Notification control device and terminal program

Abstract

To provide a notification control device and a terminal program which issue a notification at a timing according to the number of prescription days of a prepared medicine.SOLUTION: In a communication system in which a health management server and a plurality of user terminals are connected to a network, a system control unit of a health management server acquires medicine information showing the prescription date and the number of prescription days of a prescribed medicine, determines the number of remaining days according to the prescription days shown in the medicine information, and issues a notification related to reduction of the remaining amount of the prescribed medicine on the notification day when the total of the number of days which have passed since the prescription day shown in the medicine information and the determined number of remaining days is the number of prescription days shown in the medicine information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for providing notification in response to a low remaining amount of a dispensed medication. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a technique for managing prescribed or dispensed medicine and notifying the patient when the remaining amount of the medicine is reduced. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a pharmacy terminal of a pharmacy that provides a patient with medicine based on prescription information transmits a medicine-taking schedule for the medicine to a mobile communication terminal of the patient, and when the mobile communication terminal determines that it is time to take the medicine based on the medicine-taking schedule, it instructs the patient to take the medicine. Patent Document 1 also discloses that the mobile communication terminal subtracts the amount of the medicine instructed to be taken from the remaining amount, and when the remaining amount falls below a predetermined amount, it transmits information to a hospital terminal requesting the creation of prescription information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-266853 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, it is not necessarily appropriate to uniformly set the timing of notification to the timing when the remaining amount of the medicine becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount. For example, the more the number of prescription days of the dispensed medicine, the more likely it is that the user who receives the medicine needs to continue using the medicine. In other words, the more the number of prescription days, the more the need to continue obtaining the medicine. If the number of prescription days of the provided medicine is relatively long and therefore the total amount of the medicine is large, the notification will be made at a stage where the remaining amount of the medicine has decreased considerably compared to the total amount. If the user takes action to obtain the medicine again at the stage of receiving the notification, there is a possibility that the user will not be able to obtain the next medicine before the medicine currently in hand runs out. On the other hand, if the number of prescription days is relatively short, the notification will be made at a stage where a sufficient amount of the medicine remains compared to the total amount of the provided medicine. It cannot be said that the notification at this timing is effective.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and one example of its objective is to provide a notification control device and terminal program that enable notifications to be made at times according to the number of days for which the dispensed medicine has been prescribed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (Application Example 1) The notification control device of this application example is characterized by comprising: a drug information acquisition means for acquiring drug information indicating the dispensing date and prescription days of a dispensed drug; a determination means for determining a remaining number of days according to the prescription days indicated by the acquired drug information; and a notification control means for executing a notification related to a reduction in the remaining amount of the dispensed drug on a notification date on which the sum of the number of days elapsed since the dispensing date indicated by the acquired drug information and the determined remaining days becomes the prescription days indicated by the acquired drug information.

[0007] According to this application example, the remaining number of days according to the prescription number of days of the dispensed medicine is determined. The medicine dispensed and provided to the user is scheduled to run out on the day after the prescription number of days from the dispensing date. When the number of days from the dispensing date to the day the medicine is scheduled to run out reaches the determined remaining number of days, a notification related to the decrease in the remaining amount of the dispensed medicine is executed on that day. Therefore, the notification can be performed at a timing according to the prescription number of days of the dispensed medicine.

[0008] (Application Example 2) The notification control device of this application example is characterized in that the decision means further decides the notification date, and further includes a judgment means for deciding on a day-by-day basis whether or not to execute the notification based on the decided notification date, and the notification control means executes the notification when it is determined that the notification should be executed.

[0009] According to this application example, the notification date is determined so that the number of prescription days is the sum of the number of days elapsed since the dispensing date and the number of remaining days. Based on the determined notification date, it is determined for each day whether or not to execute notification. As a result, when the notification date arrives, notification is executed.

[0010] (Application Example 3) The notification control device of this application example is characterized in that the determination means sets the remaining number of days determined when the prescription number of days is equal to or greater than a predetermined first prescription number of days to be greater than the remaining number of days determined when the prescription number of days is less than the first prescription number of days.

[0011] According to this application example, when the prescription period is equal to or greater than the first prescription period, the notification is executed earlier based on the number of prescription days from the dispensing date than when the prescription period is less than the first prescription period. Therefore, the notification can be executed at a timing according to the prescription period of the dispensed medicine.

[0012] (Application Example 4) The notification control device of this application example is characterized in that, when the prescription days are equal to or greater than a predetermined first prescription days, the determination means determines the remaining days to a predetermined first remaining days and a predetermined second remaining days that is less than the first remaining days, and when the prescription days are less than the first prescription days, the determination means determines the remaining days to the second remaining days, and when the remaining days are determined to be the first remaining days and the second remaining days, the notification control means executes the notification on each of the notification date determined according to the first remaining days and the notification date determined according to the second remaining days.

[0013] According to this application example, when the prescription days are equal to or greater than the first prescription days, the notification is executed on the day when the number of days remaining from the dispensing date until the day after the prescription days is the first remaining days. After that, the notification is executed again on the day when the number of days remaining from the dispensing date until the day after the prescription days is the second remaining days, which is determined when the prescription days are less than the first prescription days. Therefore, if the user forgets to obtain the medicine despite the notification being executed once, the user can be reminded of this.

[0014] (Application Example 5) The notification control device of this application example is characterized in that the notification control means outputs the notification when the prescription days are equal to or greater than a second prescription days which is less than the first prescription days, and does not execute the notification when the prescription days are less than the second prescription days.

[0015] According to this application example, when the prescription date is less than a predetermined second prescription date that is less than the first prescription date, the notification is not executed. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate notifications that are less necessary because the prescription date is small.

[0016] (Application Example 6) The notification control device of this application example further includes a difficulty information acquisition means for acquiring difficulty information indicating the difficulty level of obtaining the dispensed medicine, and the determination means determines the remaining number of days in accordance with the number of prescription days and in accordance with the difficulty level of obtaining indicated by the acquired difficulty information, and is characterized in that, under the condition that the number of prescription days is the same, the remaining number of days determined when the difficulty level of obtaining is equal to or greater than a predetermined level is greater than the remaining number of days determined when the difficulty level of obtaining is less than the predetermined level.

[0017] According to this application example, the remaining number of days is determined according to the degree of difficulty in obtaining the dispensed medicine. Under the condition that the number of prescription days is the same, when the degree of difficulty in obtaining is equal to or higher than a predetermined degree, the notification is executed at an earlier timing than when the degree of difficulty in obtaining is less than the predetermined degree. Therefore, for a medicine with a higher degree of difficulty in obtaining, by allowing more time for the next time to obtain the medicine, it is possible to make it relatively easy to obtain the medicine.

[0018] (Application Example 7) The notification control device of this application example further includes an inventory information acquisition means for acquiring inventory information capable of identifying the inventory amount of the dispensed drug at the facility indicated by the acquired drug information, where the acquired drug information further indicates the facility where the drug was dispensed, and the determination means determines the remaining days in accordance with the prescription days and the inventory amount identified by the acquired inventory information, and under the condition that the prescription days are the same, the remaining days determined when the inventory amount is less than a predetermined amount is greater than the remaining days determined when the inventory amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount.

[0019] According to this application example, the remaining number of days is determined according to the stock of the drug at the facility that dispensed the drug. Under the condition that the number of prescription days is the same, when the stock amount is less than a predetermined amount, the notification is executed at an earlier timing than when the stock amount is equal to or more than the predetermined amount. Therefore, for a drug with a smaller stock amount, by allowing more time for the next acquisition of the drug, the possibility of obtaining the drug while it is still in stock can be increased.

[0020] (Application Example 8) The notification control device of this application example further includes a reservation status information acquisition means for acquiring reservation status information indicating the reservation status of at least one of the facilities where the medicine was dispensed and the hospital where the medicine was prescribed, the reservation status information indicating the reservation status of the at least one of the facilities indicated by the acquired medicine information and capable of identifying the reservation difficulty level of the at least one of the facilities, and the determination means determines the remaining number of days in accordance with the prescription number of days and in accordance with the reservation difficulty level identified from the acquired reservation status information, and under the condition that the prescription number of days is the same, the remaining number of days determined when the reservation difficulty level is equal to or greater than a predetermined level is greater than the remaining number of days determined when the reservation difficulty level is less than the predetermined level.

[0021] According to this application example, the remaining number of days is determined further depending on the reservation difficulty of at least one of the facility that dispensed the medicine and the hospital that prescribed the medicine. Under the condition that the number of prescription days is the same, when the reservation difficulty is equal to or greater than a predetermined level, the notification is executed at an earlier timing than when the reservation difficulty is less than the predetermined level. Therefore, for facilities or hospitals where it is more difficult to make a reservation, it is possible to make a reservation relatively easily by allowing more time for the next time the medicine is dispensed at the facility or the next time the patient is examined at the hospital.

[0022] (Application Example 9) The notification control device according to this application example is characterized in that the notification control means causes a terminal device of a user to which the dispensed medicine is provided to execute the notification.

[0023] (Application Example 10) The notification control device of this application example is characterized in that the notification executed includes outputting notification information indicating at least one of the fact that the remaining amount of the medicine is low and a recommendation to go to a hospital.

