Rotary Pill Dispensing With Remote Steroid Use Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the use of oral steroids in asthma patients are often inaccurate, with patient history missing up to 58% of patients who have had three or more exacerbations, and pharmacy data is underutilized for clinical assessment.
Innovation Solution
An automated pill dispenser system that uses mechanical and electrical components, coupled with communication hardware and monitoring software, to track and control the dispensation of oral steroids, allowing remote monitoring and adjustment of medication usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If patient history is used to assess oral steroid use, then the assessment method is simple and quick, but accuracy is poor with up to 58% of patients missed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated pill dispenser as an intermediary device between the patient and the assessment process. The dispenser objectively tracks and records oral steroid usage, providing accurate data to clinicians without requiring direct patient reporting. This mediator resolves the contradiction by maintaining assessment simplicity while dramatically improving accuracy through automated monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where the automated dispenser continuously monitors medication dispensing and transmits usage data to both clinicians and patients. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures accurate tracking of oral steroid bursts while maintaining ease of operation through automated data collection and reporting, eliminating the need for manual patient recall.
2Measurement precision
If pharmacy refill records are used to determine oral steroid bursts, then accuracy improves, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated pill dispenser performs self-service by automatically tracking, recording, and reporting its own dispensing data without requiring external pharmacy system integration. The device independently maintains accurate records of oral steroid usage and transmits this data directly to clinicians, achieving high accuracy while avoiding the complexity of connecting to external pharmacy databases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/administrative system of pharmacy record retrieval with an electronic automated tracking system. Instead of manually accessing pharmacy databases or interpreting refill records, the electronic dispenser automatically captures and transmits usage data, simplifying the system architecture while maintaining or improving accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If automated monitoring system is implemented, then measurement precision and control improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated monitoring system is segmented into distinct functional modules: a dispensing mechanism, a microprocessor-controlled tracking system, a data storage component, and a communication interface. This segmentation allows each module to perform its specific function independently, improving overall measurement precision while managing complexity through modular design that facilitates easier implementation and maintenance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides accurate tracking and control of oral steroid use, enabling better asthma management and reducing the risk of future exacerbations by ensuring precise monitoring and intervention.
Implementation Method 1
The microprocessor is linked to a gear motor, wherein the gear motor is coupled to a pinion gear
Implementation Method 2
spring pressure is exerted on a base of each medication store forcing medication therein in the direction of the dispensing plate
Data Source
AI summary
An automated medication dispenser system is disclosed. The system includes a dispenser device comprising a medication dispensing and storage module, a dispensing drive and control mechanism, and a communications interface. A third party communications host is in communication with the dispenser device, and has administration software with executable instructions for control of the dispensing drive and control mechanism to dispense medication from the medication dispensing and storage module. The communications interface is in communication with the third party communications host.