Improved Medication Adherence of an Elderly Diabetic Patient at a Dwelling Home Using a Pill Dispenser and Personal Health Records

Abstract

Fookkun® is a pill dispenser in which single doses of several medications intended to be taken simultaneously are sealed in single film bags rolled onto a medication rotating drum. The system makes musical alert sounds when it is time for the patient to take the medications. If the patient misses a dose, a designated contact, such as the patient’s child, is alerted. We conducted an experiment monitoring the use of a pill dispenser (Fookkun®) by an older patient. The participant was a 71-year-old woman with diabetes living in a dwelling home. The experiment lasted approximately 6 months. Fookkun® and the prototype data transmitter were installed at the patient’s home. Fookkun®’s medication history data are displayed on the electronic medication record book (E-MRB) and the patient’s pharmacist checks the patient’s medication history on the E-MRB. The Fookkun® was effective in facilitating medication adherence. The pharmacist and the patient’s daughter did not need to check the E-MRB because Fookkun® alerted them when the patient missed her medication. We believe that if the medication history data linked between a pill dispenser and an E-MRB can be shared among medical staff, this will contribute to a medical digital transformation in Japan in the future.