[0024] (Application Example 11) The terminal program of this application example is characterized in that it causes a computer of a terminal device to function as a drug information acquisition means that acquires drug information indicating the dispensing date and prescription days of a dispensed drug, and a notification means that executes a notification to a user of the terminal device on a notification date when the sum of the number of days that have passed since the dispensing date indicated by the acquired drug information and the remaining number of days determined according to the prescription days indicated by the acquired drug information becomes the prescription days. Effect of the Invention

[0025] According to the present invention, notification can be given at a timing according to the number of days for which the dispensed medicine is prescribed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a communication system S according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a health management server 1 according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a database of the health management server 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a user terminal 2 according to an embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of a system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a correspondence relationship between the number of prescription days and the number of remaining notification days. [Figure 7] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of timing for notifying a remaining amount deficiency. [Figure 8] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of functional blocks of a system control unit 21 in a user terminal 2 according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] 13 shows an example of a remaining capacity shortage notification message. [Figure 10] 1 is a sequence diagram showing a processing example of a communication system S according to an embodiment. [Figure 11]13 is a flowchart showing an example of a notification date determination process by a system control unit 11 according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a correspondence relationship between the number of prescription days and the number of remaining notification days. [Figure 13] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of timing for notifying a remaining amount deficiency. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a health management server 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a drug DB 14d. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of a system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 17] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a correspondence relationship between a combination of the number of prescription days and the degree of difficulty in obtaining the drug, and the number of days remaining for notification. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a health management server 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 19] 13 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a pharmacy DB 14e and an inventory DB 14f. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of a system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 21] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a correspondence relationship between a combination of prescription days and inventory amount, and the remaining notification days. FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a health management server 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 23] 13 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a hospital DB 14g, a pharmacy reservation status DB 14h, and a hospital reservation status DB 14i. FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of a system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 according to an embodiment. [Diagram 25] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a correspondence relationship between a combination of the number of prescription days and the unavailable appointment rate, and the number of remaining notification days. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] [1. First embodiment] [1-1. Communication system configuration] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration and functional overview of a communication system S according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a communication system S according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the communication system S includes a health management server 1 and a plurality of user terminals 2. The health management server 1 and each user terminal 2 are connected to a network NW. The network NW is constructed by, for example, the Internet, a dedicated communication line (for example, a CATV (Community Antenna Television) line), a mobile communication network (including base stations, etc.), a gateway, etc.

[0028] The health management server 1 may be a server device that executes a process for providing a health management service related to the health management of a user. For example, the health management server 1 may perform a process for notifying the user of the intake of a medicine dispensed at a pharmacy or a hospital and provided to the user when it is time to take (or use) the medicine. In this embodiment, for convenience, the explanation is given on the assumption that an oral medicine is mainly dispensed, but an external medicine or an injection medicine may be dispensed. In addition, the health management server 1 may perform a process for notifying the user in response to a decrease in the remaining amount of the medicine provided to the user. This notification is called a remaining amount insufficient notification. The remaining amount insufficient notification may be, for example, a notification related to a decrease in the remaining amount of the medicine. For example, the remaining amount insufficient notification may be a notification indicating that the remaining amount of the medicine is decreasing, or a notification recommending that the user go to a hospital to get the next medicine prescribed. If necessary, the user will take an action to obtain the same medicine or the medicine prescribed at the next consultation. The actions may include making an appointment for a medical examination, going to a hospital for a medical examination or visiting a hospital online, making an appointment for dispensing medicine, making an appointment for medication instruction, picking up medicine at a pharmacy or ordering medicine online. In this case, a lack of remaining amount may mean that if an action to obtain medicine is delayed, the medicine currently on hand of the user may run out before obtaining the next medicine. The health management server 1 may further perform processing to realize an appointment for a medical examination at a hospital or a reservation for dispensing medicine or medication instruction at a pharmacy online. Furthermore, the health management server 1 may also perform processing to realize an appointment for a medical examination or medication instruction online.

[0029] Each user terminal 2 may be a terminal device used by a user who can use the health management service. Each user terminal 2 may be a portable terminal device. Examples of the user terminal 2 include a mobile phone such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a wearable computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and the like. Each user terminal 2 may include an imaging unit. The user terminal 2 may be capable of capturing still images and videos by the imaging unit. In addition, the user terminal 2 may be capable of reading information encoded in a two-dimensional code by capturing an image of the two-dimensional code with the imaging unit. For example, when a pharmacy or the like provides a dispensed medicine to a user, the pharmacy or the like may also provide a piece of paper or the like on which a two-dimensional code indicating provided medicine information related to the medicine is printed to the user. The provided medicine information may be, for example, information indicating the prescription contents or information related to the dispensed medicine. The user terminal 2 may transmit the read provided medicine information to the health management server 1. A health management app may be installed in each user terminal 2. The user terminal 2 may execute the health management app to enable the user to use the health management service. Alternatively, the user may be able to use the health management service by displaying the content of the health management service in a web browser.

[0030] [1-2.Device configuration] [1-2-1. Health management server] Next, the configuration of the health management server 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the health management server 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the health management server 1 includes a system control unit 11, a system bus 12, an input / output interface 13, a storage unit 14, and a communication unit 15. The system control unit 11 and the input / output interface 13 are connected via the system bus 12.

[0031] The system control unit 11 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 11a, a read only memory (ROM) 11b, a random access memory (RAM) 11c, and the like.

[0032] The input / output interface 13 performs interface processing between the storage unit 14 and the communication unit 15 and the system control unit 11 .

[0033] The storage unit 14 is configured with, for example, a hard disk drive. Databases such as a user DB 14a, a provided medicine information DB 14b, and a notification schedule DB 14c may be stored in this storage unit 14. "DB" is an abbreviation for database. At least one database may be stored in a server device different from the health management server 1. The health management server 1 may be able to access the database via the server device.

[0034] 3 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the database of the health management server 1. User DB 14a may store user information on each user who can use the health management service. For example, user DB 14a may store user ID, name, sex, date of birth, address, email address, etc., as user information, in association with each other. The user ID is identification information for identifying a user.

[0035] The provided drug information DB 14b may store each provided drug information transmitted from each user terminal 2. For example, the provided drug information DB 14b may store the provided drug information ID, user ID, prescribing hospital name, prescription date, medical department name, dispensing pharmacy name, dispensing date, drug name, dosage form, usage, single dose, and number of prescription days, etc., in association with each other. The provided drug information ID is identification information for identifying the provided drug information. The user ID indicates the user who transmitted the provided drug information to the health management server 1. The provided drug information ID and the user ID may be information added to the provided drug information after the user terminal 2 reads the provided drug information. Other information may be information obtained by decoding a two-dimensional code. The prescribing hospital name indicates the name of the hospital that prescribed the dispensed drug. The prescription date indicates the date on which the prescription was made. The medical department name indicates the name of the medical department that made the prescription. The dispensing pharmacy name indicates the name of the pharmacy that dispensed the drug. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the facility that dispenses the medicine is a pharmacy. However, the facility that dispenses the medicine may include a hospital that dispenses the prescribed medicine and provides it to an outpatient. In that case, for example, the name of the dispensing pharmacy may indicate the name of the hospital. The dispensing date indicates the date on which the dispensing was performed. The drug name indicates the name of the dispensed drug. The dosage form indicates the form of the dispensed drug. The usage indicates the method of taking the drug. For example, the usage may include the number of times the drug is taken per day, the timing of taking the drug, etc. The single dose indicates the dose of the drug per dose. The prescription days may indicate how many days the provided drug is for. Alternatively, the prescription days may indicate the number of days the drug can be taken before the remaining amount of the drug runs out. The prescription days is also called the total amount. When multiple drugs are dispensed at once, the provided drug information may include the drug name, dosage form, usage, single dose, and prescription days for each drug. Here, when a plurality of medicines with different prescription dates are dispensed, the health management server 1 may store the provided medicine information in the provided medicine information DB 14b by dividing the provided medicine information by the prescription date.

[0036] The notification schedule DB 14c may store notification schedule information regarding a schedule for issuing a notification of insufficient remaining amount of medicine dispensed and provided to a user for each provided medicine information stored in the provided medicine information DB 14b. For example, the notification schedule DB 14c may store a provided medicine information ID, a user ID, a scheduled notification date, and the like, in association with each other, as the notification schedule information. The provided medicine information ID indicates the provided medicine information corresponding to the notification schedule information. The user ID indicates the user to be notified. The scheduled notification date indicates the date on which the notification of insufficient remaining amount is scheduled to be issued.

[0037] The storage unit 14 further stores various programs such as an operating system, a DBMS (Database Management System), and a server program. The server program is a program that causes the system control unit 11 to execute processes related to the health management service. The server program may be obtained from another device via the network NW, for example, or may be recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic tape, an optical disk, or a memory card and read via a drive device.

[0038] The communication unit 15 is configured by, for example, a network interface card, etc. The communication unit 15 connects to the user terminal 2 etc. via the network NW, and controls the state of communication with the connected device.

[0039] [1-2-2. User terminal] Next, the configuration of the user terminal 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the user terminal 2 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the user terminal 2 includes a system control unit 21, a system bus 22, an input / output interface 23, a storage unit 24, a communication unit 25, an operation input unit 26, a display unit 27, an imaging unit 28, an audio output unit 29, and a vibration unit 30. The system control unit 21 and the input / output interface 23 are connected via the system bus 22.

[0040] The system control unit 21 includes a CPU 21a, a ROM 21b, a RAM 21c, and the like.

[0041] The input / output interface 23 performs interface processing between the storage unit 24 , the communication unit 25 , the operation input unit 26 , the display unit 27 , the imaging unit 28 , the audio output unit 29 , and the vibration unit 30 and the system control unit 21 .

[0042] The storage unit 24 is configured with a non-volatile memory such as a solid state drive. Programs such as an operating system, a health management application, and a web browser may be stored in the storage unit 24. The health management application may be acquired from the health management server 1 or another predetermined server device via the network NW, or may be recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic tape, an optical disk, or a memory card and read via a drive device.

[0043] The communication unit 25 is configured by, for example, a network interface card, etc. The communication unit 25 is connected to the health management server 1 etc. via the network NW, and controls the communication state with the connected devices.

[0044] The operation input unit 26 is configured with, for example, a touch panel, buttons, etc. The operation input unit 26 accepts an operation by the user and outputs to the system control unit 21 a signal indicating the content of the operation.

[0045] The display unit 27 is configured, for example, with a liquid crystal panel, an organic panel, a video RAM, etc. The display unit 27 displays information such as characters and images based on the control of the system control unit 21.

[0046] The imaging unit 28 may be a camera including an image sensor such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), a lens, etc. The imaging unit 28 captures images such as still images and videos, and outputs a signal of the image to the system control unit 21.

[0047] The audio output unit 29 is configured with, for example, a speaker, etc. The audio output unit 29 converts the audio signal transmitted from the system control unit 21 into audio and outputs the audio.

[0048] The vibration unit 30 is a mechanism that realizes a vibration function. The vibration unit 30 vibrates the user terminal 2.

