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Using technology to measure adherence of complicated medication regimens

Project Overview

Medication adherence is a very important concern to the medical community. Currently, 237 billion dollars are projected to be spent on prescription drugs in the US this year alone. An important consideration clinicians face is if the patient is taking medications correctly. Often patients are prescribed more than one medication (average at the VA is about 7 medications), leading to a more complicated drug regimen. Currently there is a device which can monitor what date/time an individual medication pill bottle is opened (MEMS). However, no device has been developed to monitor adherence in complicated drug regimens. As medication regimens become more complex, an assistant device known as a "medication box" is often used. The theory behind the use is that the patient fills up a weeks worth of medications at a time, instead of opening each individual bottle once, twice or three times per day, leading to easier use. Medication boxes have four slots representing morning, noon, evening and bedtime for each day of the week. The whole medication box consists of 28 smaller lids to pop open on the top of the box which measures 9"x11"x1".

Our team will focus on designing a prototype that allows for the recording of the time/date of each slot opening.

This would provide valuable information to clinicians in deciding if additional medication is to be used, or education or some other approach to the patient regarding better adherence.

In addition, we would be interested in developing a type of programmed cue (lights/sounds/vibration) which would indicate a time to take medication. This could either be located either on the medication box, or a small wristwatch that the patient would wear.

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Contact Information

Team Members

  • Nipun Yamdagni - Team Leader
  • Sujan Bhaheetharan - Communicator
  • Cara Dunn - BSAC
  • Farshad Fahimi - BWIG

Advisor and Client

  • Prof. William Murphy - Advisor
  • Timothy Juergens - Client

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