PatchRx Offers Data-Driven Insights to Improve Medication Adherence

Missed doses and unfilled prescriptions are silent problems that add up to serious consequences. While most providers assume patients follow instructions, that’s rarely the case. PatchRx, a Tulsa-based startup, is confronting that gap directly with a practical tool designed to show what’s really happening once a prescription leaves the pharmacy.

PatchRx created a smart pill bottle that tracks medication use and connects that data to a secure digital dashboard. The goal is not to overhaul clinical routines but to offer better visibility for doctors and pharmacists. By slipping into existing systems with minimal disruption, the product helps improve care in a way that feels natural, not forced.

Building the Company Around a Simple Fix

Andrew Aertker, co-founder and CEO, helped launch PatchRx while still a student at Tulane University. He and his co-founders had seen the disconnect between prescriptions and outcomes and recognized that better data could help close that gap. What started as a design project eventually took shape as a functioning business. After early-stage traction and feedback, the team moved to Tulsa and began building the company in earnest.

They chose the name PatchRx with purpose. It signals an intention to mend something that’s broken, rather than replace the entire system. That sense of realism has guided the company from day one.

Today, PatchRx works with a growing number of independent clinics, pharmacies and research teams. It doesn’t promise to transform the way healthcare is delivered. It just makes one part of it more accurate.

Practical for Providers and Easy for Patients

The technology is designed to track medication adherence in a passive way. The bottle logs each time it’s opened and automatically shares that data with the provider. From there, physicians and pharmacists can make more informed decisions about whether a treatment is working, or if it was never properly followed in the first place.

This level of transparency is valuable, especially for patients managing chronic conditions, mental health medications or multiple prescriptions. Often, a doctor will adjust medication based on the assumption that a patient followed instructions. With PatchRx, there’s less guesswork.

On the patient side, there’s no charging, syncing or app required. The pill bottle works in the background. It’s a deliberate choice, Andrew said, because the people most in need of adherence support are often the ones least likely to use new technology.

“Most people just want to feel better,” he said. “They’re not interested in managing another device. They want simplicity.”

Enhancing Conversations, Not Surveillance

Patients often appreciate the added attention. When a provider references the data, it creates space for honest discussions. Forgetting a dose is common, but many patients won’t admit it unless asked directly. PatchRx removes that burden.

Pharmacists benefit from the tool as well. The system integrates with pharmacy workflows and helps staff flag issues before they escalate. It supports faster, more focused follow-up, especially when patients are managing complex regimens.

Andrew is aware of the concerns that come with any technology that collects data. He said PatchRx is careful about privacy and clear with users about what the tool does.

“This isn’t surveillance. It’s not about tracking people just to track them,” he said. “It’s about making sure the right care is actually reaching the patient, and that their provider knows what’s really going on.”

Real-World Applications in Clinical Research

One area where PatchRx has found early traction is in clinical research. Trials often require strict adherence tracking, and the company’s tool offers an easier alternative to self-reporting or manual checks. It improves the quality of the data and reduces the burden on both participants and administrators.

The tool is also valuable in primary care and behavioral health. Providers using PatchRx report that they feel more confident in their treatment plans because they have clearer information about how patients are following instructions. That confidence leads to fewer unnecessary medication changes and better care continuity.

Staying Grounded as the Business Grows

PatchRx uses a subscription model for clinics and pharmacies. In research settings, devices are often covered by study funding or grants. While there’s been interest from international partners, the company is focused on expanding across the U.S. first.

Andrew and the team aren’t chasing scale for its own sake. They want to keep the product useful, not bloated. New features are introduced based on user feedback, with an emphasis on staying true to the product’s original purpose.

The company is working on expanding analytics tools that can help providers identify trends across patient populations. Still, Andrew said the core idea will remain the same—providing clear, accurate information that supports better decision-making without making things harder for anyone involved.

“Tech shouldn’t get in the way,” he said. “It should just do something helpful in the background. That’s what we’re trying to build.”

PatchRx has grown by focusing on what it can do well, not on what looks good in a pitch deck. The problem it addresses isn’t new, but it’s one most providers still face without any clear solution. That makes the company’s work all the more necessary. And that’s where it intends to stay.

Andrew Aertker, Co-Founder & CEO, PatchRx

We are solving a problem that everyone assumes is already solved.