia;
- determining that the medication delivery unit is unable to read any one of the at least one identifying indicia;
- and
- refusing to store the input medication carrier in the medication delivery unit.
A method comprising:
- attempting to dispense, by a medication delivery unit, a unit dose package at a unit dose location in a medication carrier,
- testing, by the medication delivery unit subsequent to attempting to dispense the unit dose package, the unit dose location within the medication carrier to determine a condition corresponding to the unit dose location in the medication carrier;
- and
- sending, by the medication delivery unit, an indication to the remote controller that the unit dose package has not been successfully dispensed.
A method comprising:
- attempting to dispense, by a medication delivery unit, a unit dose package at a unit dose location in a medication carrier,
- testing, by the medication delivery unit subsequent to attempting to dispense the unit dose package, the unit dose location within the medication carrier to determine a condition corresponding to the unit dose location in the medication carrier;
- and
- providing, by the medication delivery unit, an indication to a user of the medication delivery unit that the unit dose package has not been successfully dispensed.
A method comprising:
- applying, by a medication delivery unit, a mechanically actuated device to a unit dose location within a medication carrier to determine whether the mechanically actuated device is actuated;
- and
- providing, by the medication delivery unit, a status indication corresponding to the unit dose location in the medication carrier based on whether the mechanically actuated device is actuated.
A method comprising:
- positioning, by a medication delivery unit, a magnetic sensor proximate to a unit dose location within a medication carrier to determine a magnetic field is detected proximate the unit dose location in the medication carrier;
- and
- providing, by the medication delivery unit, a status indication corresponding to the unit dose location in the medication carrier based on whether the magnetic field is detected.
A method comprising:
- obtaining, by a medication delivery unit, an image of a unit dose location within a medication carrier;
- analyzing, by the medication delivery unit, the image to determine whether either of a unit dose package and a unit dose is present at the unit dose location in the medication carrier;
- and
- providing, by the medication delivery unit, a status indication corresponding to the unit dose location in the medication carrier based on whether the magnetic field is detected.
A medication delivery unit capable of storing at least one medication carrier, each medication carrier comprising at least one unit dose location, the medication delivery unit comprising:
- a mechanically actuated device configured to brought into contact with a unit dose location of the at least one unit dose location and operative to determine a condition corresponding to the unit dose location in the medication carrier;
- and
- a notification component, coupled to the mechanically actuated device, operative to provide a status notification corresponding to the unit dose location in the medication carrier based on the condition.
A medication delivery unit capable of storing at least one medication carrier, each medication carrier comprising at least one unit dose location, the medication delivery unit comprising:
- a magnetic sensor at least in proximity to a unit dose location of the at least one unit dose location and operative to determine a condition corresponding to the unit dose location in the medication carrier;
- and
- a notification component, coupled to the magnetic sensor, operative to provide a status notification corresponding to the unit dose location in the medication carrier based on the condition.
A method for delivery of at least one medication via a medication delivery unit, the method comprising:
- determining the need to execute a delivery process to deliver the at least one medication to a user of the medication delivery unit;
- and
- prior to executing the delivery process, determining whether at least one stored medication in the medication delivery unit is consistent with a dosing regimen and that the at least one stored medication comprises sufficient quantity of the at least one medication to execute the delivery process.
A method for ensuring an adequate supply of at least one medication stored in a medication delivery unit, the method comprising:
- determining an inventory of the at least one medication stored in the medication delivery unit;
- determining whether the inventory of the at least one medication is adequate to fulfill a dosing regimen of the medication delivery unit beyond expiration of a time interval;
- and
- when the inventory of the at least one medication is inadequate inventory to fulfill the dosing regimen of the medication delivery unit beyond expiration of the time interval, providing an indication of the inadequate inventory.
In a processing device comprising a graphical user interface, a method for providing packaging instructions for a medication, the method comprising:
- receiving an identification of the medication;
- and
- displaying, via the graphical user interface, at least one image of a medication carrier to be used for packaging the medication.
A medium capable of being read by at least one processing device and having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:
- receive an identification of the medication;
- and
- display, via a graphical user interface, at least one image of a medication carrier to be used for packaging the medication.
In a medication delivery unit capable of storing one or more medication carriers, a method for controlling operation of the medication delivery unit, the method comprising:
- determining existence of an adverse power condition in the medication delivery unit;
- and
- automatically unloading at least some of the medications carriers in response to the adverse power condition.
A method for controlling operation of a medication delivery unit capable of storing at least one medication carrier, the method comprising:
- determining expiration information for at least one medication stored in the at least one medication carrier;
- determining that the at least one medication is no longer usable based on the expiration information;
- and
- inhibiting, by the medication delivery unit, delivery of the at least one medication based on the determination that the at least one medication is no longer usable.
A method for scheduling delivery of at least one medication via a medication delivery unit, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a remote controller from a remote unit, a modification to a dosing regimen for the medication delivery unit;
- determining, by the remote controller, that the modification conflicts with a prior dosing event at the medication delivery unit;
- and
- when the modification conflicts with the prior dosing event, refusing, by the remote controller, the modification to the dosing regimen for the medication delivery unit.
A method for controlling operation of a medication delivery unit capable of storing at least one medication carrier, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the medication delivery unit, a request to dispense at least one medication from the at least one medication carrier, the request conflicting with a dosing regimen for the medication delivery unit;
- and
- dispensing, by the medication delivery unit, the at least one medication from the at least one medication carrier without regard to the dosing regimen.
A medication delivery unit comprising:
- a housing, having an opening, configured to receive at least one medication carrier comprising a plurality of unit dose packages in a two-dimensional arrangement and storing at least one medication, each unit dose package of the plurality of unit dose packages comprising a unit dose of one of the at least one medication;
- a user interface, supported by the housing, operable to receive a request from a user of the medication delivery unit to dispense at least one medication from the at least one medication carrier;
- and
- a controller, in communication with the user interface, dispensing the at least one medication from the at least one medication carrier in response to the request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.