Using a mobile app to help young heart transplant patients take their medications
Official title: Evaluation of a mobile app-based video Directly Observed Therapy (video DOT) intervention for medication adherence in pediatric heart transplant patients
Funded at Emocha Mobile Health, INC. · NIH-10818337 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at whether a mobile app that helps teens who have had a heart transplant remember to take their medications works better than regular check-ins with doctors, to see which way helps them stay healthy and feel better overall.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emocha Mobile Health, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Owings Mills, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $837,410 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HL167591-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10818337 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents who have undergone heart transplantation and face challenges in adhering to their medication regimens.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not adolescents or those who have not undergone heart transplantation may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effectiveness of a mobile health application designed to support medication adherence in adolescent heart transplant patients. The app allows users to record their medication intake through video observations, helping to ensure they follow their complex post-transplant medication regimen. By comparing the app's use with traditional goal-setting sessions with healthcare providers, the study aims to identify which method better supports adherence and improves health outcomes. The research will involve a randomized controlled trial to assess the app's impact on medication adherence and overall health-related quality of life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve medication adherence among young heart transplant patients, leading to better health outcomes and reduced hospitalizations.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using mobile health applications for medication adherence, indicating that this approach could be effective for this population.
Where this research is happening
-
Emocha Mobile Health, INC.
Owings Mills, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seiguer, Sebastian — Emocha Mobile Health, INC.
- Study coordinator: Seiguer, Sebastian
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Pediatric Heart Pump to Let Kids Go Home While Waiting for Transplant
A new ultra-low-power pediatric heart pump is being developed so children awaiting a heart transplant can go home or live with the device.
-
Predicting acute rejection in children after heart transplant
A study to improve how doctors predict if a child who has had a heart transplant will have acute rejection using noninvasive blood markers and advanced heart MRI analysis.
-
Molecular mismatch as a marker of immune risk in heart transplant patients
A study to see if specific biological differences between donor and recipient hearts can predict immune reactions and guide personalized immunosuppression in people who receive heart transplants.
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Fair and efficient heart transplant allocation using AI-powered continuous distribution
A NIH-funded project will develop fair and efficient computer-based methods to match donated hearts with patients needing transplants.
-
Better ways to find heart transplant rejection in children
This research aims to find less invasive and more accurate ways to detect when a child's body is rejecting a new heart.
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Using technology to help young transplant recipients take their medications regularly
This study is all about helping young people who have had kidney or liver transplants remember to take their medications by using smart pillboxes that track when they take their meds, so they can get support right when they need it to stay healthy.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.