Remlok – a new, remotely operated, secure medicine cabinet launched by UK medication support company, Paman, has been developed for those at risk of accidental or deliberate overdose, and of self-harm, as well as to increase patient adherence to medicine regimes.
Paman is an internet-based medicine administration monitoring service, staffed by registered pharmacy technicians who, ‘literally witness medication being taken’. The Paman system uses two-way video through the company’s Medihub tablet to connect its pharmacy technicians to patients as they take their medicines. All Paman pharmacy technicians are trained and registered with the Pharmaceutical Society and General Pharmacy Council.
Paman CEO, Norman Niven, explained: “Remlok is part of our ongoing product development programme designed to support people with mental health issues living in the community. We are dedicated to finding ways of helping those people, and strongly believe our medication monitoring service is a key part of this.”
The Paman team opens the Remlok cabinet at the agreed time, and monitors the patient removing their medicines from the cabinet to ensure they take the correct dose. A team member then observes them replacing the medicines into the cabinet, and is alerted through a dedicated app when the cabinet is closed and locked.
Paman says Remlok will also help address medication non-adherence, ‘a huge global issue that costs health services an enormous amount of money and leads to poorer health outcomes’. A 2003 WHO report on adherence estimated that patients do not take between 30 and 50 per cent of medicines prescribed for long-term conditions. Norman Niven added: “Far too many people simply don’t take the medicines they’ve been prescribed – and are then immediately likely to need another GP appointment, or to be admitted or re-admitted to hospital. Many studies have shown that adherence rates can be improved by the simple act of monitoring patients at the time their meds are due.”
Paman says non-adherence is a particular issue for those with mental health issues. Norman Niven elaborated: “People with mental health issues often encounter challenges that can hinder their ability to take their prescribed medications – potentially leading to poorer treatment outcomes, increased symptom severity, and a higher risk of relapse. Many experience cognitive impairments that affect their memory – making it challenging for them to remember to take their medication, and many have complex medication regimes. Overdosing, both accidental and intentional, is a significant concern.”
Paman says its remote monitoring system replaces the need for home carers, who would need to visit patients at home every time their medications were to be taken – ‘a virtually impossible task both logistically and financially’.
