Sonara Health is advancing its remote monitoring platform for methadone treatment with a $2.5 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The funding will support a Phase II trial, the Remote Observed Methadone Evaluation (ROME) study, designed to evaluate the impact of the company's technology on treatment retention and opioid use. This initiative addresses the critical need for more accessible and flexible methadone treatment options, potentially reducing relapse rates and improving patient outcomes.
Remote Monitoring to Enhance Treatment Adherence
The Sonara Health platform utilizes a patient's smartphone camera to record the user taking their prescribed methadone dose. This is coupled with tamper-proof take-home bottles embedded with QR codes synchronized to the app. This system allows healthcare providers to offer patients the option of self-administering methadone at home, a significant departure from the traditional requirement of daily clinic visits. The ROME study will take place at clinics in the Chicago area, in partnership with Chestnut Health Systems and Family Guidance, as Sonara Health seeks to expand its remote monitoring system across the United States.
Impact on Treatment and Cost
The Phase II trial will examine how the app affects treatment retention, overall opioid use, insurance costs, and overall treatment quality. According to Sonara Health CEO Michael Giles, the grant from NIDA will allow the company to examine the platform’s impact on cost reduction, specifically non-emergency medical transportation, as well as retention in treatment. The study will also assess the impact on cravings using a visual analogue craving scale.
Addressing Barriers to Access
Methadone distribution in the U.S. is restricted to federally certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs), numbering approximately 2,000 nationwide. This limited availability often requires patients to visit clinics daily for their medication. Giles explained that the standard of care for patients early in treatment often involves daily clinic visits, which can be unsustainable due to work, school, or family obligations, leading to treatment dropout and potential relapse to illegal opioid use. Sonara aims to provide patients with more take-home doses of methadone, allowing them to demonstrate safe usage to their providers and eventually transition to a less restrictive treatment plan.
Promising Early Results
Early anecdotal evidence suggests that Sonara's platform is having a positive impact on patient retention. Giles noted that their 90-day retention rate is approximately 15% higher than the industry standard, with Sonara observing an 85% retention rate compared to the industry average of around 70%. The platform is currently being used in 13 states, from Florida to Alaska.
Future Implications
Sonara Health hopes that the results of the Phase II trial will incentivize providers to adopt remote therapeutic monitoring, improving the quality of care and the recovery process. Giles also suggested that the technology could lower the barrier to entry for hospital groups considering offering methadone services, as it mitigates the challenges associated with traditional OTPs.
