Push notifications (Push) from your organization’s mobile app are a great way to communicate to your current or prospective patients. Using Push ‘Calls to Action’ are the norm for introducing new services, expanded hours and gathering needed input. But relevant news blasts can be especially effective when there are important treatment options to share.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many scenarios where push notifications have been helpful. These included links to testing sites, vaccination locations and hospital visiting policies. The value of Push continues as new treatment options become available that your patients may not know about.
“Treatment options for COVID-19 infections represent a more complex, but important, use case for Push,” comments Bonnie Offit, MD, Chief Innovation Officer at Self Care Decisions. “Newer medications have had good results in clinical trials for both safety and effectiveness. Paxlovid is a newer oral medication that was recently authorized by the FDA to treat at-risk patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are at high risk for progression to a more serious case.”
Your organization could send a Push to all patients alerting them to this news, the importance of recognizing their illness quickly, and then offer a link to more detailed instructions of what to do next. Patients must always work with their healthcare providers in order to receive these treatments. Initially, Paxlovid was in short supply, but many pharmacies have been able to stock this medication. There are also several monoclonal antibody infusions or shots that are options for mild-to-moderate covid infections in high-risk patients. The earlier that these treatments are given, the better the opportunity to make a difference in the outcome. Mobile apps are a great way to broadcast the news about these treatment options… but adding email notifications is a great second medium.
“Many patients are not aware of a newer preventive monoclonal antibody shot called Evusheld,” Offit continues. “It’s a prevention therapy, so not used for active infection. The FDA recently authorized use of Evusheld in similarly-aged patients who may not mount a good response to the vaccine. Evusheld is given as two shots at once in an out-patient setting so patients can be observed for one hour in case of allergic reaction. There is limited supply of Evusheld, but it can be life-saving for certain patients.”
There has been so much COVID coverage that many people no longer pay attention to those headlines… putting the awareness of these evolving COVID-19 therapies in jeopardy. Push notifications may be the missing link to connecting the right patients to key details.