JP2001070405A - Chemical distributing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To monitor the follow-up of a patient to the prescription plan of programmed chemical by monitoring the follow-up of the patient to the given chemical prescription plan by means of reporting that the prescription is missed to one or multiple carers or a central monitor institution. SOLUTION: The data storage device of a distribution unit 2 receives a distribution program, stores it or receives a data entry to a program for urging a previously stored user, which expresses the chemical plan prescribed for the patient. When a user input signal 5 is received before the expiration of a time window, an assigned distribution cup 7 is discharged from the unit. Unless the patient executes response when the time window is expired, the unit 2 instantaneously transmits alarm 14 to the first designated carer 16. Unless the unit 2 receives response from the first designated carer, the unit 2 transmits another kind of alarm 14 to the second designated carer 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to drug dispensing units and, more particularly, to a device for dispensing a drug and monitoring compliance with a drug dosing regime.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Doctors generally prescribe pill regimens for administration to sick people. For example, a regimen such as "take two blue pills every six hours and one green pill every four hours" or the like,
Not unusual. Some would be able to easily follow such a regimen or course. However, for others, confusion may arise about the schedule and whether or not they have taken certain medications. This problem often occurs in older people who have suffered some loss of mental capacity, but can occur in other people as well.

[0003]

An automatic dispenser of various pills, described as being directed to some aspects of this dispensing problem, is described in the related art. According to their respective descriptions, these dispensers are intended to be able to dispense the pills according to a certain dosing regimen. Further, in some cases, they allow determination of deviations from their programmed regimen.
It has several described means. However, these dispensers are not suitable for use in many conventional drug dispensing needs, due to their complexity, cost, flexibility, simplicity of use,
It has disadvantages in resistance to errors.

For example, US Pat. No. 5,582,323 to Kurtenbach describes a drug dispenser and monitor system. According to that description, the Kurtenbach dispensing device has a plurality of compartments for directly receiving and holding pills for dispensing an individual's medication. The dispenser provides an alarm that alerts the patient that it is time to dispense his or her medication. If no medication has been dispensed, the unit calls the monitoring facility. The drug dispensing and monitoring system described in Kurtenbach is also ready to record that a patient has not followed.

However, Kurtenbach does not provide any protection against overdose by patients, nor does it provide emergency communication to nearby caregivers from a central monitoring service that is easier to assist patients. Also,
The dispensing device described contains pills directly in compartments that can be contaminated by residues.

[0006] US Patent No. 5,646,912 to Cousin also describes a drug delivery system. According to that description, the device has a plurality of pill dispensing units programmed to the patient's medication schedule. According to the description, the warning of the medicine dispensing schedule can prevent the subject patient from overdosing or underdosing.

However, Kusan has drawbacks which can make it unsuitable for many anticipated uses. One disadvantage is that the device uses compartments that directly contain the medication to be dispensed, and that such compartments are easily susceptible to residue formation. In addition, the mechanism and apparatus described by Kuzan to prevent overdose and underdose of a subject patient is somewhat complicated and therefore would be difficult to implement.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for an improved dispensing system for home medication. The present invention addresses this need and provides further related advantages.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an on-site system that can be easily programmed to dispense pills to a patient over a long period of time and that monitors the patient's compliance with a programmed medication regimen. (on-site) To provide a drug dispensing unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide features that provide a visual and / or audible warning to a patient of a prescribed dosing time according to a dosing schedule programmed into the unit, and from the unit. Container (canis
In order to activate the ejection mechanism of the unit that causes the ter) to be physically dispensed, the patient may have to press a button or similar input device to provide a limited time window, thereby overdosing or overdose. The purpose of the present invention is to prevent a delay in medication in the discharge mechanism of the unit. The time window is reprogrammable. At the end of the time window, if the patient does not press a button or activate the input device, the container is dropped into an inaccessible box located inside the unit.
A further feature of the unit is to alert the patient, either audibly and / or visually, or stepwise in intensity, if a button or similar input device is not activated.

