Harvard Pilgrim healthcare launches medication adherence pilot with MedMinder systems

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care launches a medication adherence pilot program with MedMinder Systems

Newton, MA August 31, 2009. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and MedMinder Systems, Inc., will be collaborating to study the use of MedMinder services in a population of patients with chronic illness. The randomized controlled study, which begins in early September, is focused on assessing the impact of the MedMinder system in a population of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who must take multiple medications.

MedMinder provides a comprehensive medication adherence solution that helps patients take the right medicine at the right time, and allows care managers and family members to monitor the patient's medication activity. The MedMinder solution includes the Maya unit, an intelligent pillbox equipped with wireless technology, and the feature-rich, configurable MedMinder web application. Monitoring patients’ behavior, MedMinder provides real time notifications and reminders to patients, families and care managers. The detailed adherence data collected by the system is accessible via the MedMinder web application and can be integrated with other clinical systems such as predictive modeling, case management and electronic medical records.

Approximately 26 million Americans have CKD. There currently is no cure for this disease, but it is possible to slow disease progression and treat CKD complications through appropriate medication use. In spite of the known benefits to taking medications as prescribed, consistent use of multiple medications can be a challenge for persons with CKD. Supporting successful medication management is critical in slowing disease progression to kidney failure, a condition that requires dialysis or kidney transplant.

"Medication adherence is critical to successful treatment outcomes, especially with chronically ill patients," said Lydia Bernstein, Director, Clinical Quality Initiatives at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. "We are always looking for ways to help patients and their families better cope with their illnesses and complex treatment regimens. The findings from the evaluation of MedMinder’s Maya system will help us better understand the potential and suitability of this innovative adherence solution.”