Innovative Home Medication Dispensing Service Introduced by Philips

Royal Philips has announced the expansion of its focus on home healthcare by introducing an innovative home medication dispensing service created to offer support to chronically ill patients and care providers. 

This new service provides automated, compact dispensers that are loaded with individualised, pre-packaged medication, and features a designated web-based IT connection to the patient’s care giver organisation and pharmacist. 

Expanding on its broad portfolio of home health care capabilities to home care, elderly care and nursing home organisations, Philips is now launching this novel service in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg (Benelux).

Each time medication is due, the dispenser automatically reminds the person, checks it is the right medication at the right time, and then releases and opens individual pouches according to the patient’s prescribed regimen. This motivates the patient to adhere to personal medication plans and minimises the risk of taking the wrong medication or dose, improving the users’ health and quality of life while reducing avoidable hospital stays, adverse events and associated healthcare costs.

The solution monitors medication usage and remotely alerts nursing staff when medication is not taken, helping to streamline the normally time-consuming task of medication management and allowing them to focus on additional care issues.

 

Henk Valk, General Manager Philips Healthcare Benelux is enthusiastic about the extent to which technology-enabled care at home will play an increasingly important role in helping care providers. The rising number of people with chronic conditions is presenting pressing challenges, and based on Philips’ decade long pioneering experience in the Netherlands’ home healthcare market, the company is continuously looking to expand their offering through collaborations, innovative technologies and services. According to Valk, their aim is to make a difference where it matters for patients, their families and healthcare providers.

 

Studies have shown that around half of the medication for chronic disease is not taken as prescribed, and each year in the Netherlands, 19.000 potentially avoidable hospitalisations involve elderly people who took their medication incorrectly. This adds up to an annual financial burden of EUR 85 million.

 

In comparison to Philips’ home medication dispensing service already offered in the United States, the Benelux service is based on a medication pouches system that is standardised and broadly available in the Netherlands. To bring the US solution to market in the Netherlands, Philips is collaborating with the Dutch pharmaceutical telehealth company Innospense, that initially developed the integrated medication dispensing service, and is assisted by e-health implementation provider Focus Cura. 

Philips will also be working closely with the country’s pharmacies in order to ensure the patient’s prescribed regimen is synchronised with the intelligent dispensing device in the patient’s home.

Source: Philips 

21 February 2014