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PORTLAND, Ore. — Aisle7 has launched Healthnotes Interactions Checker, a technology solution designed to simplify the task of determining if a dietary supplement positively or negatively interacts with a prescription drug.
The wellness marketer said Thursday that Healthnotes Interactions Checker, an application programming interface (API) and reporting tool, enables people to enter their current drugs and supplements into a list and get an easy-to-read, color-coded report that clearly identify nutrients that have adverse or beneficial interactions with their medications.
Reports can be printed or e-mailed to be read later or shared with a health professional, according to Aisle7.
In addition, the reports can be automatically triggered as part of a prescription refill. The Healthnotes Interactions Checker accepts National Drug Codes (NDC) from external pharmacy systems to create customized reports. When a refill is requested, a report can be automatically generated and sent to the patient’s mobile phone. A report also can be made available at prescription pickup for discussion with a pharmacist, who can highlight nutrients to avoid because of safety concerns as well as supplements that can support a medication’s effectiveness or reduce side effects.
"Over the last several months, we’ve spoken with pharmacists, doctors and our retail partners who tell us they see both a customer service and an information gap in the current prescription information delivery systems," stated Skye Lininger, chief executive officer of Aisle7. "The Healthnotes Interactions Checker solves this problem by seamlessly integrating with our clients’ environments — whether pharmacy management systems, e-commerce sites, mobile platforms or health professional tools."
Aisle7 noted that more than half of Americans take some form of dietary supplement. What’s more, the company said, an estimated 40% of U.S. adults take drugs and nutrients as part of their health regimen, yet 60% of those people aren’t discussing possible interactions with their doctor or pharmacist.
"Today’s health care professionals are looking for the tools and resources they need to spend less time managing their business and more time caring for patients," explained Mandy Kraynik, vice president of Integrative Therapeutics, a Green Bay, Wis.-based manufacturer and distributor of nutritional supplements. "Partnering with Aisle7 to introduce an interactive drug-nutrient interaction checker allows us to provide value to our customers in meaningful ways outside of nutritional supplements."