It is another object of the present invention to be connected to a monitoring facility for 24 hours so that if an event defined by the unit program occurs as an emergency, the monitoring facility will alert the caregiver. To provide a drug dispensing unit that can One example of an emergency is, over a predetermined time interval,
The patient did not actuate the dispense button, causing the container to drop into an inaccessible box, as described above, more than a predetermined number of times.

It is yet another object of the present invention to automatically prioritize the order of contacts when a unit on site detects an emergency. According to one example embodiment, according to one embodiment, according to this purpose, the on-site dispensing unit first detects emergency situations by calling a first designated nearby caregiver, for example, a relative of the patient. react. Examples of responses from a contacted caregiver include, for example, pressing a telephone key or a sequence of keys programmed to be recognized by a local dispensing unit. If the first designated caregiver cannot be contacted or the person does not answer the call, the on-site unit will then proceed from one to the next, second, third and fourth. Contact designated caregivers until one of them responds. If no of the designated caregivers answer the call, the on-site unit will:
Contact central monitoring facility. The central monitoring facility then:
Respond in a way that depends on the choice of design, including in response to contacting nearby authorities. One advantage of the prioritized calling feature is that nearby caregivers are first notified, which allows easy access to the patient's location. Another advantage is the reduced frequency with which central monitoring facilities inform authorities.

[0013] As mentioned above, the present invention provides for the patient's compliance with the prescribed medication regimen by providing 1
Provide monitoring by alerting a person or more caregivers and a central monitoring facility. Still further contemplated features include, for example, respective medication alerts, each press of a dispensing button on the unit, each detection of a container fully dispensed from the unit, and each missed medication. And periodic reporting of the unit's activity history to the central monitoring facility by the distribution unit. An even more contemplated feature is that the on-site unit will not only report on the current medication regimen programmed into the unit, but also on either the history of the overall activity or specific parts of the activity. Receiving a report request signal from a central monitoring facility.

[0014] A still further feature is that the central monitoring facility has a record keeping service that records the patient's compliance with the prescribed medication regimen in addition to the records stored in the dispensing unit. This record will be available to the caregiver or the patient's physician from the central monitoring facility.

One embodiment of a field drug dispensing unit includes rotating tube racks, and the tubes can carry one or more specific types of drugs worth at least several weeks. Features. As the dose of drug is dispensed, the tube rack is rotated so that the appropriate tube is located at the dispensing chute. At the prescribed dosing time, the dispenser program starts alerting the patient.
As mentioned above, when the patient is warned, he or she:
Within the programmed time window, it is required to press the dispense button. If the button is pressed, the aligned tubing of the rotation mechanism releases the bottom-most container (dispensing cup), which then falls into the patient-accessible chute. When the patient is warned to dispense the medication, if the patient does not dispense the medication, the dispenser will initially, in some embodiments, have an increasing sound intensity (tone and pre-recorded Voice message) and a visual warning phase, and if the drug is not dispensed, the rotating tube mechanism will drop the container into an inaccessible box and place the order in the caregiver's pre-programmed list. Attempt to contact correctly, and if unsuccessful, notify central monitoring facility for 24 hours.

[0016] An even further embodiment of the present invention provides a dispensing unit programmed to inform a patient of taking medication not dispensed by the unit.
One example is a dispenser that prompts the patient to take insulin using the visual indications, audible alarms, and / or audio messages such as pre-recorded audio shown above.

According to an example of one embodiment, a suitable plurality of containers or dispensing cups are first filled with the individual drug dosages, and then the filled containers are transported to a unit on site and then transferred to a unit on site. The on-site dispensing unit is loaded by loading the dispensing mechanism tubes in the order in which they are dispensed. Load multiple containers or dispensing cups to provide either a larger number of doses per day, for example up to a week at a time, or a smaller number of doses per day over multiple weeks And the distribution unit controller can be programmed accordingly. Containers or dispensing cups can be loaded at the location of the unit on site or pre-loaded at a central dispensing facility or at a nearby department such as a location in a nursing home .

