Roche unveiled a new app for patients on anticoagulation therapy, allowing them to see results from their at-home blood clotting tests on an iOS device.
The app connects via Bluetooth to the CoaguChek XS meter, which patients use to test PT/INR, the time it takes for blood to clot. The CoaguCheck XS mPOC app makes testing more convenient for patients, which the company expects to help patients adhere to their prescribed PT/INR testing frequency, Roche said in a statement.
“It has been proven that patients that adhere to their monitoring schedule spend more time in their therapeutic range, which results in lower incidence of stroke or bleeding,” the company said in the statement. Additionally, evidence shows patients with a strong connection to their physician adhere better to their anticoagulation therapy plan, according to the statement.
Meanwhile, the app automatically communicates results to an online data management portal. Physicians are better able to tailor treatment decisions thanks to the access they have to patient-reported data in almost real time, Roche said in the statement. Typically, patients on anticoagulation therapy visit a lab or physician’s office up to once a week for PT/INR testing and wait two to three days for results, Roche said. Cutting down on the time between tests is correlated with better adherence, according to the statement.
“As healthcare systems face continued pressure to deliver improved access to care at a lower cost, increased connectivity between [healthcare personnel] and patients becomes even more important,” said Jennifer Zinn, senior vice president of Point of Care at Roche Diagnostics, in the statement. “This innovative solution also supports making patient self-testing a standard of care to monitor warfarin therapy.”
Earlier this year, Roche launched the CoaguChek INRange system in Europe, which helps patients and doctors monitor coagulation and response to vitamin K antagonist therapy.