In 2020, we began working with The Medication Support Company to support their latest project. Medication Support is an award-winning digital health and care provider committed to working with organisations, including the NHS, to digitise medication management. They wanted to create a medicine cabinet remotely operated by pharmacy professionals, allowing people to access their medication in the correct quantities at the right time. Alongside the remote operation, there also needed to be a way to monitor the cabinet being closed and locked. A successful technical collaboration with DefProc enabled Remlok to go from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2 to TRL 9, transforming Medication Support’s idea into a patent-protected digital healthcare solution currently available on the market. 

Identifying a problem

There is a real need to simplify medication support at home. In England, more than one in 10 people over 65 take at least eight different prescribed medications weekly. This increases to one in four among people who are aged over 85. Up to 50% of all medicines are not taken as intended, and the more medicine prescribed, the higher the burden to manage [Age UK]. There are also use cases for patients at risk of self-harm, those who live in community dwellings where medicine storage is a problem and methadone users who ordinarily have to attend their local pharmacy.

Medication Support saw a gap in the market for a straightforward and secure way to access and manage medication at home.

Design Preparation

Nothing on the market offered the specifications critical for a remotely operated medicine cabinet. Medication Support’s innovative solution for the healthcare industry needed:

  • A secure enclosure suitable for extended use in a patient’s home.
  • A way to log, monitor and control the cabinet opening.
  • A suitable wireless internet connection.
  • Internal shelves.
  • Power supply for mains connection.
  • Onboard rechargeable battery for the device to remain connected and report status if the power is removed.
  • Secure manual override of the cabinet lock.

Medication Support also required assistance with EMC testing, scalability and a sustainable, right-to-repair model. This would ensure the product was ready for commercialisation.

DefProc’s partnership with Medication Support began with assessing their needs. We had to establish how to create and deliver a suitable digital healthcare solution to take them from concept to market. Medication Support had a clear vision of what they wanted. Initial design decisions for the proof of concept addressed factors such as the device’s size, power requirements, connectivity options, housing location, mounting methods, software updates, and communication needs. We also had to consider who would interact with it, design safeguards, and external services the device would integrate with.

As a technical partner, we also analysed the workflow of staff and service users to understand their processes and where the new technology would fit into their routines. Solving a problem in isolation, without engaging the service users or stakeholders, leads to ineffective solutions. While we possessed the technical expertise, our design decisions were driven by Medication Support’s specific needs and their knowledge of the device’s future users. Collaboration is essential in these early stages to ensure the project’s success.

Producing a digital healthcare solution

After creating the proof of concept, internal testing ensured the cabinets worked as intended, allowing Medication Support to begin trialling them in homes. EMC testing wasn’t required at this stage due to the small number of cabinets trialled.

Following the successful trials, we began developing a more robust prototype. Our focus was refining the design to make it suitable for large-scale manufacturing and lowering costs. We also changed internal components to improve connectivity options and battery life, benefitting both Medication Support and the end-user. Feedback from the trials gave us insight into features to improve for users, such as rubber feet on the bottom of the cabinets to prevent them from sliding on worktops and a magnetic power supply to reduce accidental snagging.

Ensuring regulatory compliance

The prototypes underwent EMC testing to confirm regulatory compliance and allow for a product technical file. We have extensive knowledge of regulatory standards, allowing us to implement best practices into the cabinet’s design.

The devices comply with the essential requirements of the following:

  • SI 2019/492 The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 2019
  • SI 2017/1206 The Radio Equipment Regulations 2017

The following harmonised standards were also applied:

  • ETSI EN 301 489-1 V1.9.1 – ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Part 1: Common technical requirements
  • ETSI EN 301 489-17 V3.1.1 – ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Part 17: Specific conditions for Broadband Data Transmission Systems
  • ETSI EN 301 489-52 V1.1.0 – Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Part 52: Specific conditions for Cellular Communication Mobile and portable (UE) radio and ancillary equipment
  • EN 55032:2012 – Electromagnetic Compatibility of Multimedia Equipment – Emissions Requirements
  • EN 55035:2017 – Electromagnetic Compatibility of Multimedia Equipment – Immunity Requirements
  • EN IEC 63000:2018 – Technical documentation for the assessment of electrical and electronic products with respect to the restriction of hazardous substances.

Having passed EMC testing, Medication Support can claim certification for UKCA/CE and prove to UK Trading Standards that their devices are safe. This allows the device to be sold commercially as it meets regulatory standards. In addition to achieving regulatory compliance and patent protection for the device, Medication Support registered ‘Remlok’ as a trademark to protect the product and ensure a successful market launch.

The journey to scale

Small-run production was the ideal route to market for Medication Support. It offers a low-risk option that aligns with their selling strategy. By starting with a minimum viable production (MVP), Medication Support can introduce a limited number of Remlok cabinets to the market, allowing customers and retailers to trial the devices before committing to a larger investment. In addition to reducing the risk associated with large-scale production, this approach enables Medication Support to gather valuable feedback from early users to refine the device before moving to mass production.

As their client base expands, adjustments to the cabinet design will be essential to enhance manufacturing efficiency. For example, they may transition from off-the-shelf cabinets to custom injection-moulded plastics or bespoke cabinet designs for metal fabrication processes. Partnering with a high-volume fabrication house for PCB production would also be necessary for scale. However, starting with small-run production allows Medication Support to optimise its product and offer the best solution for its client base.

Results and impact

The Alternative Futures Group introduced the Remlok cabinets to patient homes. Discover how they have positively impacted the day-to-day lives of their users.

 

The cabinets enable people to safely take medication from the comfort of their homes. This reduces the need for pharmacy visits and for healthcare professionals or carers to repeatedly administer medication. The engagement and care that Medication Support offers provide structure, routine and a safety net to its users. For family, it means peace of mind that medications will be managed correctly. The service is also competitively priced, offering an affordable option in comparison to hiring a carer.

We have also helped Medication Support trial a right-to-repair service as part of their business model. There is a growing demand from consumers for sustainable practices. Many devices used in the healthcare sector have a life cycle longer than their intended use cycle. A repair and refurbishment service will allow Medication Support to maximise the value of their Remlok cabinets and reduce their waste, costs and environmental impact.

Testimonial

I have been working with the team at DefProc for almost 3 years, and in that time have developed, and now manufactured, the first remotely operated Medicine cabinet, REMLOK, which is already well established in several councils across the UK. The team at DefProc had to convert my idea for the cabinet into a fully functioning and robust remotely operating device, with no similar products to use for guidance.

Patrick, who makes the impossible happen, resolved all necessary issues and even 3D-printed several of the components to keep the costs down. Managing cost in any new product design and development is critical and requires one thing above all others: trust. I implicitly trusted Patrick not to find reasons to add costs, and we ultimately completed the design, development and build of a working cabinet within time and importantly, within budget.

I have designed, developed, marketed and sold a number of market-leading healthcare products over the past 30 years and I can say quite readily that the development, design and manufacture of the working model with DefProc was the easiest and most stress-free process yet.

Norman Niven BScPharm MRPharmS MIM | Founder and Director of The Medication Support Company

From concept to market

Medication Support has recently launched its remote medication monitoring support service via the Boots Health Hub. This partnership marks an important step toward increasing their customer reach. In the meantime, Medication Support will continue to commercialise its offerings and work with providers to expand access to innovative products.

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