Medipense » The RxPense® Hub as a Critical Component of Mission Success in the Long-Term Treatment of Disabled Veterans
Medication non-adherence is a major challenge, worldwide. It is particularly important in the long-term treatment of patients that have suffered life-changing traumas, both physical and mental, particularly for those that have suffered a major trauma in the service of their countries and for the values for which they stand.
In this paper we examine some of the benefits for adopting the RxPense® Hub, a medication dispensing, management and remote monitoring system developed by Medipense, to support disabled veterans.
“Persistent Surveillance” and “Situational Awareness”
The concepts of “persistent surveillance” and “situational awareness” are terms that are very familiar to anyone that has worn a uniform and to those that have worked for, and with, them to achieve mission success. Billions of dollars have been invested by departments of defense, over the last several decades, under the firm belief that these two key concepts are germane to achieving optimal outcomes in almost any situation. The DEW (Distant Early Warning) Line, built in the 1950s and 60s has been complemented by satellite imagery using a host of optical, radar and infrared technologies that obtain higher and higher resolution pictures; Unmanned Aerial, Marine and Land Vehicles that provide video and audio surveillance; in-situ sensors and network-based sensors of all types and a host of “remote sensing” technologies that detect everything from missile threats to cyber threats. Today’s innovative technologies allow, for the first time, the deployment of these concepts for the benefit of our fallen heroes.
The Heightened Awareness of Our Responsibilities Toward Our Disabled Veterans
Following the end of the Vietnam war (some would argue earlier) the population in general became acutely aware of what some call the “enduring personal cost of conflict” and much pressure has been applied on departments of defense, and on the governments to which they respond, to significantly improve the treatment and care of those that have been disabled. The political and public pressure to provide acceptable services to our veterans is significant. Our moral pressure is overwhelming.
Disability can take many forms however. Traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, chronic depression, hearing loss, breathing disorders, amputations, diseases and other long-term health problems are all on the list. And chronic pain is commonplace. Unfortunately, to achieve and maintain the best quality of life possible and the highest level of functionality and social re-integration, disabled veterans are often prescribed a complex regimen of medications that promise to treat their physical and/or mental conditions.
The Problem
Medication errors and medication non-adherence is not a new problem. It is well defined and well understood by health care professionals in all sectors. It is a horrendously costly problem both in monetary terms and in quality-of-life terms. Yet the problem persists.
And it’s getting worse as a result of the increasing population of disabled veterans. Additionally, the comorbidity of physical trauma with mental trauma, such as PTSD, is increasingly common. In the case of PTSD it is widely understood that PTSD often prevents the patient from living a purposeful life and, unfortunately, the effects of PTSD have been proven to worsen over time. Some reports suggest that the number of servicemen and servicewomen that return home with PTSD actually double over time. PTSD most often leads to a sense of being overwhelmed and to a loss of ability to function.
This lack of functionality necessarily brings about the inability to execute Instrumental Activities of Daily Living[1] (IADLs), including the consumption of medications, and intervention and assistance becomes mandatory.
It needs to be noted that these are all extremely complex medical situations that require massive investments of human time and effort to address — with only a hope of making a difference to the individual veteran.
Thankfully, innovative technologies now exist to bring lessons learned from the concepts of “persistent surveillance” and “situational awareness” for the benefit of disabled veterans.
[1] Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are the complex skills needed to successfully live independently. These skills include the following: Managing finances, transportation (driving or navigating public transit), shopping and taking medications.
To learn more about the solution, download our white paper today!
Tags: digital health technologies, disabled veterans, veterans affairs
Originally published at www.medipense.com on May 10, 2016.
