Modular medication dispensing system and apparatus utilizing portable memory device

A medication dispensing device for use in conjunction with a modular medication dispensing system of the type also including a portable memory device for storing medication dispensing information and patient compliance information, a programmer for releasably receiving the memory device and for writing the medication dispensing information to the memory device, and a monitor for releasably receiving the memory device and for providing a display of medication dispensing information and patient compliance information stored by the memory device, the medication dispensing device including:

• container means having a plurality of individual compartments, each of which is adapted to be filled with medications to be taken by a patient at a prescribed time;
• memory receiving means for releasably receiving a portable memory device to which medication dispensing information, including prescribed times, has been written through use of the programmer;
• read means for reading the medication dispensing information from the memory device;
• control means coupled to the read means for providing control signals as a function of the medication dispensing information read from the memory device;
• access means coupled to the control means and responsive to the control signals for making each individual compartment and the medications therein accessible to the patient at the prescribed time;
• sensor means for sensing patient compliance information representative of whether the prescribed medications were accessed by the patient when made accessible by the access means;
• and
• write means coupled to the sensor means for writing the patient compliance information to the portable memory device so that the patient compliance information can be displayed by the monitor when the memory device is removed from the dispenser and received by the monitor.

A medication dispensing device for use in conjunction with a modular medication dispensing system of the type also including a portable memory device for storing medication dispensing information and a programmer for releasably receiving the memory device and for writing medication dispensing information to the memory device, the medication dispensing device including:

• portable container means having a plurality of individual compartments to be filled with medications for a patient in accordance with medication dispensing information, wherein each compartment is to contain medications which are to be taken at a prescribed time;
• and
• a control module cooperable with the container means and including:
• memory receiving means for releasably receiving the memory device to which medication dispensing information has been written by the programmer;
• container receiving means for releasably receiving the container means so as to permit the container means to be filled with medications at a location remote from the control module;
• read means positioned with respect to the memory receiving means for reading the medication dispensing information from the memory device when the memory device is positioned in the memory receiving means;
• control means connected to the read means for providing control signals in accordance with the medication dispensing information read from the memory device;
• and
• access means responsive to the control means for making individual compartments of the container means and the medications therein accessible to a patient at the prescribed time in accordance with the medication dispensing information.

A modular medication dispensing and distribution system, including:

• portable memory means for storing data representative of patient medication dispensing information and capable of use with other elements of the system including programming means and dispenser means;
• programming means, including means for releasably receiving the portable memory means, for receiving medication dispensing information and for writing data representative of the medication dispensing information to the portable memory means;
• and
• dispenser means for dispensing prescribed medications, the dispenser means including:
• portable container means having a plurality of individual compartments to be filled with medications in accordance with the medication dispensing information;
• and
• a control module cooperable with the container means and including:
• memory receiving means for releasably receiving the portable memory means to which data representative of medication dispensing information was written by the programming means;
• container receiving means for releasably receiving the portable container means so as to permit the container means to be filled with medications at a location remote from the control module;
• read means positioned with respect to the memory receiving means for reading data representative of the medication dispensing information from the memory means when the memory means is positioned in the memory receiving means;
• control means coupled to the read means for providing control signals in accordance with the data representative of the medication dispensing information read from the memory means;
• and
• access means coupled to the control means and responsive to the control signals for making medications within individual compartments of the portable container means accessible to a patient in accordance with the medication dispensing information.