Mobile Application Provides a Safer, Cost-Effective Way to Dispense Emergency Medication

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Creative Strategies unveils statDISPENSE, a smart padlock technology that turns traditional emergency medicine kits, or “tackle box” exchange systems, into a fully automated dispensing and tracking device that integrates medical record keeping and inventory management into an affordable, simple-to-use device. statDISPENSE is operated by authorized caregivers through an intuitive mobile application that automates record keeping, billing and chain of custody while improving efficiency, security and accountability, making it easier for senior living and long-term care operators along with their preferred pharmacies to focus on the residents’ quality of life.

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Automated padlock technology provides a safer, cost-effective way to dispense emergency medication. Controlled by an application on any mobile enabled device. For pharmacies and long-term care facilities, it offers timely and secure emergency medication and affordable alternative to medical carts without sacrificing security. It eliminates cumbersome paperwork and tracks, in real-time, usage, billing and inventory control. (Photo: Business Wire)

Long-term care and senior living facilities have a growing need for safe and immediate access to first-dose and emergency medication, including controlled substances. statDISPENSE offers a streamlined system that aids facilities and pharmacies in regulatory compliance and security while drastically reducing the chance for medication errors. Regulations for managing emergency medicine kits vary from state to state, with some states requiring only 24 hours to safely access, replace and update drug inventory.

statDISPENSE fits on any type of “tackle box” system and is controlled by a mobile app on any iOS supported device such as iPhone or iPad. The software tracks every step in the process, ensuring that authorized caregivers can access the medication quickly and safely. The system tracks when medication is removed from the storage system and administered to each resident, maximizing control while limiting liability through comprehensive, automated record keeping.

statDISPENSE is also ideal for pharmacies and long-term care facilities. When they manage inventory from an emergency medication kit located at the facility, statDISPENSE tracks when the kit is opened, who opened it and what was removed. The system eliminates cumbersome paperwork and physical inventory management to ensure accurate inventory control, timely billing and regulatory compliance.

“statDISPENSE is a very innovative approach to automating the manual process related to emergency medication commonly in use by many long-term care pharmacies and their senior care clients,” said Jim Pierce, industry consultant and Principal with J Pierce Group LLC. “Due to its flexibility and affordability, this technology offers an opportunity to achieve greater efficiency and a rapid return on investment in situations where other more costly approaches may not.”

Until now, there have only been two options for long-term care facilities, senior living communities and pharmacies to manage emergency and first-dose medications for residents: paper-based “tackle box” systems or expensive medication cabinets or carts. The paper-based “tackle box” system, while inexpensive, presents a host of security problems. Anyone can access the box and there is no tracking mechanism to tell who, when or if residents received their proper medication in proper doses. Documentation can be misplaced and when the paper trail is lost, thousands of dollars are lost. In addition, there is no efficient way to track off-site inventory. Medication carts solve some problems; however, they can be complicated for caregivers to use and are often very expensive, with a single cabinet costing thousands of dollars.

“If a caregiver or pharmacy technician can check the weather with an iPhone, they can operate statDISPENSE,” said Jerry Merritt, CEO Creative Strategies. “The technology eliminates human error that can result from manual record keeping, making inventory control and regulatory compliance much easier and more efficient. Once medication is administered, facilities and pharmacies are notified in real-time ensuring inventory tracking and automatic billing. In many cases, this product can even reduce the need for expensive cart systems.”

statDISPENSE technology is currently available and is being used by pharmacies, long-term care facilities and senior living communities across the country.

About Creative Strategies US
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Creative Strategies is a leading innovator of medication and care management software solutions to optimize and error-proof the shared process between caregivers and pharmacists in the senior care, assisted living, and corrections markets. Our solutions are widely adopted by some of the most well-respected assisted living and skilled nursing communities and correctional facilities across the country to ensure the highest levels of clinical excellence for their residents. Long-Term Care (LTC) pharmacies throughout the U.S. prefer our solutions for their unique capacity to keep caregivers and pharmacists on the same page at all times – from physician order to care delivery. For more information about Creative Strategies visit the company’s website at www.creativestrategiesus.com.

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Source: Creative Strategies US

By Paige Waters and Stephanie Macro

Artificial intelligence is no longer a buzzword reserved for technology conferences and corporate strategy decks. It is actively reshaping how life and health insurance is sold, underwritten, serviced and regulated. Those who understand the technology and how to implement it wisely will be better positioned for the future of insurance distribution.

