Pill organizer



A pill organizer, pill container, or pill box is a special container for storing scheduled doses of one's medications. Pill organizers usually have square-shaped compartments for each day of the week, although other more compact and discreet versions have come to market, including cylindrical and pen-shaped cases. Some organizers have multiple sections for different times of the day. Pill organizers are viewed as a way to prevent or reduce medication errors on the part of the patient.

Usage
Pill organizers are useful for all types of patients, including the elderly and others with memory deficiencies, and for those taking multiple medications, as an aid in remembering to take proper doses of their medications. They allow a patient to know whether or not they have taken a particular dose of their medication; if a pill still remains in its compartment, it is apparent that it has not yet been taken, whereas if it is missing, it has already been taken.

Pill organizers often have various features to make them easier for special-needs patients to use, such as color-coding, braille for the blind, or a locking mechanism to prevent double dosing. Some organizers used for diabetes patients have sections for insulin and hypodermic syringes.

Some pharmacists will preload pills into pill organizers for their patients, as a convenient service.

Electronic pill organizers
Electronic pill organizers have been developed that alert patients when their prescription medication, OTC medication, or daily food supplements must be taken. These devices have been credited with saving lives and saving money in the health care system. Advanced models can be linked via the Internet to a medical facility, to aid in monitoring and reminding a patient to take his/her medications.

Electronic pillboxes may be costly to purchase and maintain, so not everybody can afford a pillbox with an electronic alarm and automated reminder system. The service providers generally provide buyers with 2 to 3 months free service, after which they charge on a yearly or quarterly basis.

Fashion accessories
Small rigid pillboxes have been made for centuries, similar to snuffboxes for tobacco. Luxury jewelers, such as Fabergé, have made expensive status symbol containers for pills, appealing to European royalty and other status-conscious customers.

In an effort to make pill organizers more stylish and fashionable, manufacturers have begun marketing pill bags out of flexible fabric. These bags save the medicine-dependent from embarrassment, and seek to make users feel better about their pill-taking in social situations or when traveling.