[0049] [1-3. Functionality Overview] [1-3-1. Health management server] Next, a functional overview of the system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 7. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block of the system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 according to this embodiment. The system control unit 11 may function as a medicine information acquisition unit 1101, a remaining days determination unit 1102, a notification determination unit 1103, a notification control unit 1104, and the like, as shown in Fig. 5, by the CPU 11a reading and executing various program codes included in the server program.

[0050] The drug information acquisition unit 1101 may acquire the provided drug information. In this embodiment, the provided drug information may include at least the dispensing date and the number of prescription days. The drug information acquisition unit 1101 may acquire the provided drug information, for example, from the user terminal 2 that acquired the provided drug information. Alternatively, the drug information acquisition unit 1101 may acquire the provided drug information on the drug dispensed by the pharmacy from a terminal device (not shown) used by a pharmacist or the like of the pharmacy. Alternatively, the drug information acquisition unit 1101 may acquire the provided drug information on the drug prescribed by the hospital from a terminal device (not shown) used by a doctor or the like of the hospital. The drug information acquisition unit 1101 may store the acquired provided drug information in the provided drug information DB 14b.

[0051] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days according to the prescription days indicated by the provided drug information acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 1101. For example, the day after the prescription days from the dispensing date indicated by the provided drug information is called the planned end date. It is assumed that the user starts taking the drug on the dispensing date or starts taking the drug on the day following the dispensing date. Therefore, the drug runs out between the day before the planned end date and the day of the planned end date. The notification remaining days may indicate how many days before the planned end date the notification of insufficient remaining amount should be made. In other words, the notification remaining days may indicate the number of days remaining until the planned end date after the notification of insufficient remaining amount is made.

[0052] The notification remaining days may be, for example, one day or more and less than the prescription days. Also, the more the prescription days, the more the notification remaining days. For example, the notification remaining days may increase stepwise as the prescription days increase. The remaining days determination unit 1102 may, for example, make the notification remaining days determined when the prescription days are a predetermined number or more larger than the notification remaining days determined when the prescription days are less than the predetermined number. For example, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be a predetermined first remaining days when the prescription days are a predetermined first prescription days or more. Also, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be a predetermined second remaining days when the prescription days are less than the first prescription days. Here, the second remaining days are less than the first remaining days. The more the prescription days, the more likely it is that the user who has received the medicine will need to continue taking the medicine. For example, the more the prescription days, the more likely it is that the medicine is for a chronic disease. A user with a chronic disease needs to take medicine continuously, and therefore needs to obtain medicine periodically. In addition, the more the number of prescription days, the more the amount of medicine to be obtained next tends to be. Even if the user takes action to obtain the next medicine after the current medicine on hand is almost gone, there is a possibility that the medicine on hand will run out before the user actually obtains it. For example, if the user is busy, he / she may not be able to make a schedule to obtain medicine early. Also, he / she may not be able to make a reservation at a hospital. Also, there may be cases where the medicine is out of stock at the pharmacy. Therefore, when the number of prescription days is relatively large, it is effective to notify the user of the shortage of the remaining amount well in advance. On the other hand, the fewer the number of prescription days, the more likely the medicine is for an acute disease. Compared to a chronic disease, a user with an acute disease has a low need to take medicine continuously. In addition, in the case of an acute disease, it may be necessary to take a certain amount of medicine and check the user's condition or injury, and then decide whether or not to be examined again or whether or not to obtain the next medicine. In addition, if the user obtains the next medicine at an early stage, the remaining amount will increase in a situation where there is enough remaining medicine for the entire amount of the initially prescribed medicine. In light of these circumstances, it is not effective to notify the remaining amount at too early an stage when the prescription period is relatively short.

[0053] When the number of prescription days is less than the first prescription days described above and is equal to or greater than the second prescription days, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be the second remaining days described above. Here, the second prescription days is less than the first prescription days. And, when the number of prescription days is less than the second prescription days, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may not particularly determine the notification remaining days. In this case, as described below, a notification of insufficient remaining amount is not performed. As described above, the fewer the number of prescription days, the less the need to continue taking the medicine. Also, when the number of prescription days is sufficiently small, the scheduled end date of the medicine on hand when the user runs out is sufficiently close to the dispensing date. Therefore, if the next medicine needs to be obtained, the user is likely to remember that. It is considered that such a user is likely to not need a notification of insufficient remaining amount. Notifications that may be annoying to such users will be eliminated.

[0054] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the number of prescription days and the number of remaining notification days. As shown in FIG. 6, when the number of prescription days is 1 day or more and 4 days or less, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is not performed. When the number of prescription days is 5 days or more and 13 days or less, the number of remaining notification days is 3 days. When the number of prescription days is 14 days or more and 27 days or less, the number of remaining notification days is 7 days. When the number of prescription days is 28 days or more, the number of remaining notification days is 10 days. The storage unit 14 may store a table showing the correspondence between the number of prescription days and the number of remaining notification days in advance. The remaining days determination unit 1102 may refer to this table to determine the number of remaining notification days.

[0055] When the remaining notification days are determined, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine a scheduled notification date based on the remaining notification days and the dispensing date and prescription days indicated by the provided medicine information. For example, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the scheduled notification date to be the day that is the remaining notification days before the scheduled end date of medication. The remaining days determination unit 1102 may store the determined scheduled notification date in the scheduled notification DB 14c.

[0056] The notification determination unit 1103 may determine whether or not to execute the remaining amount insufficient notification for each day based on the scheduled notification date determined by the remaining days determination unit 1102. For example, the notification determination unit 1103 may perform the determination based on the scheduled notification date and today's date. For example, the notification determination unit 1103 may determine whether or not the scheduled notification date has arrived for each day. For example, this determination may be performed at a predetermined time every day. Alternatively, the notification determination unit 1103 may search the notification schedule DB 14c for notification schedule information including the scheduled notification date indicating today's date. The notification determination unit 1103 may perform this search for each day. If the corresponding notification schedule information is found, the notification determination unit 1103 may determine to execute the remaining amount insufficient notification.

[0057] The notification control unit 1104 may execute a remaining amount insufficient notification. For example, the notification control unit 1104 may execute a remaining amount insufficient notification on a scheduled notification date on which the sum of the number of days elapsed from the dispensing date indicated by the provided drug information acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 1101 and the notification remaining days determined by the remaining days determination unit 1102 becomes the prescription days indicated by the provided drug information acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 1101. If it exceeds midnight, it may be considered that one day has passed. In this embodiment, since the scheduled notification date is determined by the remaining days determination unit 1102, the notification control unit 1104 may execute a remaining amount insufficient notification on the determined scheduled notification date. In addition, the notification control unit 1104 may execute a remaining amount insufficient notification when the notification determination unit 1103 determines that a remaining amount insufficient notification should be executed.

[0058] In this embodiment, the notification control unit 1104 may cause the user terminal 2 to execute a remaining amount insufficient notification. For example, the notification control unit 1104 may transmit notification information to the user terminal 2 on the scheduled notification date. The notification information may be information indicating an instruction to execute a remaining amount insufficient notification. The notification information may include a message to be displayed on the user terminal 2. The notification control unit 1104 may transmit the notification information by, for example, a push notification. For example, the notification control unit 1104 may perform a push notification using FCM (Firebase Cloud Messaging), APNs (Apple Push Notification Server), PWA (Progressive Web Apps), or the like. As another embodiment, the notification control unit 1104 may transmit information including, for example, the scheduled notification date to the user terminal 2 in advance. The user terminal 2 may store the scheduled notification date received from the health management server 1. The user terminal 2 may execute a remaining amount insufficient notification when the stored scheduled notification date arrives. In this case, the system control unit 21 of the user terminal 2 may function as the notification determination unit 1103.

[0059] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the timing of the notification of insufficient remaining amount. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the dispensing date of the medicine is June 1. The prescription period of the medicine is 21 days. According to the example shown in FIG. 6, the notification period remaining is 7 days. The planned end date of the medicine is June 22, 21 days after the dispensing date. As of June 15, 14 days after the dispensing date, the number of days remaining until the planned end date of the medicine is 7 days. Therefore, since June 15 is the notification period, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is performed on this day. As shown in FIG. 7(b), if the prescription period is 7 days, the notification period remaining is 3 days. The planned end date of the medicine is June 8. As of June 5, 4 days after the dispensing date, the number of days remaining until the planned end date of the medicine is 3 days. Therefore, since June 5 is the notification period, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is performed on this day. As shown in FIG. 7(c), if the prescription period is 2 days, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is not performed.

[0060] In another embodiment, the system control unit 21 of the user terminal 2 may function as the medicine information acquisition unit 1101, the remaining days determination unit 1102, the notification determination unit 1103, and the notification control unit 1104. In this case, the communication system S may or may not include the health management server 1.

[0061] The subject that executes the notification may be the health management server 1 itself. The health management server 1 may also send a notification to a terminal device (not shown) or the like used by a hospital. This notification may be, for example, a request to make an appointment for a medical examination. The health management server 1 may also send a notification to a terminal device (not shown) or the like used by a pharmacy. This notification may be, for example, a request to make an appointment for dispensing.

[0062] [1-3-2. User terminal] Next, a functional overview of the system control unit 21 in the user terminal 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of the system control unit 21 in the user terminal 2 according to this embodiment. The system control unit 21 may function as a medicine information acquisition unit 2101, a medicine information transmission unit 2102, a notification information reception unit 2103, a notification unit 2104, and the like, as shown in Fig. 8, by the CPU 21a reading and executing various program codes included in the health management application.

[0063] The drug information acquisition unit 2101 may acquire the provided drug information. As described above, in this embodiment, the provided drug information may include at least the dispensing date and the number of prescription days. The drug information acquisition unit 2101 may cause the imaging unit 28 to capture an image of a two-dimensional code indicating the provided drug information, for example, based on an operation by a user. The drug information acquisition unit 2101 may acquire the provided drug information by decoding the two-dimensional code based on an image of the two-dimensional code acquired by imaging. Alternatively, a user who receives a paper on which the dispensing contents are written from a pharmacy may manually input the provided drug information into the user terminal 2 while looking at the paper.

