Medication Dispenser Remote Authorization via Two-Way Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency medication plans are inadequate as patients may not have access to prescribed medications in emergency situations due to undiagnosed conditions, lack of supervision, or forgotten prescriptions, highlighting the need for an alternative solution to provide timely and controlled access to medications.
Innovation Solution
A medicament storage case that restricts access to medications until a remote operator, such as a physician, authorizes their release through a two-way communication system, ensuring appropriate dispensation based on patient and situation assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If patients carry auto-injectors with them at all times, then immediate treatment is available in emergency situations, but patients may not have access to medications due to undiagnosed conditions, lack of supervision, or forgotten prescriptions
Solution Approach 1:
A remote operator (physician) acts as an intermediary between the patient and the medication dispenser. The operator receives a request from the dispenser, assesses the situation through two-way communication, and authorizes dispensing. This intermediary system ensures that medication is only released when appropriate, resolving the contradiction between immediate availability and controlled access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment and authorization actions before dispensing medication. The remote operator evaluates the patient's condition and authorizes dispensing in advance, ensuring that medication is only released when medically appropriate. This preliminary control mechanism prevents inappropriate dispensing while maintaining rapid access when needed.
2Speed
If medications are made accessible without restriction, then immediate treatment is possible, but inappropriate dispensing may occur without proper assessment
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback loop where the dispenser communicates the patient's condition to the remote operator, who then makes an authorization decision. This feedback mechanism ensures that dispensing is based on real-time assessment of the situation, maintaining both speed and appropriateness by involving clinical judgment in the decision-making process.
Solution Approach 2:
The remote operator serves as a mediator who receives real-time information from the dispenser, assesses the situation, and provides authorization. This intermediary layer ensures that medication dispensing is both rapid (through automated communication) and appropriate (through professional medical assessment).
Data Source
AI summary
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, device, and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for execution by a user device, the medium comprising: instructions for displaying an indication of an incoming request to establish a communication session with a patient operating a medication dispenser; instructions for establishing a two-way communication session with the patient via the medication dispenser based on a physician user of the user device approving the incoming request; instructions for displaying a dispense user interface (UI) element during the two-way communication session; instructions for receiving a selection of the dispense UI element from the physician user; and instructions for transmitting, based on the selection, a command for the medication dispenser to dispense a medication to the patient.