Many patient engagement tools developers are positioning themselves as solutions with an undefined life span for the providers and patients expected to use them. In an interesting departure, mobile health company MedDiary is positioning its app, scheduled to be launched Monday, as a short-term proposition for situations that need intense management.
Among the areas it views as most relevant are:
- Following hospital discharge instructions for 30-60 days
- Managing a newly diagnosed chronic disease for the first three to six months
- Following a complex medication regimen for cancer treatment
- Adhering to a strict diet developed by a registered dietician or bariatric surgery specialist
- Helping patients adhere to a care plan from a nurse, physician or health coach
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
So what’s the big deal? Why develop an app with a sell-by date? The company responded this way in an emailed statement:
“The MedDiary system primarily targets applications in which patients are required to make significant modifications to their normal health behaviors in a limited amount of time, typically with the support and encouragement from a healthcare provider, family member or an entire care team. …Such applications include …managing cancer treatment, or working with a dietitian, health coach or functional medicine practitioner for a brief period of time.”
The platform includes seven health management modules that can be customized: food and nutrition, symptoms, medications, self-measurements, physical activity, sleep and bowel movements. Providers select any combination of these and refine the specifications within each one to meet individual needs of each patient, according to a company statement.
These “high intensity, short duration” applications typically require a customized care plan for each patient along with real-time access to the patient’s health data by several staff on a patient’s care team. Care team members “prescribe” a coordinated, customized mobile health app to the patient and then monitor and support the patient.
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.
The goal is that once patients have ingrained the new health behaviors into their lifestyles, or completed the treatment regimen, they can shift into more of a health maintenance mode, which doesn’t necessarily require the ongoing use of a mobile health app with provider connectivity.
I’m a bit skeptical when it comes to putting “short term” and “behavior change” in the same sentence. But having an easier way for patients and medical professionals to communicate with each other, particularly for a complex medication regimen for cancer treatment, seems like an especially useful application for MedDiary’s approach.