After loading the storage container into the tube, the unit is programmed using one of three methods; a pre-programmed program that calls the central monitoring facility and remotely programs the unit. Use the settings panel to enter a customized schedule, use the settings panel to select a customized standard.

A control panel for programming the dispensing unit is preferably located under the cover of the dispensing unit, thereby preventing accidental or other causes of changing the stored medication dosing schedule. I do.

[0020] In addition to the drug dispensing and monitoring functions of the dispensing unit, a further embodiment includes a wireless communication device worn by the patient, which is communicatively connected to the dispenser and provides additional emergency response to some patients. Provide protection against In an emergency, the patient can operate a wireless communication device that can communicate with the dispensing unit. The distribution unit will then send the emergency message to the central monitoring station. The personal communication device may be a pendant worn around the neck or any other suitable device that can be worn on the patient's body. The medication dispensing unit may optionally incorporate an emergency button that performs the same function as a personal communication device. Other embodiments of wireless emergency communication devices are wireless emergency buttons mounted on walls and wireless emergency buttons on table tops.

[0021]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which: FIG.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a high level system of an exemplary drug dispensing and monitoring system according to the present invention. The system of FIG. 1 is described in more detail below.
Filled with one or more pills of one or more types for dispensing at each prescribed time,
An on-site drug dispensing system 2 containing a plurality of receiving containers or dispensing cups is included. The receiving container or dispensing cup is loaded into the on-site dispensing unit 2 by an authorized person from the visiting nurse's facility or from the doctor's office, or by a nearby caregiver. Details of specific devices and operation of the drug dispensing unit 2 are shown in FIGS.
5A and 5B are described further below.

The on-site distribution unit 2 has a microprocessor-based controller (shown in FIG. 4) with standard data storage functions (not shown), which is further described below. The data storage of the dispensing unit 2 receives and stores the dispensing program or receives a data entry to a pre-stored user prompt program representing the patient's prescribed medication regimen. The program or data is manually entered into the unit 2 by the patient or caregiver 4 or the patient's doctor's office 6, nurse's facility 8, central control / monitor facility 20, or discharged home facility ( retirement
Received from one of several remote sites, including a home facility 12, through a modem (not shown).
The on-site dispensing unit 2 can then use the visual and / or audible means 3 at each of the programmed dosing times, and simultaneously with each warning action, by means of its exemplary devices and operations described below. By executing the dispensing program entered by warning, one of the dispensing cups contained therein is ready for dispensing (r
Place or assign in eady-to-dispense mode or mechanical state. The controller simultaneously establishes a window of time with respect to the alert signal, during which the patient transmits the dispensing signal 5 to, for example, a button shown as item 68 in FIG. Can be entered through the device. The duration of the time window is set by the entered program or by a default value. If the user input signal 5 is received before the expiration of the time window, the assigned dispensing cup is
Discharged from the unit. The apparatus and method of the on-site dispensing unit 2 for performing a patient alert and dispensing operation will be described in further detail below.

If at the end of the time window the patient
For example, pressing the button 68 of the medicine dispensing unit 2
If not, the unit 2 for the embodiment of FIG. 1 immediately sends an alert 14 to the first designated caregiver 16, for example, via a unit modem (not shown). In addition to generating the alert 14, the on-site dispensing unit 2 can also dispense the dispensing cup, which was in the dispensing ready mode, with the equipment and operation described in more detail below.
Drop it to a storage place in the unit 2 that is not accessible.

If unit 2 does not receive a response from its first designated caregiver, unit 2
A second designated caregiver (not shown) or a discharge / nursing home facility (ret if the patient is discharged and in a home environment)
irement / nursing home monitoring facility) 12,
Send another warning 14. Notification sequences that differ from the example described above are simply written into the microprocessor-based controller of the distribution unit 2 to achieve different priority sequences. Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred example informs the central monitoring facility that there is no valid response from any of the designated caregivers 16 or from the discharged home monitoring facility 12.

