Unified ingestion package and process for patient compliance with prescribed medication regimen

Abstract

Techniques for reducing non-compliance of medication use are described. The techniques involve generating and storing an identifier for a specific dosage instance of a specific patient, and creating a package that includes a mechanism for conveying the identifier. Once the package is created, a set of one or more medications that are prescribed to be taken by the specific patient at the specific dosage instance are placed in the package. The set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened. Once opened, the identifier is perceived and communicated back to an automated compliance system.

1 . A method for reducing non-compliance of medication use, the method comprising:
 generating and storing an instance-specific identifier for each dosage instance of a plurality of dosage instances that are associated with a specific patient, wherein generating an instance-specific identifier for each dosage instance includes generating a first instance-specific identifier for a first dosage instance;   creating a package that includes a mechanism for conveying the first instance-specific identifier for the first dosage instance;   placing in the package a set of one or more medications for the first dosage instance for the specific patient; and   sealing the set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the first instance-specific identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 each dosage instance of the plurality of dosage instances is an instance in which the specific patient is prescribed to take medications;   the instance-specific identifier generated for each dosage instance of the plurality of dosage instances is unique relative to instance-specific identifiers provided to the specific patient for any other dosage instance of the plurality of dosage instances.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 capturing instance-specific identifiers associated with dosage instances of the specific patient, and   analyzing a set of captured instance-specific identifiers to characterize a specific patient's compliance behavior.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising predicting probable medical outcomes based on characterization of the specific patient's compliance behavior. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the steps of generating, creating, placing and sealing are performed for each patient of a plurality of patients; and   the instance-specific identifier generated for each specific dosage instance for each specific patient is unique relative to all other identifiers generated for other patients.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the steps of generating, creating, placing and sealing are performed for each patient of a plurality of patients;   the instance-specific identifier generated for each specific dosage instance for each specific patient is not unique relative to all other instance-specific identifiers generated for other patients; and   the instance-specific identifier generated for each specific dosage instance for each specific patient is combined with another number associated with the specific patient to create a composite identifier that is unique relative to all other identifiers generated for other patients.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 the receiving an indication of the first instance-specific identifier through a communication; and   capturing the number associated with the specific patient from the communication.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein:
 the step of receiving an indication of the first instance-specific identifier through a communication includes receiving an indication of the first instance-specific identifier by a telephone communication; and   the step of capturing the number associated with the specific patient from the communication includes capturing caller identifier information associated with the telephone communication.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 communicating a reminder to the specific patient, wherein the reminder is associated with the first dosage instance; and   determining whether the specific patient has complied with taking the set of medications at the first dosage instance based on whether the first instance-specific identifier is received in response to the reminder.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein:
 the step of communicating a reminder includes using an automated compliance system to send a text message to cell phone of the specific patient; and   the step of determining whether the specific patient has complied with taking the set of medications at the first dosage instance is based on whether the automated compliance system receives a response, to the text message, that includes the first instance-specific identifier.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising an automated compliance system determining whether the specific patient has complied with taking the set of medications at the first dosage instance based on whether the automated compliance system receives a communication that includes the first instance-specific identifier prior to a predetermined deadline. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising an automated compliance system determining whether the specific patient has complied with taking the set of medications at the first dosage instance based on whether the automated compliance system receives a communication that includes the first instance-specific identifier within a predetermined window of time before and after the prescribed time of the first dosage instance. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the mechanism is an RFID Tag, and   the step of sealing the set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the first instance-specific identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened includes sealing the package in a manner that shields the RFID Tag.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of sealing the package in a manner that shields the RFID Tag includes covering the RFID Tag with a material that shields the RFID Tag. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the mechanism is printed material from which the first instance-specific identifier may be visually perceived, and   the step of sealing the set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the first instance-specific identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened includes sealing the package in a manner that prevents the printed material from being visually perceived.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first instance-specific identifier is printed on the printed material using human-readable symbols. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first instance-specific identifier is printed on the printed material using a bar code. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the mechanism is a magnetic strip on a card material, and   the step of sealing the set of medications within the package in a manner that prevents the first instance-specific identifier from being perceived from the mechanism until the package is opened includes sealing the package in a manner using a material that shields the magnetic strip.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the set of medications includes tablets and/or capsules, each representing a specific dosage of a specific medication.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the set of medications is comprised of multiple subsets of micro-spheres, granules or pellets, each subset comprised of a specific number or weight of micro-spheres, granules or pellets that are customized to represent a specific dosage of a specific medication for a specific patient, for a specific dosage ingestion time.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein:
 each subset of micro-spheres, granules or pellets comprising a specific dosage of a specific medication, is treated with a time-release coating that delays the release, in the patient's body, of the specific medication for a specific time after ingestion.   
   
   
       22 . A package sealed with medications, the package created by steps recited in  claim 1 .