[0064] The medicine information transmitting unit 2102 may transmit the provided medicine information acquired by the medicine information acquiring unit 2101 to the health management server 1. At this time, the medicine information transmitting unit 2102 may add the user ID of the user who uses the user terminal 2 to the provided medicine information.

[0065] The notification information receiving section 2103 may receive the notification information transmitted from the health management server 1 .

[0066] The notification unit 2104 may execute a remaining amount insufficient notification. For example, the notification unit 2104 may execute a remaining amount insufficient notification on a scheduled notification date when the sum of the number of days elapsed since the dispensing date indicated by the provided drug information acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 2101 and the remaining number of days determined by the remaining days determination unit 1102 becomes the prescription number of days indicated by the provided drug information acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 2101. In this embodiment, the notification unit 2104 may execute a remaining amount insufficient notification when the notification information receiving unit 2103 receives the notification information.

[0067] The notification unit 2104 may execute the insufficient remaining amount notification by, for example, outputting a notification sound from the audio output unit 29 or vibrating the user terminal 2 from the vibration unit 30. The notification unit 2104 may also display a message of insufficient remaining amount notification on the screen of the display unit 27. For example, the notification unit 2104 may display a message included in the notification information as the message of insufficient remaining amount notification. FIG. 9 shows an example of a display of the message of insufficient remaining amount notification. As shown in FIG. 9, a message of insufficient remaining amount notification 110 is displayed on the screen 100 of the user terminal 2. The message of insufficient remaining amount notification 110 may include, for example, a message saying "Your medicine is running out. Do you need your next dose?". The message of insufficient remaining amount notification 110 may also include, for example, a message saying "Do you want to make an appointment for your next consultation?"

[0068] [1-4. Operation of communication system] Next, the operation of the communication system S will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. The processes shown in Figures 10 and 11 are examples, and any process may be executed as long as the purpose is achieved. The order of the processes is not limited to the order shown in Figures 10 and 11. Furthermore, at least one of the steps shown in Figures 10 and 11 may not be executed.

[0069] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing of the communication system S according to this embodiment. For example, a user brings a prescription to a pharmacy and requests dispensing. The pharmacy hands the dispensed medicine and a piece of paper on which a two-dimensional code indicating the provided medicine information is printed to the user. The user captures an image of the two-dimensional code with the user terminal 2. As a result, the medicine information acquisition unit 2101 of the user terminal 2 reads the two-dimensional code as shown in FIG. 10 and acquires the provided medicine information from the two-dimensional code (step S101). Next, the medicine information transmission unit 2102 transmits the acquired provided medicine information to the health management server 1 (step S102). At this time, the medicine information transmission unit 2102 adds the user ID to the provided medicine information. The medicine information acquisition unit 1101 of the health management server 1 stores the received provided medicine information in the provided medicine information DB 14b. At this time, the medicine information acquisition unit 1101 generates a new provided medicine information ID and adds this provided medicine information ID to the provided medicine information. Next, the health management server 1 executes a notification date determination process (step S103).

[0070] Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a notification date determination process by the system control unit 11 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 11, first, the drug information acquisition unit 1101 acquires the dispensing date and the prescription days from the provided drug information (step S201). Next, the remaining days determination unit 1102 judges whether the prescription days are equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (step S202). This predetermined value corresponds to the above-mentioned second prescription days. If the prescription days are less than the threshold (step S202: NO), the notification date determination process ends, and steps S104 to S106 shown in Fig. 10 are not executed.

[0071] If the number of prescription days is equal to or greater than the threshold (step S202: YES), the remaining days determination unit 1102 determines the remaining notification days according to the number of prescription days (step S203). Next, the remaining days determination unit 1102 adds the number of prescription days to the dispensing date to calculate the planned end date of medication (step S204). Next, the remaining days determination unit 1102 subtracts the remaining notification days from the planned end date of medication to calculate the planned notification date (step S205). Next, the remaining days determination unit 1102 associates the planned notification date with the provided drug information ID and user ID included in the provided drug information, and stores them in the notification schedule DB 14c (step S206), and the notification date determination process ends.

[0072] Returning to FIG. 11, after the notification date determination process is completed by determining the scheduled notification date, for example, the notification determination unit 1103 of the health management server 1 searches the scheduled notification date indicating the date of that day from the scheduled notification DB 14c at a predetermined time every day. When the corresponding scheduled notification date is found, the notification determination unit 1103 determines that the scheduled notification date has arrived (step S104). In response to this determination, the notification control unit 1104 transmits notification information to the user terminal 2 of the user indicated by the user ID stored in the scheduled notification DB 14c in association with the scheduled notification date (step S105). The notification unit 2104 of the user terminal 2 that has received the notification information executes a remaining amount insufficiency notification based on the notification information (step S106).

[0073] As described above, according to this embodiment, the health management server 1 acquires the provided drug information. The health management server 1 also determines the remaining notification days according to the prescription days indicated by the provided drug information. The health management server 1 also executes a remaining amount shortage notification on the notification date when the sum of the number of days elapsed from the dispensing date indicated by the provided drug information and the determined remaining notification days becomes the prescription days. Therefore, notification can be performed at a timing according to the prescription days of the dispensed drug.

[0074] Here, the health management server 1 may determine the notification date. Also, the health management server 1 may determine for each day whether or not to execute the insufficient remaining amount notification based on the determined notification date. Also, the health management server 1 may execute the insufficient remaining amount notification when it is determined that the insufficient remaining amount notification should be executed. In this case, the notification is executed when the notification date arrives.

[0075] In addition, the health management server 1 may set the notification remaining days determined when the prescription days are equal to or greater than one prescription days to be greater than the notification remaining days determined when the prescription days are less than the first prescription days. In this case, when the prescription days are equal to or greater than the first prescription days, notification is executed at an earlier timing based on the number of prescription days after the dispensing date than when the prescription days are less than the first prescription days.

[0076] Here, the health management server 1 may output a notification when the prescription date is equal to or greater than the second prescription date. Also, when the prescription date is less than the second prescription date, the health management server 1 may not execute the remaining amount shortage notification. In this case, it is possible to eliminate notifications that are less necessary because the prescription date is short.

[0077] [2. Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. Except for the points described below, the second embodiment may be the same as the first embodiment. In this embodiment, a remaining amount shortage notification may be executed multiple times for one provided medicine information.

[0078] When the prescription days are equal to or greater than the first prescription days, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be the above-mentioned first remaining days and second remaining days. That is, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine a plurality of notification remaining days. At this time, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may include, among a plurality of predetermined prescription days ranges, a remaining day that originally corresponds to a range including the prescription days indicated by the provided drug information and a remaining day that originally corresponds to a range of prescription days that is smaller than the range including the prescription days indicated by the provided drug information, in the notification remaining days to be determined.

[0079] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence relationship between the number of prescription days and the number of remaining notification days. As shown in FIG. 12, when the number of prescription days is 1 day or more and 4 days or less, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is not performed. When the number of prescription days is 5 days or more and 13 days or less, the notification of remaining days is 3 days. In this case, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is performed only once. When the number of prescription days is 14 days or more and 27 days or less, the notification of remaining days is 7 days and 3 days. In this case, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is performed twice. When the number of prescription days is 28 days or more, the notification of remaining days is 10 days, 7 days, and 3 days. In this case, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is performed three times. Alternatively, when the number of prescription days is 28 days or more, the notification of remaining days may be 10 days and 7 days.

[0080] The remaining number of days determination unit 1102 may determine a scheduled notification date for each of the determined remaining notification days. The remaining number of days determination unit 1102 may generate notification schedule information for each determined scheduled notification date and store the notification schedule information in the notification schedule DB 14c.

[0081] When a plurality of remaining notification days are determined by the remaining days determination unit 1102, the notification control unit 1104 may execute a remaining amount insufficient notification on each of a plurality of scheduled notification dates determined according to each of the plurality of remaining notification days. As described above, when notification schedule information for each of a plurality of remaining notification days is stored in the notification schedule DB 14c, it is possible to execute a remaining amount insufficient notification multiple times based on the notification schedule information.

[0082] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the timing of the notification of insufficient remaining amount. As shown in FIG. 13(a), the dispensing date of the medicine is June 1. The prescription period of the medicine is 21 days. According to the example shown in FIG. 12, the notification period of remaining days is 7 days and 3 days. As of June 15, 14 days after the dispensing date, the number of days remaining until the planned end date of the medicine is 7 days, so the notification of insufficient remaining amount is executed on this day. After that, as of June 19, 18 days after the dispensing date, the number of days remaining until the planned end date of the medicine is 3 days, so the notification of insufficient remaining amount is also executed on this day. As shown in FIG. 12(b), when the prescription period is 7 days, the notification period of remaining days is 3 days. In this case, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is executed only on June 5, as in FIG. 7(b).

[0083] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the prescription period is equal to or greater than the first prescription period, the remaining amount insufficient notification is executed again on the day when the remaining number of days until the scheduled end date of medication is equal to the notification remaining number of days determined when the prescription period is less than the first prescription period. Therefore, if the user forgets to obtain the medicine despite the fact that the remaining amount insufficient notification was executed once, the user can be reminded of this.

[0084] [3. Third embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described. Except for the points described below, the third embodiment may be the same as at least one of the first and second embodiments.

[0085] [3-1. Health Management Server Configuration] First, the configuration of the health management server 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 14 and Fig. 15. Fig. 14 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the health management server 1 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 14, the same elements as in Fig. 2 are given the same reference numerals. Fig. 14 differs from Fig. 2 in that in Fig. 14, a medicine DB 14d is further stored in the memory unit 14.

[0086] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the drug DB 14d. The drug DB 14d may store drug information on each drug. For example, the drug DB 14d may store a drug ID, a drug name, and a degree of difficulty in obtaining the drug in association with each other. The drug ID is identification information for identifying a drug. The degree of difficulty in obtaining the drug indicates the degree of difficulty for a user to obtain the drug. The higher the degree of difficulty in obtaining the drug, the more difficult it is to obtain the drug. For example, the higher the degree of difficulty in obtaining the drug, the fewer pharmacies that can provide the drug or the smaller the average national inventory amount of the drug may be.

