MEMOTEXT has teamed-up with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to create a text-messaging-based program that can help address the issue of medication adherence in children with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The collaboration aims to advance and make available to patients and families an evidence-based program developed by Joseph Biederman, MD, chief of clinical and research programs in pediatric psychopharmacology and his team at the MGH.
As part of the deal, MEMOTEXT will provide its adaptive text messaging platform to send reminders and educational messages to parents of children with ADHD about their child’s medication and treatment, how to handle daily activities, school, family relationships and ADHD in general as well as supportive messages. Parents will also be encouraged to respond to messages to provide more information, which will help to customize their personal experience and make the program better by addressing their specific needs.
According to Biederman, studies have shown that at least 30 percent of children with ADHD do not renew their first prescription, and readily available technology may be a helpful tool in improving compliance. “Having information and reminders delivered to their mobile devices may help parents feel more reassured and confident in continuing with a treatment plan — and such compliance ultimately will help more children,” he said.
With this program, regular educational messages are sent to parents during the first 30 days to provide them with information about ADHD and its treatment. By doing this, adherence to ADHD medication and treatment may greatly increase, which can help create a better overall treatment environment for children with ADHD and their families.
“There is tremendous potential for digital health technology to make a difference in the lives of people who suffer from mental health disorders such as ADHD,” Amos Adler, MSc, president of MEMOTEXT, said in a statement. “We hope this is the first step for a fruitful and innovative relationship between MEMOTEXT and MGH.”