U.S. patent application number 11/007654 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-08 for portable prescription pad compendium with discount program reminder means.
Invention is credited to Joshua Lapsker.
Application Number | 20060118436 11/007654 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36572984 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060118436 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lapsker; Joshua |
June 8, 2006 |
Portable prescription pad compendium with discount program reminder
means
Abstract
A portable prescription pad compendium with discount reminder
program that facilitates distribution of prescription
pharmaceuticals to patients and for encouraging initial and ongoing
fulfillment of said prescription by patients.
Inventors: |
Lapsker; Joshua; (Christ
Church, BB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KLAUBER & JACKSON
411 HACKENSACK AVENUE
HACKENSACK
NJ
07601
US
|
Family ID: |
36572984 |
Appl. No.: |
11/007654 |
Filed: |
December 8, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/232 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42D 5/042 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/232 |
International
Class: |
B65D 71/00 20060101
B65D071/00 |
Claims
1. A portable prescription pad compendium with discount reminder
program means for prescribing prescription medications and for
encouraging their subsequent usage comprising: a flexible wallet
comprising a front cover, a back cover, and a spine connecting said
front cover and said back cover, each of said covers defining an
outer surface, and a corresponding inner surface on an opposite
broad side thereof; at least one divider being affixed to said
spine so as to be disposed between said inner surface of said front
cover and said inner surface of said back cover; at least one
preprinted prescription pad affixed between said front cover and
said back cover, and having a plurality of preprinted prescription
scripts, each said preprinted prescription script having a front
face and a lower end; a discount reminder program means detachably
affixed to each said preprinted prescription script of said
preprinted prescription pad; and a blank prescription pad affixed
between said front cover and said back cover, and having a
plurality of prescription scripts.
2. The portable prescription pad compendium of claim 1 wherein said
at least one preprinted prescription pad is affixed to a one side
of said at least one divider, and wherein said blank prescription
pad is affixed at one said inner surface of one of said covers.
3. The portable prescription pad compendium of claim 2 wherein at
least one of said reminder program means is detachably affixed
along said lower end of said front of each said preprinted
prescription scripts, so as to be detachable from each said
preprinted prescription scripts by means of a tearable perforation
means provided thereon.
4. The portable prescription pad compendium of claim 3 wherein said
plurality of preprinted prescription scripts are preprinted with a
named medication on each said front face.
5. The portable prescription pad compendium of claim 4 wherein said
plurality of preprinted prescription scripts are preprinted on each
said front face with at least one predetermined dosage selection
for said named medication.
6. The portable prescription pad compendium of claim 5 wherein said
discount reminder program means has a stated discount for
encouraging initial and ongoing fulfillment of the prescription
detailed on the accompanying preprinted prescription script.
7. The portable prescription pad compendium of claim 6 wherein said
discount program reminder means has a unique tracking number that
is used for tracking subsequent fulfillment of said prescription by
said patient.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a portable prescription pad
compendium for physicians that has both blank prescription scripts
and a selection of preprinted scripts that aids in the dispensing
of prescription pharmaceuticals, and further includes an
accompanying discount program reminder means for enticing patients
to enroll in a reminder program that will foster ongoing refilling
of a given prescription by offering discounts to a patient.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] When physicians write prescriptions (sometimes known as an
"Rx"), it is handwritten by the doctor and the patient gives the
script to a pharmacist who then dispenses the medication in
accordance with the handwritten instructions therein. The
difficulty arises, however, in that the handwriting is often messy,
illegible, or incomplete, and can lead to incorrect fulfillment by
the dispensing pharmacist.
[0005] Furthermore, the current way in which a physician writes a
prescription is also accompanied by another difficulty encountered
when the physician gives the patient samples of the drug to be
dispensed. This approach to providing complimentary pharmaceuticals
can further introduce problems into the whole prescription
provision process. For example, samples may be lost or stolen at a
doctor's office, or may become old or expired. Other times, it may
simply be inconvenient for physicians to use samples in their daily
practice because of storage space and temperature requirements, or
because it is distracting and inefficient to retrieve the samples
in the course of a hectic day.
