Cutting Health Care Costs through Mobile Messaging

As health care costs rise, consumers need better information on how to spend their limited funds. Mobile health messaging can help guide them in making the wisest choices, helping lower costs for consumers, health plans and providers alike.

By 2020, projections indicate that health care spending in the United States is expected to reach $4.6 trillion with about 30 percent of the dollars spent being identified as wasteful. The use of personalized and current mobile messaging between customers, health care providers and insurers could potentially save billions in health care costs through the increase in medication adherence alone.

A 2011 World Health Organization report heralded the potential of wireless and mobile technologies (mHealth) to transform health service delivery worldwide. By analyzing the consumer’s current status and automatically initiating relevant communications, mHealth technology can be used to guide them in taking health and wellness actions at critical times.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services took a hard look at the subject, determining that the technology can indeed help guide consumers to make better choices.

As the patient’s cost-share grows, through increased co-pays and higher deductibles, so does the opportunity to assist them in vital decision-making. Increasingly, individuals seek information to help them maximize their health care dollars. Studies show that 21 percent of consumers want to receive health information via SMS text message, and 77 percent of patients find technology “inviting” rather than “intimidating” when it comes to helping them manage their health.

Research has shown positive behavior changes can be brought about by text messaging programs. They can improve treatment compliance. They can also remind consumers to take their medications and to attend medical appointments.

Offering pharmacy benefit analytics, portals, mobile applications and reporting, RxEOB’s products help health plans and PBMs engage patients for better pharmacy utilization and adherence. For more information on how RxEOB can help reduce your overall health care costs, please visit:  www.rxeob.com  or call 1-888-648-0989 ext. 226.