Systems and methods for monitoring medication adherence and compliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10456326-B2
Application number	US-201615331097-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2016
Priority date	Oct 21, 2016
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring medication adherence and compliance are provided. A medication monitoring system may include a medication container, a cover, and a beacon system. The beacon system may include a beacon that transmits a wireless signal when the cover is removed from the medication container. A method for monitoring medication adherence and compliance may include detecting when a cover of a medication container is removed from the medication container. The method may further include transmitting based on the detection, a signal from a beacon to a remote device, which indicates the opening of the medication container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medication monitoring system comprising:
a medication container and a cover, the cover configured to engage with one or more threads on the medication container to seal the medication container; and
a beacon system comprising:
a sensor positioned to detect a disengagement of the cover from the one or more threads on the medication container; and
a beacon in communication with the sensor, the beacon configured to transmit a wireless signal in response to the sensor detecting the cover disengaging from the one or more threads on the medication container.

2. The medication monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes two electrical contacts, and a rim of the medication container includes a conductor that connects the two electrical contacts when the cover is engaged with the one or more threads on the medication container.

3. The medication monitoring system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the electrical contacts is operatively connected to an input of the beacon.

4. The medication monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a liner that is contained within the cover and slides relative to the cover, and the positioning of the liner relative to the cover changes based on an amount of engagement of the cover with the one or more threads on the medication container.

5. The medication monitoring system of claim 4 , further comprising a micro switch, which is operatively connected to an input of the beacon, wherein the micro switch is a conductive foam that has a resistance that changes based on the state of compression of the conductive foam, which changes based on the amount of engagement of the cover with the one or more threads on the medication container.

6. The medication monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the liner is more flexible than the cover and seals the medication container when the cover is at least partially engaged with the one or more threads on the medication container.

7. The medication monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a remote device having an application running on the remote device that is programmed to recognize the wireless signal as an indication that a patient has taken a medication from the medication container.

8. The medication monitoring system of claim 7 , wherein the application is programmed to receive prescription information for the medication.

9. The medication monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the application receives the prescription information by at least one of the remote device scanning a label of the medication container, input from the patient, and receiving a communication from a pharmacy.

10. The medication monitoring system of claim 7 , wherein the application is programmed to prompt the patient when to take the medication.

11. The medication monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the application may prompt the patient by at least one of displaying a message on a screen of the remote device, flashing a light, or playing an auditory alert.

12. The medication monitoring system of claim 7 , wherein the application is programmed to ask the patient questions associated with the medication.

13. The medication monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the beacon is configured to operate only as a transmitter.

14. A method for monitoring medication adherence and compliance, comprising:
detecting, using a sensor, when a cover of a medication container disengages from one or more threads on the medication container, the cover configured to engage with one or more threads on the medication container to seal the medication container; and
in response detecting the cover disengages from the one or more threads on the medication container, transmitting a wireless signal from a beacon to a remote device indicating the opening of the medication container.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving, by the remote device, the wireless signal;
determining that a patient has taken a medication from the medication container; and
creating a record of when the patient takes the medication.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising uploading, by the remote device, the record of when the patient takes the medication to the patient's medical record or transmitting the record to a caregiver of the patient.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising receiving, by the remote device, prescription information for the medication.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein receiving the prescription information comprises at least one of scanning a label of the medication container, receiving patient input, or receiving the prescription information from a pharmacy.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising prompting a patient, by the remote device, to take the medication.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising prompting a patient, by the remote device, regarding at least one of the following scenarios: the patient opened the wrong medication container; the patient forgot to take the medication during a prescribed window; or the patient needs to take the medication.

21. The method of claim 14 , further comprising prompting a patient, by the remote device, to answer questions associated with taking the medication.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the questions are concerning whether the patient is experiencing side effects associated with the medication, and further comprising transmitting answers to the questions to the patient's caregiver.

23. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, by the remoted device:
encrypting the signal, and
scanning a code on the medication container to obtain an encryption key.

24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor includes two electrical contacts, and a rim of the medication container includes a conductor that connects the two electrical contacts when the cover is engaged with the one or more threads on the medication container, and
wherein detecting, using the sensor, when the cover of the medication container disengages from the one or more threads on the medication container comprises detecting a loss of electrical contact between at least one of the two electrical contacts and the conductor.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein at least one of the electrical contacts is operatively connected to an input of the beacon.

26. The method of claim 14 , wherein one of the cover or the medication container further comprises a liner that is contained within the cover and slides relative to the cover, and the positioning of the liner relative to the cover changes based on an amount of engagement of the cover with the one or more threads on the medication container.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein one of the cover or the medication container further comprises a micro switch, which is operatively connected to an input of the beacon, wherein the micro switch is a conductive foam that has a resistance that changes based on the state of compression of the conductive foam, which changes based on the amount of engagement of the cover with the one or more threads on medication container, and
wherein detecting, using the sensor, when the cover of the medication container disengages from the one or more threads on the medication container comprises determining a change in resistance of the foam.

Assignees

• Verily Life Sciences Llc

Inventors

• Wiser Robert
• Barrows Daniel
• Emken Jeremy

Classifications

• G16H20/10

  relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients · CPC title

• G16H40/67

  for remote operation · CPC title

• A61J7/04

  Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers · CPC title

• A61J1/03

  for pills or tablets (containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04) · CPC title

• A61J1/00 Primary

  Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes (capsules or the like for oral use A61J3/07; specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments A61B50/30; containers for radioactive substances G21F5/00) · CPC title