Opportunity

Medication nonadherence can impede treatment success, leading to the worsening of disease, poor long-term outcomes, and increased health care costs. It can also negatively impact Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ star ratings, which help consumers compare the quality of care in different health systems.

Intervention 

A team of clinicians at Penn Medicine is leveraging Way to Health to test a bi-directional texting program designed to enhance medication adherence among primary care patients.

The program notifies patients about their medication needs and enables them to fill or refill medications, advise on pharmacy preference, and self-correct information – all via text message.

Impact 

The initial pilot is focused on statin adherence. Success will be measured by patient engagement and refill rates. If the results look promising, the team will expand out to test the program with additional medications.  Check back soon for updates.