Impact of the Aptar Digital Health (ADH) respiratory platform on adult asthma healthcare cost
Akash Bijlani, MPH1, Dave Mauger, PhD2, Clyde Goodheart, MD, MBA, MS3, Geneviève dOrsay4, Julie Suman5
1Aptar Digital Health, 245 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 92142, USA
2Penn State University College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, USA
3Clyptek, Inc., 323 NE 34th Street # 912A, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308, USA
4Aptar Digital Health, 22 Quai Gallieni, 92150 Suresnes, France
5Aptar Pharma, 250 NY-303, Congers, New York 10920, USASummary
Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease impacting 334 million people globally (4% of the world’s population), and resulting in over 400,000 deaths annually.1,2,3 In the United States (US), the total annual economic cost of asthma is $105 billion, including $65 billion in direct medical cost, $37 billion in asthma-related mortality, and $4 billion in absenteeism cost (inflated to 2022 cost based on Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) medical care consumer price index (CPI)).4,5 Total annual health care costs (inpatient hospitalizations, emergency room visits, outpatient visits, and medications) for asthma patients with exacerbations is $14,359 and without exacerbations is $7,802 (inflated to 2022 values based on BLS medical care CPI).6,7 Across all asthma types and severities, 12.5% and 8.4% of asthmatics in the US and UK, respectively, experienced ≥ 1 exacerbations annually.8 Medication adherence is estimated at 50% worldwide.9 Improved controller medication adherence and Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores are correlated with decreased asthma exacerbations.10,11,12 Digital therapeutics (DTx) are utilized to improve controller medication adherence and ACT scores, which correspond to a potential reduction in exacerbations, and to decrease rescue medication usage, healthcare utilization, and societal and healthcare costs. A prospective, single cohort observational study evaluated 104 adult patients utilizing the Aptar Digital Health (ADH) respiratory platform, a DTx, for 90 days. Results demonstrated improved controller medication adherence (compared to global average), ACT scores, and decreased rescue medication usage. Improvements in controller medication adherence correlated with cost savings due to reduction in exacerbations.