An American dies every 19 minutes from skipping medication or taking meds incorrectly; the problem costs U.S. hospitals $100 billion every year.
So that’s why the team from the MediSafe Project launched today the first-ever cloud-synced mobile app that not only reminds users when it’s time to take their medication, but also sends their family, friends and caretakers alerts if they miss a dose, leveraging the power of people’s support systems to keep them healthier. MediSafe Project comes in compatible iOS (beta) and Android versions and is available worldwide for free.
Here is a little video introducing the app:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT_Q1_Uf3So
Here is a few shots of the app in action:
Here is the press release from Medisafe:
HAIFA, ISRAEL (November 14, 2012) – MediSafe Project (www.MediSafeProject.com) launched today the first-ever cloud-synced mobile app helping families prevent emergencies caused by over- or under-dosing medications.
Simple to use, available for all Android devices, and compatible with iPhones and iPads as an alpha version, MediSafe Project is the first mobile health app not only reminding users when it’s time to take their medication, but also using families’, friends’ and caretakers’ intervention instincts by sending them alerts when a loved one misses a dose.
Inspired by their diabetic father’s accidental insulin double-dose, brothers Rotem and Omri ‘Bob’ Shor view MediSafe Project as a way to lower hospitalization and mortality rates, promote sustainable behavior changes that prolong health, decrease long-term healthcare costs and help pharmaceutical companies understand patients’ barriers to medication compliance.
“An American dies every nineteen minutes from skipping medication or taking meds incorrectly; the problem costs U.S. hospitals $100 billion every year,” said MediSafe Project CEO Omri ‘Bob’ Shor. “MediSafe Project combats the staggering problem of medication non-compliance using everyday technology and the power of support systems to integrate healthier behaviors into patients’ lives. The ripple effects from these changes benefit our entire society.”
Part of the first graduating class of the Microsoft Accelerator for Windows Azure, MediSafe Project also has vital, Big Data implications for pharmaceutical companies. From anonymous demographics, geolocation and patient behaviors to physician trends and other market aspects, MediSafe Project’s broad analytics can help pharmaceutical companies better understand how people receive and take their medication. Says Shor: “The dashboard is able to show you which demographics have higher non-compliance for a drug compared to the general population, the doctors or areas that have the lowest prescription rates with a city, competitive drugs patients are switching to, and so on.” Discussions with several Big Pharma companies are underway, and Shor expects partnership deals to begin closing when MediSafe Project exits Beta status in 2013.
Initial launch features include:
– Visual, Easy-to-use User Interface – The app’s homescreen resembles an interactive pillbox.
– Users can customize different meds to look like different pills, and the center MediSafe logo turns into a mouth swallowing meds when users signify taking medication by dragging preconfigured pills into it.
– FDA Drug Database Compatible – Users can type in medications’ generic or brand names, or take pictures with their devices’ cameras of the FDA’s universal National Drug Code (NDC) number – included on all original pharmaceutical packaging – and the correct pharmaceutical name, manufacturer and medication strength will automatically be recorded, ensuring an error-free medication list in the event of a medical emergency.
– Prescription Refill Alerts – Users receive alerts before medication courses are completed, allowing them to order prescription refills for medications taken chronically.
– Privacy Protections – Syncing medication schedules with caretakers is optional. Aggregated usage statistics are anonymous. Viral sharing is limited to email.