Walk into any mega-mart or pharmacy and you'll see the pill boxes with twenty-four compartments so that a week's worth of pills can be sorted out for taking at the correct times throughout the day.
This is a good enough solution in some cases. The pills may be portioned out correctly, but there's no way to monitor if they're being taken or to remind the patient that it's time to take them. If someone is having memory issues, lives with a mental disability, or when a child needs to be reminded, something a bit more sophisticated might be needed. Something like the MedPod Portable Medicine Dispenser manufactured by Daya Medicals, Inc .
At first glance, the MedPod may look like an unassuming white pill box. Anyone thinking that is in for a series of surprises.
Its use of cellular and internet technologies combine to reduce two of the biggest issues for patients taking medications: incompliance and breakdowns in communication between care providers.
Remembering to take one pill several times a day can be tough enough. Many patients, especially as they age, end up on multiple medications. On top of that, dosage for each pill may be different. This can lead to complications ranging from skipped dosages to overdoses to noncompliance because of the frustrations of remembering when to take which pill. Forgetfulness and developmental disabilities play roles in incompliance as well.
MedPod offers solutions to the incompliance problem. The prescriptions get filled at a manufacturer-approved pharmacy. Instead of the bottles with the frustrating caps, the pills get loaded into cartridges for each dosing time. For example, the patient is taking A, B, C, and D. He takes A four times a day, B twice a day, C four times a day, and D once. When the sound and light alarm reminds him to take his pills, he presses a button and out come the needed medications. That way, he'll get A and C together at the appropriate time, with B and/or D if needed according to schedule. If the dosage isn't taken, a family member or designated caregiver receives a notification via email, text or phone call.
The timed dosing with the alarm system significantly reduces not just the risk of missed doses, but of overdoses. Patients with memory issues sometimes take more medicine than prescribed because they can't remember whether or not they'd taken a pill.
The MedPod data gets stored in an online cloud that HIPPA-approved parties on the patient's care team can access, preventing breakdowns in communication that compromise the quality of care. Doctors can review the uploaded information from the MedPod to be sure that the medicine is being taken, and if needed, change the medicine or the dosage. The data accessibility can prevent drug interactions if the patient has more than one physician or pharmacy on his or her care team. Should medical care be needed while traveling, all the information is just a few mouse clicks away.
Insurance companies can review the files as well. This way, they can determine the efficacy of the treatment plan as well as its cost effectiveness. With the convenience of the pill dispensers of old and the new convenience of internet technology, the MedPod makes life a little easier for everyone.
Fran Jablway
and
Hulet Smith, OT
