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How to ensure
medication compliance
By Greg Armstrong
Len’s Drug
hen people become
noncompliant
with
medication, it can lead
to increased illness and death.
It is estimated that noncom-
pliance incurs costs of approx-
imately $100 billion annually.
In fact, increasing compliance
of existing medication ther-
apy may have a greater effect
on health than changing or
improving a specific medica-
tion therapy.
Just over 50% of all patients
Eagle file photo
taking medication are not com- Len’s Drug Pharmacy Technician Rori Leighton, left, and
pliant with the way in which it Pharmacy Manager Tilli Bjornberg work in the John Day
was prescribed. That is a lot of pharmacy.
noncompliance. Of all medica-
tion-related hospitalizations, at
least one-third, and up to two-
thirds, are related to poor medi-
cation compliance.
On one hand, not all of the
blame can land on the patient
alone. The entire health care
system can have positive and
negative impacts on medication
compliance. The system often
has too many moving parts to
make consistent medication
The Eagle/Rudy Diaz
compliance feasible. Even with
all components working in the Len’s Drug pharmacists Greg Armstrong, left, and Carl Amstad
patient’s best interest, there can have more than 85 years of experience between them and have
been recognized as Veterans in Pharmacy.
be breakdowns.
Your pharmacy team at
Len’s Drug is committed to patients, we do not want to be a makes it easier to ensure that
helping in whatever way we stumbling block to their medi- all medications for each dosing
can to increase medication cation compliance.
time are administered.
Our pharmacy team will
compliance. We have several
Even with some effec-
programs that can help you and call the patient five to seven tive ways to increase medica-
your loved ones increase their days ahead of time to make tion compliance, we can never
compliance and, thus, decrease sure there have not been any underestimate the effectiveness
their potential adverse effects changes in their medication of contacting the pharmacy a
list. We contact the doctor to minimum of three days prior
from noncompliance.
Refills Made Simple: This obtain needed refills, and we to needing your refill. With
program strives to synchronize make sure we have the neces- the moving parts of the health
all the patient’s chronic or main- sary quantity of medication, care system, this extra time can
tenance medications to be filled which all leads to one trip to be very necessary to prevent a
at the same time each month, the pharmacy and increased break in therapy.
or every three months for plans compliance.
Most importantly, the phar-
that allow a 90-day supply. One
Salad Packs: These salad macy team at Len’s Drug is
factor that often adds to medica- packs are named because we always available to answer
tion noncompliance is an exces- are placing all the patient’s your questions and assist you
sive number of trips to the phar- medications for a particular with improving your medica-
macy. While we love seeing our dosing time in one blister. This tion compliance.
W
10 TIPS FOR
MEDICATION
COMPLIANCE
The Center for Drug and Health Infor-
mation Services, offers these 10 tips for
increased medication compliance:
1. Integrate the medication schedule
into your daily life.
Fit the medication into your life instead
of structuring your life around your
medication.
2. Count out your doses in advance.
Use a pill box to prepare your medi-
cation a week or even two weeks in
advance. Note, some medications need
to be refrigerated. If that is the case,
keep the pill boxes in the refrigerator or
a cool place.
3. Keep a checklist.
Make a daily checklist of the medica-
tion you have to take and the times you
should take them. Check off each dose
after it is taken. This will help to avoid
missed or double doses.
4. Use a beeping alarm.
Use a beeping watch or timer to remind
you when a dose is due.
5. Put dosage times into your daily
planner.
Just like an appointment, add your
medication doses into your daily plan-
ner to remind you when a dose is due.
6. Plan ahead for traveling, refills and
weekends.
Pack your medications and keep them
with you when traveling. Keep in mind
that your schedule may change while
on vacation, and you will need to adjust
how you take your medication. Also,
plan ahead for your refills. Don’t wait
until you are out to call your pharmacy
to order a refill. Give the pharmacy a
minimum of two to three days to get
your refills ready.
7. Arrange for privacy.
If you want to hide the fact you take
medication, arrange for some private
time at work when you can take your
medication. Scout out a place such as
a bathroom where you can take your
medication in private.
8. Keep a diary.
Write down successes as well as failures
to remind you what has worked and
what has not. Record missed doses to
identify times or doses that need to
be worked on to improve medication
compliance.
9. Establish and use a support
network.
Find friends or family that can assist
you in taking your medication. Local
“buddy lines” can help with remind-
ers and serve as a partner in therapy.
Realizing others are struggling as you
are can help with feelings of isolation.
Develop a working relationship with
your health care time (doctor, pharma-
cist and caregiver).
10. Leave yourself notes and reminders.
Leave notes around the house where
you will be sure to see them: the re-
frigerator next to the TV, the bathroom
mirror.