Medication management is an important service to help patients correctly use their prescribed medications. Patients need education on the right dosages to help them avoid the dangers of incorrect medication administration.
To avoid incorrect administration, patients can be taught simple strategies. Simple tips like setting an alarm may help with timing on dosages.
by Donna Werking, Owner, Northern AZ Social, LLC
As a nation, medication management is needed as a prevention to mistakes that occur daily. Here are a few facts provided by Terrace Pharmacy:
- Approximately 700,000 people experience negative side effects to their medications that result in an emergency room visit.
- An estimated $290 billion is the cost each year of patients who fail to take their medications properly.
- On average, about 50% of patients in the U.S. do not take their medications properly and around 33% do not fill their prescription at all.
- Benefits of medication management include:
- Improved administration of all medications
- Better patient use of prescribed medications
- Reduced side effects and drug interactions
- Peace of mind for the patients and their families when medications are taken correctly
- Reduced illness and death
- Decreased medical costs (i.e. costs spent on emergency room visits and hospitalizations)
With approximately 50% of patients taking medications incorrectly, it is vital that hospitals and clinicians offer the education patients need to stay healthy while taking prescribed medications. When patients take their medications the correct way, their health can improve or, at minimum, they can better manage their condition.
Medication management is a necessary service that helps the well-being of so many individuals on prescribed medications today. According to the American Medical Association, approximately 40% of seniors age 65 and older, take at least five prescription drugs on a regular basis. This means tracking medications can be simply overwhelming.
Call your physician to find a medication management clinic near you that can help your specific medication needs.
Sources: www.myterracepharmacy.com/understanding-medication-management-importance-and-benefits; www.cobbdaleassistedliving.com/importance-proper-medication-management