With the app MyTherapy, the Munich-based startup smartpatient has developed an effective tool for increasing therapy adherence in everyday patient care. Together with the pharmaceutical company Berlin-Chemie, they now support patients and doctors in the treatment of selected common diseases.
Treatment adherence is increasingly becoming a focus of the pharmaceutical industry. Because only medications that are taken can be effective. Companies that define their success by therapeutic outcomes are increasingly thinking beyond the physician's prescription decision. In doing so, the industry is addressing an economic problem whose annual damage is estimated at up to 75 billion euros in Germany alone.
Until now, the industry's so-called "patient support programs" have primarily relied on informational materials and telephone support. The catch: few points of contact with the patient and high costs. Therefore, these programs are now primarily found in "expensive" indications such as multiple sclerosis.
The smartphone as a therapy assistant
smartpatient and Berlin-Chemie want to change this: Smartphones and the increasing use of tablet PCs make it possible for the first time to reach an increasing number of patients directly and economically in their everyday lives.Every German smartphone user spends more than 120 minutes looking at their device every day. We want to harness this attention to improve therapy success.", says Torsten Flöttmann, Head of Marketing Germany at Berlin-Chemie. In his view, acceptance and commitment are particularly important, especially on the part of the medical profession: “Only if doctors and patients permanently recognize added value in our neutral digital offerings can we successfully support.“
MyTherapy turns the patient’s smartphone into a therapy assistantThe app reminds patients of medications and documents the course of their illness. It also meets the needs of patients suffering from multiple illnesses. And despite its collaboration with selected pharmaceutical manufacturers, the application is open to all users and supports all medications. Sebastian Gaede, Managing Director of smartpatient, explains: "MyTherapy is a neutral service that patients and doctors can use independently of our partners."
This neutrality, coupled with the uncompromising protection of personal data, is particularly important to Gaede."To improve treatment adherence, patients and physicians must be able to trust us. This includes ensuring that MyTherapy supports every therapeutic recommendation made by the physician and that we do not share personal data with anyone, including our industry partners.."
Click here for smartpatient website.
MyTherapy in the Google Play Store
