Medication Non-Adherence Cost U.S. $100 Billion and 125,000 Lives: iPhone App Tackles Non-Adherence

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Feb 02, 2010, 02:33 ET

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare Today, LLC has announced the release of HealthAssist(sm), a medication adherence and health management application available on the iPhone and iPod Touch. The application is free and can be downloaded through the Apple apps store.

WellCare Today, LLC has released HealthAssist(sm), a SmartPhone application that helps users, especially those with chronic diseases, with the following features:

CalendarAlert(sm) provides the user with a scheduled text reminder for each medication
RefillAlert(sm) provides the user with a reminder of when they need to request a prescription refill
HealthAlert(sm) provides the user each month with "condition-related:"
- Breaking-news headlines
- Health management articles
- Dialogue forums or chat rooms
- Clinical trials
EMRAlert(sm) provides the user with an easy way to store and update a private electronic medical record

The New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI) notes that "one third to one half of all patients do not take their medications properly. Patients with chronic diseases – which affect more than half of all Americans – are particularly susceptible to spotty adherence practices that leave them vulnerable to otherwise unnecessary hospitalizations and additional medical risks."

For quick access via the Apple apps store, type "healthassist" using the apps search function.

About WellCare Today, LLC

WellCare Today (WCT) specializes in improving healthcare outcomes via easy-to-use, robust applications on SmartPhones, with the first release for the iPhone. By texting application users medication reminders and educating patients via web links to condition-related articles and social media sites, WCT expects to improve chronic disease outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The applications are free of charge to the user and sponsors get condition-related branding opportunities.

www.wellcaretoday.com

SOURCE WellCare Today, LLC