be-Kind re-Mind

[duckRabbitPy]

Name

Candidate names:
Be-Kind Re-mind
Forget-me-not
Goldfish
Memory Lane
PillMemo
PolyCalm

Describe the problem you'd like to solve

In England, more than 1 in 10 people aged over 65 take at least eight different prescribed medications each week, the practice of prescribing multiple medications to one individual is known as polypharmacy.

This isn't limited to older adults. Children and young people with complex health issues may also have an extensive schedule of medications to take.

Remembering to take medicines can be difficult and forgetting to take a drug can be just as harmful as taking too many by accident. Pre-filled pill boxes are helpful but these are usually only issued to older adults with memory issues and those with the highest need. Many patients would benefit from a tool that can provide cues to remind them to take their medication and reinforce a habit.

Remembering is only part of the problem, some medications have unpleasant side effects, unpleasant tastes or are difficult to physically swallow. Providing a 'reward' could help increase the duration and consistency of compliance.

Who are the stakeholders?

Patients aged 18+ that are prescribed 3 or more medications daily
Patients with mild-moderate memory problems
Patients with low compliance
Patients who take medications that are very important to take regularly

Where did the idea come from?

I've worked in the mental health sector for a while and observed that many people struggling with their mental health a) are prescribed many medications b) experience unpleasant side effects e.g. lethargy c) have a mild form of cognitive impairment either from the medications or due to their health condition such as depression or psychosis d) skipping certain medications can have immediately harmful consequences. So I feel that something that can address these issues in a way that gives agency to users and encourages them to develop habits rather than ignoring/scolding (or resorting to depot injections) would be a really positive outcome.

Initial ideas 💡

• A web app that users can log in to and add their current medications and when they need to take them
• The app provides a personalised and interactive schedule for each user
• A feature that allows users to upload a picture of their medication to aid their memory of the drug "Oh I take the small pink circle ones after lunch" is a common way that people think of their medications
• A user profile that tracks successful days
• A game like aspect that will reward users for taking their medications on time and encourage them
• A flagging feature for experienced side effects so pharmacists can monitor contraindications

🧘🏼‍♀️

• Stretch: A backend process that will send email/text reminders to the user based on the times provided
• Stretch: A feature that can look drug names up using an external api to provide the user with basic information on what each drug does

What is currently being done to solve this problem?

Pill boxes
Pre-filled pill boxes
There are a number of native apps (e.g. https://www.mytherapyapp.com/ ), but a web app would be easier to access for many people and has lower barrier to entry
Current solutions don't do much to reinforce habits and develop positive engagement

What technology might be interesting to explore?

💊 Nodemailer to send Emails to users
https://nodemailer.com/about/

💊 Node push notifications
https://www.npmjs.com/package/node-pushnotifications

💊 Node sms messages
https://www.textmagic.com/docs/api/