MONTREAL – Telus Health and Groupe DOmedic, Inc., a Quebec start-up that designs high-tech products to improve medication compliance, have announced a partnership that will enable better health monitoring and improved medication management for seniors with the launch of xPill PHARMA.

Offered by DOmedic to retirement homes, and connected by Telus Health to the pharmacists through their pharmacy management solution, the technology also empowers nurses and care staff working in retirement homes to safely administer medication to patients.

“DOmedic and Telus Health now offer a powerful integrated medication management platform that will enable retirement homes and Canadian pharmacists an optimized administering and dispensing medication cycle in compliance with traceability requirements,” said Benoît Demers, president, Groupe DOmedic, Inc. “xPill PHARMA provides patients, their families and the care teams administering the medication with peace of mind that they are receiving the correct medication, in the correct dosage, at the correct time, and administered in the correct way.”

A report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) found that two-thirds of seniors in nursing care take at least 10 prescription drugs. As seniors’ healthcare needs evolve, especially those living with multiple chronic conditions, technological solutions that support safer and more efficient medication management are critical to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of patients in elderly care facilities.

“Medication management is a key area of healthcare that can be rife with issues, which health information technology can help resolve,” said Paul Lepage (pictured), president, Telus Health. “By investing in innovative health start-ups like DOmedic, Telus Health is optimizing medication management, promoting better collaboration between members of a senior’s care team and their pharmacists, and overall, delivering improved patient outcomes.”

To date, most nurses and healthcare professionals working in senior residences rely on paper to record the dispensing of medication to patients, which can result in errors and questions for which we have no tracing mechanisms.

Electronic solutions such as xPill PHARMA allow a continuous, real-time flow of information between the staff caring for the elderly patients and the pharmacist. Care teams can access information recorded in the patient’s file such as recommendations from the pharmacist and comments from each care giver, such as notes about observed side effects – thereby helping to ensure that the medication is being administered properly for its optimal effectiveness.

The possibility for real-time access allows pharmacists to view patients file comments from the care team and refill requests.

According to a report issued by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec, more than 120,000 cases involving medication-related errors were reported in Québec in 2014 -2015. Of these, 78 percent were related to poor medication management by care centres and the majority of patients affected were aged 75 and older.

With an elderly population expected to triple in the next 30 years, small scale innovations that tackle key health issues can have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of an aging population.

By allowing a complete integration of the medication channel: from the prescription being filled by the pharmacist to a new way for care staff to record when the medication is being dispensed, families and loved ones could be more confident that their elderly parent is being cared for properly.

About Groupe DOmedic Inc.

Groupe DOmedic Inc. designs high-tech products to improve medication compliance. Headquartered in Quebec, Canada, this start-up was formed in 2006. Its corporate purpose is to improve the quality of life of people with health problems requiring regular medical treatment. Groupe DOmedic Inc. develops products to support people who are aware of the importance for their health of closely monitoring their medical treatments. The group developed the innovative DO-Pill SecuR smart pill dispenser.

About Telus Health

Telus Health is a leader in telehomecare, electronic medical and health records, consumer health, benefits management and pharmacy management. Telus Health solutions give health authorities, providers, physicians, patients and consumers the power to turn information into better health outcomes. For more information about Telus Health, please visit telushealth.com.