By Emily Newton, Editor-in-Chief, Revolutionized
LinkedIn: Emily Newton
X: @ReadRevMag
Weight management medications have made tremendous strides recently. Newer options — most prominently GLP-1 agonists — show remarkable effectiveness at fighting obesity and related health conditions. At the same time, patient adherence to their prescriptions for such drugs remains an issue.
Just 44% of anti-obesity medication patients are consistent with their plan of care after three months. A mere 19% stick to their prescriptions after 12 months. The industry must address this gap to ensure weight loss treatments achieve the intended results, and digital technology can help in several ways.
1. Real-Time Reminders
The most straightforward way to promote adherence with weight loss technology is to remind patients when it’s time to take their medication. Wearables and smartphone apps can send real-time alerts based on the time to prevent forgetfulness.
Many people fail to keep up with prescriptions simply because it’s easy to forget amid the busyness of everyday life. Consequently, a smartphone or watch alert is all it takes to improve prescription compliance in some cases.
Studies show that apps with medication reminders show positive correlations with adherence to medication schedules. While the results are often not substantial, any improvement is beneficial, and it’s relatively easy to program real-time alerts into a drug-tracking app.
2. Personalization
A more sophisticated approach is to personalize treatment plans. While every prescription should be specific to the individual, newer weight loss technology enables hyper-personalized, precision medicine.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can analyze a patient’s biology, history and socioeconomic factors to determine which course will yield the best results for their unique case. Tailoring plans to individual patients on such a granular level makes it easier for them to stick with a routine, as it reinforces the personal nature of care.
Similarly, machine learning may be able to come up with a medication schedule that fits better within each patient’s existing routine. Less disruption to their normal habits, in turn, promotes higher adherence.
3. Accountability
Digital technologies can also provide motivation through increased accountability. Monitoring systems like medication-tracking apps or medical wearables can send health info directly to doctors. Care providers can see if their patients are taking their prescriptions without relying on self-reporting.
Intrinsic motivation can be difficult for some people to build. It’s often easier to stick to a routine when people know someone else will know whether they’ve achieved their goals. This other party being an authority figure like a primary care physician could add further accountability.
Health care providers may or may not need to respond to noncompliance with medication schedules. In some cases, it may take warnings to motivate the patient to take their prescriptions, while other people may find the transparency of tracking apps enough.
4. Positive Feedback Loops
Similarly, weight loss technology can improve motivation by creating positive feedback loops. Many people find it difficult to build a new routine when they cannot see immediate results. Medical tracking tools can help by showing the changes that may not be outwardly visible.
Even the most effective weight management medications take a year or more to produce a 5% reduction in body weight. However, a wearable or medication-tracking app can show the physiological changes happening within the body patients can’t notice otherwise. This way, they can see progress outside of physical appearances.
Seeing progress toward a goal creates a positive feedback loop, encouraging patients to stick with the system they can see is working. Gamified app features like digital rewards for continued adherence take such benefits further.
5. Privacy and Accessibility
In some scenarios, socioeconomic factors keep patients from taking their prescriptions. They may feel ashamed to go to a doctor’s office for weight loss drugs, or they may be unable to afford to do so. Telehealth provides a more accessible and private alternative.
Virtual meetings let patients discuss prescription refills and their treatment status from the comfort of their homes. These digital meet-ups can also be up to $186 cheaper than in-person ones, thanks to the removal of travel expenses or the need to take additional time off work.
When refilling a prescription becomes easier and cheaper, patients are likelier to do it. Adherence to weight management medication will rise as a result.
Weight Loss Technology Is a New Frontier in Health Care
GLP-1 agonists take weight loss treatments to new heights. Prescription adherence must rise for the public to take full advantage of that potential, and digital technology is the best way forward. As health organizations capitalize on these five applications of weight loss technology, they can promote healthier lifestyles across the board.