Patient compliance and status monitoring system

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of monitoring a patient's medicine compliance. It involves utilizing an automatic compliance monitoring device which stores compliance information and which may be connected to a computer with a display unit. The compliance monitoring device or the computer is programmed to calculate compliance requirements of the container e.g. by number of cap openings, by dispensing count or by weight information obtained by the automatic compliance monitoring device, for each dosage administration for the prescription period. The automatic compliance monitoring device is periodically, occasionally or randomly connected to the computer to compare actual usage with compliance required to determine compliance results on the display unit to permit compliance monitoring on a monitor at a remote location. Optionally, other patient characteristics are also monitored and feedback is provided. The present invention includes both the method and the system of interconnected devices to practice the method. Feedback may be to any professional or any remote location, and a single medicine or a plurality of medicines may be monitored.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.