Med-Tracking by Packaging discusses packaging methods which help medication-takers to take medications when they should.

Most pharmacies will package if asked.

Packaging Available, Qualities, Disadvantages

Bubble packaging
- description: 4 bubbles in a tear-off strip per day
- availability: most pharmacies in Ontario, probably US-wide,
Canada-wide
- cost: no charge but ask pharmacy
- capacity estimate: equivalent of 4 1-gram vitamin C tablets
- con: hard to open for people with arthritis
- longer description: bubble pack with separate bubbles labelled for Breakfast, Lunch, Supper, Bedtime

OnePacs
- description: clear plastic packets with dosage printed on each one.
- availability (tell us)
- cost: no charge but ask
- capacity: (tell us)


Comments on OnePacs
Reply #1 - 04/04/08 3:37am on OnePacs
" sure have I used to use them with clients at the group home I worked at
by L.

Reply #2 - 04/05/08 7:00pm
" Thanks. Any idea of cost or availability? Are they any better?
Most senior's places must have a system.
My aunt gets a bubble-package at meal-times "
by S.

Reply #3 - 04/05/08 7:44pm
(Summary: OnePacs are hard to open for people with arthritis)
" These were offered to me by my pharmacy a while ago now. I don't use this service for a couple reasons.

I take a number of medications and vitamins that are required for my Osteoporosis....on top of that; I take meds 3 times a day. OKAY...so there are about 10 different kinds of meds I take - 3xdaily.....but non of the meds are refillable at the same time of the month.

The pharmacy does not charge for this type of packaging (at least where I live).

My bigger problem with these bubble wrapping packaging is that I have pretty bad arthritis in my hands, fingers, etc., etc...I have great difficulty getting this type of packaging open. While they are very easy to open for most, for me it's a nightmare.

I instead get ALL my meds put in screw topped bottles (ointment jars). I find them to be the easiest for me to open and I have no children in my home to worry about.

I guess everything has it's place. I do think it's a great idea though. "
by R.

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Question: What kind of packaging, if any, is easy for you to open, easy for people with arthritis to open?



Initial Sketch of What's Needed in Packaging:

Objective: give medication-takers a pre-made pack of medications for each med-stop each day

Design Features Wanted:
- easy to open
- clearly shown date and time
- identification of medication and size


For the second issue, synchronization see Topic: Med-Renewals/Synchronization. Somehow doctors/pharmacists should be synchronizing them without extra renewal charges.

(Thanks, R.)

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Med-Tracking by Packaging