5 Common Mistakes of Medication Dispensing
A shocking report says that 50% of Americans fail to take their medication as prescribed. It's a fact. Taking medication incorrectly contributes to 125,000 deaths in the United States each year. Taking prescribed medications helps to ensure that they do their job. In addition, it protects you from adverse drug reactions and other side effects. However, if you're like half of the United States, you're likely to be making errors. Common errors people make with medication.
You Forgot a Preventative Medication Dose
There are medications you take because your doctor told you to, but you don't notice any improvement in your symptoms when you take them. If you forget to take them for a few days, it doesn't mean that they aren't important to your health.
To have any effect on the body, medications must be taken correctly at least 80% of the time. In comparison to those who have symptoms, people with asymptomatic situations are nearly twice as unlikely to fill their prescriptions. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and glaucoma are just a few examples of chronic conditions that don't have symptoms that can be felt. These "asymptomatic" diseases can worsen and necessitate hospitalization if medication is not taken as prescribed.
A Dose Is Forgotten Because It's Too Much Work to Recall
To be honest, most of us lead hectic lives. A person's schedule can become overly complicated as a result of juggling all of these commitments. It's easy to forget a dose or two when medication management is thrown into the mix.
A simple solution is to let some new tech take over and recollect your pill times for you when you've got too much on your plate. You can go for point of care medication dispensing, which is a complete medication management system. There are various mobile apps that will tell your device to sort and distribute on time and record when you take your medication or miss them, even if your regimen is complex. It is also possible for caregivers to monitor loved ones' medication schedules and receive alerts if they miss a dose. More than ten medications? Other medications that aren't kept in the device can also be tracked using mobile app, which can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
A chime, visual images and app notifications are used to remind you to take your medication at the prescribed time. So you don't have to worry about forgetting a dose as point of care medication dispensing will keep a track of whether you've taken it. You're better off focusing on other matters.
You've Gotten Prescriptions from a Number of Different Medical Professionals
It's clear that the simplest solution won't work in this case. To have a primary care physician as well as a cardiologist and endocrinologist is not an option. It's nearly impossible to find a doctor who can handle all of your medical needs under one roof. For this reason, it can be difficult to keep track of how faithfully you've followed your doctor's orders at each visit. An easy fix, however, is to delegate responsibility for keeping track of everything to someone or something else.
You can keep track of how well you're taking your medications and generate adherence reports to share with your medical team if you go for point of care medication dispensing. Taking your 20 mg cholesterol medication at the same time every day for six weeks, missing two days, and then getting back on track is an example of this. Doctors' jobs are made a lot easier when patients remember to provide such specific information, which is not always the case.
You Delay or Do Not Refill Your Bottles at All
We are hardwired to put off important tasks until later. We all procrastinate until the last minute. Unfortunately, many prescriptions are left unfilled after the first round of pills. After 6 months, the refill can get drop up to 40%, even though 70% of first prescriptions for medications are filled. If that's the case, then a lot of people aren't taking their medication as they should.
Every one of us has experienced the frustration of only having two pills left in the bottle when it's time to take our morning pills. Before your next prescription refill, you were supposed to see your doctor for a checkup.
Fortunately, there are a few simple solutions to the problem of running out of medication. Consider getting a 90-day supply of medication from your doctor first, rather than a month's supply. Refills are more likely to be remembered if you only have to order them every 90 days rather than every 30 days, according to research.
Organize your refill dates next. 3% more people adhere to their medication regimens when they have all of their prescriptions refilled on the same day. Refills could be picked up on the 15th of every month if you talk to your pharmacist about it. Put a reminder in your calendar and it will soon become second nature to you,
Intentionally or Not, You're Concealing Your Medications from Yourself
No, we never forgotten where we put my medication. Be truthful with yourself. Its springtime, and you're looking for your allergy medication in every drawer, medicine cabinet, and closet? Yes, it's a common blunder. It's best to keep all of your supplies in one place so that you can always find what you need.
Medications should be stored in accordance with your personal preferences and needs. If a medication requires refrigeration, you'll want to keep it in the refrigerator. Medications can be properly stored packages or pill bottles in a drawer, pantry, or hall closet, as long as they are properly organized. The medicine cabinet is, ironically, the last place you should keep your medications. There are some medications that don't work as well if the temperature or humidity in your bathroom fluctuates too much.
Ensure That These Mistakes Do Not Occur
We're all just like each other. It's human nature to make errors. Most medications work best when taken correctly at least 80% of the time, so keep that in mind. Come to PD-RX Pharmaceuticals in OKC if you wish to dispense medication in a systematic way.
**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.