Program is based on Northeastern University research

Positioning itself as a service provider equally to patients, pharmacies (and health plans) and manufacturers, InnovationRx (Newton, MA) hopes that, by using the latest Web-based and call-center technologies, it can make a difference in the 50% of patients that do not take their medications as prescribed. According to Sean Teare, president, the company will combine the call center expertise of its parent, Innovation Group, with research in which it has collaborated at Northeastern University, primarily with Nathaniel Rickles, PharmD, PhD, BCPP, assistant professor of the School of Pharmacy. Rickles will also act as chief clinical officer of the firm.

Beyond conventional call center follow-up, Teare says that the company will make use of analytical tools to “stratify” patients according to their intervention needs. “We do a front end assessment, and then identify those patients at highest risk” of non-adherence, which will then dictate the types of interventions needed. Teare says that the company has already been hired by a pharma company to manage one program, and expects to work with others, as well as with health plans that are looking to lower overall healthcare costs through improved outcomes, and pharmacies looking to closer customer relations. Individual patients can also choose to sign up on their own at the company’s website, innovationRx.com.