Communication with remote sites such as 16, 12 and 20 can be realized by a direct telephone line or cellular telephone connection instead of the modem (not shown) of unit 2. For a particular form of acknowledgment signal that the remote monitoring sites 16, 12, and 20 transmit back to the on-site distribution unit 2, it may be a specific telephone keypad entry (not shown) or a sequence of entries; Or a simple design choice, with an example including a designated key (not shown). Further, the dispensing unit 2 may have a voice recognition feature for recognizing, for example, "I will be better. A variety of commercially available speech recognition hardware / software modules are available as off-the-shelf items that are easily incorporated into standard microprocessor-based controllers.

In the above description of the example system of FIG. 1, the on-site dispensing unit immediately sends a warning signal 14 if there is no user input of the dispensing signal at the end of the time window. A further embodiment, described below with respect to FIGS. 5A and 5B, includes a plurality of input channels that allow a user to input a distribution signal, for example, pressing a button 68.
For example, two time windows are used. In a further embodiment, an audible or visual alert is generated at a first intensity during a first time window. if,
If the first time window has expired and the user has not yet entered a dispense signal, the unit increases the alert level. The increased warning level is the second
Until the end of this time window, it will increase continuously or otherwise regularly. If the user has not yet entered the distribution signal at the end of the second time window, unit 2 will generate a warning signal 14 as described above.
Occurs.

Referring to FIG. 1, the central monitoring facility 20
Is connected via a modem (not shown) to the on-site drug dispenser 2 and, in addition to receiving alerts 14 from the unit 2, sets the unit 2 to a cycle with respect to the operation and status of the unit 2. You can also choose to program for informative reporting. The information transmitted by such periodic reporting is a design choice, which preferably includes a history of all distribution operations over a set period of time. In addition, the central monitoring facility sends a query for information to the on-site distribution unit 2 via a modem line. Still further, the patient's physician's office 6 may request from the central monitoring facility 20 a record 18 of following the medication schedule to further improve the patient's treatment.

FIGS. 2-4 show an example of an embodiment of a field drug dispenser 2 in accordance with the present invention as item 30.
The operation of the units of FIGS. 2-4 is illustrated by the functional flow diagrams of FIGS. 5A and 5B, which are further described below. For the purpose of this description, reference numbers to the example on-site dispensing unit 30 of FIGS. 2-4 also refer to the dispensing unit 2 in the system shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 4, the unit 30 comprises:
It has a liquid crystal (LCD) display 32 that displays information describing the medication dosing schedule for the patient, as well as other information that can assist the patient in administering the medication. One example of other such information is that when a particular medication is dispensed, the display may indicate that the medication should be taken with a meal, if appropriate.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, once the dispensing cup 46 is loaded into the medication dispensing unit 30 and the dispensing program is loaded into its controller 58 and activated through the keypad 66, the prescribed medication is dispensed. A warning to the patient will be generated by a light 81 indicating to the patient when the respective dispensing time for the medication has come. As can be seen from this description of the detailed structure shown by FIG. 4, the cup with the medicament to be taken when the light 81 is activated is moved to its lower dispensing cup
One of the tubes 70, as 6, is rotated to align with the dispensing mechanism 72. If the patient presses the dispense button 68, or the equivalent button 34 of FIG. 2, during the programmed time window, the dispense mechanism 72 is activated and the bottom dispense cup 46 is moved to the shoot 3
6 so that the patient can access it.

The site dispensing unit 30 of the example of FIG. 2 has an emergency button 38 incorporated therein. As will be understood from the following description, when the emergency button 38 is pressed,
Emergency calls to one or more remote sites, such as caregiver 16 or central monitoring facility 20, are automatically made.

