Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. and HealthPrize Technologies today announced the launch of RespiPoints™, a free online program that educates, engages, and rewards people who are treating their COPD with SPIRIVA RESPIMAT.
The RespiPoints program provides tools to help improve healthy behaviors, such as learning how to help manage COPD, encourage healthy habits, and track medication adherence. As with other chronic diseases, poor adherence to treatment plans is common among people with COPD and can result in increased rates of COPD symptoms, healthcare costs and hospitalizations.
Taken once daily as directed, SPIRIVA RESPIMAT helps relax airways and keep them open for 24 hours. SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can also reduce COPD flare-ups (or COPD exacerbations). SPIRIVA RESPIMAT does not treat sudden breathing problems and cannot be used in place of a rescue inhaler.
"Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to providing support and resources for patients' needs beyond our industry-leading six COPD medicines," said Ruchin Kansal, executive director and head, Business Innovation, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "We are proud to continue our unwavering commitment to the COPD community with new technology and support services that can help improve patient outcomes. The RespiPoints program is the latest in a series of efforts to empower people living with COPD to better manage their health with tools that are engaging and educational."
People enrolled in the RespiPoints program earn points, which can be redeemed for e-gift cards, through a variety of activities, such as reporting they took their daily SPIRIVA RESPIMAT dose, verifying their monthly refill, reading COPD educational information and fun facts, and completing weekly quizzes and surveys.
Boehringer Ingelheim co-designed the program with HealthPrize, which based the RespiPoints program on the company's proven methods to educate and engage patients.
"We recently released results that showed a sizable reduction in gap days—or days late to refill a prescription—in patients enrolled in a similar HealthPrize program," said HealthPrize CEO Tom Kottler. "We're pleased to be partnering closely with Boehringer Ingelheim in supporting and educating COPD patients taking SPIRIVA RESPIMAT."
To learn more, visit www.RespiPoints.com.
About Spiriva Respimat
SPIRIVA RESPIMAT, 2.5 mcg, is a long-term, once-daily, prescription maintenance medicine used to control symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by relaxing your airways and keeping them open. COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. SPIRIVA RESPIMAT also reduces the likelihood of COPD flare-ups (COPD exacerbations). SPIRIVA RESPIMAT is not a treatment for sudden symptoms of COPD.
