Event monitoring device

Details Event monitoring device Event monitoring device

1999-02-19

2001-03-06

Roskoski, Bernard (Department: 2859)

Horology: time measuring systems or devices

Combined with disparate device

Reexamination Certificate

active

06198695

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a programmable medical event reminding and monitoring device. More particularly, to a device which can prompt an individual, and record said events for later analysis by a physician, care provider, or researcher.
2. Description of Related Art
One problem in the medical and pharmaceutical industry is determining whether a patient or participating subject, has properly taken prescribed medications at the proper times. In the medical industry, this is especially problematic with older patients who are taking multiple medications on a complex time schedule
Traditionally, any attempt to record compliance with medications was done with paper, or via phone interviews. A form would be created by the doctor listing the medications along with times and instructions. The patient would then fill out the form as the medications were taken. Unfortunately, physicians have found this to be an unreliable method for tracking compliance. Typically, the patient will forget to mark the form and there is no way of assuring what time the medication was actually taken. Phone interviews have also been used, but are typically not accurate enough to constitute scientific data. A number of devices have been proposed to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional paper based system. They include:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,997 Urquhart et. al. relates to a programmable device that controls when the patient receives a dosage. The device is programmed with the schedule of pharmaceutical doses. At the prescribed time, the device alerts the patient and dispenses the medication. Alternatively, the patient may request the dosage and depending on some preset rules, the device may or may not dispense the medication. This invention also has means for recording these events and later reporting them to the physician.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,153 Schoilmeyer et. al. relates to a programmable prompting device that attaches to a medication container. At prescribed times, the device will produce a visible or audible signal to prompt the patient to take the medication. In one embodiment, the device also unlocks the container when the signal is generated thus preventing unscheduled dosages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,221 Urquhart et. al. relates to a programmable device capable of dispensing medications at prescribed times and monitors the physical dispensing through the use of an optical sensor located in the dispensing port.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,711 Johnston relates to a programmable device for assisting a person in keeping track of events such as appointments or times to take medications. The user can program the device through a series of switches to set unique preset times. The user must also physically write on a piece of paper attached to the device what action corresponds with each timed event. This device is similar to the traditional paper based system with an alarm clock attached to the form.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Briefly described and in accordance with the embodiments thereof, it is considered an advantage to provide a medical event monitoring device which prompts and records the compliance of user medical events.
It is also considered advantageous of the present invention to provide a portable device, that may be carried by the user or test group participant. The device has a timer that keeps track of the time of day. It also has a means for receiving user profile data consisting of event descriptions, the scheduled time associated with those events, and means for storing it in electronic memory. A means for comparing the system time to the profile data is provided to determine if and when an event should take place. When an event takes place, a signaling means is activated to alert the user. Once the user has been notified, a set time interval is provided to allow acknowledgment of the prompt or notification, and a means for recording whether or not the patients acknowledgment of the event has occurred. Finally, the device has means for transmitting the recorded data to an external data collection apparatus.
Still another advantage is to provide a method for prompting the user to take action on a medical event and providing a means for determining if the user acknowledges the completion of the event First the device is programmed with a user profile that contains prescription data and the associated times. The data is periodically reviewed to determine if a medical event should be prompted. When the system time matches an event time, the user is prompted to take the medication. The user then has a predetermined amount of time to pause then a predetermined amount of time to acknowledge that the event has been completed. The device then records for each event whether or not the event occurred as scheduled.
It is still another advantage to provide a means for a physician, care provider, or researcher to retrieve the compliance data from the device.
It is considered a general advantage to provide a device that can overcome the shortcomings of the prior art discussed above.
Additional advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art on examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4293845 (1981-10-01), Villa-Real
patent: 4490711 (1984-12-01), Johnston
patent: 4504153 (1985-03-01), Schollmeyer et al.
patent: 4725997 (1988-02-01), Urquhart et al.
patent: 4754423 (1988-06-01), Rollins
patent: 4858207 (1989-08-01), Buchner
patent: 4971221 (1990-11-01), Urquhart et al.
patent: 5097429 (1992-03-01), Wood et al.
patent: 5157640 (1992-10-01), Backner
patent: 5289157 (1994-02-01), Rudick et al.
patent: 5337290 (1994-08-01), Ventimiglia et al.
patent: 5612869 (1997-03-01), Letzt et al.
patent: 5696496 (1997-12-01), Kumar
patent: 5719780 (1998-02-01), Holmes et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Event monitoring device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Event monitoring device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Event monitoring device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2440318