| Sumario: | Purpose Hypertension medications are highly effective in controlling blood pressure and preventing deleterious effects on the heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain (Wing and Gabb, 2018; Benetos et al., 2019). However, adherence to hypertension medications is low at only around 50%, and nonadherence leads to decreased quality of life and increased healthcare costs - $290 billion/year in the United States (Osterberg and Blaschke, 2005; NEHI 2009). Technology innovations can improve medication adherence, and an increasing number of older adults are using smartphones - 81% for 60-69 years, 62% for >70 years (Kakulla 2020). We have developed a digital therapeutic system (a smartphone app and companion website) to support hypertension medication adherence for older adults. Method An interdisciplinary team of clinical, cognitive aging, gerontechnology, human factors, and health technology experts across multiple institutions collaborated to develop the Medication Education, Decision Support, Reminding, and Monitoring (MEDSReM©) system. A theory-based and previously tested prospective memory intervention for older adults (Insel et al., 2016) was used as a base for the technology translation into MEDSReM© (Al-Saleh, 2022). Our interdisciplinary team developed and conducted human factors evaluations of every component of the system, including the educational materials, decision support algorithms, reminder options, blood pressure integration, and feedback visualizations. Results and Discussion MEDSReM© is a theory-based, older user-centered, and integrated digital therapeutic system that educates, supports missed dose decisions, reminds, monitors hypertension medication adherence, and incorporates blood pressure feedback. The MEDSReM© system is being tested among older adults who use hypertension medications in a randomized clinical trial. Well-designed technology intervention developed by interdisciplinary teams with complementary expertise and tested with older adults may improve adherence to hypertension medications that can lead to improved health outcomes.
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