Multi-vial medication organizer and dispenser

A medication container for organizing different types of medication comprising:

• a plurality of separate and particular cassettes, each of said particular cassettes having an inside surface that defines a compartment, and said compartment of each of said particular cassettes being adapted to hold a particular type of medication;
• a plurality of machine readable memory devices, each of said particular cassettes having a corresponding memory device, each of said corresponding memory devices being adapted to contain prescribed dosing information corresponding to said particular type of medication in said particular cassette;
• a unitary lid having a plurality of particular ports, each particular cassette being removably securable to one of said particular ports, said lid further having a plurality of sensors, each particular port having a corresponding sensor, and each corresponding sensor communicating with said corresponding memory device of said particular cassette secured to said particular port, said unitary lid having a computer processor in electrical communication with a timing device, a communication device, and said plurality of sensors, said prescribed dosing regimen information contained in each of said memory devices being transmitted to said computer processor when said particular cassettes are secured to their said particular ports, said computer processor using said prescribed dosing regimen information and said timing device to develop a predetermined time to take each particular type of medication, and said computer processor communicating said predetermined time to said communication device.

A method of detecting contraindicated medications, the detection method comprising the steps of:

• providing a unitary lid and a plurality of containers, said unitary lid having a computer processor, an associated memory and a plurality of ports, each of said containers holding a particular type of medication and having a memory device containing medication type information that identifies the type of medication in said container, one of either of said associated memory and said memory device having a list of contraindicated medications;
• joining each of said containers to one of said ports;
• communicating said medication type information in said memory device of each of said containers and said list of contraindicated information to said computer processor;
• using said processor to compare said medication type information from each of said containers with said list of contraindicated medications, and to determine when said medication type information of two of said containers are contraindicated;
• and,
• communicating that said containers contain contraindicated medications.

A method of detecting medication for whom a particular person is known to be allergic, the detection method comprising the steps of:

• providing a lid having a memory containing allergy information that identifies each of the medications for which the particular person is allergic, and further providing a container holding the medication and having a memory device containing medication type information, and either of said lid and said container having a computer processor;
• joining said container to said lid;
• communicating said allergy information and said medication type information to said computer processor;
• using said processor to compare said allergy information with said medication type information, and to determine when said allergy information matches said medication type information;
• and,
• communicating that the particular person is allergic to the medication.

A method of ensuring that a medication is prescribed for a particular person, the ensuring method comprising the steps of:

• providing a lid having a memory containing particular person information that identifies the particular person, and firthier providing the particular person with a container holding the medication and having a memory device containing prescribed person information, and either of said lid and said container having a computer processor;
• joining said container to said lid;
• communicating said particular person information and said prescribed person information to said computer processor;
• using said processor to compare said particular person information with said prescribed person information, and to determine when said particular person information differs from said prescribed person information;
• and,
• communicating that the medication is not intended for the particular person.

A medication container for containing doses of medication, said medication container comprising:

• a first piece having inside and outside surfaces, said inside surface defining a compartment, and said compartment containing the medication;
• a machine readable and writable, memory strip containing prescribed dosing regimen information for the medication, said memory strip being secured to said first piece;
• a second piece adapted for removable securement to said first piece, said second piece having a sensor positioned to communicate with said memory strip when said second piece is secured to said first piece, said second piece having a timing device and a communication device, said timing device, communication device and sensor being in electrical communication with a computer processor, said prescribed dosing regimen information in said memory strip being transmitted to said computer processor when said first piece is secured to said second piece, said computer processor using said prescribed dosing regimen information and said timing device to develop a predetermined time to take the medication, and said computer processor communicating said predetermined time to said communication device;
• and,
• wherein movement of said second piece allowing access to the medication causes said computer processor to obtain consumption time information corresponding to said movement of said second piece, and said consumption time information is recorded in said memory strip.

A medication container for containing doses of medication, said medication container comprising:

• a first piece having inside and outside surfaces, said inside surface defining a compartment, and said compartment containing the medication;
• a machine readable and writable memory strip containing quantity information regarding the quantity of the doses of medication in said first piece, said memory strip being secured to said first piece;
• and,
• a second piece adapted for removable securement to said first piece, said second piece having a sensor positioned to communicate with said memory strip when said second piece is secured to said first piece, said sensor being in electrical communication with a computer processor, and said information in said memory strip being transmitted to said computer processor when said first piece is secured to said second piece, and said sensor senses removal information corresponding to a removal of the medication from said first piece, said sensor communicating said removal information to said computer processor, and said computer processor altering said quantity information in said memory strip to indicate that said quantity of medication in said first piece has been reduced.