Demonstrating the Value of Video-based Medication Management

A digital health company focuses on enabling care in the home so that seniors can age in place while maintaining optimal health and well-being. Their primary product is a two-way audio-visual device that dispenses pre-packed medication pouches to assist with medication compliance and adherence.

Improving Medication Management

This organization has correctly identified the home as the newest “site of care.” They believe that technology that enables care in the home and connects patients with physicians, caregivers, and loved ones will improve health and reduce costs. Poor medication adherence and medication errors cause significant health detriments in older adults. By providing a mechanism to remind patients and dispense medication at the proper time and by allowing for direct observation of medication ingestion, the innovative solution can have a substantial impact on the health of community-dwelling adults while reducing the cost to monitor patients and treat the results of poorly managed medication.

Designing a Study and Seeking NIH Funding

In order to more fully test the feasibility and usability of the device, I helped them develop materials for a pilot study of community dwelling adults to collect and analyze data that would provide key insights for the organization’s leadership. Through an extensive literature search, I identified rates of adverse events associated with poor medication management and estimated the potential savings if those events were reduced. As part of this process, I helped them secure a partnership with a to apply for federal funding to further the development of their device and go-to-market strategy.

At the end of this process, the organization has a clear demonstration of the value of their device that they can share with key stakeholders and use to inform future decisions.