Prescription compliance device and method of using device

Abstract

A prescription compliance device which aids patients in complying with instructions given by a physician for taking prescription medication. The device reminds a patient when the next dose of medication is to be taken and indicates whether a specified dose has been taken. The device includes a microcontroller, a display, a program memory for storing pre-programmed medication-taking regimens for single and multiple medications, a real time clock, a selector for selecting one of the regimens and for programming the device as to the time and day on which a first dose of medication is to be taken, a display which alternately displays the current time and a time at which a next dose of medication is to be taken and an alarm which alerts the patient at times when a dose of medication is to be taken. The selector includes an event switch which is activated by the patient after taking a dose of medication so as to record the taking of medication and to cause the microcontroller to effect the display of the next time at which a dose of medication is to be taken. A memory may also be included to record the times at which a patient takes doses of medication. The device also includes a remote programming feature via a wireless link.

1 . A method for monitoring patient compliance to medical therapy, comprising:
 repeatedly measuring therapy compliance of a patient and storing such information on a device;   uploading the therapy compliance measurements stored on the device to a computing unit;   evaluating patient compliance based on the received therapy compliance measurements;   identifying instances where patient compliance fails to meet predetermined compliance requirements; and   sending a notification, about one or more instances, to a party based on patient compliance whereby action can be taken by that party.