[0006] Lastly, the current approach to providing prescription
medicines is further complicated by the epidemic problem of
compliance with the terms of the prescription. Simply put, samples
are only one-time inducements to take a medication in the beginning
of a treatment regimen, and do not offer ongoing incentives for
patients, especially for those patients who are concerned about
medication costs and may not refill the prescription. This dynamic
in the current prescription fulfillment process is particularly
unfortunate: non-compliance in prescription drug taking is putting
an enormous strain on the health care system today. Estimates of
cost to the United States economy range from 50 to as high as 100
billion dollars per year. It is estimated that 17 percent of all
Emergency room visits are the direct result of a prescription drug
misdirection (non-compliance). Other results of non-compliance
include hospital and nursing home admissions, as well as lost wages
and lower productivity. Moreover, the most pressing aspect of
non-compliance is reflected in the fact that compliance drops off
dramatically when it comes time to refill a prescription. It is
known by insurance estimates that for ongoing prescriptions, after
one year from beginning a prescription regimen, approximately 60%
of patients no longer continue taking or refilling the required
medication. This represents an unhealthy dynamic that greatly costs
both employers, insurance companies, and society at large, over
time. As the population ages, non-compliance becomes a source for
even more concern. Population experts say in the year 2003, 83
million Americans were over the age of 50, and by the year 2010,
that figure will be over 100 million. In addition, as prescription
drugs become more expensive, and as government and employer funded
coverage for such drug plans becomes less comprehensive, compliance
becomes even more so of a concern for doctors who are concerned
about their patients following through with treatments, as well as
for insurance companies who wish to reduce the resulting costs of
non-compliance, and also for patients who yearn for a less
expensive form of compliance. Known compliance systems have
provided for various methods of notification to ensure compliance.
Various methods of such notification include pager systems or cable
set top boxes for use in homes and adult care centers that may
enable the broadcasting of reminders. However, these methods are
aimed at providing "strong arm" tactics, such as annoying messages
on pagers, set top boxes and the like. As such, prior art systems
do not address the root of the problem in non-compliance, which is
motivation, something which is often compromised by ongoing
financial concerns associated with prescription fulfillment. While
these systems may attempt to provide some form of compliance, none
actually encourage or motivate a patient through financial
incentives to comply with a drug prescription on a sustainable
basis. Accordingly, no prior art system exists to assure realistic,
long-term compliance in the taking of prescription drugs.
Particularly, none of these systems provide both a means of
notification and an incentive for a given prescription medication
to be taken.
[0007] Moreover, there is a particular problem with distributing
such systems to patients. Without offering a convenient
implementation to a physician, some doctors may tend to forget or
otherwise neglect to offer patients such systems. Similarly,
without ease of use and significant incentivization, patients will
not accept such distributions from doctors, or otherwise will not
regularly utilize them, thereby making the problem difficult at
both ends of distribution.
[0008] In total, no system exists to address the combined
shortcomings of error-prone handwritten prescriptions, inefficient
sample distribution, and the lack of assurance of long-term
compliance in the taking of prescription drugs. Moreover, no system
offers solutions to all of these problems and means to motivate
doctors to use a given system on a daily basis, by providing a
simplified way of error free prescription writing that is
practical, compact and convenient to carry around on their person
throughout the day.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a system for enabling the error-free, compact, convenient
dispensing of a wide range of prescriptions while providing a
discount means for fostering ongoing patient prescription
fulfillment, without the need to bother with samples or complex
fulfillment notification schemes.
