Catapult Health Launches New Tool To Address Medication Compliance And Opioid Abuse

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Jan 15, 2019, 12:23 ET

DALLAS, Jan. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Numerous studies in recent years have documented that appropriate use of prescribed medication is essential in the effective treatment and management of disease. Patients who follow their medication regimens experience better health outcomes and use urgent and inpatient hospital services less. Researchers have also found that improved adherence is associated with lower total health care costs.

Unfortunately, about half of all patients do not take their medications as prescribed according to the American Medical Association. Most of the nonadherence is intentional, according to David Michel, CEO of Catapult Health. "Patients fear potential side effects. Cost is a barrier. Many are concerned about becoming dependent. Others feel no different after taking a medication, so they stop taking it."

In December, Catapult Health piloted pharmaceutical review as an element of its preventive care checkups. With each patient's permission, filled prescription data from the previous 12 months were imported in real time, and Catapult's proprietary technology applied artificial intelligence to create a neatly organized view of actionable recommendations.

"The goal of this enhancement is two-fold," said Michel. "First, we are able to emphasize to patients the importance of taking their medications. A study of our patients published last year in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine proved that patients are much more likely to take their meds following a Catapult checkup. Secondly, we want to help patients avoid addiction to prescribed opioids. If they have already developed a dependence, we want to help them overcome the addiction."

Catapult Nurse Practitioners identify gaps in medication compliance, opportunities for moving to lower cost medications, and potential medication abuse – especially related to opioids. Each Catapult clinician is specifically trained to emphasize the importance of taking medications as prescribed and counsel about issues related to medication non-compliance, abuse or addiction.

The filled prescription data is compiled from every major pharmacy benefit manager and most major pharmacies. These data are combined with diagnostic blood test results, physical measurements taken and the patient's medical history to produce each patient's personal health report.

About Catapult Health

Catapult Health conducts preventive care checkups at the workplace using both onsite and telehealth resources. Patients receive their blood chemistry, depression screening and other test results in real time, in consultation with a board-certified Nurse Practitioner.