MEDELERT Automatic Pill Dispenser with Lock For Seniors

Med-E-Lert

MED-E-LERT Automatic Pill Dispenser is a medication adherence device to help patients take the correct dosage at the right time. This device includes 28 medication compartments, a timer, visual and audio alerts, tamper-resistant locking system, and a dispenser. This simple device can help improve at-home medication administration and prevent complications resulting from under-dosing or over-dosing.

 

 

Product Components

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW 1.0 Premium Model Improvements

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prescription Drug Use

Use of prescription drugs is prevalent among all age groups in the United States. Medications have become the primary medical intervention for most illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly half of the U.S. population consumes at least one prescription drug monthly.¹ The most commonly used prescription drugs by age group are asthma medications for children, central nervous system stimulants for adolescents, antidepressants for middle-aged adults, and cholesterol lowering and high blood pressure drugs for seniors.²

 

Medication Errors

Taking prescription drugs at the wrong time, wrong frequency, or wrong dosage is a growing problem. These errors cause significant harm to patients and even death. Medication errors account "for one out of every 131 outpatient deaths, and one out of 854 inpatient deaths".³ This problem extends to health care professionals. Certified nurses and caregivers struggle to administer the correct drug and the correct dosage at the right time. "A review of 36 studies on caregiver medication errors found error rates ranging from 2%–33%, with dosage errors, omissions, and wrong medication the most common types of administration errors."4 At least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 98,000 people, die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented, according to estimates from two major studies.⁵ In a professional medical facility, "a hospital patient can expect on average to be subjected to more than one medication error each day."⁶ Self-administration of medications is a much bigger problem with even more medication errors. Evidence from several studies suggests that as many as 50 to 80 percent of patients are nonadherent to their prescribed treatment regimen.⁷

 

      

 

The Causes of Medication Errors

There are a host of causes for medication errors. Analyzing these causes is often associated with the stages of the medication process, beginning with the prescription, to transcribing, to dispensing, to administration, and finally to patient monitoring.⁸ These last two steps in the process often occur at home by the patient or by an attending caregiver.

 

Reducing Medication Errors

Auto pill dispensers can help minimize errors in medicine administration at home or care facilities. These devices can reduce medication errors and complications. An electronic medication dispenser aids caregivers and patients to administer the correct medication at the right time and in the proper dosage.

 

 

 Automated Medication Dispenser

Automatic medication dispensers are essentially a "pill box with timer." Pills are arranged in trays or compartments according to a schedule that meets the doctor’s prescription order. The medications are accessible when the time for the administration arrives. Many of these devices are also a pill dispenser with alarm. The alarm notifies the patient or caregiver when it is time to administer the medication. As an automatic pill dispenser for seniors, these dispensing devices remind patients when to take their pills. As an auto pill dispenser for children, these medication dispensing machines prevent youngsters from accessing tablets too early. This timed medication dispenser helps to ensure patient compliance to avoid adverse drug events.

 

Advantages of Med-E-Lert Auto Pill Dispenser with Alarm

 

 

 

Key Product Features

 

 

Product Features and Benefits

 

Product Specifications

 

 

 

 

 

Footnotes

 

 

 

Medical Studies

 

Medication Administration Management

 

Tamper-Proof Pill Dispenser Reduces Medication Misuse

 

Medication Adherence

 

Alarm Notification Medication

 

Effectiveness of Electronic Pill Dispensers

 

Use of Electronic Pill Dispenser by the Elderly

 

 

Comparison Chart of Electric Pill Dispensers

 

	Accutab	E-Pill	Medelert	MedFolio	MedMinder	MedReady
Purchase	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Rental	Yes
Monthly Service Fees	No	No	No	Optional	Yes	No
Versions/Upgrades	1	15	1	2	4	1
Alerts
Reminders/Alarms	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audible	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Visual	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Alarm Duration (minutes)	No	Optional	30	N/A	N/A	No
Custom Voice Reminders	No	Optional	No	No	Yes	No
Medical Alert	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Security
Lock-Out Function	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
As Needed Dispensing	No	No	No	No	No	No
Timer Dispensing	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Storage & Dispensing
# Refill Trays	21	28	28	28	28	28
Max # of Aspirin Size Tablets Per Tray	25	18-20	18	20	N/A	9
Max # Daily Doses	3	6	4	4	4	4
Max # Days	7	28	28	28	28	28
Max # Weeks Capacity	1	4	4	4	4	4
Rx Capacity	N/A	N/A	N/A	16	N/A	N/A
Power Source
Requires Batteries	No	Yes	Yes	No	Optional	Optional
Rechargeable Battery	N/A	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Requires 120 V Connection	No	Optional	No	Yes	Yes	Optional
Battery Backup	N/A	Optional	No	No	Yes	Yes
Land Line Connection	No	Optional	No	No	No	No
Cellular Connection	No	Optional	No	Yes	Yes	No
Computer Connection	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
External Monitoring	No	Optional	No	Yes	Yes	No