[0087] [3-2. Functionality Overview] Next, a functional overview of the system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 16 and Fig. 17. Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of the system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 16, the same elements as in Fig. 5 are given the same reference numerals. Fig. 16 differs from Fig. 5 in that in Fig. 16, the system control unit 11 further functions as an availability level acquisition unit 1105.

[0088] In this embodiment, the provided medicine information acquired by the medicine information acquisition unit 1101 may include information for identifying the dispensed medicine. This information may be, for example, the name of the medicine.

[0089] The availability difficulty level acquisition unit 1105 may acquire an availability difficulty level indicating the difficulty level of acquiring a dispensed drug. For example, the availability difficulty level acquisition unit 1105 may acquire the availability difficulty level when the provided drug information is acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 1101. The availability difficulty level acquisition unit 1105 may acquire, for example, a drug name from the provided drug information, and search for drug information including the drug name from the drug DB 14d. The availability difficulty level acquisition unit 1105 may acquire the availability difficulty level from the searched drug information.

[0090] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining days based on the degree of difficulty in obtaining acquired by the degree of difficulty in obtaining acquisition unit 1105. For example, the higher the degree of difficulty in obtaining, the greater the number of remaining days to be notified. The number of remaining days to be notified may increase stepwise as the degree of difficulty in obtaining increases. The greater the number of remaining days to be notified, the earlier the timing at which the notification of insufficient remaining amount is executed. The higher the degree of difficulty in obtaining, the more difficult it becomes to obtain the dispensed medicine. By executing the notification of insufficient remaining amount at an earlier timing, the user can take action to obtain the medicine earlier. Therefore, even if the medicine is difficult to obtain, the user can obtain the next medicine well before the medicine currently on hand runs out.

[0091] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days based on both the number of prescription days and the degree of difficulty in obtaining. At this time, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days according to the number of prescription days and the degree of difficulty in obtaining. For example, under the condition that the number of prescription days is the same, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days when the degree of difficulty in obtaining is equal to or greater than a predetermined degree, more than the notification remaining days when the degree of difficulty in obtaining is less than a predetermined degree. Also, for example, under the condition that the degree of difficulty in obtaining is the same, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days when the number of prescription days is equal to or greater than the first prescription days, more than the notification remaining days when the number of prescription days is less than the first prescription days.

[0092] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the combination of the number of prescription days and the degree of difficulty in obtaining, and the number of days remaining for notification. As shown in FIG. 17, there are levels 1, 2, and 3 for the degree of difficulty in obtaining. Level 1 indicates the lowest degree of difficulty in obtaining, and level 3 indicates the highest degree of difficulty in obtaining. The degree of difficulty in obtaining may be in two stages or in four stages or more. When the number of prescription days is 1 day or more and 4 days or less, no notification of insufficient remaining amount is made regardless of the degree of difficulty in obtaining being any of levels 1 to 3. When the number of prescription days is 5 days or more and 13 days or less, the number of days remaining for notification for the degree of difficulty in obtaining of level 1 is 2 days. Within the same range of the number of prescription days, the number of days remaining for notification for the degree of difficulty in obtaining of level 2 is 3 days. Within the same range of the number of prescription days, the number of days remaining for notification for the degree of difficulty in obtaining of level 3 is 4 days. When the number of prescription days is 14 days or more and 27 days or less, the number of days remaining for notification for the degree of difficulty in obtaining of level 1 is 5 days. Within the same range of prescription days, the number of remaining notification days for level 2 difficulty of availability is 7 days. Within the same range of prescription days, the number of remaining notification days for level 3 difficulty of availability is 9 days. When the number of prescription days is 28 or more, the number of remaining notification days for level 1 difficulty of availability is 8 days. Within the same range of prescription days, the number of remaining notification days for level 2 difficulty of availability is 10 days. Within the same range of prescription days, the number of remaining notification days for level 3 difficulty of availability is 12 days. The memory unit 14 may previously store a table showing the correspondence between, for example, combinations of prescription days and difficulty of availability and the number of remaining notification days.

[0093] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days based only on the degree of difficulty in obtaining the drug out of the prescription days and the degree of difficulty in obtaining the drug.

[0094] The health management server 1 may execute a notification of insufficient remaining amount for one provided medicine information multiple times based on the degree of difficulty in obtaining, in the same manner as in the second embodiment. For example, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be a predetermined third remaining days and a fourth remaining days when the degree of difficulty in obtaining is equal to or higher than a predetermined degree. The fourth remaining days is less than the third remaining days. The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be the fourth remaining days when the degree of difficulty in obtaining is less than a predetermined degree. That is, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may include the remaining days that originally correspond to the acquired degree of difficulty in obtaining and the remaining days that originally correspond to a degree of difficulty in obtaining that is lower than the acquired degree of difficulty in obtaining, among a plurality of predetermined degrees of difficulty in obtaining (or a range of degrees of difficulty in obtaining), in the notification remaining days to be determined. The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine a plurality of notification remaining days even when the notification remaining days are determined using both the number of prescription days and the degree of difficulty in obtaining. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 17, when the number of prescription days is 28 or more, the number of notification days remaining for level 1 availability is 8 days. The number of notification days remaining for level 2 availability is 10 days and 8 days. The number of notification days remaining for level 3 availability may be 12 days, 10 days and 8 days, or 12 days and 10 days.

[0095] As described above, according to this embodiment, the notification remaining days are determined according to the degree of difficulty in obtaining the dispensed medicine. Under the condition that the number of prescription days is the same, when the degree of difficulty in obtaining is equal to or greater than a predetermined degree, the notification is executed at an earlier timing than when the degree of difficulty in obtaining is less than the predetermined degree. Therefore, for a medicine with a higher degree of difficulty in obtaining, by allowing more time for the next acquisition of the medicine, it is possible to make it relatively easy to obtain the medicine.

[0096] [4. Fourth embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. Except for the points described below, the fourth embodiment may be the same as at least one of the first to third embodiments.

[0097] [4-1. Health Management Server Configuration] First, the configuration of the health management server 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 18 and Fig. 19. Fig. 18 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the health management server 1 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 18, the same elements as in Fig. 14 are given the same reference numerals. Fig. 18 differs from Fig. 14 in that in Fig. 18, a pharmacy DB 14e and an inventory DB 14f are further stored in the memory unit 14.

[0098] 19 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the pharmacy DB 14e and the inventory DB 14f. The pharmacy DB 14e may store pharmacy information regarding each pharmacy. For example, the pharmacy DB 14e may store a pharmacy ID, a pharmacy name, an address, and the like, in association with each other, as the pharmacy information. The pharmacy ID is identification information that identifies a pharmacy. The pharmacy name indicates the name of the pharmacy.

[0099] In the inventory DB 14f, inventory information indicating the inventory status of the medicine at each pharmacy may be stored for each combination of the pharmacy and the medicine. For example, in the inventory DB 14f, a pharmacy ID, a medicine ID, and an inventory quantity may be stored in association with each other as inventory information. The pharmacy ID indicates the pharmacy whose inventory status is indicated. The medicine ID indicates the medicine whose inventory status is indicated. The inventory quantity indicates the number of the medicine in the pharmacy as inventory. For example, if the medicine is a tablet, the inventory quantity may be indicated in units of tablets. The health management server 1 may provide each pharmacy with a function for managing the inventory of medicine. For example, a pharmacist or the like may be able to input the inventory quantity of each medicine or the number of purchased medicines to a terminal device (not shown) used by the pharmacy. The health management server 1 may generate inventory information based on the input information and store it in the inventory DB 14f, or update the inventory quantity stored in the inventory DB 14f. In addition, when a pharmacy sells a medicine, a pharmacist or the like may be able to input the number of sold medicines, etc. to the terminal device. The health management server 1 may update the stock quantity stored in the stock DB 14f based on the input information. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the facility dispensing the medicine is a pharmacy. However, the facility dispensing the medicine may also include a hospital that dispenses prescribed medicine and provides it to outpatients. In that case, the stock DB 14f may store stock information status indicating the stock status of the medicine at the hospital.

[0100] [4-2. Functionality Overview] Next, a functional overview of the system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 20 and Fig. 21. Fig. 20 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of the system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 20, the same elements as in Fig. 5 are given the same reference numerals. Fig. 20 differs from Fig. 5 in that in Fig. 20, the system control unit 11 further functions as an inventory information acquisition unit 1106.

[0101] In this embodiment, the provided drug information acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 1101 may include information for identifying the dispensed drug. This information may be, for example, the name of the drug. The provided drug information may also include information indicating the facility that dispensed the drug. This information may be, for example, the name of the dispensing pharmacy.

[0102] The inventory information acquisition unit 1106 may acquire inventory information that is an inventory amount of a dispensed medicine and can specify an inventory amount at a facility indicated by the provided medicine information acquired by the medicine information acquisition unit 1101. For example, the inventory information acquisition unit 1106 may acquire inventory information when the provided medicine information is acquired by the medicine information acquisition unit 1101. The inventory information acquisition unit 1106 may acquire, for example, a medicine name and a dispensing pharmacy name from the provided medicine information. The inventory information acquisition unit 1106 may acquire a medicine ID associated with the medicine name from the medicine DB 14d. The medicine DB 14d in this embodiment is used for searching for a medicine ID. Therefore, the medicine DB 14d may not store a degree of difficulty in obtaining. The inventory information acquisition unit 1106 may acquire a pharmacy ID associated with the same pharmacy name as the dispensing pharmacy name from the pharmacy DB 14e. Then, the inventory information acquisition unit 1106 may search for inventory information including a combination of the acquired medicine ID and pharmacy ID from the inventory DB 14f.

[0103] The stock quantity and the stock amount indicated by the stock information may be different. As described later, the stock amount is used to determine the number of days remaining for notification. Therefore, the stock amount may indicate, for example, how many days' worth of the medicine is for the user to whom the dispensed medicine is provided. In other words, the stock amount may indicate the number of days the user can take the medicine before the medicine in stock runs out. The stock amount may be calculated using the number of times the medicine is taken per day and the amount per dose included in the provided medicine information. For example, the stock information acquisition unit 1106 may calculate the number of doses per day by multiplying the number of times the medicine is taken per day by the amount per dose. The stock information acquisition unit 1106 may calculate the stock amount by dividing the number of doses per day from the stock quantity.

