Beyond Adherence: Connecting the Dots to Better Health with Medication Engagement

In an ideal world, improved medication adherence = improved patient health. But in reality, patients can face a multitude of challenges that disrupt this equation. So, why do most companies that aim to improve patient health through medication adherence fail to account for these real-world complexities?

Recognizing this critical gap, we are resolute in driving a transformative shift. While most medication adherence initiatives have a myopic focus on whether people refill and take their medications, we’re pioneering a better path forward that takes the intricate web of factors that determine whether medications positively impact patient health into account.

We focus our efforts on a holistic approach that goes beyond medication adherence: medication engagement (MedEngagement). This strategy draws from our extensive experience in public health. In engaging with diverse, vulnerable, and hard-to-reach populations, we have revealed a compelling truth: genuine improvements in people's health require a departure from conventional medication adherence strategies.

In our journey to this realization, we’ve identified foundational insights that guide our MedEngagement work:

• Getting patients to refill their medications is necessary, but doesn’t cut it.
• Getting patients to take their medications is important, but it is not enough to impact health in all cases.
• To ensure medications positively impact health, patients have to be linked to care so medications can be prescribed; root social drivers/determinants of health (SDOH) related causes that prevent patients from accessing their medications have to be addressed; we have to ensure patients know how to take their medications properly, and we have to provide them with the tools and lab tests to assess whether their condition is responding to their prescribed medications at the current dose.

How is MedEngagement different from medication adherence?‍

Although medication adherence — when patients take their medications as prescribed — is critical, it alone may not guarantee health improvements, especially in complex health conditions or underserved populations.

MedEngagement recognizes that successful healthcare outcomes rely on patients doing more than refilling or taking their medications as prescribed. It involves a broader set of behaviors and activities related to medication use. MedEngagement includes actively involving patients in their treatment plans and addressing various factors hindering successful MedEngagement.

Revolutionizing medication adherence at Scene‍

As a MedEngagement company, we revolutionize healthcare by leveraging the power of people, science, and technology to create a 360-degree model of care, Panorama, that enables MedEngagement. Through our program, our care team goes beyond ensuring medication adherence by building trust-filled relationships with patients to identify and address SDOH-related barriers to adherence, provide medication education, enable linkages to care, establish connections to necessary equipment and tests, and follow up to verify that prescribed medications are working as intended. 

Panorama involves several key elements:

1. Video Directly Observed Therapy (video DOT): We scale and enhance the gold standard of medication adherence, Directly Observed Therapy, to spotlight the patient experience and create an impactful MedEngagement strategy. To do this, we leverage asynchronous video technology to extend the reach of healthcare professionals beyond clinical settings. Through video DOT, patients send videos of themselves taking their medications, ensuring better adherence and personalized support.
2. Comprehensive support: Patients are engaged through daily check-ins with our dedicated care team of pharmacists, nurses, and health coaches. Our team works together to educate patients and motivate them to follow their treatment plans effectively.
3. Culturally responsive care: Recognizing the importance of cultural competency in healthcare, our care team works to bridge gaps in access and provide culturally sensitive care, ensuring that all patients receive the support they need to succeed.
4.  A multi-intervention strategy: Our care team employs various targeted and validated interventions, including, Comprehensive Medication Reviews, small financial incentives, medication reminders, motivational interviewing, and educational video content to enhance patient engagement and motivation.
5. A focus on addressing SDOH: We acknowledge that SDOH can significantly impact MedEngagement. Our care team works to identify and remove barriers that prevent patients from accessing their medications, providers, or necessary equipment.
6. Comprehensive assessments: Our assessments ensure patients have the appropriate tools, equipment, and tests to evaluate whether their condition responds to the prescribed medications. This data-driven approach allows for timely adjustments to treatment plans as needed.

MedEngagement is a revolutionary concept that addresses the limitations of medication adherence while putting patients first. Our commitment to this approach is a step towards facilitating a healthier future for all.

Contact us to learn more and join us as we define the standard for successful MedEngagement.