The design of a care model and associated peripherals to assist with non-compliance of medication

Although many ailments both mental and physical are treated using orally administered drugs, patients frequently fail to comply with their medication regimens, the most typical failure being ´under´ medication. This can be attributed to a number of factors, which include impaired manual dexterity, levels of cognition, poor packaging of medication, numbers of differing medications and failing vision. Various techniques have been investigated to reduce levels of non-compliance and although a number of automated systems have been developed to address this problem, not all individuals involved in the supply to intake chain for medication have been accommodated. It is therefore arguable that currently available systems are incomplete and improvements are possible if all stakeholders are catered for in the solution. It has been the aim of this study to indicate the requirements of an optimal compliance aid and to specify a suitable care model derived from the requirements of all stakeholders. It is intended that this care model should utilize the facilities offered by the Internet in terms of a dynamic adaptable communications infrastructure to include all persons involved in the supply to intake chain for orally administered medication and provide a holistic solution to the problem of noncompliance.