Medication Adherence Apps Raise Healthcare Hopes

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Here at DoseSpot,

We’re all about changing the face of America’s prescription system. With our e-prescribing integration platforms, the goal is to make prescription writing and transmission more efficient and secure. Another technological tool making some innovative headway on the prescription front is the smartphone medication adherence app.

Medication non-adherence is a prevalent and costly problem that contributes to poor treatment outcomes and exhausts valuable healthcare resources. The 2013 National Report on Medication Adherence in America estimated that non-adherence is costing the U.S. health care system a whopping $290 billion annually! Interventions to mitigate non-adherence have been largely unsuccessful in the past, but a slew of easy-to-use apps are hoping to improve outcomes.

Using Apple, Android, or Blackberry smartphones, patients can download medication adherence apps such as (hyperlink) MyMedSchedule, MediSafe and RxmindMe, and set basic medication reminders, create schedules, track lab results and more. Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop once said, “drugs don’t work in patients who don’t take them” and if medication adherence apps can reduce existing headache-inducing treatment blunders, U.S. healthcare providers may finally be able to breathe a much needed sigh of relief.

Sources: Medscape and National Community Pharmacists Association

For more information on medication adherence apps that are currently on the market, explore this helpful link from the American Pharmacists Association:

http://www.pharmacist.com/medication-adherence-there%E2%80%99s-app.

CHALLENGE: Calling all tech-powered women! Do you have what it takes to tackle the U.S. medication adherence issue? If so, check out the 2014 Surescripts Adherence Challenge. Applications are being accepted through July 22!

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

What do e-Prescribing and the World Cup have in common?

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The World Cup has us all thinking from a more global perspective.  Whether you call it soccer or football, the sport continues to gain popularity worldwide.  Also increasing prevalence across nations is e-Prescribing.  According to a recent market report by Transparency Market Research, the global e-Prescribing market is expected to reach $887 million by 2019, up from $250.2 million in 2013.  It’s not yet in the billions like the World Cup but it’s an impressive figure and speaks to the momentum health IT is gaining.

The report highlights that while Europe is the largest market for e-Prescribing, North America is currently the fastest growing e-Prescribing market in the world.  The remarkable growth is in large part due to the various government programs requiring e-Prescribing integration to improve care quality and reduce errors.  Government initiatives are also contributing to increased usage across Asia.  We forecast that industry adoption in North America will continue to increase as physicians want the capability to send prescriptions for controlled substances electronically (EPCS).

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

Digital Health Funding Soars

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RockHealth recently published their Digital Health Funding – Midyear Review and I’ve highlighted some key findings below:

In 2013 digital health companies raised $2 billion in venture funding…first six months of 2014 digital health companies have already raised $2.3 billion.

So where’s all the money going?

Here is the full report:

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

The Health Tracking Race: Who Will Win?

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Ready to get fit from the comfort of your own smartphone or tablet? Recent developments in the tech sphere likely have you covered. Over the past few weeks, three major players in the digital health industry–Google, Apple and Samsung–have unveiled newly polished, fitness-ready consumer health apps for public viewing. The initial verdicts on Google Fit, Samsung’s Gear Fit, and Apple’s iOS 8 Health app are officially out. Take a look below to see what consumers are saying:

Google Fit 

Google Product Manager Ellie Powers describes the new Google Fit platform at the 2014 Google I/O, Google’s annual developers’ conference held in San Francisco.

Basics: fitness and health tracking platform for Android smart devices. Google Fit will aggregate users’ fitness data in one place, and sync data from popular wearable devices created by Nike, Adidas, and more.

Pros: comprehensive data analysis in one location, complete picture of users’ fitness and better tracking of fitness goals, single set of APIs for all health products.

Cons: too similar to already-existing data aggregation platforms, failure to address how medical professionals might access this data, potential compatibility issues.

Gear Fit by Samsung

Basics: a wearable activity-tracking wristband with a heart rate monitor, pedometer, and flexible display screen. Well-suited for basic activities such as running, walking, cycling, and hiking.

Pros: excellent display resolution, customizable screen features (backgrounds and clock face), changeable watch bands, compatible with at least 17 Samsung smartphones and tablets, notable ‘smartwatch’ features (phone call, text message, and email alerts).

