A medication dispensing system and method where the patient can have his personal console capable of receiving an insert having a tray with an array of medication compartments corresponding to respective times and dates at which the medication is prescribed to be taken. A database in the console can be set with the specified times and dates at which the medication is to be taken. When the console determines the time to dispense medication in one of the compartments has been reached, a visual and/or audible indicator can be triggered. Membranes which are to be hand-removed by the patient cover the respective compartments. A detector provided under the insert can detect across the tray whether or not the membrane corresponding to the selected medication compartment has been removed.