Manage and track your medications with PillPad for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Laid across my kitchen table is what my Mother calls her own personal pharmacy. Years of being a heart patient and Type 1 diabetic have left her with quite a collection which for many years was up to me to fill the container you see above each week, call in the refills, and pick up the prescriptions from the pharmacy.

If there's one thing I've learned when managing her medications the more there are, the harder it is to keep track and remember them. Her daily regimen includes five pill bottles, two insulin bottles, one box of insulin needles, and one set of prescription eye drops and each of them have different dosages, instructions, and frequencies.

This is especially true when they need adjustment, when providing a list to a new doctor, or when it involves taking more than once a day. PillPad by Alade designs for the BlackBerry PlayBook helps keep track of medications, refill your prescriptions, and provide quick medical reference information right at your fingertips. 

PillPad comes in two versions: a Cystic Fibrosis inspired one and the original. The story behind this application comes from the developers own life. His youngest child was diagnosed with CF and keeping track of his medications is an important part of their daily routine.

This application was created using the bbUI.js toolkit and features a simple and easy to use interface with native-like capabilities. It allows you to quickly view, access, and input your medications and dosage for each person in your family (unlimited accounts). From the action bar at the bottom simply tap on Add/Edit to to create an inidividual account. Using the form, users can type in what they've been prescribed (up to ten medications), the dosage, and any important notes in the fields shown and press submit to save. 

What I like about this application is the built-in web sources. If there are any questions you may have about the drugs or if you want to research the illness or side effects, there are links to popular medical websites. PillPad also features a calculator to determine dosages (if applicable) and links to the major US, Canadian, and UK pharmacies for help with refills or for ordering right through their website. 

Additional features are in the works by the developer that will only improve the performance and user interface. The following updates are now available in the latest release: revamped UI/landscape view, doctor information screen, and password protection. The developer is also working on a way to export your medication list into a spreadsheet to email or print for your physician. The only downside is that at this time it does not integrate with the native calendar application to setup reminders or alerts to take your medications.

People with chronic medical conditions like my Mother need a way to effectively adhere to their daily drug regimen. PillPad is customizable (dosages/instructions/patients) and gets the job done. It allows you to input basic information (name, frequency, when to take) to help patients track everything all in one place to put their mind at ease. 

PillPad
by Alade designs

The Bottom Line

Reliable and simple, if you're looking for a way to track and manage your pills and not rely on your memory I would definitely take a look at PillPad. With this application you won't be struggling to remember what you need to take or when and refilling your prescriptions is only a tap away.     More information/purchase PillPad