Cons: error-prone and “bare bone” activity trackers, faulty mileage calculations, very low battery life (vs. JawBone and FitBit models), poor accessibility (requires bulky “charging cradle”).

Apple iOS 8 Health

     

Basics: iPhone app that allows users to collect biometric information (i.e. heart rate, blood pressure, etc.) and automatically send it to doctors or hospitals via the Medical ID feature.

Pros: comprehensive set of activity trackers (fitness, nutrition, sleep patterns, blood glucose levels, cholesterol levels, etc.), customizable and seamless user interface.

Cons: performance concerns with exchange of medical data (physicians bombarded with low-priority data and patient compliance issues).

Sources: TechCrunch, Apple, and The Verge. 

Need more convincing? Engage your critical consumer eye with these helpful articles:

Gear Fit by Samsung: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2014/06/22/samsung-gear-fit-review-a-combined-fitness-band-and-stylish-smartwatch-for-your-galaxy-smartphones/

Google Fit: http://news360.com/article/243439279

Apple iOS 8 Health: http://9to5mac.com/2014/06/02/a-closer-look-at-ios-8s-health-app-video/

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

Healthcare Startup Spotlight: Medicast

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Startup: Medicast
Website: www.medicast.co
Funding: $1.4 Million as of May 20, 2014
Overview: Medicast is a technology healthcare service that connects patients with nearby on call doctors on-demand to deliver affordable, high quality and compassionate care in the comfort of the patient’s home, workplace, or hotel–all within 2 hours.
Services: Medicast’s highly trained, professional and skilled physicians have expertise in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and geriatrics, and provide services ranging from simple check-ups to urgent/immediate care. In addition to ordering new or refill prescriptions, our doctors are able to provide certain oral medications and intramuscular injections.
Platforms: Available on iOS, via the web, and directly through the phone (call center).
Current Cities: South Florida / Miami & Los Angeles / Orange County
Coming soon: San Francisco & New York City

Sources: angel.co/medicast & medicast.co

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

Surescripts Publishes the 2013 National e-Prescribing Progress Report

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Surescripts recently published their annual National Progress Report highlighting advances in e-Prescribing throughout the United States. Without a doubt e-Prescribing is ‘here to stay’ and DoseSpot continues to be at the forefront of e-Prescribing integration services.

Below are a few key figures from the National Progress Report:

#1. More than 1.04 Billion e-Prescriptions were sent in 2013.

#2. 699 Million medication histories were delivered which often assist in limiting drug-drug interaction errors.

#3. Office-based physician adoption continues to grow and currently stands at 73%.

#4. 95% of pharmacies have adopted e-Prescribing.

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

5 Tips To Guide Your EHR Through Meaningful Use Stage 2

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Looking for tips to navigate MU stage 2 requirements?  View one tip on drug-drug and drug-allergy interaction checks below and visit http://www.dosespot.com/meaningful-use-tips to download all 5 certification tips!

Meaningful Use Stage 2: Tip #2 –

§ 170.314(a)(2) Drug-drug, drug-allergy interaction checks

Objective: In addition to providing drug-drug and drug-allergy interaction checks, this criteria requires EHRs to adjust the level of interactions based on user roles (ie: administrator).

Tip: Provide an easy-to-use user interface so a user can quickly adjust the interactions. DoseSpot allows the user to turn on and off the drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions as well adjust the severity level display between minor, moderate and major interactions.

Click here for more blog posts at ePrescribing.org on Meaningful Use.

Planet DDSâ„¢ Successfully Completes Surescripts’ e-Prescribing Certification through DoseSpotâ„¢ Integration

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NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, MA – DoseSpot, an industry leader in e-Prescribing integration platforms for medical and dental software, today announced that Planet DDS Inc., a dental software provider of dentist practice management software, clinical charting, digital x-ray software and dental patient communications has completed Surescripts certification, through DoseSpot.     

“We are excited to support Planet DDS in their initiative to provide dentists with the latest and greatest technology,” said Greg Waldstreicher, President, DoseSpot. “Now that DoseSpot’s dental specific e-Prescribing platform is integrated with Planet DDS, dentists can send prescriptions electronically as well as build and manage a patient’s medication profile.”

