Jan-Feb 2020 - ChannelVision Magazine

The Rise of the ‘AX’ Allen, Bradfield and the rest of the team at InterAct also are focusing on how to leverage cutting-edge tech- nologies to extend the accountability and structure of inpatient rehabilita- tion during the first few months of outpatient service. “In some cases, halfway houses can be breeding grounds for further abuse,” Allen explained. “Often- times, there’s no visibility for the people running the halfway houses, even when they’re really well inten- tioned, because they simply don’t have the resources. There’s not a lot of money in this industry. So, our thinking is, let’s enhance that and provide a new approach to help pro- vide accountability.” Wearables, for instance, can help track biomedical signs and provide geo-fencing for addicts so that spon- sors can know where patients are at all times. And scheduling tools can be used to demonstrate that addicts are at work, using biometrics. At the end of the day, the goal is to help people make better choices for themselves so they can become functioning and responsible members of society. “The thing people need to under- stand is that addicts are incredibly resourceful,” Allen continued. “This program isn’t to stop an addict who’s dead set on going out and using again. That addict will go out and use if they want to. I’ll tell you right now, if I want to drink, I will go out and drink. There’s nothing that’s going to stop me, whether it’s an ankle monitor or anything else. We’re simply trying to put some friction between them and that slip. So really it’s for the folks that want sobriety but keep getting dragged back. We’re going to give extra support and accountability.” What we’re seeing at InterAct is a bold transition, and a fresh ap- proach to addiction and recovery. It’s also a trend that closely mirrors the customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX) trends that are sweeping through the en- terprise space. Allen referred to the rise of the addict experience (AX), and the world of possibilities that could be applied to help people who want to get better. Even technologies such as jour- ney mapping can be applied to this new field, helping individuals track, monitor and understand how far they have come – and what’s at stake if they make a poor decision. “Right now, we’re open to using whatever applications we can come up with,” Allen said. “For example, if you sell someone a geo-fencing platform that uses Wi-Fi so that they know when their customers are within a mile of a restaurant, then why can’t I build an app to see when someone is making a stop in a neighborhood that’s known for having a heroin problem? So that’s the idea of where we’re heading, and we’ll continue to search for new solutions.” o CHANNEL MANAGEMENT 25 January - February, 2020 | CHANNEL VISION