Image via Jason Clarke Photography
Pharmacy chain DocMorris has invested €200,000 in a new app that could improve medicine administration and cut down on the Irish State’s healthcare bills.
The MyMed app for iOS and Android smartphones has been developed by Furious Tribe exclusively for DocMorris in conjunction with The Carers Association and Helix Health.
The app works with prescriptions purchased in DocMorris pharmacies nationwide, which will come with a QR code and PIN on the label. The app is used to scan this QR code and, when the user enters the PIN, it will automatically download the prescription details and set reminders for when to take it.
The user can select a preferred time of day to take their medication and their phone will alert them when that time comes.
Forget me not
“Non-adherence to medicine compliance is one of the leading challenges that professionals face in contemporary healthcare,” said Cormac Tobin, managing director of Celesio UK, DocMorris’ parent company. “Numerous studies have shown that patients with chronic conditions adhere only to 50pc to 60pc of medications as prescribed,” he added.
Tobin said forgetfulness is the key culprit in patients not taking their prescribed medicines correctly, and the MyMed app has been built to make remembering easier for people with multiple health problems.
“MyMed is all about helping our customers live longer, healthier, happier lives,” said Goretti Brady, managing director of DocMorris. “As the needs of our customers evolve, so too must our service, which is why we’re so excited about the MyMed app.”
It is believed that medication adherence could significantly reduce healthcare costs and a recent IMS Health report on the pharmaceutical market claimed that savings in Ireland could reach €1bn if people took their medicine correctly and were diagnosed in a timely manner.
The app is available free of charge from the App Store and Google Play and Doc Morris has pledged to donate €20,000 to The Carers Association if it reaches 100,000 downloads by end of May.