[0104] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining days based on the inventory information acquired by the inventory information acquisition unit 1106. For example, the less the inventory amount specified from the inventory information is, the more the notification remaining days may be. The notification remaining days may increase stepwise as the inventory amount is reduced. When the user next obtains a medicine, there is a possibility that the user will go to the same pharmacy as the previous visit to have the medicine dispensed. The less the inventory amount of the medicine at the pharmacy is, the more likely the medicine will run out at an early stage. When the inventory amount is smaller, the notification of the shortage of the remaining amount is executed at an earlier timing, so that the user can obtain the medicine while there is still stock. Therefore, even if the medicine is difficult to obtain, the user can obtain the next medicine in good time before the medicine currently on hand runs out.

[0105] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days based on both the prescription days and the stock amount. At this time, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days according to the prescription days and the acquired stock amount. For example, under the condition that the prescription days are the same, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days when the stock amount is less than a predetermined amount to be greater than the notification remaining days when the stock amount is greater than a predetermined amount. Also, for example, under the condition that the stock amount is the same, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days when the prescription days are equal to or greater than the first prescription days to be greater than the notification remaining days when the prescription days are less than the first prescription days.

[0106] FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the combination of the prescription days and the stock amount, and the notification remaining days. As shown in FIG. 21, when the prescription days are 1 day or more and 4 days or less, the notification of the shortage of the remaining amount is not performed regardless of the stock amount. When the prescription days are 5 days or more and 13 days or less, and the stock amount is 1000 days or more, the notification remaining days is 2 days. When the stock amount is 500 days or more and 999 days or less within the same prescription days, the notification remaining days is 3 days. When the stock amount is 499 days or less within the same prescription days, the notification remaining days is 4 days. When the prescription days are 14 days or more and 27 days or less, and the stock amount is 1000 days or more, the notification remaining days is 5 days. When the stock amount is 500 days or more and 999 days or less within the same prescription days, the notification remaining days is 7 days. In the same range of prescription days, when the stock amount is 499 days or less, the number of remaining notification days is 9 days. In the same range of prescription days, when the stock amount is 28 days or more and 1000 days or more, the number of remaining notification days is 8 days. In the same range of prescription days, when the stock amount is 500 days or more and 999 days or less, the number of remaining notification days is 10 days. In the same range of prescription days, when the stock amount is 499 days or less, the number of remaining notification days is 12 days. The memory unit 14 may previously store a table showing the correspondence between the combination of prescription days and stock amount and the number of remaining notification days, for example.

[0107] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days based only on the inventory information of the prescription days and the inventory information. For example, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days based only on the inventory information and the difficulty of obtaining the medicine. For example, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days based on the prescription days, the inventory information, and the difficulty of obtaining the medicine.

[0108] The health management server 1 may execute a notification of insufficient remaining amount for one provided medicine information multiple times based on the stock amount in the same manner as in the second embodiment. For example, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be a predetermined fifth remaining days and sixth remaining days when the stock amount is less than a predetermined amount. The sixth remaining days is less than the fifth remaining days. The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be the sixth remaining days when the stock amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. That is, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may include, in the notification remaining days to be determined, the remaining days that originally correspond to a range including the stock amount specified from the stock information and the remaining days that originally correspond to a range smaller than the range including the stock amount specified from the stock information, among multiple ranges of stock amounts determined in advance. The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine multiple notification remaining days even when determining the notification remaining days using both the prescription days and the stock amount. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 21, when the prescription period is 28 or more and the stock amount is 1000 days or more, the number of remaining notification days is 8 days. When the stock amount is 500 days or more and 999 days or less, the number of remaining notification days is 10 and 8 days. When the stock amount is 499 days or less, the number of remaining notification days may be 12 days, 10 days and 8 days, or 12 days and 10 days.

[0109] As described above, according to this embodiment, the notification remaining days are determined according to the stock amount of the drug at the facility that dispensed the drug. Under the condition that the prescription period is the same, when the stock amount is less than a predetermined amount, the notification is executed at an earlier timing than when the stock amount is equal to or more than the predetermined amount. Therefore, for drugs with a smaller stock amount, by allowing more time for the next acquisition of the drug, the possibility of obtaining the drug while it is still in stock can be increased.

[0110] [5. Fifth Embodiment] Next, a fifth embodiment will be described. Except for the points described below, the fifth embodiment may be the same as at least one of the first to fourth embodiments. In this embodiment, the health management server 1 may be capable of accepting at least one of a medical examination appointment, a prescription appointment, and a medication instruction appointment from a user. The appointment-available medical examination may be an offline medical examination or an online medical examination. When prescription is available, the user goes to a pharmacy to receive the dispensed medicine. When the user goes to a pharmacy to receive the medicine, the medication instruction may also be provided at the pharmacy. The appointment-available medication instruction may be an online instruction. When medication instruction is provided online, the dispensed medicine may be delivered from the pharmacy to the user's address, for example.

[0111] [5-1. Health Management Server Configuration] First, the configuration of the health management server 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 22 and Fig. 23. Fig. 22 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the health management server 1 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 22, the same elements as in Fig. 14 are given the same reference numerals. Fig. 22 differs from Fig. 14 in that in Fig. 22, the storage unit 14 further stores a hospital DB 14g, a pharmacy reservation status DB 14h, and a hospital reservation status DB 14i, and does not necessarily store a pharmaceutical DB 14d.

[0112] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the hospital DB 14g, the pharmacy reservation status DB 14h, and the hospital reservation status DB 14i.

[0113] The hospital DB 14g may store hospital information about each hospital. For example, the hospital DB 14g may store, as hospital information, a hospital ID, a hospital name, an address, a medical department list, and the like, in association with one another. The hospital ID is identification information that identifies a hospital. The hospital name indicates the name of the hospital. The medical department list is a list of department IDs that identify the medical departments at the hospital.

[0114] In the pharmacy reservation status DB 14h, pharmacy reservation status information indicating the status of reservations for dispensing or medication instruction at a pharmacy may be stored for each reservation slot. The reservation slot may be, for example, a combination of a pharmacy, a date, and a time slot. Reservations for dispensing or medication instruction may be possible in units of reservation slots. For example, in the pharmacy reservation status DB 14h, a reservation slot ID, a pharmacy ID, a target date, a start time, an operating flag, a reservation flag, a reservation person ID, and the like may be stored in association with each other as pharmacy reservation status information. The reservation slot ID is identification information for identifying the reservation slot for which the reservation status is indicated. The pharmacy ID indicates the pharmacy that is the target of the reservation corresponding to the reservation slot. The target date indicates the date that is the target of the reservation corresponding to the reservation slot. The start time indicates the start time of the time slot that is the target of the reservation corresponding to the reservation slot. The length of the time slot may be, for example, predetermined. Examples of the length of the time slot include 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes. The operating flag indicates whether the pharmacy is open on the date and time slot corresponding to the reservation slot. The business flag may be set to, for example, either "Open" or "Closed". "Open" indicates that the business is open. "Closed" indicates that the business is closed. A reservation slot for which the business flag is set to "Closed" cannot be reserved. The reservation flag indicates whether the reservation slot has been reserved or not. The reservation flag may be set to, for example, either "Not reserved" or "Reserved". "Not reserved" indicates that the slot has not been reserved. "Reserved" indicates that the slot has been reserved. The reservation flag is valid when the business flag is "Open". The reservation user ID is the user ID of the user who has reserved the reservation slot. The reservation user ID is valid when the reservation flag is "Reserved".

[0115] The health management server 1 may search for and reserve pharmacies in response to a request from the user terminal 2. For example, the user inputs search conditions. Examples of the search conditions include a pharmacy name, an address, a date, and a time period. The health management server 1 may search for pharmacies that satisfy search conditions such as a pharmacy name and an address from the pharmacy DB 14e. The health management server 1 may search for reservation slots that satisfy search conditions such as a date and a time period and are available for reservation for each searched pharmacy. The health management server 1 may transmit information indicating the date and time period of the reservation slot available for reservation for each searched pharmacy as a search result to the user terminal 2. When the user selects any reservation slot, the health management server 1 may change the reservation flag of the pharmacy reservation status information corresponding to the selected reservation slot to "reserved". The health management server 1 may also transmit information indicating the reservation status of the pharmacy to a terminal device (not shown) used by each pharmacy. An employee of the pharmacy can check the reservation status on the terminal device.

[0116] The hospital reservation status DB14i may store hospital reservation status information indicating the status of appointments for medical examinations at the hospital for each reservation slot. The reservation slot may be, for example, a combination of a hospital, a medical department, a date, and a time slot. A reservation for a medical examination may be possible for each reservation slot. For example, the hospital reservation status DB14i may store, as hospital reservation status information, a reservation slot ID, a hospital ID, a subject ID, a target date, a start time, a consultation availability flag, a reservation flag, and a reservation person ID, etc., in association with each other. The reservation slot ID is identification information that identifies the reservation slot for which the reservation status is indicated. The hospital ID indicates the hospital that is the reservation target corresponding to the reservation slot. The subject ID indicates the medical department that is the reservation target corresponding to the reservation slot. The target date indicates the date that is the reservation target corresponding to the reservation slot. The start time indicates the start time of the time slot that is the reservation target corresponding to the reservation slot. The length of the time slot may be determined in advance, for example. The consultation availability flag indicates whether or not a medical examination is possible in the reservation slot. The consultation availability flag may be set to, for example, either "Consultation available" or "Consultation unavailable". "Available for consultation" indicates that consultation is available. "Not available for consultation" indicates that consultation is not available. Each hospital may have closed days. If the target day is a closed day, the available for consultation flag is set to "not available for consultation". In addition, each hospital has a set time period during the day when consultation is available. If the time period of the appointment slot is included in the available time period, the available for consultation flag is set to "available for consultation". If the time period of the appointment slot is included in the unavailable time period, the available for consultation flag is set to "not available for consultation". It is not possible to reserve an appointment slot for which the available for consultation flag is set to "not available for consultation". The reservation flag indicates whether or not the appointment slot has been reserved. The reservation flag may be set to, for example, either "not reserved" or "reserved". "Not reserved" indicates that the appointment has not been reserved. "Reserved" indicates that the appointment has been reserved. The reservation flag is valid when the available for consultation flag is "available for consultation". The reservation ID is the user ID of the user who reserved the appointment slot. The subscriber ID is valid when the reservation flag is "reserved."