AI is already inside the industry's core operations

Machine learning and AI are embedded in the daily operations of insurers, administrators and distributors across the industry. Underwriting has seen the most dramatic transformation. AI-driven platforms now pull information from electronic health records, prescription histories and wearable device data to render near-instant decisions -- often without a medical exam -- cutting underwriting and claims processing times by up to 40%.

The competitive gap between early adopters and laggards is widening rapidly. Claims management is similarly evolving. AI models triage incoming claims, flag fraud and billing anomalies, and in some cases adjudicate straightforward claims end-to-end with limited human involvement. For health insurers, this has significant cost management implications at a time when medical claim inflation continues to accelerate.

Distribution and sales are being redefined

The AI transformation extends well beyond back-office operations. Insurtech platforms and forward-looking insurers are deploying predictive lead scoring, automated consumer engagement journeys, and advisor augmentation tools that surface client insights and life-event triggers ahead of agent interactions. These tools compress the traditional sales cycle and raise the bar for effective distribution. Insurers that invest in AI-powered sales infrastructure will increasingly outpace those relying on legacy systems and manual workflows.

The consumer experience expectation has shifted

Consumers now expect fast responses, personalized communication and seamless digital access from their insurer. Yet despite expanded digital capabilities, customer satisfaction scores across the insurance industry declined in 2025. The lesson: Automation handles volume, but it struggles with complexity and emotion.

Policyholders navigating a serious health event, a disputed claim or a beneficiary matter want to engage with a knowledgeable, empathetic human. The industry's challenge -- and opportunity -- is deploying AI to handle routine interactions efficiently while preserving the human touchpoints that drive loyalty and trust.

Regulatory and compliance pressures are mounting

State-level AI regulation has accelerated significantly. As of mid-2026, 25 states have adopted the NAIC Model Bulletin on the Use of AI Systems by Insurers (adopted December 2023). New York, California, Colorado and Texas have issued their own guidance -- bringing the total to approximately 29 states with some form of AI insurance guidance.

In March 2026, the NAIC launched a 12-state pilot of its AI Systems Evaluation Tool, running through September 2026. The AI Tool gives regulators a structured framework for market conduct examinations, including breadth of AI adoption across the enterprise; structure of AI governance; deep-dive review of high-risk systems; and data sources. The AI Tool is expected to be formally adopted at the 2026 NAIC Fall National Meeting.

Even insurers outside the 12 pilot states should treat its exhibits as the template regulators will use going forward. Additionally, a model law or guidance on third-party data and AI model oversight is anticipated later in 2026.

The industry should prepare now for stricter vendor diligence, contractual controls, and enforceable explainability standards. AI models must be auditable, bias-tested, and documented. Enforcement has not yet widely materialized, but the examination infrastructure is now operational -- and regulators have signaled it will be used.

The disruptive reality for life and health agents

AI is not neutral for the distribution force. While insurers gain real efficiency, agents face growing disruption to their role, compensation and insurer relationships. Insurers are deploying AI-powered direct-to-consumer platforms that bypass agents entirely for routine sales. An estimated half of all U.S. consumers are expected to use AI tools to research and shop for insurance in 2026 -- a direct threat to agent market share.

Meanwhile, commission compression is emerging as insurers strive to reduce distribution costs through AI-enabled direct channels, and some are revising agent agreements to reflect reduced commissions on AI-originated policies. New AI-use provisions are also appearing in insurer contracts, restricting how agents may use third-party AI tools for quoting and client communications, citing compliance, data privacy, and concerns about errors and omissions.

Workforce displacement is a real risk, particularly for newer agents. Agentic AI -- systems that autonomously complete multi-step tasks -- is handling intake, policy comparisons, renewals and routine service inquiries that were previously entry-level agent work. This disrupts the pipeline for developing the next generation of experienced practitioners.

For health agents specifically, AI-driven claims adjudication and prior authorization systems are placing agents on the front lines of client frustration without the transparency to understand or challenge AI's decisions.

The agents who thrive will not be those who resist AI -- they will be those who embrace it strategically, scrutinize their insurer agency agreements and build a value proposition centered on the complex advisory needs that AI cannot replicate.

AI is not a future threat to be monitored from a distance. It is a present-tense competitive and operational reality. Life and health insurers that invest in AI capabilities, build responsible governance frameworks,and keep the human element at the center of the customer relationship will define what this industry looks like in the decade ahead.

Paige Waters is partner at Troutman Pepper Locke law firm. Contact her at [email protected].

Stephanie Macro is counsel at Troutman Papper Locke law firm. Contact her at [email protected].

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