Nearly 20 million struggle with substance abuse disorders in the U.S causing close to 200 deaths each day from drug overdose. High relapse rates between 40% and 60% point to the need for new ways to support people in recovery.
DrFirst https://drfirst.com, a company that is a pioneer in technology, support, and services to connect people at touchpoints of patient care and GoHipo https://gohipo.com, a healthcare software and information systems development company are working together.
The companies are collaborating to support the continuity of care for addiction treatment and working to keep patients connected with their treatment centers’ care teams by using a mobile app for secure messaging and telehealth services.
The partnership enables GoHipo’s HipoChat mobile app to provide people in recovery with a new way to support their sobriety. HipoChat offers a supportive social media connection to designated friends, family, and others in recovery. The app is available for Android and Apple iOS devices.
“After discharge, many patients can struggle to continue their recovery without the close contact of their inpatient clinical teams and fellow patients in their support groups”, according to Doug Denhart, GoHipo’s Founder and CEO. He observes that it is even more difficult for patients who live hundreds or thousands of miles from their residential treatment centers.
The new partnership uses DrFirst’s Backline ® technology to power the GoHipo mobile app, to provide 24/7 support for people recovering from addiction. Backline’s secure messaging meets HIPAA requirements for protecting private health information.
The GoHipo app provides:
- A One-Touch Trigger button so that clients in crisis can alert their primary support teams if they are in crisis and need urgent support
- Continuity of care with clients’ entire treatment teams via HipChat’s secure telehealth connection
- Ability to schedule one-line Medical Assisted Treatment (MAT) with physicians
- Always On access to clients’ patient support teams from treatment facilities
- Social media to use to communicate with friends and families to help support their individuals obtain sobriety
The collaboration also enables streamlined workflows for e-prescribing and fully integrated telehealth communications between clinicians and patients.
“This partnership allows an unprecedented level of support for people recovering from addiction,” said G. Cameron Deemer, President, DrFirst. “Real-time connections for patients, caregivers, and their support community can help them maintain life-changing recovery.”