BALTIMORE, MD. (October, 2017)
emocha, a mobile health company whose video-based technology improves medication adherence and strengthens patient-provider relationships, announced that Dallas-based Pathway Healthcare has become the first private clinic network to use asynchronous video Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) technology for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Pathway Healthcare today began using emocha’s video DOT platform to support patients who are beginning buprenorphine, a type of medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD).
Patients use a mobile application on their smartphone to video-capture buprenorphine ingestion, report side effects and cravings, access local resources, receive medication reminders and visualize progress in their recovery. Pathway Healthcare’s team of care providers can assess data collected by emocha’s video DOT application on a secure web portal, engage with patients through the application to provide additional support, and intervene quickly in the case of non-adherence.
Approximately 2.6 million Americans suffer from OUD, yet only 20 percent received treatment in 2015, according to the federal government. MAT for OUD is often only accessible through methadone clinics, which require daily in-person visits. Take-home buprenorphine, which can be prescribed through primary care, has remained underutilized due to prescriber concerns about patient adherence.
“emocha’s video DOT technology can improve access to medication assisted therapy and helps patients and providers engage at critical moments during treatment, which should lead to higher quality care and fewer overdoses,” said Sebastian Seiguer, CEO at emocha. “We are proud to partner with Pathway to address the opioid epidemic in the U.S. because of its commitment to providing evidence-based, compassionate care for those with substance use disorder.” ”
emocha’s mobile video DOT platform has proven effective for treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in a National Institutes of Health-funded study by Johns Hopkins University. It has been deployed at public health departments across the country for a variety of applications, from treating TB and Hepatitis C, to monitoring for disease outbreaks. “emocha’s platform will enhance patients’ treatment experiences and improve our ability to help them find the best path to recovery,” said Pathway Healthcare CEO Scott Olson. “Patients’ daily interaction with the app gives them a direct connection to their personal Patient Care Coordinator and gives their doctor important information to tailor care plans.” emocha is also currently working with the University of Washington and Boston Medical Center under a grant for up to $1.7 million from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to test its technology for supporting patient adherence to take-home buprenorphine.
About emocha Mobile Health
emocha empowers every patient to take every dose of medication through video technology and scalable human engagement. Patients use a smartphone application to video record themselves taking their medication. Providers or emocha Adherence Coaches use a secure web portal to assess adherence and engage with patients. The platform is being used by public health departments, clinical trials, hospitals, health centers, and managed care organizations to radically improve medication adherence for patients with tuberculosis, opioid use disorder, hepatitis C, diabetes, and other chronic and infectious diseases. Learn more at www.emocha.com.
National Institutes of Health Statement
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute On Minority Health And Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R43MD010521. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Contact: Michelle Mendes| email: mmendes@emocha.com | phone: 410.928.4016