Through this partnership with DoseSpot, Planet DDS customers are equipped to:

• Safely and efficiently send prescriptions electronically to more than 65,000 pharmacies
• Automatically check for dangerous drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions
• Aggregate prescription history data from community pharmacies in addition to patient medication claims history from payers and pharmacy benefit managers
• Request information on patient insurance eligibility and formulary at the time of prescribing

“Seamless integration with dental software solutions is critical to keep a dentist’s needs at the forefront of the e-Prescribing experience,” added Greg.  “DoseSpot is backed by an exclusive partnership with Lexicomp to provide dental specific information within the e-Prescribing workflow.  This gives us the capability to provide dentists with instant answers to crucial medication questions.”

“As a cloud-based dental software company, we have the ability to use the Internet as the infrastructure to leverage DoseSpot’s best-of-breed software,” said Richard Lee, CEO, Planet DDS. “Also, the Surescripts certification is an integral step towards Denticon, our cloud-based dental practice management software, becoming a certified EHR software application.” Lee concluded, “We look forward to enhancing our customer experience through this integration.”

For more information on e-Prescribing Integration platforms and DoseSpot, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

About Planet DDS

Planet DDS, Inc., a privately-held company in Irvine, California, develops, hosts, and supports software as a service (SaaS) applications for the dental industry. Planet DDS also offers virtual services through the use of cloud-based dental software delivery and its network of experienced, stay-at-home dental office workers. For more information on Planet DDS, Inc., please visit www.planetdds.com.

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescriptsâ„¢ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

DoseSpot Announces Groundbreaking Technology to Route e-Prescriptions Telepathically

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DoseSpot Announces Groundbreaking Technology to Route e-Prescriptions Telepathically

DoseSpot, an industry leader in electronic prescribing (e-Prescribing) integration platforms for medical and dental software, today unveiled new groundbreaking technology to route e-Prescriptions telepathically directly to a pharmacist, sending prescriptions in a matter of milliseconds.

“If a prescriber can think it, they can send it” said Greg Waldstreicher, President, DoseSpot. “We are thrilled to be innovating within the e-Prescribing market and upholding our commitment to creating greater efficiencies for healthcare professionals. Cloud-based software will soon be a thing of the past with the emergence of telepathic communications.”

The ability for prescribers, including doctors and dentists as well as telehealth providers to send prescriptions telepathically is the first of its kind. DoseSpot continues to make enhancements to the telepathic communications network and is currently beta testing sending telepathic prescriptions directly to patients.

April fools! DoseSpot prescribers unfortunately do not have the capability to send e-Prescriptions telepathically but they are equipped to:

• Safely and efficiently send prescriptions electronically to more than 65,000 pharmacies
• Automatically check for dangerous drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions
• Aggregate prescription history data from community pharmacies in addition to patient medication claims history from payers and pharmacy benefit managers
• Request information on patient insurance eligibility and formulary at the time of prescribing

Learn more about DoseSpot today at www.DoseSpot.com. That is no joke!

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescriptsâ„¢ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, practice management, and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to more than 45 medical & dental software companies since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com.

Bear River Mental Health Prescribes with DoseSpot

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About Bear River Mental Health:

Bear River Mental Health (BRMH) provides comprehensive mental health services to more than 3,000 patients annually at their eight locations across Utah.  Delivering mental health services according to the best practice guidelines with respect to appropriate medical necessity for more than 35 years, BRMH offers an array of services including:

• Assessments

• Behavior Management

• Crisis Management

• Medication Management

• Peer Support

• Psychological Testing

• Psychosocial Rehabilitation

• Psychotherapy

• Residential Services

• Respite Care

• Skills Development

e-Prescribing Integration:

“DoseSpot support is second to none” exclaims Thad Hunsaker, BRMH.  All eight of the BRMH offices use DoseSpot, with physicians accessing the e-Prescribing solution from multiple locations.  Thad explains, “Geographic location hasn’t added any difficulty where the service is provided online.” As a mental health organization, BRMH uses DoseSpot for more than just e-Prescribing.  “Patient medication management has long been an integral part of our treatment.  DoseSpot helps us manage this process online” adds Thad.  DoseSpot equips physicians with the capabilities to build a patient’s medication profile and then automatically review any drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions.

For the rest of this Case Study please visit http://www.dosespot.com/bear-river-mental-health.