Several developers plan to pilot DTx Connect, which aims to reduce barriers that physicians and patients face across the ordering and fulfillment of digital therapeutics and diagnostics
As the pipeline of digital therapeutics (DTx) continues to expand, AmerisourceBergen today announced plans to launch DTx Connect, a fully integrated ordering, dispensing and fulfillment platform that aims to facilitate patient access to physician-ordered digital therapeutics and diagnostics. The platform, which seamlessly integrates with electronic medical records (EMR), enables physicians to easily access and order prescription and non-prescription DTx through their e-prescribing workflow and subsequently monitor patient fulfillment.
A rapidly growing category within digital health, DTx delivers clinical interventions directly to patients via software to treat, manage or prevent a broad spectrum of diseases and disorders, including behavioral health conditions and diabetes. The products, which occasionally require a prescription, can be used as standalone therapies or in combination with other treatments or devices. Digital therapeutics diverge from other digital health tools, in part, because they must be cleared or certified by regulatory bodies to support claims of risk, efficacy and intended use. The market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 25% from 2022 to 2030 in the United States.
Several digital health companies plan to pilot the platform, including Mahana Therapeutics, a leading developer of prescription digital therapeutics designed to empower patients with chronic health conditions, and Videra Health, an AI-assisted video assessment and remote patient monitoring platform.
“While digital therapeutics and diagnostics offer tremendous potential, addressing challenges across the provider workstream and patient journey remain critical to unlocking the value these products have to offer,” said Jason Dinger, SVP of Strategy and Innovation at AmerisourceBergen. “Given our role in the supply chain and our portfolio of commercialization services, we are uniquely positioned to build a solution that aims to address unmet needs and helps patients start and stay on physician-ordered products. DTx Connect, in addition to AmerisourceBergen’s patient support and market access consulting services, enables us to deliver enhanced support across the product lifecycle, helping to advance accessibility.”
DTx Connect, which is EMR- and brand-agnostic, provides a real-time, secure digital connection between developers and physicians via the EMR. The platform is powered through a collaboration with patient engagement technology company Twistle. Key features include:
- E-prescribing through EMR: Physicians can search for digital therapeutics and diagnostic tools via a digital catalog and then order the products within their e-prescribing workflow.
- Efficient dispense and fulfillment: After a physician orders a product, DTx Connect delivers a welcome message on behalf of the care team via text or within the patient portal. Patients also receive an electronic link which enables them to download the prescription or non-prescription product and access educational materials.
- Patient support services: Patient services—delivered via text, a digital companion app, and phone calls with clinical teams—aim to simplify the adoption and onboarding process, keep patients engaged throughout the treatment journey and monitor and manage adherence.
- Patient Status Alerts: DTx Connect provides physicians with patient status alerts, including notifications for patient fulfillment. The increased visibility throughout the patient journey enables physicians to make more informed engagement and care plan decisions in support of the prescribed therapy regimen.
“AmerisourceBergen has spent decades ensuring that patients have timely access to healthcare products. Their experience will bring a unique perspective to our community, particularly as they launch DTx Connect,” said Andy Molnar, CEO of the Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA), a global nonprofit trade association of industry leaders and stakeholders engaged in the evidence-driven advancement of digital therapeutics. AmerisourceBergen is a member of DTA. “Getting digital therapeutics into the hands of more people who need them is a primary focus of DTA’s global efforts and platforms like DTx Connect will help advance accessibility of high quality, evidence-based DTx products.”
The launch of DTx Connect bolsters the support AmerisourceBergen offers to DTx developers throughout the commercialization journey. In addition to the capabilities available through DTx Connect, AmerisourceBergen can deliver services to support DTx developers’ strategic planning and launch activities, including market access consulting, real-world evidence planning and engaging healthcare decision makers via AB’s FormularyDecisions platform. For more information on DTx Connect, please visit: https://www.amerisourcebergen.com/manufacturer-solutions/digital-therapeutics
