A method and apparatus for monitoring adherence to a dosing-regimen for a medication is presented. Systems in accordance with the present invention automatically monitor the medicine content of a blister card based on the state of its lidding film and compare it to the prescribed dosing regimen for the medicine. In some embodiments, the lidding film is imaged using a tomographic imaging technique, such as electrical resistance tomography or electrical impedance tomography. Alternative sensing approaches are based on optical, acoustic, and tactile sensors that interrogate either the dispensing region at each tablet location or the tablets themselves to determine whether tablets have been dispensed. Automatic monitoring of the blister card enables the user to be: (1) alerted to non-compliance, (2) alerted to a risk of future non-compliance, and/or (3) to be provided remediation instructions when non-compliance is determined.

An automatic medication dispenser device includes a container structure for containing medications (pills or liquids). There is a display screen on the container displaying the current date and time, name of patient (user), prescription name and dosage, when the prior dose was taken and when the next one is due. A button is push to activate the dispensing of the medication.

The provider can control the AMD remotely: proper use of the medication and interact through video (telemedicine) with the patient. Only a provider such as (doctor, nurses or pharmacist) will be able to access the area where medicines are contained since it requires a special key.

A cover for a medicine container is provided. The cover contains a deactivating material within it which can, upon release into a medicine container, deactivate and/or destroy a medicine within the container. The cover may have an automated release mechanism which controls release of the deactivating material into the medicine container.

A medication dispensing system is provided with several cooperating components which help to accommodate the responsible handling of medications. These systems include a user interface to receive input from the user and to present appropriate information/notices/alarms. Further, physical controls and multiple sensors are provided to detect tampering, misuse, and attempts to inappropriately access medications contained within the dispensing system. This misuse can thus be detected, and appropriate notifications can be provided, where appropriate. Further, by adding network communications capabilities, notices can be widely communicated to others, and operation of the medication dispensing system can be controlled and/or monitored remotely.

There is provided an apparatus for monitoring compliance, facilitating automatic dispensing and childproofing strip packaged medication. In one embodiment a dispenser advances a packet, controls advancement of the packet and detects the presence and absence of the packet, including electronic circuitry for recording events. A replicate for strip package medication can have packets with an open conductive trace, each packet being rupturable at a location to interrupt conductivity of the conductive trace. When the conductive trace of one of the packets completes an external circuit, the circuit is interrupted when the packet is ruptured. In another aspect, each packet has a tuned antenna that is tuned to an external transceiver which detects the detuning of each antenna. In a method of making a replicate for strip package medication, conductive ink is printed on a surface of each packet of the replicate and longitudinal edges of the replicate are reinforced.

Medication management and reporting technology, in which output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of a patient is located is monitored and a determination is made to capture one or more images of the medication based on the monitoring. A camera is used to capture an image of the medication and the captured image is analyzed to detect a state of the medication. Information regarding a schedule by which the medication should be taken by the patient is accessed and an expected state of the medication is determined. The detected state is compared with the expected state and a determination is made that the patient has departed from the schedule based on the comparison revealing that the detected state does not match the expected state. A message indicating the departure from the schedule is sent based on the determination.

Concepts presented herein relate to approaches for loading a medication dispenser. In one aspect, a medication schedule is obtained and compartments for medication to be positioned in the medication dispenser are identified. A particular medication is selected to be loaded and an indication is provided of the compartment that will hold the particular medication.

An activity monitor is associated with a container, such as a medication bottle, and includes one or more detectors configured to detect activity associated with the bottle, such as movement, opening and/or closing, and changes in volume and/or mass. The activity monitor may include alerting devices and be programmed with scheduling information. The activity monitor may also, or instead, communicate with one or more remote devices such as a user device or monitoring system, such as to receive programming information from those devices or to output activity information to those devices.

A pill case (100) includes a pocket (9) which receives one pill (10) from an accommodation unit (8) in which a plurality of pills (10) are accommodated, and an extraction port (11) for ejecting the pill (10) in the pocket (9) to the outside. The pill case (100) includes a manipulation unit (for example, pill ejection button (4) and pill tray (5)) which converts a state in which the pill (10) in the pocket (9) cannot be ejected through the extraction port (11) to a state in which the pill (10) in the pocket (9) can be ejected through the extraction port (11) by being manipulated by a user. The pill case (100) includes a moving unit which is moved by indirectly or directly receiving a pressure from the pill (10) in the pocket (9) according to the moving manipulation to the manipulation unit, and a detection unit which detects that the moving unit is moved up to a position of the moving unit which corresponds to a state in which the pill (10) in the pocket (9) can be ejected.

A method for identifying medical diverters includes identifying users having similar job functions. Use data indicative of user access to a medication dispensing system is retrieved and is analyzed to identify periods of use of the system for users. Boundaries of work shifts are determined and users are organized into work shifts based on periods of use. A comparison period is determined. Diversion data indicative of behavior associated with diversion for each user is identified. A diversion score indicative of a likelihood that a user is diverting medication is generated by averaging the data by shifts worked for each user and statistically comparing the averaged data. Diversion scores are combined for a medication type to generate a group score. A consistency factor is determined and an overall score is generated. A determination whether any overall scores exceed an overall threshold is made. Users whose score exceeds the threshold are flagged.