Systems and methods for improving patient compliance with a prescription drug regimen
A system for improving patient compliance with a prescription drug regimen is described. The system includes a patient database for storing patient information, the information including contact information for a patient communication device (such as a telephone, cell phone, computer, or PDA) along with a method for communicating with that device. The system further includes an alert database for storing information about prescription reminder alerts to be sent to patients. A send program running on a computer retrieves information about prescription reminder alerts from the alert database and transmits the prescription reminder alerts to a patient communications device over a communications network using the contact information and contact method stored in the patient database.
1. A system for improving patient compliance with a prescription drug regimen, comprising:
a computer including a central processing unit;
a communications network for transmitting messages;
a patient database for storing information about a plurality of patients registered with a prescription reminder service, said information including contact information for at least one remote communications device associated with each of the plurality of patients, said contact information including a method for sending messages to the remote communications device;
an alert database for storing a plurality of prescription reminder alerts, wherein each of said plurality of prescription reminder alerts is associated with a patient and wherein each of said prescription reminder alerts includes information to determine a specific time to transmit each of said prescription reminder alerts;
an application running on said remote communication device, said application configured to retrieve information about each of said prescription reminder alerts from the alert database and to remind the patient with an alert;
an incentive definition database for storing a plurality of incentive definitions, wherein each of the plurality of incentive definitions includes an incentive event description and information about an incentive verification wherein said incentive verification is to be sent upon receipt of an event notification matching said incentive event description;
an incentive program running on said computer configured to receive an event notification, compare said event notification with the incentive event description in each of the plurality of incentive definitions in the incentive database, and to send the incentive verification to the application from each incentive definition that contains an incentive event description that matches the event notification, wherein at least one incentive definition in the incentive database contains an incentive event description that matches an event notification generated by the application in response to the application receiving information from the patient about refilling a prescription or taking prescribed drugs on schedule;
a feedback definition database for storing a plurality of feedback message templates, wherein each of the plurality of feedback message templates includes information sufficient to describe a feedback message and at least one action to be executed upon receipt of a matching feedback message; and
a feedback program configured to receive a feedback message from the application on the remote communications device, to compare said feedback message to the plurality of feedback message templates in the feedback definition database, and to execute the at least one action associated with each feedback message template that matches the feedback message, wherein the at least one action includes sending a response to the feedback message, updating a preference setting associated with receiving the alert, retrieving or modifying the information of the patient in the patient database, retrieving or delivering an incentive award associated with the incentive verification, or a combination thereof.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said alert database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said incentive database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said patient database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said feedback program is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the feedback definition database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a performance database for storing information associated with a plurality of patients, including information about prescription reminder alerts sent to said plurality of patients and feedback messages received from said plurality of patients; and
a performance measurement program configured to query the performance database, wherein the query returns data from the performance database, and performs a mathematical or statistical analysis on the data returned from the performance database.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein said performance measurement program is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one incentive definition in the incentive database contains an incentive event description that matches an event notification generated when a specified prescription reminder alert is added to the alert database.
10. A system for improving patient compliance with a prescription drug regimen, comprising:
a computer including a central processing unit;
a communications network for transmitting messages;
a patient database for storing information about a plurality of patients registered with a prescription drug reminder service, said information including contact information for at least one remote communications device associated with each of the plurality of patients, said contact information including a method for sending messages to the remote communications device;
an alert database for storing a plurality of prescription drug reminder alerts, wherein each of said plurality of prescription drug reminder alerts is associated with a patient and wherein each of said prescription drug reminder alerts includes information to determine a specific time to transmit each of said prescription drug reminder alerts;
an application running on said remote communication device, said application configured to retrieve information about each of said prescription drug reminder alerts from the alert database and to remind the patient with an alert;
an incentive definition database for storing a plurality of incentive definitions, wherein each of the plurality of incentive definitions includes an incentive event description and information about an incentive verification wherein said incentive verification is to be sent upon receipt of an event notification matching said incentive event description; and
an incentive program running on said remote communication device configured to receive an event notification, compare said event notification with the incentive event description in each of the plurality of incentive definitions in the incentive database, and to send the incentive verification to the application from each incentive definition that contains an incentive event description that matches the event notification, wherein at least one incentive definition in the incentive database contains an incentive event description that matches an event notification generated by the application in response to the application receiving information from the patient about refilling a prescription or taking prescribed drugs on schedule, wherein the incentive verification includes a proof that the patient satisfies a criteria so as to be eligible to receive an incentive award.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein said alert database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein said incentive database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein said patient database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
14. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a feedback definition database for storing a plurality of feedback message templates, wherein each of the plurality of feedback message template includes information sufficient to describe a feedback message and at least one action to be executed upon receipt of a matching feedback message; and
a feedback program configured to compare said feedback message to the plurality of feedback message templates in the feedback definition database, and to execute the at least one action associated with each feedback template that matches the feedback message.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein said feedback program is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the feedback definition data is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
17. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a performance database for storing information associated with a plurality of patients, including information about prescription reminder alerts sent to said plurality of patients and feedback messages received from said plurality of patients; and
a performance measurement program configured to query the performance database, wherein the query returns data from the performance database, and performs a mathematical or statistical analysis on the data returned from the performance database.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein said performance measurement program is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
19. A system for improving patient compliance with a drug regimen, comprising:
a computer including a central processing unit;
a communications network for transmitting messages;
a patient database for storing information about a plurality of patients registered with a drug reminder service, said information including contact information for at least one remote communications device associated with each of the plurality of patients, said contact information including a method for sending messages to the remote communications device;
an alert database for storing a plurality of drug reminder alerts, wherein each of said plurality of drug reminder alerts is associated with a patient and wherein each of said drug reminder alerts includes information to determine a specific time to transmit each of said drug reminder alerts;
an application running on said remote communication device, said application configured to retrieve information about each of said drug reminder alerts from the alert database and to remind the patient with an alert;
an incentive definition database for storing a plurality of incentive definitions, wherein each of the plurality of incentive definitions includes an incentive event description and information about an incentive verification wherein said incentive verification is to be sent upon receipt of an event notification matching said incentive event description;
an incentive program running on said computer configured to receive an event notification, compare said event notification with the incentive event description in each of the plurality of incentive definitions in the incentive database, and to send the incentive verification to the application from each incentive definition that contains an incentive event description that matches the event notification, wherein at least one incentive definition in the incentive database contains an incentive event description that matches an event notification generated by the application in response to the application receiving information from the patient about refilling a prescription or taking prescribed drugs on schedule;
a feedback definition database for storing a plurality of feedback message templates, wherein each of the plurality of feedback message templates includes information sufficient to describe a feedback message and at least one action to be executed upon receipt of a matching feedback message; and
a feedback program configured to receive a feedback message from the application on the remote communications device, to compare said feedback message to the plurality of feedback message templates in the feedback definition database, and to execute the at least one action associated with each feedback message template that matches the feedback message, wherein the feedback message includes a response to the alert, a preference setting associated with receiving the alert, a request for reviewing or modifying the information of the patient in the patient database, a request for reviewing or redeeming an incentive award associated with the incentive verification, or a combination thereof.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein said alert database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
21. The system of claim 19 , wherein said incentive database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.
22. The system of claim 19 , wherein said patient database is distributed between the computer and the remote communication device.