Justin Monger of MedSure Systems on “What is Medicine Management?”
Justin Monger, founder of MedSure Systems, who spent over three decades in national defense engineering, business development, and executive management at Hughes Aircraft and Raytheon, transitioned into healthcare due to a deeply personal experience. He witnessed his older sister’s lifelong struggles with addiction and mental health issues, which ultimately led to her early demise. This personal connection fueled his desire to address medication non-adherence, a problem he realized didn’t require a complex “iPhone invention” to significantly impact.
What is Medicine Management?
Medicine management, as explained by Monger, involves multiple aspects. It begins with ensuring all medications have been “adjudicated and reconciled” to prevent drug interactions. Crucially, it also focuses on ensuring patients take “the right med at the right time each day,” which is essential for chronic care management.
The Alarming Impact of Medication Non-Adherence
The scope of medication non-adherence in the U.S. is staggering. Approximately 70% of individuals aged 65 and over manage two or more chronic diseases, often requiring complex medication regimens. However, about 50% of the time, people in this country either don’t take the correct medications at the right time or don’t take them at all.
The financial toll of this issue is massive, estimated at around $345 billion annually in avoidable hospitalization and recovery costs. Beyond the monetary impact, medication non-adherence contributes to 120,000 to 150,000 premature and unnecessary deaths each year. Furthermore, hospitals and doctors face fines of $25 to $35 billion annually when patients are readmitted within 30 days, with medication management being a significant contributing factor.
An Innovative Approach
Traditional solutions, like the common Sunday-through-Saturday pill organizers, have proven ineffective in solving this widespread problem. MedSure Systems tackles this challenge with a unique combination of “digital intervention” (e.g., beeps, texts, timers) and “relational care” or human intervention. This dual approach has led to remarkable results, with MedSure achieving “well over 95% med adherence across the board”.
A key aspect of MedSure’s service is addressing the two primary reasons people miss medications: forgetting or running out of refills. MedSure Systems networks pharmacies, doctors, patients, and caregivers to track refills and ensure patients never run out of their necessary medications. They even facilitate doctor visits if required before a refill can be issued.
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