FIG. 3 shows the medicine distributor 30 with the access panel 42 opened. With the access panel 42 open, the manual program keypad 44 can be accessed.
The loading of the individual medicine containers 46 is also performed with the access panel 42 opened. Each dispensing tube 48 is then exposed to load a separate medication container 46. In addition, access to the missed medicine container 25 can be performed when the access panel 42 is unlocked and opened. Access panel 42 can be locked to prevent unwanted access to missed medication and manual program keypad 44.

FIG. 4 shows a tube carousel 5 of a distributor having, in this example, ten housing tubes 70.
0 is connected to a drive gear 52 rotated by a motor 54 located in the base,
FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of an exemplary on-site drug dispensing unit 30. The base 56 houses a controller 58 and a battery pack 62. The controller 58 has a standard actuator or servo driver interface and detector inputs, for example, Intel® 8
It may be one of several standard off-the-shelf microprocessor-based controllers, such as a 0C196KB 16-bit microcontroller device or equivalent.

The base 56 in the illustrated example is also designed to fit an LCD display 64 and a keypad 66 and a dispense button 68 equivalent to the button 34 of FIG.

The action resulting from pressing the dispense button 68 depends on the programmed mode of the unit 30, as can be seen from the functional flowcharts of FIGS. 5A and 5B described below. For example, the controller 58
Can be programmed to rotate the carousel 50 directly when the button 68 is depressed, and to position each individual one of the tubes 70 in an operative relationship with the dispensing mechanism 72. However, as described with respect to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the computer 58 uses the appropriate distribution schedule based on the requirements of the upcoming distribution schedule that the controller 58 reads from its memory (not numbered). The carousel 50 is rotated so that one of the tubes 70 is located at the appropriate distribution position. In such a case, as will be described, when the dispense button 68 is pressed at the appropriate time, the carousel 50 is already in the correct position, and the dispense mechanism 72 removes the container 46 with the scheduled dosage. , Selected tube 7
From zero, it operates to dispense into a chute 74 formed in the base 56.

The position of the carousel 50 is
Is determined by a position detector 76 which relays the position information to the controller 58, which is located under the position. Controller 58
Location information relayed to the keypad 66 by the caregiver.
The doctor's office 6 entered through or shown in FIG.
Is used to determine which tube 51 has a container 46 having a drug dosage scheduled for release according to a dispensing program received from a remote source such as.

The tube carousel 50 is protected from contaminants and interference by a cover 78 that mates with the base 56 when mounted on the tube carousel 50.

Each of the ten tubes 70 can include up to six storage containers 46, and the tubes are arranged in a variety of different arrangements related to the dispensing schedule entered in the controller 58. Can be loaded. For example, if the patient takes the first drug at noon,
And the second drug twice a day, for example at 8:00 in the morning and one at night.
If you plan to receive at midnight, you will need three containers 46 each day. Therefore, it is considered that each of the tubes 70 can hold the medicine for two days.
The unit 30 could have been accessible for two consecutive days from one of the tubes 70 before rotating the carousel 50 to the next tube 70, depending on the design choice, or alternatively, one tube From 70, three containers 46 per day were dispensed and spun to the next tube 70 for the next day, and this cycle could be repeated until all of the tubes 70 were completely empty. Would. Other variations are easily found by those skilled in the art.

As will be appreciated from the flow charts of FIGS. 5A and 5B described below, the controller 58 generates an audible or visual alert at each dosing time included in the input dispensing schedule. If the dispense request button 68 is not pressed before a first predetermined time, an audible or visual alert is increased. If the audible or visual alert is increased, the controller waits again to detect if the button 68 is pressed before the second time limit. If the button 68 is not pressed, the container 46
Is placed in the missed medication compartment below the base 56. After the container 46 has been placed in the missed medication section, the controller 58 initiates a sequence of calls to the caregiver's telephone 16 and, if there is no response, to the central controller 20.