[0010] Additional objects, advantages and other novel features of
the invention will be set forth in part in the description that
follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the
art upon examination of the following, or may be learned with the
practice of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in, and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a preferred
embodiment of the invention and, together with the general
description given above, as well as the detailed description of the
preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles
of the invention:
[0012] FIG. 1 is an offset view of the inventive portable
prescription pad compendium with discount program reminder means
included therein, in a closed position;
[0013] FIG. 2A is an offset view of the inventive portable
prescription pad compendium with discount program reminder means
included therein, in a open position, showing an exemplary
rendering of a front end of the compendium which may have a generic
(blank/non-preprinted) script pad and a multiplicity of preprinted
script pads each for a given drug and the attendant discount means
attached thereto;
[0014] FIG. 2B is an offset view of the inventive portable
prescription pad compendium with discount program reminder means
included therein in a open position, showing an exemplary rendering
of a back end of the compendium which may have the remaining
continuum of a multiplicity of preprinted script pads each for a
given drug and the attendant discount program reminder means
attached thereto; and
[0015] FIG. 3 is an exemplary rendering of the compendium depicting
two of a multiplicity of preprinted script pads, each for a given
drug, and the attendant discount program reminder means attached
thereto partially pulled away from the preprinted script to which
it is attached so that it may be detached as needed by a
pharmacist, patient or other individual.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] In its broadest aspect, the present invention relates to
portable prescription pad compendium for physicians that has at
least a selection of preprinted scripts that aids in the dispensing
of prescription pharmaceuticals, and further includes an
accompanying discount program reminder means for enticing patients
to enroll in a reminder program that fosters ongoing refilling of a
given prescription by giving a patient discounts. The invention
comprises a portable prescription pad compendium with discount
reminder program means for prescribing prescription medications and
for encouraging their subsequent usage. More particularly, the
invention comprises a flexible wallet or booklet having a central
hinge or spine, and a multiplicity of preprinted prescription pads
on dividers attached to the spine. The flexible wallet comprises a
front cover, a back cover, and the spine connecting the front cover
and said back cover together, with each of the covers defining an
outer surface, and a corresponding inner surface on an opposite
broad side thereof. Disposed between the inner surface of the front
cover and the inner surface of the back cover is at least one
divider that is affixed to the spine, and at least one preprinted
prescription pad is affixed between the front cover and the back
cover. Any given preprinted prescription pad has a plurality of
preprinted prescription scripts, wherein each preprinted
prescription script has a front face and a lower end so that a
discount reminder program means can be detachably affixed to each
preprinted prescription script. Furthermore, a blank prescription
pad having a plurality of prescription scripts is affixed between
the front cover and the back cover, with each preprinted
prescription scripts having a front face and a back face, upon
which a drug name (and optionally, amount) on the front face might
be printed. Detachably affixed (e.g., through a perforation, or as
otherwise known in the art of printing) to each preprinted
prescription script at the bottom or lower end of the preprinted
prescription script is the discount program reminder means, which
can be tailored to the given drug of that pad.
[0017] According to one preferred embodiment, a portable
prescription pad compendium for physicians that has both a pad of
blank prescription scripts and a selection of different preprinted
script pads that aids in the dispensing of prescription
pharmaceuticals that a given physician may commonly prescribe. Each
different preprinted script pad further includes an accompanying
discount means that is tailored for the specific drug to which a
given preprinted script pad is directed. The discount program
reminder means may take several physical forms as one skilled in
the art may well appreciate, but in one preferred embodiment, it
may be a detachably affixed paper stub or coupon that may be
detached by the pharmacist or patient for use in enrolling the
patient in the ongoing reminder program as a condition of him
receiving a discount, free sample, etc. depending on the particular
drug. Of course, the discounts and any applicable free samples that
may be redeemed at the pharmacy may vary in terms of amount and
method of delivery, as well as in terms of timing (e.g., scheduled
mailings of coupons, etc. to patients down the road, etc.)
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred
embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
[0018] With ongoing reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B and 3, the
portable prescription pad compendium 2 comprises a flexible booklet
or wallet 4 with a front cover 4a and a back cover 4c, and a
flexible spine 4b disposed therebetween. At least one, and most
preferably, a plurality of dividers 7 are disposed between the
front and the back covers 4a, 4c, and affixed proximate to the
spine 4b. The flexible booklet or wallet 4 is preferably made of a
flexible material such as plastic that may bend when put into a
physicians clothes or lab pocket in such a way as not to
inconvenience the physician with sharp, protruding edges. Each
divider 7 that preferably has a selection of different preprinted
script pads 10 affixed on either side of the divider 7. Each
preprinted script pad 10 is directed to a different drug that may
be more commonly prescribed according to a given physician's
practice or needs. For convenience, these particular drugs may be
detailed on the flexible booklet or wallet 4, by way of printing at
front, back, and/or spine areas as needed. In one preferred
embodiment, a pad of blank (non-preprinted) prescription scripts 8
may be provided at a prominent, easily referenced section of the
compendium (typically the back inner or front inner page of of the
flexible booklet or wallet 4, so as to permit the physician to be
able to prescribe any other medications that may not be in the
selected collection of commonly prescribed drugs preprinted on one
of the preprinted script pads 10, thus affording him the
convenience of preprinted scripts for his most popular
prescription, with the versatility of blank scripts that will
permit him to disperse other medications in the usual fashion in
compendium 2. Provision of such ensures that the physician will
view the compendium as a versatile, "one-stop" prescription tool to
be utilized on an ongoing basis.
