Health Tech Idaho’s Monthly Innovator Feature
Welcome to the latest installment of “5 Questions With…” – Health Tech Idaho’s monthly feature to help you quickly get to know an innovator who is changing the face of healthcare and technology in Idaho.
Founder & President
This month’s Q&A is with the dynamic duo behind Effectiv, Anne Maxson and Tyler Hemsley. Each a pharmacist by training, they have worked in a variety of pharmacy settings for several decades combined. In that time, they saw over and over the consequences of the question: What happens when people don’t take their medications, or don’t take them properly?
“We saw too many times, whether in our day jobs or getting calls from friends and family, the effects of medications not being used correctly,” said Maxson. “Some of these situations had really sad outcomes. I just kept thinking ‘We can do this better and I don’t know why we aren’t.’”
This is what Effectiv was founded to solve. Read on for the rest of the story.
What’s your current gig?
Anne: I’m the Founder and President of Effectiv. My focus is on keeping our team aligned and organized, tracking progress against our goals, and ensuring we are executing internally with excellence.
Tyler: I’m the Co-Founder and CEO. I spend most of my time in-market, focusing on building relationships, business development, and telling the story of Effectiv to take this company forward.
What’s your elevator pitch and how do you deliver on it?
Co-Founder & CEO
Tyler: Effectiv transforms medication management from an outdated and frustrating system to something that is future-proof, aligned with patient engagement and value-based care, and allows doctors and their teams to be proactive and informed rather than reliant on external data that comes too late to be actionable.
We do this with a web app that’s accessed by both patients and providers. Once enrolled, Effectiv sends automated nudges to patients at timed intervals, prompting them to complete secure, simple surveys where patients can record their experience with their medications and treatment plan. That data is then shared with clinicians, which accomplishes several things. First, it establishes an ongoing line of data-driven communication between patients and clinicians regarding medications. This has been a lightbulb moment for everyone we have talked to because this is currently a massive communication gap. Second, it gathers simple, yet valuable data for clinicians, so they have real-time visibility to what’s going on with their patients, rather than waiting for data that comes too late. Establishing the line of communication, and pairing it with actionable data creates a reimbursable workflow aligned with keeping patients happy, healthy and out of the hospital.
What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned getting to this point?
Anne: Working as a pharmacist you’re trained to do everything perfectly, because if your calculations are off by even the smallest decimal point or you mistake one item for another, you could harm someone. But I’ve learned that business isn’t like that. You don’t have to be perfect, and in fact it’s actually better to put something out there that is “good enough,” get feedback on it, and iterate quickly. Fail fast. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about healthcare right now, what would change?
Effectiv’s aim?
Tyler Hemsley
“keeping patients happy, healthy and out of the hospital.”
Tyler: Most people get into healthcare because they want to keep patients happy, healthy, and out of the hospital. Sadly, in so many situations, the current healthcare incentives are misaligned with that goal. This is one of the major contributors to burnout in the healthcare professions, and such an incredibly difficult thing to change. If I could, I would realign the financial incentives of the industry with products and services that truly improve health, longevity and access to care.
Why are you excited about healthtech in Idaho?
Tyler: So many reasons! Moving from a large health system into an entrepreneurial environment, my mind has been blown in terms of the level of opportunity, expertise, and innovation happening right here in Idaho. There are so many doors opening in the business world and companies are thriving. Idaho is a great place to work in healthtech.
You don’t have to be perfect…Fail fast. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Ann Maxson
Anne: I couldn’t agree more. I’m constantly reminded of the “man in the arena” speech – how your critics don’t matter, and the credit belongs to the person in the arena with all of their blood, sweat, and tears on display. There are so many others in the arena here with you, who are there to lift you up and support you, and just uniquely “get it.” A rising tide lifts all boats, and the healthtech tide is rising in Idaho.
If you’d like to learn more about Effectiv, come see Tyler and Anne at the next HealthTech Idaho event in September! Or reach out to them via their website, especially if you are a small to midsize independent practice or direct primary care provider who is interested in testing Effectiv in your clinic.
