There are plenty of theories about how we can go about cutting the healthcare cost curve. Most involve changing incentives, using more health IT for analytics, and using mid levels and other non-mss for an increasing amount of care. They may work, they may not. But they are all most certainly expensive and difficult to implement.
Proteus Digital Health just cut the cost curve with an beautifully simple invention: a pill that sends text message alerts when its ingested. This breakthrough can save hundreds of thousands of dollars for an untold number of patients. This is a groundbreaking invention.
Why will such a simple invention be so effective?
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Because of the power of social pressure. It’s been proven in study after study that social pressure is among the most powerful motivators for people to accomplish goals. I advocate for the methodology. I adopted it when I lost 80 pounds of fat and built 30 pounds of muscle over the course of 18 months in college. It works.
It’s widely known that medication adherence is a big problem. A significant portion of patients simply don’t take their medications when they’re supposed to. It has been nearly impossible for family members to monitor if and when children and the elderly take their medications. Proteus solves this problem by notifying family members if the patient has or hasn’t taken their medication on schedule. The family can act accordingly and hold the patient more accountable.
I’m particularly fond of this technology because it’s so simple and inexpensive, yet incredibly effective. It delivers an amazing ROI. Not only is it cheap, it requires virtually no cognitive overhead of any kind. Proteus is a brain-free technology. It’s idiot-proof. Although it’s difficult to forecast, this technology could in time save thousands of lives and tens of millions of dollars annually through avoided hospitalizations.
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
