Tips for ‘medication adherence'

Medication adherence is a term that is becoming more common to the non-medical community. But what does it mean, and why are insurance representatives and pharmacies making phone calls to address it? Simply stated, medication adherence means that you are taking your medicine as prescribed – the right dose, at the right time, in the right way. Following good medication adherence leads to overall better health, longer life and decreased health costs. Unfortunately, it is estimated that 20% to 30% of new medications are never filled at the pharmacy; and that medication is not taken as prescribed 50 percent of the time.

The most common causes that lead to patients not taking their medication are fear of potential side effects, cost of the medication, and a misunderstanding of their disease state and its best treatment. Another major cause for medication non-adherence is simple forgetfulness and difficulty of fitting their drug regimen into a busy life.

There are some simple tips that can be used to help a patient remember their medication and increase adherence. First, take your medication at the same time every day. Make it part of a daily routine that is already in place – like brushing your teeth or getting ready for bed. Implement the use of a pill box with sections for different times of the day. Make sure your pill box is visible so that you will notice if you have not taken your dose yet. Setting timers can be helpful, timer caps for your pill bottles, an alarm on your watch or phone, or medication reminder apps are all available. Enrolling in a medication synchronization program at your pharmacy may also be beneficial, these programs sync all your medications to be filled on one day, allowing for fewer trips to the pharmacy. Finally, when traveling always take along a few extra days’ worth of medication for those unforeseen changes in plans, and pack your medication in your carry-on when flying.

~Mike Tullis is a pharmacist at MediCenter Pharmacy in Sikeston.