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Inspiration
About half of people with chronic conditions struggle to take their medications as prescribed, contributing to approximately 125,000 deaths and up to $300 billion in avoidable healthcare costs annually in the United States. We realized that the problem isn't always a lack of responsibility, but rather confusing medication labels, complicated schedules, and limited communication between patients and doctors. We created PillPal to simplify medication management, improve patient safety, and help people take control of their health.
What it does
PillPal is an AI-powered medication management assistant designed to make healthcare more accessible and organized. Users can scan their pill bottles using their camera, and Pip, our Google Gemini-powered assistant, extracts medication information, checks FDA and national drug databases for recalls and duplicate prescriptions, and creates personalized medication reminders. PillPal also offers quick daily check-ins that generate easy-to-read reports for healthcare providers. Additionally, it helps users discover nearby clinical trials and track medications associated with research studies.
How we built it
We built PillPal around Google Gemini, which powers Pip, our AI assistant. By integrating camera-based medication label scanning with FDA and national drug databases, we designed a system that can interpret prescriptions and provide relevant medication safety information. We also designed features for automated reminders, daily adherence tracking, doctor-friendly reports, and clinical trial discovery. All of the user's data is stored in a MongoDB database and the site was built using react. Throughout development, we prioritized an intuitive user experience and responsible AI practices.
Challenges we ran into
One of our biggest challenges was translating complicated medication instructions into simple, understandable information without compromising patient safety. Integrating multiple drug databases and identifying potential recalls or duplicate prescriptions also introduced challenges surrounding data accuracy and consistency. Another important consideration was ensuring that our AI assistant remained within appropriate medical boundaries, providing useful guidance without diagnosing conditions or recommending dosage changes.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We're especially proud of creating Pip, an AI assistant that makes medication information easier to understand and manage. Rather than simply reminding users to take their pills, PillPal aims to connect medication adherence, patient safety, and communication with healthcare providers in one platform. We're also proud of incorporating clinical trial discovery, allowing PillPal to support both individual patients and medical research. Most importantly, we designed PillPal with accessibility and responsible AI at its core.
What we learned
Building PillPal taught us that developing healthcare technology requires more than just implementing AI features. Accuracy, accessibility, user trust, and patient safety are equally important. We learned how AI can help transform complicated medical information into actionable insights while recognizing the importance of setting clear boundaries around medical advice. We also gained a deeper understanding of medication adherence and how better communication between patients, doctors, and researchers can improve healthcare outcomes.
What's next for PillPal
Our next goal is to make PillPal a more comprehensive medication management platform. We want to improve medication recognition, expand our integration with trusted drug databases, and make adherence reports even more useful for healthcare providers. We also plan to enhance clinical trial matching so patients can discover relevant research opportunities more easily. Ultimately, we envision PillPal becoming a trusted companion that helps patients stay consistent with their medications while strengthening communication between patients, doctors, and researchers.
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