Alternatively, the controller 58 may control the time window over which the drug is dispensed, for example, a time window spanning the nominal dispensing time of 1:00 pm, for example, 12 pm
It can be programmed to allow a time window from 45:45 to 1:15 pm. The patient must then press the dispense button 68 during that time window. If the patient did not press button 68, according to one embodiment, including a drug scheduled to be dispensed at a programmed time,
The selected storage container 46 is placed in the missed medication compartment. According to this embodiment, if the patient does not press button 68 within the time window, controller 58 will not respond to button 68 until the next time window.

FIGS. 5A and 5B together illustrate an exemplary high level of a first embodiment of a drug system, as depicted in FIG. 1, having a field drug dispensing unit as shown in FIGS. FIG.

Referring to FIG. 5A, after the power to the distribution unit 2 is turned on in block 100, block 10
2 starts the initialization process.

Initialization of the unit involves positioning the tube carousel 50 home, positioning the dispensing mechanism 72 home, and configuring the hardware of the controller 58 and the built-in software that performs the built-in self-test. And pre-recorded voice message and LCD to patient / caregiver
Including via message 64 that the initialization was successfully completed.

After completion of the initialization process, block 104 performs a self-test operation. The unit self-test includes testing of all memories of controller 58, loopback test of modem of integrated controller 58, voltage measurement of battery 62 and power supply, and sensors 76 and 82 for locating carousel 50 and distribution mechanism 72. Including adjustments.

If the on-site medication dispensing unit 30 is not functioning properly, the user is notified at function block 106, the unit 30 is repaired (or replaced) at function block 108, and the process begins at block 102. Loop back to the start of the conversion process. If the unit is functioning properly, the user, the caregiver operating the unit, is notified at function block 110. Next, in the input block 112, the unit 30
The medication dose is loaded by the caregiver and from a remote source, such as the doctor's office 6 of FIG.
Ready to receive the medication dosing schedule in its controller 58 on the circuit board assembly of FIG. 4, either by manual input from a caregiver through a keypad, such as the assembly 66 of FIG. At decision block 114, it is determined whether unit 2 is loaded.
If the unit 30 is not loaded, the process loops back to block 112 at decision block 114. Otherwise, the medication may be dispensed at function block 118 according to decision block 116 that determines whether the medication dosing schedule has been entered into controller 58 on printed circuit board assembly 58 of FIG. If no schedule has been entered,
Decision block 116 initiates a process loopback to function block 112. Otherwise, the medication can be dispensed at function block 118.

Decision block 120 is executed by controller 58 executing a conventional timer-based command (not numbered) according to the loaded distribution schedule to determine if it is time to deliver the drug according to the schedule. .

If the answer in block 120 is no, decision block 124 determines whether it is time to check in to central monitoring facility 20. The specific time and frequency for such a check may be, for example,
In step 116, the information is input together with the distribution schedule. If it is time to check into the monitoring facility 20, a call is initiated as shown in function block 126; otherwise, a process loop is initiated by returning to decision block 120. The call is, for example,
This is done through the patient's phone 14 shown in FIG.

If the answer in block 120 is yes, as shown by function block 122 in FIG. 5B,
The patient is alerted by a first level attention alert signal (not shown). The attention inducing signal may be due to an audible sound through a speaker 80 associated with the unit 30 and / or a visual light signal emitted by a light emitting device 81 associated with and / or installed in the unit 30. Additionally, a pre-recorded voice message is played by the unit.

Simultaneously with the start of the first level attention attraction signal at block 122, the controller at block 132
The measurement of the elapsed time until the patient presses the button 34 is started. If the button 34 (68 in FIG. 4) is pressed before the first time limit, the selected container is delivered to the patient through the chute 36 (74 in FIG. 4). If the first attention draw time has expired and the patient has not yet pressed the button 34, a second level alert is initiated at block 134, otherwise the first level alert is at block 1
It remains active at 22. The second attention-inducing signal generated in block 134 may be a sound of greater or altered frequency, a brighter light, a louder and / or more imminent pre-recorded message, or a combination of the three. It is.

