Supports: racks – Special article – Receptacle support
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-11
2001-08-28
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Receptacle support
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279759
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates generally to a medication recordkeeping apparatus adapted for use in administering medication, and, in particular, to a medication recordkeeping apparatus, used with a medication-containing vessel, to visually record and indicate whether or not a dose of medication has been consumed and to precisely indicate when the dose was consumed. The present invention is an improvement over my invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,087 (the '087 patent) issued to me on Jun. 21, 1988, herein incorporated by reference, and further discloses a novel holder for such an invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for accurately recording and visually indicating in a convenient and inexpensive manner the consumption of doses of a medication and the precise time the dose was consumed. Many patients, while ill, have difficulty remembering whether or not they have taken their medication and many times where the patient is unconscious, a health care professional must have some accurate means of identifying whether or not a particular medication has been consumed and if so when.
The '087 patent discloses a recordkeeping indicia which allowed recordation of a consumed dosage medication by removal of a friable coating associated with that dosage. However, problems are presented when the indicia of the '087 patent are employed on a container which is kept in a patient's pocket or purse, or when the container is kept with other medications in a drawer in that the friable coatings are often inadvertently removed by contact with objects or containers there adjacent. The integrity of the recordkeeping indicia is thereby jeopardized.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and accurate visual method and apparatus for recording a patient's consumption of a medication in direct or close proximity to the medication containing vessel while being connected to the vessel.
It is a further object of this invention to assist a patient who is consuming more than one medication by providing a physical recordkeeping device to prevent confusion as to which medications they have consumed and when. Additionally, for nurses and other health care providers caring for a large number of patients, the present invention provides an accurate and easy method of medication recordkeeping administered to each patient.
A further object of this invention is to provide a medication recordkeeping device which protects the integrity of the recordkeeping data.
A further object of this invention is to provide a medication recordkeeping device of inexpensive manufacture adaptable to many forms of medications as well as consumption occurrences and dosages as desired.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises an inexpensive and accurate method and apparatus for recording the consumption of a medication and being associated with the vessel containing the medication. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention consists of an adhesively backed label embossed or printed with characters which are coated with a friably removable coating. The characters may be symbols referring to either numerals or letters which may represent dates, dosage amounts or occurrences of consumption. The friable coating is removed from the label exposing the character or symbol beneath providing a permanent visual record of the medication consumed. Such a label may be placed upon the medication-containing vessel preferably on the side of the container opposite the prescription label. The label preferably contains a space for the patient's name, as well as important medical information, and/or a bar code for recording and/or providing important information. In an alternative embodiment the label may be provided with an indicia protective sheet which covers the label and the friable coatings so that said coatings are not inadvertently removed. The cover is preferably clear to allow viewing of the recordkeeping indicia and is easily removed from and replaced onto the label for ease of recording consumption of a dosage.
In another alternative embodiment, the invention consists of a sheet instead of a label which is utilized in close proximity to the medication and patient. The sheet, like the label is comprised of characters and numerals masked by a friable removable coating which is removed upon consumption of medication. The sheet is preferably connected to the medication container via a housing apparatus, so that the sheet cannot readily be separated from the medication container. The housing apparatus may be provided with a displacable sheet cover to prevent unintended removal of the friable coatings while allowing easy recordation of consumed dosages.
The invention affords ready adaptability to any number of dosages to be administered to a patient. The invention is generally tamper proof, because once the coating is removed from the label or sheet exposing a character it may not be recoated. Additionally, manufacture is intended to be of an inexpensive nature such that the label may be readily applied to the medication containing vessel, or readily slipped into the housing container and attaching the medication container thereto.
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Patula & Associates, P.C
Stodola Daniel P.
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