| In 2007, Americans spent $227.5 billion to fill over 3.3 | | | | - The aging population demographic of the USA |
| billion prescriptions (Rx). Over 50 million people take | | | | - The increased use of prescription medications |
| three or more prescriptions concurrently, however | | | | - The growing shortage of traditional health care |
| the average "compliance" with taking medications as | | | | resources to meet the increasing needs of the aging |
| prescribed is only 50% nationwide. Disturbingly the | | | | population |
| non-compliance rates for medications used to treat | | | | Longer life spans and relatively low birth rates have |
| serious disorders are not much better than the | | | | combined to raise the nation's average age over the |
| average compliance rate for all prescriptions. | | | | years. Simply put, the United States is getting older, |
| Overall Prescription Drug compliance for selected | | | | and the older one gets, the more medications a |
| diagnosis | | | | person typically requires. As the number of |
| Average: 50% | | | | prescriptions increase so too does the amount of |
| Acute Asthma: 43% | | | | non-compliance. As a result, the cost to the health |
| Mental Disorders: 25%-75% | | | | care system due to non-compliance is rising |
| High Blood Pressure: 51% | | | | significantly. |
| Epilepsy: 30% to 50% | | | | Health Care Shortage today and the future |
| Diabetes: 40% to 50% | | | | Another critical factor in "fueling" the need for the |
| Clinical Trials: 43%-78% | | | | use of technology in the delivery of health care |
| Average compliance rates do not tell the whole story | | | | outside of traditional methods is the documented |
| as the compliance persistence curve slopes steeply | | | | current and increasing shortage of health care |
| downwards. Research shows that the longer a | | | | workers, services and facilities in the USA. As one |
| person is on a prescription drug, the less likely they | | | | example, according to the AHA, hospitals nationwide |
| are to take it in compliance as prescribed. A recent | | | | report vacancy rates of 21 percent for pharmacists, |
| study conducted on the compliance rates of 4 | | | | 18 percent for radiology technicians and 12 percent |
| different prescription drugs (Cozar, Fosamax, Zocor | | | | for laboratory technologists. The Health and Human |
| and AI) showed that compliance rates fell off rapidly | | | | Services Administration reports that 21% more |
| for all 4 medications. And after one year, compliance | | | | facilities are required as well. |
| is reduced by 50%. After five years, it is as low as | | | | What can be done |
| 29-33%, with the greatest decline in medication | | | | This points to a looming crisis in health care, and to |
| adherence in the first six months. | | | | the solution that telemedicine represents. In short, |
| As the data suggests, the aging trend of the USA | | | | combined with more demand for services (due to |
| will dictate that more people will be taking more | | | | the aging demographic) and the real issue of reduced |
| medications, for longer periods, and sometimes for | | | | overall health care delivery capacity, the need for a |
| the rest for their increasingly long lives. This | | | | significant change is real. Telehealth is the solution to |
| represents a healthcare crisis, given the current rates | | | | make the existing capacity more effective by |
| of non-compliance in the taking of prescription | | | | increasing the throughput of the existing workers and |
| medications. | | | | infrastructure, while allowing people to receive care in |
| Cost of health care from non-compliance | | | | the best place possible for them, the home. |
| According to the Center for Disease Control and | | | | Compliance can be significantly improved through |
| other sources, the impacts or costs for health care | | | | better education, home monitoring of the patient, |
| from non-compliance with medication management | | | | and organizing dosages through the use of pill boxes |
| are significant. Some highlights include: | | | | and other devices, reminders to take pills and alerts |
| - 10% of all hospital admissions | | | | to care givers when dosages are not taken. |
| - 30% of all hospital admissions for elderly | | | | Telehealth based medication management devices |
| - 22-40% all Skilled Nursing Facility admissions | | | | can significantly improve compliance rates by utilizing |
| - 125,000 deaths annually | | | | all of these strategies. The DAP from HealthOneMed |
| - $100,000,000,000 (B): annual cost of total | | | | is a telehealth product that provides automated |
| unnecessary admissions | | | | dispensing of pill based medications for specified |
| - $150B - $300+B Total annual cost/waste due to | | | | doses, notification of the time to take each dose, |
| medication management alone | | | | alerts to caregivers and health care professionals |
| The cost of noncompliance is not static. The same | | | | when doses are not taken, instructions, indications |
| forces that are driving up healthcare costs are also | | | | (what the medication is for) and warnings. It is the |
| exacerbating the costs of non-compliance. The most | | | | only home health care product on the market capable |
| significant drivers are: | | | | of all of these functions. |