Wednesday, March 5, 2008

onePAC Prescription Packaging

Filed under: Cardiology , Geriatrics , Medicine


Parata Systems, LLC, a Durham, N.C.-based firm, wants to get rid of pillboxes. Its new product, onePAC™ prescription packaging technology, is designed to simplify the distribution and uptake of medications. We aren't kidding: the distribution in this case means packaging by pharmacies, and uptake means the adherence by patients to their regiments.

onePAC prepares a person’s medications by day and dosing time in a sealed, clear plastic packet that is arthritic-approved for easy opening. Each onePAC dose is custom-printed with the person’s name; day and time of dose; medication names, strengths and descriptions; and other details to help them take the right medications at the right time, every time.

Consumers request onePAC from their local pharmacy, so they keep that important care touch point with their local pharmacist. onePAC packaging is filled right at the pharmacy using Parata’s automated technology, and verified by the pharmacist, who is most familiar with the patient’s medication needs.

“If you or a loved one have faced the stress of missed doses of an important medication, or struggled to use a pillbox, the peace of mind and ease of onePAC packaging is immediately appealing,” said Tom Rhoads, executive vice president for customer and market strategies at Parata Systems. “From caregivers and their family members, to parents whose children must take medications at school, to busy travelers — onePAC helps people know when and how to take their medicines, reducing risk and ultimately helping them live healthier lives.”

How it Works

Rendering the “SMTWTFS” pillbox obsolete, a 30- to 90-day onePAC supply comes to patients as a perforated strip of individual onePAC packages, one for each dose, prepared in a convenient dispensing box that displays the next dose to be taken.

And it all happens right behind your pharmacy counter. Parata’s new PACMED technology makes it affordable and efficient for local pharmacies to provide this valuable service to consumers. It automatically and accurately prepares up to 50 multi-dose packages per minute; a big improvement over traditional med-prep programs, which can be very time-consuming for pharmacy staff to administer.

Product page: myonePAC - Prescription packaging that provides an easier, safer way to take medicine....

Press release (.pdf)...

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replies: 2 comments
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The text at the top seems small. The dose time/date should be in really big letters for elderly patients. Otherwise a great sounding product. I write tons of prescriptions for geriatric patients, and I always have to arrange for someone to fill the drugbox for them.


Posted by: henryhbk
on March 6, 2008 06:49 AM GMT

That's neat. I'd love that for traveling. Since I don't need 60 days worth of all my meds, I put them all into a small box, but I'd hate to have to explain to TSA what each pill was and why I don't have a printed prescription with me. Just tear off a week's worth of packaging and go...

(The environmentalist in me dislikes the extra packaging, but practically I think it's got excellent justifications.)

I'd also love it for my parents, for similar reasons. I've FedExed their prescriptions back to them when they've forgotten the whole pill bottle at my house, for example. I'd also love to know what they're taking, in case I need to take them to the ER. In that case I could just grab a packet and give it to the doctor, instead of handing them an unmarked pillbox and saying, "Um, recognize any of those?"


Posted by: morfydd
on March 6, 2008 11:28 AM GMT

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