Burman’s leverages pioneering treatment management solution to improve Hepatitis C outcomes

Burman’s knew that when these drugs hit the market, they were going to require intensive management in order to reach their potential for eliminating HCV in most patients. These drugs, which prevent replication of the virus, work best when combined with other drugs to prevent relapse and regulate the immune system. The drugs also require providers to continuously evaluate each patient’s response.

Burman’s founder and CEO Steve Burman as FDA approval was approaching, there was no good way for pharmacies and physicians to aggregate clinically relevant data on patients that could have a positive impact on how they were treated.

"We knew that if we could implement a technology solution that facilitated the process for pharmacies and physicians, patients would be treated appropriately – taking medicine that works, and stopping treatment with therapies that do not. The end result would be improved patient response, which is in line with our guiding philosophy," Burman added.

Burman’s next move toward realizing their idea was to partner with Connexus Technology, a Philadelphia-based information technology company with expertise in healthcare solutions.

They strove to develop a software solution that enables providers to easily and efficiently manage treatment of HCV and optimizes the doctor-pharmacist relationship by integrating automated lab results, longitudinal tracking functions, and insurance management capabilities, among other features.

The companies also prioritized compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, thereby ensuring confidentiality and security, as well as customer service best practices.

In June 2011, when Incivek and Victrelis had been approved and became available to HCV patients, Burman’s’ staff was prepared with the product – HealthTrac.

The new version of HealthTrac is even more specialized to accommodate rational use of Sovaldi and Olysio, drugs that also work by stopping the replication of HCV in affected patients, but with a higher success rate. When rational use is employed, Sovaldi and Olysio promise a greater-than 90% cure rate when combined with other mainstay drugs, compared to 60-80 percent with past-used combinations, in many HCV patients.

In addition, these new drugs can offer a reduced treatment period, fewer and less-severe side effects, and, in some cases a dramatically-simplified delivery system.

The drugs will not work as well as they can unless rational use is employed by all parties involved – providers, patients, and payors. Considering their cost – up to $1,800 per day, the new drugs demand rational use to justify their value. HealthTrac can help everyone achieve optimal rational use.