Decision block 135 detects whether the patient has pressed the supply button 34, while block 136.
Determines if the second level attention time has expired prior to such detection. If the button 34 is pressed before the expiration of the second level attention draw time, the process proceeds to block 130 where the medicament container is moved to the chute 36.
Distributed through

If the second level attention time has expired, the drug is placed in an internal secure container and the second level alert is disabled, as shown at block 138.

After the medication has been placed in the internal safe container 83, as indicated by function block 138, a call to the primary caregiver is initiated, as indicated by block 140. Referring to FIG. 1, a call by function block 138 is made, for example, through the patient's telephone 14. For the identification of the first caregiver, this may be the discharged home program / monitor facility 12 shown in FIG.
Or, if the on-site unit is located in a private home, it could be the phone 16 of a designated first caregiver, such as a relative or private nurse.

Referring to FIG. 5A, decision block 142
Determines how many calls have been made to the first caregiver. If the preset number of call attempts is exceeded without contacting the first caregiver, function block 144 initiates a call to the second caregiver. The caregiver contact is completed when the caregiver hears a pre-recorded voice message pronounced by the unit over the phone and then presses the appropriate telephone key. If, on the other hand, the first caregiver is contacted, decision block 142 is satisfied and the dosage is ready for delivery. Decision block 146 of FIG. 5A determines if the unit is empty of medication. If the unit is empty, the caregiver will go to function block 1
And the process loop is communicated at 48.
Return to the start of the drug loading process in step 2;
The process loop returns to the drug dispensing ready mode of block 118.

As described above, if the first caregiver cannot be contacted, a call to the second caregiver is initiated at block 144. FIG. 1 does not separately represent the second caregiver, for example, because it would simply be another caregiver and a caregiver's phone such as item 16. The decision block 150 determines how many calls will be made to the second caregiver. If the preset programmable amount of call attempts is exceeded without contacting a second caregiver,
At function block 152, an attempt will be made to call a third caregiver. Decision block 154 determines how many calls will then be made to the third caregiver. If the preset amount of call attempts is exceeded without contacting the third caregiver, an attempt will be made to call a fourth caregiver at function block 156. Decision block 158 determines how many calls will be made to the fourth caregiver. If the preset amount of call attempts is exceeded without contacting the fourth caregiver,
An emergency or central monitoring facility, such as the monitoring facility 20 shown in FIG. 1, will be contacted at function block 160. After contacting the emergency or central monitoring facility, the process loop proceeds to decision block 146.

As shown in FIG. 5A, during the missed medication mode, if the caregiver is contacted, the process loop proceeds to decision block 146.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Will do. For example, the second level attention trigger signal shown in block 134 of the process represented in FIG. 5A could be omitted. Further, it is for illustrative purposes only that the number of caregivers that the on-site unit seeks to contact before contacting the emergency or central monitoring facility is four. This process could easily be modified to contact an emergency facility after trying to contact only one or more than four caregivers. It should also be noted that the four caregivers represent four programmable telephone numbers to call. These numbers can represent one or more actual caregivers and other telephone numbers for the first caregiver (eg, work telephone numbers, home telephone numbers, mobile telephone numbers, pager numbers, etc.). Number).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a high level system of a drug dispensing and monitoring system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a field drug dispenser according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the on-site drug dispenser of FIG. 2 with the cover panel open.

FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of the on-site drug dispenser of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5A is a detailed operational flow diagram for a field distribution unit and monitoring system according to the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a detailed operational flow diagram for a field distribution unit and monitoring system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 On-site medication dispensing unit 3 Audible / visual alert 4 Patient or caregiver 5 Patient dispensing signal input 6 Physician's office 7 Cup dispensing 8 Patrol nurse facility 12 Discharge home facility 14 Warning 16 Caregiver phone 18 Medication schedule Record of following 20 Central monitoring facility 30 Drug dispensing unit 34 Supply button 36 Chute 38 Emergency button 42 Access panel 44 Manual program keypad 46 Drug container 48 Dispensing tube 64 LCD display

