East Sussex, UK – Two companies targeting health care, WellDoc Communications and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, are working together to develop a new asthma management solution that brings a variety of technology pieces together into a comprehensive set of tools that target ongoing management of this chronic condition, according to a joint PR release.
The product will be a combination of software and technology that makes use of both the web and mobile devices (such as cell phones) to help asthma patients to have better information at their fingertips. The tool set will include virtual messenger as well as air quality and pollen count alerts, plus a host of internet-based patient support tools. The asthma application will also have features which directly benefit the patient in their day-to-day asthma management, including a variety of reminders, alerts and medication data capture. The end result should be better control by the patient of their own health, while helping them to follow the treatment plan of the physician.
WellDoc will be the technology partner in this new venture. WellDoc has apparently had previous success with a similar tool for diabetics. Additional tools are expected to be released for other types of chronic conditions.
AstraZeneca is joining forces with WellDoc program because the new tool supports AstraZeneca’s stated philosophy of patient-support. Mark Mallon, VP Marketing & Sales says that AstraZeneca likes the new tool because it focuses on “educating patients and helping them take control of their disease consistent with the treatment plans of their physicians”.
Note that the package is designed to help improve patient compliance with the treatment plan of their doctor. However, a patient spends many more hours away from the physician than with the physician. Hopefully, this tool will help both doctor and patient collect more information on those hours, so that better treatment plans are the ultimate result.
The product is not yet on the market, so there isn’t any feedback yet from consumers on the value provided to the patient or long term benefits in better-controlled asthma. There also isn’t any indication yet of when the tool will be released to consumers.
Source: MedicalNewsToday.com