[0117] The health management server 1 may search for and reserve a hospital in response to a request from the user terminal 2. For example, the user inputs search conditions. Examples of search conditions include hospital name, address, medical specialty, date, time period, etc. The health management server 1 may search for hospitals that satisfy search conditions such as hospital name, address, medical specialty, etc. from the hospital DB 14g. The health management server 1 may search for reservation slots that satisfy search conditions such as date and time period and are available for reservation for each searched hospital. The health management server 1 may transmit information indicating the date and time period of the reservation slot available for reservation for each searched hospital as a search result to the user terminal 2. When the user selects any reservation slot, the health management server 1 may change the reservation flag of the hospital reservation status information corresponding to the selected reservation slot to "reserved". The health management server 1 may also transmit information indicating the reservation status of the hospital to a terminal device (not shown) used by each hospital. An employee of the hospital can check the reservation status on the terminal device.

[0118] The storage unit 14 may store only one of the pharmacy reservation status DB 14h and the hospital reservation status DB 14i.

[0119] [5-2. Functionality Overview] Next, a functional overview of the system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 24 and Fig. 25. Fig. 24 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of the system control unit 11 in the health management server 1 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 24, the same elements as in Fig. 5 are given the same reference numerals. Fig. 24 differs from Fig. 5 in that in Fig. 24, the system control unit 11 further functions as a reservation status information acquisition unit 1107.

[0120] In this embodiment, the provided drug information acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 1101 may include information indicating at least one of the facility that dispensed the drug and the hospital that prescribed the drug. This information may be, for example, at least one of the name of the dispensing pharmacy and the name of the prescribing hospital.

[0121] The reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may acquire reservation status information indicating the reservation status of at least one of the facilities indicated by the provided drug information acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 1101, the facility that dispensed the drug, and the hospital that prescribed the drug. The acquired reservation status information may include, for example, at least one of pharmacy reservation status information and hospital reservation status information. For example, the reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may acquire reservation status information when the provided drug information is acquired by the drug information acquisition unit 1101. When acquiring pharmacy reservation status information, the reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may acquire, for example, the dispensing pharmacy name from the provided drug information. The reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may acquire a pharmacy ID associated with the dispensing pharmacy name from the pharmacy DB 14e. The reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may search for pharmacy reservation status information including the acquired pharmacy ID from the pharmacy reservation status DB 14h. It is possible to specify whether the facility that dispensed the drug is a pharmacy or a hospital from the dispensing pharmacy name. When the dispensing pharmacy name indicates the hospital name, the reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may acquire the hospital reservation status information instead. When acquiring the hospital reservation status information, the reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may acquire the prescribing hospital name and the medical department name from, for example, the provided medicine information. The reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may acquire a hospital ID associated with the hospital name from the hospital DB 14g. In addition, the reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may acquire a subject ID corresponding to the medical department name. The reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may search for hospital reservation status information including the acquired hospital ID and subject ID from the hospital reservation status DB 14i.

[0122] The reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may acquire reservation status information including a target date within a predetermined reference period, for example. This reference period may be a past period or a future period. The length of the reference period may be predetermined or may be determined according to the number of prescription days. When the reference period is a future period, the reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may determine the reference period within a range of dates before the scheduled end date of medication, for example. For example, the reference period may be a period from a day a predetermined number of days before the scheduled end date of medication to a day before the scheduled end date of medication.

[0123] The acquired reservation status information may be information that can specify the degree of difficulty of making a reservation at the facility where the medicine was dispensed or the hospital where the medicine was prescribed. The degree of difficulty of making a reservation may indicate the degree of difficulty of making a reservation for dispensing, medication instruction, or medical examination. The higher the degree of difficulty of making a reservation, the more difficult it is to make a reservation. The degree of difficulty of making a reservation may be indicated, for example, by a reservation impossible rate. The reservation impossible rate may be calculated by dividing the reservation impossible time length by a reference time length. The reference time length may be the total length of a specified time period within a reference period. The specified time period may be, for example, a time period during which the pharmacy or hospital is relatively busy in one day. For example, the specified time period may be a time period from 8:00 to 20:00. The reservation impossible time length may be the total length of a specified time period within a reference period during which a reservation is impossible. The higher the reservation impossible rate, the higher the reservation difficulty. The higher the reservation impossible rate, the fewer the reservation available slots, so the lower the possibility that the user will be able to see a doctor, have medicine dispensed, or receive medication instruction within those reservation slots. Furthermore, when the reservation impossible rate reaches 100 percent, reservations themselves are impossible. The reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may calculate the reference time length by, for example, multiplying the number of days of the reference period by the length of a predetermined time slot. When the pharmacy reservation status information is acquired, the reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may extract, for example, pharmacy reservation status information in which the business flag is "open" and the reservation flag is "not reserved" from the acquired pharmacy reservation status information. The reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may calculate the total length of the reservation-available time slots based on, for example, the number of extracted pharmacy reservation status information, and calculate the reservation-unavailable time length based on the total length and the reservation-unavailable time length. When the hospital reservation status information is acquired, the reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may extract, for example, hospital reservation status information in which the consultation availability flag is "available" and the reservation flag is "not reserved" from the acquired hospital reservation status information. The reservation status information acquisition unit 1107 may calculate the total length of the reservation-available time slots based on, for example, the number of extracted hospital reservation status information, and calculate the reservation-unavailable time length based on the total length and the reservation-unavailable time length.

[0124] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining days based on the reservation status information acquired by the reservation status information acquisition unit 1107. For example, the higher the reservation difficulty level specified from the reservation status information, the larger the remaining days for notification may be. The remaining days for notification may increase stepwise as the reservation difficulty level increases. When the user next obtains medicine, there is a possibility that the user will go to the same hospital as the previous visit to have the medicine prescribed. In addition, the user may go to the same facility as the previous visit to have the medicine dispensed. The higher the reservation difficulty level of the facility, the lower the possibility that the user will be able to obtain the next medicine before the medicine currently on hand runs out. When the reservation difficulty level is higher, the notification of the remaining amount shortage is executed at an earlier timing, so that the user can make a reservation at a hospital or pharmacy well before the medicine runs out.

[0125] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days based on both the number of prescription days and the degree of difficulty of reservation. At this time, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days according to the number of prescription days and the degree of difficulty of reservation. For example, under the condition that the number of prescription days is the same, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days when the degree of difficulty of reservation is equal to or greater than a predetermined degree, more than the remaining notification days when the degree of difficulty of reservation is less than a predetermined degree. Also, for example, under the condition that the degree of difficulty of reservation is the same, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days when the number of prescription days is equal to or greater than the first prescription days, more than the remaining notification days when the number of prescription days is less than the first prescription days.

[0126] When both the pharmacy reservation status information and the hospital reservation status information are used, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may, for example, specify the reservation difficulty level for each of the pharmacy reservation status information and the hospital reservation status information. The remaining days determination unit 1102 may, for example, determine the remaining notification days using the higher reservation difficulty level of those reservation difficulty levels.

[0127] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the combination of the number of prescription days and the reservation impossible rate, and the notification remaining days. In the example shown in FIG. 25, the reservation impossible rate is used as the reservation difficulty level. When the number of prescription days is 1 day or more and 4 days or less, the notification of insufficient remaining amount is not performed regardless of the reservation impossible rate. When the number of prescription days is 5 days or more and 13 days or less, and the reservation impossible rate is less than 70%, the notification remaining days are 2 days. When the reservation impossible rate is 70% or more and less than 90% in the same range of prescription days, the notification remaining days are 3 days. When the reservation impossible rate is 90% or more in the same range of prescription days, the notification remaining days are 4 days. When the prescription days is 14 days or more and 27 days or less, and the reservation impossible rate is less than 70%, the notification remaining days are 5 days. When the reservation impossible rate is 70% or more and less than 90% in the same range of prescription days, the notification remaining days are 7 days. In the same range of prescription days, when the impossible appointment rate is 90 percent or more, the number of remaining notification days is 9 days. In the same range of prescription days, when the impossible appointment rate is 28 or more and less than 70 percent, the number of remaining notification days is 8 days. In the same range of prescription days, when the impossible appointment rate is 70 percent or more and less than 90 percent, the number of remaining notification days is 10 days. In the same range of prescription days, when the impossible appointment rate is 90 percent or more, the number of remaining notification days is 12 days. The memory unit 14 may previously store a table showing the correspondence between the combination of the prescription days and the impossible appointment rate and the remaining notification days, for example.

[0128] The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days based only on the reservation status information among the prescription days and the reservation status information. For example, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days based on the reservation status information and both or either of the drug availability and inventory information. For example, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the remaining notification days based on the prescription days and reservation status information and both or either of the drug availability and inventory information.

[0129] The health management server 1 may execute the notification of the shortage of the remaining amount for one provided medicine information multiple times based on the reservation difficulty level in the same manner as in the second embodiment. For example, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be the predetermined seventh remaining days and eighth remaining days when the reservation difficulty level is equal to or higher than a predetermined level. The eighth remaining days is less than the seventh remaining days. Furthermore, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine the notification remaining days to be the eighth remaining days when the reservation difficulty level is less than a predetermined level. That is, the remaining days determination unit 1102 may include the remaining days that originally correspond to the range including the reservation difficulty level specified from the reservation status information and the remaining days that originally correspond to the range lower than the range including the reservation difficulty level specified from the reservation status information, among the ranges of multiple reservation difficulty levels determined in advance, in the notification remaining days to be determined. The remaining days determination unit 1102 may determine multiple notification remaining days even when the notification remaining days are determined using both the prescription days and the reservation difficulty level. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 25, when the number of prescription days is 28 or more and the impossible appointment rate is less than 70 percent, the remaining notification days are 8 days. When the impossible appointment rate is 70 percent or more and less than 90 percent, the remaining notification days are 10 days and 8 days. When the impossible appointment rate is 90 percent or more, the remaining notification days may be 12 days, 10 days and 8 days, or 12 days and 10 days.

