Drug delivery management system

#The present invention pertains to the accumulation and dissemination of information associated with the taking of medications, and more particularly to the acquisition, dissemination, and utilization of information obtained through implementation of an instrumented medication package.

#The explosive developments in medical treatment relating to drugs have created a costly and high risk drug management environment. A 1995 study published in the “Archives of Internal Medicine” estimates that $76 billion is spent each year in the U.S. on extra doctor visits and hospitalization because people do not take their medication properly. In addition, a 1999 study by the National Academy of Science, Institute of Medicine, describes errors made in the hospitals which threaten patients health. The study estimated that 98,000 patients die each year because of medical mistakes. Prescription drug errors are one of the major areas where mistakes are made.

#Unit-dose blister type packaging for prescription drugs is one of the fastest growing package formats and is projected to be at 40% penetration in the U.S. market by 2003. Blister packages are already the dominant prescription drug package format in Europe with 85% penetration. Some of the reasons behind this growing use of blister packaging are: (i) product integrity being maintained throughout out the drug life cycle, (ii) better product protection to insure quality and efficacy of the drug, (iii) better tamper evidencing and child resistance, and (iv) improved patient compliance in that unit-dose blister packaging gives patents a clearly marked individual dosage.

#FIG. 1 illustrates an instrumented medication package associated with a medication monitor.

#FIG. 2 illustrates an instrumented medication package associated with a medication monitor implemented within a health care network according to the present invention.

#FIG. 3 shows a process flowchart illustrating a process of using a medication monitor in association with an instrumented medication package according to the present invention.

#In FIG. 1, wherein like numbers represent like elements, there is shown an illustration of the components of a medication monitoring system 100 according to the present invention. The system may have an instrumented medication package 102 and a medication monitor 104 associated therewith. The instrumented medication package 102 includes a transmitter 106 capable of transferring information associated with the instrumented medication package 102 to the medication monitor 104. The medication monitor 104 includes a receiver 108 for receiving information from the instrumented medication package 102.

#The medication monitor 104 is preferably portable, such that the medication monitor 104 may accompany a patient (not shown) as the patient travels. The medication monitor 104 may include a processor 110 which provides functionality for the medication monitor 104, such as in conjunction with operating instructions 112 or a computer program for communicating with the instrumented medication package 102 and handling data received from the instrumented medication package 102. The medication monitor 104 may also be provided with a display 114 such that a patient may receive information or reminders regarding medication to be taken. The display 114 may be aural tactile, or visual, or a combination thereof, such that reminders can be provided to a patient, such as a reminder that a dose of medication is due to be taken. The medication monitor may also include memory 116 to allow the medication monitor 104 to be used as a data accumulator, such that information retrieved from an instrumented medication package 102 may be removed from the instrumented medication package 102 once provided to the medication monitor 104, allowing reduced requirements for data storage integral to the instrumented medication package 102.

#The medication monitor 104 may also be provided with functionality allowing information associated with the instrumented medication package 102 to be displayed for the patient taking the medication. The use of severable conductors 118 in association with medication containments 120 allows the detection of when a patient accesses medication (not shown). For example, a patient unsure of whether they took required medication on time would be able to review the times at which medication containments 120 were accessed, and compare this information with an intake schedule identifying when a dose was supposed to have been taken. Furthermore, the medication monitor 104 may be provided with functionality to allow a dosing schedule to entered into and displayed on the medication monitor 104, such that the patient would be easily able to determine when a dose should have been taken, as well as whether a dose was accessed at the requisite time.