The Reno VA is hosting clinical trials for a new program designed to ensure our veterans are getting the medications they need. Reno-based company DayaMed has created a Personalized Medication Management Program that tracks prescription prices, reminds users to take their pills on time, and connects patients to the support staff at the VA.
"It's about getting them the pill, ensuring they can afford their medication, and ensuring they have support," said Justin Daya, CEO of DayaMed. "If they have a side effect, how do they address that, how do they overcome it, if they feel better when taking their medication, don't stop, finish the dose as prescribed. So we try and fill in all those gaps."
They've been testing the program at the VA for the last nine months, and the results have been encouraging.
"It has been very well received by a lot of our veterans," said Amneet Rai, Associate Chief of Pharmacy at the VA. "They have found it very helpful. Some of them said they didn't realize how much they missed their medication until the alarm started going off, so that has really helped bring a cognizance to them in how often they miss their medication now."
Everyone enrolled in the program has a personalized schedule with reminders and a logged history that can be tracked.
"On top of that, if you start missing doses, it's connected to our care team here at the VA," Rai said. "And we can reach out to our veterans and see what's going on, if they are having any issues, and immediately jump in. In the past we'd have to wait 30 to 60 days to find out about these issues, either when we saw the veteran again or found out they weren't renewing the medication."
The VA trials will continue for another few months, and the program is also open to those on Medicare. There are incentives for those who adhere to the guidelines.
"There's a huge amount of science over the last 20 years that shows giving patients simple motivations can work," Daya said. "For example, we give gift cards. If you hit an adherence streak or if you're compliant over a certain number of days, you can earn a gift card up to $25 a month. At the VA, we actually give out mission medals that we had customized, and the veterans just love it."
DayaMed: https://dayamed.com/
VA Sierra Nevada Health Care: https://www.va.gov/sierra-nevada-health-care/
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