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission Date] August 15, 2000 (2008.1.
5)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Stephen Kay Bleed 03049 Hollis Richardson Road, New Hampshire, USA 105 (72) Inventor Roger O Topripf, New Hampshire, United States 03782 Snappy Jobs Creek Road 458 (72) Inventor, Douglas Aitpreff United States New Hampshire 03057 Mont Vernon Purgatory Road 24

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A central monitoring station and a field dispensing unit, comprising: a plurality of storage containers for storing pills; and storage container support means for holding the storage containers to support them. Main enclosing means for enclosing the container supporting means, the main enclosing means having a movable access cover and having a container distributing port, and the access cover supporting the container on the container supporting means. Such a container support means movable in an open position for manual placement in the means and in a closed lockable position to prevent manual access to the container; Means for escaping the missed dose for holding at least one of the storage containers inaccessible by hand, having a container input port; and a dispensing schedule. Means for storing information; means for generating a distribution notification signal that is sensed by a human sense based on the pill distribution schedule; and humans for receiving a manually input distribution request signal. An interface, selecting a first container from among the containers in the container support means, and selecting the first container within a first predetermined time after the generation of the distribution notification signal. Means for distributing the first storage container through the storage container distribution port based on the reception of the distribution request signal; and within the first predetermined time after the generation of the distribution notification signal. Means for detecting failure in receiving the distribution request signal, and passing the first container through the container input port based on the detection of the failure. Means for placing in the means for surrounding the missed dose; means for transmitting a first alert call to a receiver of a first caregiver based on the detection of the failure; Such means comprising: means for receiving a first confirmation signal from the first caregiver; and means for contacting the central monitoring station based on a failure to receive the first confirmation signal. A drug dispensing system that includes an on-site drug dispensing unit. 2. A means for detecting and storing a follow-up history including a history of a patient inputting a dispensing request signal for a first predetermined time, wherein the central dispensing unit comprises: 2. The medicine dispensing system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for transmitting the tracking history to the medical device. 3. The on-site drug dispensing unit includes means for detecting whether the selected first container is completely dispensed through the container dispensing port, and a first alert call. Based on the detected failure of completely dispensing the selected first container detected by the means for detecting the first call. , The first
Means for transmitting a warning of: a drug dispensing system. 4. The container support means includes a plurality of tubes radially disposed about a common axis, and wherein the means for selecting a first container includes selecting one of the plurality of tubes. Means for selectively rotating said plurality of tubes so as to place one of said tubes in alignment with said container dispensing port. system. 5. The drug dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein said means for storing said dispensing schedule information further comprises means for manually entering said dispensing schedule information. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for receiving an externally generated signal having said distribution schedule information and storing information in said means for storing said distribution schedule information. Drug dispensing system. 7. The medicine dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing notification signal is a recorded voice message. 8. The medicine dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing notification signal is a light display. 9. A central monitoring station and on-site medicine dispensing unit, comprising: a plurality of storage containers for storing pills; and storage container support means for holding the storage containers to support them. Main enclosing means for enclosing the container supporting means, the main enclosing means having a movable access cover and having a container distributing port, and the access cover supporting the container on the container supporting means. Such container support means movable in an open position for manual placement in the means and movable in a closed lockable position to prevent manual access to the container; Means for storing schedule information; means for generating a dispensing activation signal based on the pill dispensing schedule; and receiving a manually input dispensing request signal. An interface with a human for picking up, selecting a first container from among the containers in the container support means, and determining the first container with respect to the dispensing activation signal; Means for distributing the first container through the container distributing port based on the reception of the distribution request signal within a predetermined time window; and distributing the distribution request within the predetermined time window. Means for detecting a failure to receive a signal; means for transmitting a first alert call to a first caregiver receiver based on detecting the failure; and Means for receiving a first acknowledgment signal from a caregiver, and means for communicating with the central monitoring station based on failure to receive the first acknowledgment signal Drug delivery system having, including drug delivery unit such situ.