A new mobile app launched by Humana aims to assist patients with the complicated task of medication management.
RxMentor, which is available on iTunes and Google Play, allows Humana members to maintain a current list of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. The app, which is also accessible on the web, automatically integrates medications based on claims data over the past 180 days and prompts patients to update their list when a new claim is submitted.
In an announcement, William Fleming, president of Humana’s Health Care Services, said medication management can be particularly daunting for patients prescribed medications by several different physicians. The app also allows users to input notes about certain medications and email their list of medications to providers.
“This simple tool will go a long way to help our members improve their health and well-being,” Fleming said.
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The new tool is one way the insurer is trying to improve medication adherence, which aligns with Humana’s broader goal to capture a more holistic view of members using data and predictive analytics.
The financial implications are just as prevalent. Failure to take medication as prescribed can translate to millions of dollars in additional costs, often in the form of emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations.
Medication adherence continues to be a major pain point for insurers and providers across the country. Some have experimented with tech gadgets like smart pills and digital pill bottles with varying results, while others have focused on behavioral economics.
CVS Health, which just announced a $69 billion purchase of Aetna, has focused its efforts on helping patients adhere to medication regimens by using analytics to remind patients to refill or pick up prescriptions.