Americans rely on their smartphones for just about everything these days, from managing their schedules, to keeping up with the news, even for buying groceries. And an ever-growing percentage of the population is using smartphone technology to stay on top of their health through fitness trackers and medical apps. For the past several years, CVS Health has been a pioneer in this area, offering top-rated apps that help people manage their prescriptions.

We know that people who use digital and online tools tend to follow their medication regimen more closely, which can result in improved health and cost savings. That's why we've launched a new suite of digital offerings to make getting and staying on medication easier and more convenient than ever before.

How will these tools work? Consider Cathy, a 45-year-old mother of two who serves as caretaker for her aging father. Cathy can easily manage her family's prescriptions wherever she happens to be with a few taps on her phone, tablet or computer. By downloading the CVS/pharmacy iPhone mobile app for herself and her dad, Cathy can use a new feature to set reminders for him to take his medication and even load the reminders to his Apple watch. This helps her dad stay on track and gives Cathy peace of mind. In fact, Cathy will receive an alert when her father doesn't take his medications on schedule so she can quickly follow up with him to keep him on track.

When her husband changes insurance carriers, Cathy simply scans his new insurance card to notify us of the change. This means no paperwork, no phone calls, and no waiting in line to speak to a pharmacist. Cathy has also opted in to receive mobile notifications when she enters a CVS/pharmacy, so she knows that her family's medications are ready for pickup the moment she enters the store.

CVS/caremark members who receive their prescriptions by mail can also save time by downloading the CVS/caremark mobile app. Members can use the app to capture and submit a paper prescription in seconds, making it easy and convenient to begin the mail service fill process.

Several of the new tools were developed in the CVS Health Digital Innovation Lab, which opened its doors in mid-2015. 'These digital offerings can help address real problems, including medication adherence, through tools that are designed to make tasks easier and more convenient,' says CVS Health Chief Digital Officer Brian Tilzer. 'By leveraging our innovative technology assets, we can help patients and their families take the next steps on their path to better health.'

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