E-care with intelligent packages

Stora Enso and the healthcare software provider Medixine jointly offer a mobile service based on Stora Enso Pharma DDSi packages to help patients with their medication.

According to a co-operation agreement signed by Stora Enso and Medixine, the companies will jointly market an electronic patient monitoring service based on Stora Enso`s Pharma DDSi intelligent packaging solution and Medixine`s mobile and server software.

- Anti-migraine medication is one example of the future applications of this new system. Keeping a migraine diary is easy with the help of the package by simply answering questions about the symptoms. The package automatically records the amounts of drugs taken and the hours at which they were taken. All this information can easily be made available to a doctor in the form of a clear report; all the patient needs to do is to touch the pharmaceutical package with his or her mobile phone - says Medixine`s Managing Director Dr. Tapio Jokinen.

The Pharma DDSi package reminds patients when to take their medication and records the particular day and time on which each tablet was taken from the package. This compliance data, stored in the microchip embedded in the package, can be read with the help of a mobile phone and transmitted automatically to a server, where it is readily and safely available for those responsible for the patient`s care. The data collection and management is based on software provided by Medixine.

Mobile phones and telecommunication connections are used in Medixine`s in-home patient monitoring solutions. Combined with intelligent packages for monitoring prescription compliance, and the possibility to discuss the medication without seeing a doctor, this provides a convenient and cost-efficient method for both the patients and the healthcare service providers. Efficient compliance monitoring is also needed by pharmaceutical companies to demonstrate the efficacy of their drugs.