Smart packaging could improve how older adults take medication

(© Image: Istock) - Smart packages can be used to electronically monitor when patients take their medication. By - Older adults are open to using smart packaging to improve their medication-taking experience, a new study finds. Smart packages are used to electronically monitor when patients take their medication. When the prescription is not followed as advised by their physician the smart system can notify patients and their caregivers. Approximately half of the patients with chronic diseases in developed nations do not take their medication properly. With an aging population where taking multiple medications is common, incorrect medication-taking - called medication non-adherence - is a problem impacting the health of patients and costs the healthcare system billions of dollars. There has been a surge of telehealth technology to address this issue in the last two decades, from complex at-home medication dispensing devices to reminder apps.