The CDC points out that medical non-adherence costs an estimated $100 billion to $289 billion annually. This is a result of drops in the rate of medication adherence after the first six months. Patients with chronic diseases aren’t more compliant – almost half of Americans treated for hypertension don’t adhere to long-term therapy and about 25% to 50% of patients discontinue statins within one year of treatment initiation.
As of 2013, Medscape recognized 160 medical adherence/medication reminder apps on Apple, Android, and Blackberry devices, including Care4Today, PillManager, and MedCoach. While each app provides its own set of tools, Care4Today, developed by Janssen Healthcare Innovation, stands out as a leader. Care4Today maintains a record of user activity to allow self-monitoring of progress, as well as provide the option for data to be shared with their healthcare provider. In addition, the app allows users to connect their accounts with a family member or caregiver who can also track their progress. If the user hasn’t taken their medication, their caregiver can send them a message through the app to remind them.
What I like about this app and how it is different is how it takes into account the entire patient experience and the sphere of influence on medication adherence – bringing in the caregiver and the doctor, too. It is a patient-centered approach and service built around that perspective, rather than an issue-centered or pill-centered strategy. This could mean the difference between a one-time download and repeated use of an app.