[0130] As described above, according to this embodiment, the number of remaining notification days is determined further depending on the reservation difficulty level of at least one of the facility that dispensed the medicine and the hospital that prescribed the medicine. Under the condition that the number of prescription days is the same, when the reservation difficulty level is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, the notification is executed at an earlier timing than when the reservation difficulty level is lower than the predetermined level. Therefore, for facilities or hospitals where it is more difficult to make a reservation, it is possible to make a reservation relatively easily by allowing more time for the next time the medicine is dispensed at that facility or the next time the doctor is examined at that hospital.

[0131] (Additional Note 1) A notification control device comprising: a drug information acquisition means for acquiring drug information indicating the dispensing date and prescription days of a dispensed drug; a determination means for determining a remaining number of days according to the prescription days indicated by the acquired drug information; and a notification control means for executing a notification related to a decrease in the remaining amount of the dispensed drug on a notification date on which the sum of the number of days elapsed since the dispensing date indicated by the acquired drug information and the determined remaining number of days becomes the prescription days indicated by the acquired drug information.

[0132] (Appendix 2) The notification control device described in Appendix 1, characterized in that the decision means further decides the notification date and further includes a judgment means for judging, on a day-by-day basis, whether or not to execute the notification based on the decided notification date, and the notification control means executes the notification when it is judged that the notification should be executed.

[0133] (Appendix 3) The notification control device described in Appendix 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination means sets the remaining number of days determined when the prescription number is equal to or greater than a predetermined first prescription number of days to be greater than the remaining number of days determined when the prescription number is less than the first prescription number of days.

[0134] (Appendix 4) The notification control device described in Appendix 3, characterized in that when the prescription days are equal to or greater than a predetermined first prescription days, the determination means determines the remaining days to a predetermined first remaining days and a predetermined second remaining days that is less than the first remaining days, and when the prescription days are less than the first prescription days, the determination means determines the remaining days to the second remaining days, and when the remaining days are determined to be the first remaining days and the second remaining days, the notification control means executes the notification on each of the notification date determined according to the first remaining days and the notification date determined according to the second remaining days.

[0135] (Appendix 5) The notification control device described in Appendix 3 or 4, characterized in that the notification control means outputs the notification when the prescription number of days is equal to or greater than a second prescription number of days that is less than the first prescription number of days, and does not execute the notification when the prescription number of days is less than the second prescription number of days.

[0136] (Appendix 6) A notification control device as described in any one of Appendices 1 to 5, further comprising difficulty information acquisition means for acquiring difficulty information indicating the degree of difficulty of obtaining the dispensed medicine, wherein the determination means determines the remaining number of days in accordance with the prescription number of days and in accordance with the degree of difficulty of obtaining indicated by the acquired difficulty information, and under the condition that the prescription number of days is the same, the remaining number of days determined when the degree of difficulty of obtaining is equal to or greater than a predetermined degree is greater than the remaining number of days determined when the degree of difficulty of obtaining is less than the predetermined degree.

[0137] (Appendix 7) The notification control device described in any one of Appendices 1 to 6, characterized in that the acquired drug information further indicates the facility where the drug was dispensed, and the device further includes an inventory information acquisition means for acquiring inventory information capable of identifying the inventory amount of the dispensed drug at the facility indicated by the acquired drug information, and the determination means determines the remaining days in accordance with the prescription days and in accordance with the inventory amount identified by the acquired inventory information, and under the condition that the prescription days are the same, the remaining days determined when the inventory amount is less than a predetermined amount is greater than the remaining days determined when the inventory amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount.

[0138] (Appendix 8) The notification control device described in any one of Appendices 1 to 7, characterized in that the acquired drug information further indicates at least one of the facilities where the drug was dispensed and the hospital where the drug was prescribed, and further comprises a reservation status information acquisition means for acquiring reservation status information that indicates the reservation status of the at least one of the facilities indicated by the acquired drug information, and that can identify the reservation difficulty level of the at least one of the facilities, and the determination means determines the remaining number of days in accordance with the prescription number of days and in accordance with the reservation difficulty level identified from the acquired reservation status information, and under the condition that the prescription number of days is the same, the remaining number of days determined when the reservation difficulty level is a predetermined level or higher is greater than the remaining number of days determined when the reservation difficulty level is less than the predetermined level.

[0139] (Appendix 9) A notification control device according to any one of appendices 1 to 8, characterized in that the notification control means causes a terminal device of a user to whom the dispensed medicine is to be provided to execute the notification.

[0140] (Appendix 10) A notification control device as described in any one of Appendices 1 to 9, characterized in that the notification executed includes outputting notification information indicating at least one of the fact that the remaining amount of the medicine is low and a recommendation to go to a hospital.

[0141] (Appendix 11) A terminal program that causes a computer of a terminal device to function as a drug information acquisition means that acquires drug information indicating the dispensing date and prescription days of a dispensed drug, and a notification means that executes a notification to a user of the terminal device on a notification date when the sum of the number of days since the dispensing date indicated by the acquired drug information and the number of remaining days determined according to the prescription days indicated by the acquired drug information becomes the prescription days. [Explanation of symbols]

[0142] 1 Health management server 2. User terminal 11 System control section 12 System Bus 13 Input / Output Interface 14 Storage section 14a User DB 14b Drug Information DB 14c Notification Schedule DB 14d Pharmaceutical DB 14e Pharmacy DB 14f Inventory DB 14g Hospital DB 14h Pharmacy reservation status DB 14i Hospital reservation status DB 15 Communications Department 21 System control section 22 System Bus 23 Input / Output Interface 24 Memory section 25 Communications Department 26 Operation input section 27 Display section 28 Imaging unit 29 Audio output section 30 Vibration section 1101 Drug Information Acquisition Department 1102 Remaining Days Determination Department 1103 Notification determination unit 1104 Notification control section 1105 Difficulty of acquisition part 1106 Stock Information Acquisition Department 1107 Reservation status information acquisition unit 2101 Drug Information Acquisition Department 2102 Drug Information Transmission Department 2103 Notification information receiving unit 2104 Notification Department NW Network S Communication System

Claims

1. A drug information acquisition means for acquiring drug information indicating the dispensing date and the prescription period of the dispensed drug; A determination means for determining the remaining number of days according to the prescription number of days indicated by the acquired drug information; A notification control means for executing a notification related to a decrease in the remaining amount of the dispensed drug on a notification date on which the sum of the number of days elapsed since the dispensing date indicated by the acquired drug information and the determined remaining number of days becomes the prescription number of days indicated by the acquired drug information; A notification control device comprising:

2. The determining means further determines the notification date; a determination means for determining whether or not to execute the notification on a daily basis based on the determined notification date; The notification control device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification control means, when it is determined that the notification should be executed, executes the notification.

3. The notification control device described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination means sets the remaining number of days determined when the prescription number is equal to or greater than a predetermined first prescription number of days to be greater than the remaining number of days determined when the prescription number is less than the first prescription number of days.

4. The determination means, when the prescription days are equal to or greater than a predetermined first prescription days, determines the remaining days to be a predetermined first remaining days and a predetermined second remaining days that is less than the first remaining days, and when the prescription days are less than the first prescription days, determines the remaining days to be the second remaining days; The notification control device described in claim 3, characterized in that when the remaining number of days is determined to be the first remaining number of days and the second remaining number of days, the notification control means executes the notification on each of the notification dates determined according to the first remaining number of days and the notification dates determined according to the second remaining number of days.

5. The notification control device described in claim 3, characterized in that the notification control means outputs the notification when the prescription number of days is equal to or greater than a second prescription number of days that is less than the first prescription number of days, and does not execute the notification when the prescription number of days is less than the second prescription number of days.

6. The system further includes a difficulty level information acquisition means for acquiring difficulty level information indicating the difficulty level of obtaining the dispensed medicine, The notification control device described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination means determines the remaining number of days in accordance with the prescription number of days and the degree of difficulty of acquisition indicated by the acquired difficulty information, and under the condition that the prescription number of days is the same, the remaining number of days determined when the degree of difficulty of acquisition is a predetermined level or higher is greater than the remaining number of days determined when the degree of difficulty of acquisition is less than the predetermined level.

7. The obtained drug information further indicates a facility that dispensed the drug; The method further includes: acquiring inventory information that can identify an inventory amount of the dispensed medicine at the facility indicated by the acquired medicine information; The notification control device described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination means determines the remaining days in accordance with the prescription days and the inventory amount specified by the acquired inventory information, and under the condition that the prescription days are the same, the remaining days determined when the inventory amount is less than a predetermined amount are made greater than the remaining days determined when the inventory amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount.

8. The acquired drug information further indicates at least one of a facility that dispensed the drug and a hospital that prescribed the drug; The device further includes a reservation status information acquisition means for acquiring reservation status information indicating a reservation status of at least one of the facilities indicated by the acquired drug information, the reservation status information being capable of identifying a reservation difficulty level of the at least one of the facilities; The notification control device described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination means determines the remaining number of days in accordance with the number of prescription days and the degree of reservation difficulty identified from the acquired reservation status information, and under the condition that the number of prescription days is the same, the remaining number of days determined when the degree of reservation difficulty is equal to or greater than a predetermined degree is greater than the remaining number of days determined when the degree of reservation difficulty is less than the predetermined degree.

9. The notification control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the notification control means causes a terminal device of a user to whom the dispensed medicine is to be provided to execute the notification.

10. The notification control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the notification executed includes outputting notification information indicating at least one of a low remaining amount of the medicine and a recommendation to go to a hospital.

11. The terminal device computer A drug information acquisition means for acquiring drug information indicating the dispensing date and the prescription period of the dispensed drug; A notification means for executing a notification to a user of the terminal device on a notification date on which the sum of the number of days elapsed since the dispensing date indicated by the acquired drug information and the number of remaining days determined according to the number of prescription days indicated by the acquired drug information becomes the number of prescription days; A terminal program characterized by causing the terminal program to function as a

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