[0019] Preferably, the preprinted prescription pads 10 will each
have their own substantially stiff backing material such as thin,
cardboard or plastic, so as to be able to affix themselves within
the compendium 2 by sliding into perforated slots (not depicted)
within dividers 7. This will also permit the physician or other
individual to insert within the compendium 2 different or
replacement preprinted prescription script pads as needed. In one
alternative embodiment, markings may be printed on optional tabs
(not depicted) extending from dividers 7 to aid in the rapid
identification of the particular medication preprinted on the
subject preprinted prescription script pads within compendium 2.
The dividers 7 will be molded or attached to the flexible spine so
that bulky pins, clips, or rings need not be utilized in attaching
the divides 7, thereby helping to ensure compactness in design, and
so as to reduce sharp angles or protrusions when situated in a
physician's pocket.
[0020] When provisioned as such, the any one of the multiplicity of
preprinted prescription script pads will be facing in opposite
directions from an other preprinted prescription script pads within
compendium 2. Within each preprinted prescription script pad 10
there are a plurality of preprinted prescription sheets, or scripts
15. Within a particular preprinted prescription script pad 10, each
of the plurality of prescription sheets 15 of the preprinted
prescription pad 10 has a preprinted prescription format on a front
face of the sheet for a particular named medication. The plurality
preprinted prescription scripts 15 within a given prescription
script pad 10 are all identical. In a particular embodiment, the
preprinted prescription scripts 15 may include check-off boxes (not
depicted) correlating to predetermined dosage options that can be
checked off for the given prescription medicine. For example, in a
given preprinted prescription script, the medication will be
clearly printed on the script along with a predefined doseage or
range of dosages/quantities that may be checked off, so as to avoid
common errors that arise from fully handwritten prescriptions.
Furthermore, the scripts will have preprinted identifying
information of the prescriber (doctor name, address, phone number,
etc.), zones for patient name and address, etc., as well as various
additional features that may be printed, as needed, considering
that the exact information and format of the scripts (e.g., colors,
watermarks, required substitution options, and the like) will need
to be further provided for on the preprinted script as required by
individual state laws.
[0021] In one embodiment, the discount reminder program means will
be a detachable paper extension that is detachably affixed so as to
extend, preferably from a perforated segmentation e.g., tearable
perforation) along the bottom of each preprinted prescription
script 15, so as to facilitate the removal of both the discount
program reminder means 12 by the patient or pharmacist when the
patient decides to opt-in to the ongoing reminder program as a
means of obtaining a discount and/or free samples of the
medication. This would permit separation of the discount program
reminder means 12 from a given preprinted prescription script 15
when filling a prescription. Much like the preprinted prescription
scripts 15, the discount program reminder means 12 may have
security enhanced features such as water marks, unique tracking
numbers, security codes, and the like for preventing fraud and/or
improper reuse of the discount program reminder means 12. Provision
as such would most preferably be done so as to print a
fraud-resistant, numerically sequenced unique tracking number that
could be correlated with a patient, his data and his prescription
needs (procured at an opt-in time as will be described hereafter)
so that each given fulfillment or usage at a pharmacy can be
associated therewith (by a pharmaceutical benefits processor, also
described hereafter) and so that the patient can receive the stated
discount at the time of fulfillment.
[0022] Provision of the system in this manner offers several
advantages. First, the inventive system eliminates the need for
physicians to keep track of unattached samples and the need to
review expiration dates, or for doctors to keep the samples stored
in an accessible, climate controlled environment. Second, it
provides better security by the centralizing all storage and
physical dispensing of pharmaceuticals at a pharmacy, thereby
eliminating or reducing problems and costs associated with theft,
inadvertent loss, keeping stocks current, excess packaging, etc.
Thirdly, when structured in the inventive manner, doctors who
desire to error-free preprinted prescription scripts will then be
inclined to use the all-in-one compendium described herein, rather
than separate script pads. Particularly when made in a compact,
light, flexible fashion, the compendium as described herein is
something which a doctor would be predisposed to carry around with
him through out the course of the day.
[0023] The fulfillment aspect of the present invention stems from
the distribution and use of the discount means and from that as
described in related U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/865,491,
and 10/881,708, hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
In its broadest aspect, the encouragement of ongoing fulfillment
emanates from a system which provides for a prescription drug
compliance and discount payment system having at least one discount
program reminder means 12 having a confidential identification
number, a solicitation means associated with each discount program
reminder means 12 for soliciting a patient consent and patient
information, an activation means for receiving said patient consent
and patient information received from the solicitation means and
for activating a patient participation record related to the
confidential identification number, a processor means for receiving
the confidential identification number and for receiving a
prescription fulfillment transaction, as well as for awarding
incentives based on said receipt of each identification number and
prescription fulfillment, to patients and participating businesses
associated with each said fulfillment transaction, and a compliance
means for ensuring a continuing of a prescription compliance of
each said patient participation record.
