Putting drug administration in patient’s hands

Many people who interact directly with an elderly person know that they often carry various kinds of daily or weekly pill dispensers with them—by one measure, an elderly person typically is consuming a handful of prescriptions or OTC products daily, and often more. Now, an inventor from Texas, Vincent Mauk, is offering a feature-laden version of these dispensers, and one specifically attuned to elderly living on their own or in assisted living, whereby a nurse or other caregiver can program the device with simple usage instructions and data-collection measures.

“I developed this to help my mother, who had difficulty keeping track of which pills to take, and when,” he says. Even remembering that a dosage has been taken can be a problem for some. The case features various slots for daily dosages, a simple datalogging device for keying in instructions color-coded to time of day and day of week, and a writing pad for recording pill consumption. A visual alarm can also be programmed to act as a reminder that a dosage is due. Interactivity via a Bluetooth connection is being planned for a next version.

Mauk’s company, Silver Magnolia Medical Products, has patents on the design, and has undergone an FDA review. He is having discussions with the medical managers of assisted living facilities, and is looking for a retailer to put it on community pharmacy shelves. It can also be purchased directly, for $145, from www.HomeMedStation.com.