Birmingham startup Pack Health looks to fill a new prescription

The Affordable Care Act has been putting the squeeze on a number of Birmingham hospitals with regulations that penalize health care providers for higher readmission rates, as I've previously reported.

One of the problems is that physicians and hospitals are being held more accountable for the care of their patients outside the hospitals, however it's difficult to keep tabs on a large number of patients once they're discharged.

When treating chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer or arthritis, many physicians reach to fill prescriptions for medications or to schedule more therapy sessions, but what if physicians could prescribe behavior change?

That's what one Birmingham startup is striving for. Pack Health, which is a newer company within the Innovation Depot, gives physicians the opportunity to bridge the educational gap between themselves and their patients.

"When it comes to managing health care, most folks are dealing with a doctor about two hours a year, and they are awake for 6,000 hours a year. So when it comes to when a person's health is determined, it's really outside hospitals and away from doctors," said Pack Health Cofounder Will Wright. "But with the Affordable Care Act, doctors and hospitals are being held more accountable for patients during that time away."

Doctors fill out a prescription for a Pack Health kit for their patients, which is specialized to a disease and comes with educational materials that help manage pain and fatigue with the goal of ultimately keeping patients from returning to the hospital. Pack Health then regularly calls the patients throughout a 12-week period to answer any questions or give them advice.

Alan Alexander covers health care, technology and education for the Birmingham Business Journal. Click here to follow him on Twitter.