[0024] Discount program reminder means 12 may also provide for a
solicitation means through a contact gateway, that might be a toll
free number or web site for signing up (provided for those who
might not wish to sign up by mail). Printed on discount means 12 is
a unique identifier and transaction code means for activating and
tracking the discount card usage. In order to facilitate widespread
usage of the inventive system through existing pharmacy networks,
the numeric representation may be simply typed or otherwise entered
into an existing pharmacy system for entering and processing
secondary insurance-type information for prescriptions.
[0025] Accordingly, where a patient consents to enrolling in the
discount compliance program, his name, address, indication of
consent, preferred means of receiving future reminders, and other
information can be received through mail, email, or via phone, by
an opt-in center (not depicted) into a database (either through
manual data entry input, or through form-based scanning as known in
the art) in connection with the discount program reminder means 12.
The solicitation/sign up portion will therefore, typically have a
confidential identification number contained therein that can be
recorded and retained for each subsequent use.
[0026] After receiving consented notifications, the system can then
make offers for proper discount inducements on subsequent refills,
so that the patient will be more inclined to refill a given
prescription. Accordingly, when the patient refills his
prescription at a pharmacy, the system will then be able to
correlate information from the solicitation/sign up portion
(already entered at pharmacy), and the response to discounts
offered thereafter, preferably through the coordinated efforts of a
loyalty reimbursement program, opt-in center and a pharmacy
benefits processor, such that when the pharmacy benefits processor
receives from a pharmacy the residual confidential identification
number that will accompany the transmission of the occurrence of a
prescription transaction being fulfilled by the signed upped
patient, the confidential number will be used to retrieve stored
information from the opt-in center, that can communicate in real
time as needed with the other participant entities by sending coded
transaction data and reimbursement information data to each other
as applicable through regularized, instant transmission of
transaction data. Based on the sign up and subsequent fulfillment
activity, the patient can be prompted to avail himself of the
discount associated therewith by internet (email) or phone
notification, there will be an internet, cable, phone, or other
type of preferred connection with the patient for reminding him to
fill/refill his prescription. Unless prohibited by law, the
pharmacy benefits processor will apply the discount immediately at
time of payment at through an electronic credit authorized to the
pharmacy. Patient, ideally motivated by the idea of incentives
(e.g., preferred discounts stated herein), together with his
physician's recommendation (most preferably from ongoing compliance
feedback as described hereafter), will therefore be inclined to
participate, thereby helping to ensure his subsequent (i.e.,
initial and ongoing) fulfillment of the prescription.
[0027] Thereafter, the by virtue of the confidential identification
number for each transaction, the loyalty reimbursement program (via
the pharmacy benefits processor), could correlate the date and time
of the prescription being filled with the confidential
identification number. The confidential identification number would
enable the correlation by enabling a retrieval of the primary care
giver name, address and phone number; patient name, etc. to both
verify that a given discount is only being used for one patient's
medication, and to ensure that it has not expired or exceeded the
maximum allowable multiple discounts provided. Thereafter, if the
patient does not refill the prescription after a certain number of
reminder attempts, the physician may be notified, as needed.
Although one persuasive motivation for prescription fulfillment by
the patient is based on the discounts applied, notification of a
physician, as permitted, might additionally motivate the patient to
be in compliance. Dates of non-compliance, as well as physician
notification might, in certain embodiments, all be recorded in a
database. Moreover, such notifications, as well as a broad picture
of patient compliance for physicians, would offer further
incentives to physicians, who would be distributing such a system
in the first place. As mentioned, to further incentivize
participating doctors, information regarding patient compliance may
be aggregated to form broad pictures of compliance by groupings of
patients. Such compliance might then be given to physician as
doctor-specific feedback or other type of an informational
representation of doctor's patient base compliance. Provision of
such information in this manner would be a benefit to physicians
for improving or understanding their own practice and/or patient
base, as well as for insurance and/or pharmaceutical business
purposes.
[0028] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to
the illustrations described and shown herein, which are deemed to
be more illustrative of the best modes of carrying out the
invention, and which are susceptible of modification of form, size,
arrangement of parts and details operation. These modifications are
within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *