A medication management tool driven by artificial intelligence could save millions of dollars — and hopefully just as many lives — according to recently released research by the startup FeelBetter.
In a study of elderly patients with chronic conditions, FeelBetter’s AI, Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence, was able to accurately identify those who were at high-risk of complications from certain medications and help manage decisions about hospitalizations, the company said.
FeelBetter’s AI pulls information from medical records, emergency department and hospitalization patterns, and healthcare costs, to make recommendations.
The study was conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston among patients who were taking an average of nine medications. By risk-stratifying patients, FeelBetter’s AI saved the hospital and providers $4.8 million over three months, the company said.
Currently, solutions for patients in whom complications develop from medication are limited and costly, said Lisa Rotenstein, MD, the study’s principal investigator.
“What’s exciting about this solution is that it enables a targeted view of those individuals who may most benefit from medication management interventions and the alteration of their medication regimens,” she said in a statement. “These warnings and recommendations have the potential to aid clinicians and other healthcare providers in optimizing medication regimens.”
Rotenstein also noted that up to 30% of older adult hospitalizations are due to medication-related issues. Overall, adverse drug reactions are thought to be the fourth-leading cause of death in America, studies show.
FeelBetter also recently raised almost $6 million in funding from investors this week, the company announced earlier this week.
The company plans to further assess the technology and how it could inform patient trajections and care costs.
AI increasingly is being used to help inform medication decisions for seniors and help avoid mistakes. DrFirst’s recently developed software is meant to help adjust refill and renewal requests.
Some tools even could aid in the discovery of drugs themselves, the McKnight’s Tech Daily reported last month.
