Technology is transforming health. From wearables that can detect UV exposure to non-contact thermometers and smart diapers, we’re in a new age of nonstop innovation. You’re a couple taps and swipes away from detecting your heart rate, seeing a doctor, even knowing whether you’re pregnant or not (it’s real). Dozens of startups are building technology that lets us take care of us, without the immediate need of a provider. Better health for less money? Yes please. One area in particular is buzzing with breakthroughs — the way we take vitamins and medicines. Here’s why.
In the pre-smartphone era, it was the same old process. Fumbling around the push-to-open bottle, forgetting to take your dose on time, reordering after it already runs out. Recent advancements in web, mobile, and internet-of-things technology are bringing medications to the 21st century. There are medicine search engines and communities that help you understand what drug you’re taking, why you’re taking it, and allow you to speak with others who have been through it before. Your data can be shared with peers and professionals remotely to create a support network. Pharmacies are also playing their part by packaging pills in easy-to-take blister packs.
Smartphone apps and WiFi-connected pillboxes are making it easier than ever to take your meds. Apps send you push notifications when it’s time to take a pill. Keep an eye on loved ones who keep forgetting to take their 8 am dose. You can see what you’ve taken already and what you’ve missed. Physical devices fill the loopholes that apps can’t cover, like knowing if you took the right medication or not. They’ll connect to your app and tell others in real-time when your pills were taken, offering a solution for caregivers.
Unfortunately, many of these devices have not caught on. They’re not user-friendly, they don’t provide useful data — and most importantly, they still require someone to sort pills. A Forbes piece by Dr. David Shaywitz suggests the adherence problem can’t be solved with technology. And he’s right, technology alone isn’t enough. You can’t toss a smart bottle at a $300 billion problem and expect results. But what if you combine a smart device with a service that enhances relationships, builds communities, and uses data to bring your health to the next level of personalization? By focusing on what consumers actually need, we believe that new technologies can create simpler, safer ways to stay healthy. The experience of taking medications was due for a serious upgrade, and it’s finally coming.
By Ali Zaman, Growth at HERO
