GlowCaps are the next iteration in helping patients remember their pills

Author: Thuc Huynh, MD

One of the largest problems we see in the clinic is medication non-compliance.  All too often, patients forget to take their pills and their health suffers as a result.

The cheapest and most popular remedy has been the Pill Box which is a simple plastic box labeled with the days of the week and meant to remind patients to take all their pills that day.  But what if you're the kind of person who even forgets to look at the pill box?  Or what if you have to take pills twice a day?  How do you split the Monday pill slot into two time periods?  You can't.  The Pill Box has many limitations.

GlowCaps is going to lay the Pill Box to rest.  This device will flash a light when it's time to take your medicine and if you don't, it will call your phone and remind you verbally.  If your pills start to run out, GlowCaps will order refills from your pharmacy.  And to add accountability for taking your meds, a summary report is mailed to you and your doctor every month.

How does it work?  There's a tiny computer chip in the cap that senses when a patient opens or doesn't open the cap.  It then transmits the information wirelessly to a receiver that will either light up or call you.

Vitality, the company behind GlowCaps, is working with AT&T and Amazon to get their product to market.  Patients will find great benefit from this product and service and healthcare outcomes may significantly improve.  Each cap costs $10 dollars and the service costs $15 dollars per month.

For more information and to enter for a free GlowCap, click here.

Author:

Dr. Thuc Huynh is CEO of ScrubdIN, a startup company that aims to help health professionals choose their next medical app.  Her main interest lies around how medicine can play a role with web 2.0 and social media.  Dr. Huynh is currently Chief Resident at her Family Medicine Residency in Rapid City, SD and received her B.S. and M.D. at the Medical University of the Americas.