Condition state monitor and medication manager
A medication dispensing compliance device with interconnectivity to common vital sign monitoring devices such as blood pressure cuffs, glucometers, weight scales, pulse oximeters, heart rate monitors, body temperature, respirometers and other vital sign monitoring apparatus and a system for the aggregation of medication management and clinical vital signs to monitor patient compliance and efficacy of prescribed medications.
1. A vital sign monitoring system for monitoring compliance with prescribed medication dosage schedules via a communication link to a local remote station and a central monitoring station, comprising:
a) a vital sign data sensor operative to generate predetermined signals corresponding to a patient's vital signs;
b) a medication dispensing compliance device having a housing that defines a plurality of compartment openings, each compartment opening adapted to hold at least one medication, the housing further comprising signal means to facilitate proper medication scheduling such that, the signal means reminds a patient of a proper time to take the at least one medication according to the dosage schedule;
c) a plurality of covers, each cover having a closed state and an open state for selectively closing one of the compartment openings to restrain access to the contents of that compartment, wherein the cover provides access to the content of the respective compartment when opened, and wherein each opening and cover defines a pillbox, each pillbox being removable from the housing, each pillbox having a dedicated processor operative to match the patient's at least one medication according to the dosage schedule stored in a local remote station when the pillbox is removed from the housing and operative to synchronize the pillbox data pertaining to the patient's at least one medication according to the dosage schedule with the local remote station when the pillbox is returned to the housing;
d) at least one latch for operatively locking, opening and closing the covers, wherein the at least one latch is in operative communication with the housing signal means and wherein the medication compartment or compartments are only accessible or otherwise operable at predetermined times corresponding to the dosage schedule;
e) a monitor and signal generator switch that generates a signal corresponding to the open and closed state of each cover;
f) the local remote station that stores, transmits, and receives vital sign data and medication dispensing compliance device information corresponding to the open and closed state of each cover via the communication link,
g) a central monitoring station that stores, receives, and transmits via the communication link, and that processes the information corresponding to medication removal activities and vital sign data to monitor patient compliance with prescribed medication dosage schedules and within patient parameters according to the dosing schedule,
wherein the local remote station further comprises a communicator that is activated by the generated predetermined signals to responsively transmit corresponding to the medication removal activity and vital sign data messages to the central monitoring station via the communications link; and
wherein the central monitoring station further comprising:
i. a first processor operative at the central monitoring station to schedule daily medication dosage time windows of the same or varying time width for the patient, one of the dosage time windows is for the patient's prescribed daily dosages according to the dosage schedule, each time window bounded by a unique opening time and a unique closing time specified by or for the patient, wherein the patient compliance with prescribed medication dosage schedules and vital sign data is alarm monitored when medication activity or vital sign data is outside of patient parameters or that notifies a third party of an alarm event, patient non-compliance or medication refill status; and
ii. a second processor operative at the central monitoring station to alarm monitor medication activity messages and vital sign data to assess compliance with the patient's prescribed medication dosage schedules and vital sign data is within patient parameters, and
wherein the signal means comprises each cover being adapted to change colors, providing a visual cue that the respective cover may be opened by the patient and further wherein the compliance data and the vital sign data combination from the medication dispensing compliance device creates a real time data log of the patient's current condition as well as local and remote records of the patient's overall health and physical state in response to at least one administered medication and further comprises notifying a third party of an alarm event, patient non-compliance or medication refill status.
2. The vital sign monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the vital sign sensor data is selected from the group comprising blood pressure, blood sugar, body weight, dissolved blood oxygen, body temperature, respiration, heart rate, wakefulness, body position and body movement.
3. The vital sign monitoring system of claim 1 , the latch comprises a plurality of latches, each latch being controlled by the dedicated processor of each pillbox to operatively lock, open and close the respective cover, wherein the respective medication compartment is controlled by the dedicated processor is only accessible or otherwise operable at predetermined times corresponding to the dosage schedule.
4. The vital sign monitoring system of claim 2 , the latch comprises a plurality of latches, each latch being controlled by the dedicated processor of each pillbox to operatively lock, open and close the respective cover, wherein the respective medication compartment is controlled by the dedicated processor is only accessible or otherwise operable at predetermined times corresponding to the dosage schedule.
5. The vital sign monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the dedicated process or of each pillbox is operative to schedule daily medication dosage time windows of the same or varying time width for the patient, one of the dosage time windows is for the patient's prescribed daily dosages according to the dosage schedule, each time window bounded by a unique opening time and a unique closing time specified by or for the patient, wherein the patient compliance with prescribed medication dosage schedules and vital sign data is alarm monitored when medication activity or vital sign data is outside of patient parameters or that notifies a third party of an alarm event, patient non-compliance or medication refill status.
6. The vital sign monitoring system of claim 2 , wherein the dedicated process or of each pillbox is operative to schedule daily medication dosage time windows of the same or varying time width for the patient, one of the dosage time windows is for the patient's prescribed daily dosages according to the dosage schedule, each time window bounded by a unique opening time and a unique closing time specified by or for the patient, wherein the patient compliance with prescribed medication dosage schedules and vital sign data is alarm monitored when medication activity or vital sign data is outside of patient parameters or that notifies a third party of an alarm event, patient non-compliance or medication refill status.
7. The vital sign monitoring system of claim 3 , wherein the dedicated process or of each pillbox is operative to schedule daily medication dosage time windows of the same or varying time width for the patient, one of the dosage time windows is for the patient's prescribed daily dosages according to the dosage schedule, each time window bounded by a unique opening time and a unique closing time specified by or for the patient, wherein the patient compliance with prescribed medication dosage schedules and vital sign data is alarm monitored when medication activity or vital sign data is outside of patient parameters or that notifies a third party of an alarm event, patient non-compliance or medication refill status.
8. The vital sign monitoring system of claim 2 wherein the signal means comprises each cover being adapted to change colors, providing a visual cue that the respective cover may be opened by the patient.
9. The vital sign monitoring system of claim 3 wherein the signal means comprises each cover being adapted to change colors, providing a visual cue that the respective cover may be opened by the patient.
10. The vital sign monitoring system of claim 7 wherein the signal means comprises each cover being adapted to change colors, providing a visual cue that the respective cover may be opened by the patient.