Non-adherence to medication costs the healthcare industry approximately $290 billion each year, according to the National Community of Pharmacists Association. Not only is this issue costly to the healthcare system as a whole, it also impacts individual patient's health and care outcomes.
Arvind Movva, MD, CEO of Gastroenterology Consultants and assistant medical director of Regional SurgiCenter in Moline, Ill., decided to tackle this problem. Dr. Movva recently launched divvyDOSE. The startup allows patients to sign up online, transfers their prescriptions and delivers their medications in individual packages. The packages clearly mark dosages and dates and times for taking each medication. Patient copays remain relatively the same, while the rest of the services provided are free. Dr. Movva shares what motivated him to start a new company and what lies ahead for divvyDOSE.
Q: What motivated you to start divvyDOSE?
Dr. Arvind Movva: I am a gastroenterologist, practicing fulltime. I am also operating in the ASC space. We see a lot of people hurt by not taking their medication correctly. I had a patient pass away because of that. That hit home. That led me to wanting to find a better way. Plus, I have always been interested in technology and innovation.
Q: How did you get the company started?
AM: Things came together pretty quickly. I was ultra-motivated. I am also lucky to have great team members. It started with the seed of an idea in early November of this past year.
I have quite a few friends working on this with me, including a pharmacist: Kelly Caldbeck. She has been working in Chicago in the retail pharmacy setting for 14 years. We met through a mutual friend when this concept came to me. We also recently added a CFO to the company. He was previously working for Alvarez & Marsal in Chicago.
Q: How do you balance this new venture with your day-to-day practice?
AM: That is always tough, but it is easier if you love what you are doing. I am enjoying this. I have to sacrifice some things, but I have supportive family and friends. I am invested in this; it is a labor of love. Instead of watching a ball game, I will work on this.
Q: What does divvyDOSE offer?
AM: We provide the divvyCARD. We ask patients to put it in their wallet. We send them a new card anytime their medication changes. This card includes all of their medication information in a concise manner, along with their name and the date the card was printed. We think this could really enhance the ability to move patients through a care setting.
There are no fees for our services, and we are accepted by all major payers. We want to help create better outcomes, which will relate to value-based models. As a physician, I am frustrated that when I am out of the room, my directions are often not followed. We think medication adherence can be increased from its current level of 50 percent to up to 80 percent to 90 percent.
Q: How has the company been received in the market?
AM: We have been welcomed into the market with open arms by payers, self-insured companies and brokers. They can see the benefit we provide. We are not only improving adherence, but also outcomes.
Q: What do you see for the future of the company?
AM: We are in 27 states right now, and we are aggressively expanding. We anticipate being licensed in another 9 states within the coming weeks and expect to be nationwide by the second quarter of 2016. We are also doubling our square footage in the next few months.