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Many healthcare
professionals have firsthand experience with the dramatic
effects of poor medication compliance. Compliance issues are
especially important with clients who have serious or chronic
health conditions.
The inability
to manage medications is one of the leading reasons why seniors
need additional, and often more expensive, caresuch
as assisted living facilities or nursing homes:
- 23%
of caregivers report issues associated with medications
1
- 10%
of hospital admissions are related to medication issues
2,3
- 23%
of nursing home admissions are related to medication problems
4
- 80%
of assisted living residents have medications managed by
their facilities 5
1 "Family
Caregiving in the US," National Alliance for Caregiving/AARP,
June 1997 2. Schering Report IX The Forgetful Patient: The
High Cost of Improper Patient Compliance. 3 Oregon Department
of Human Resources, A Study of Long-Term Care in Oregon with
Emphasis on the Elderly, March 1981. 4 Standberg, L.R., Drugs
as a Reason for Nursing Home Admissions, American Healthcare
Association Journal, 10,20 (1984). 5 NCAL Web site
What
are the hidden costs of medication compliance?
- Lower
productivitytime spent managing medication and compliance
issues decreases time spent on other client needs.
- Higher
costswhen clients miss important medications, they
may need higher levels of care, such as rehospitalization
or assisted living.
- Lost
clientsclients move to other agencies or facilities
because medication management needs are not being met.
- PPSunder
the PPS system, repeated visits to monitor medication compliance
are increasingly costly to your business.
Understanding
the mechanics of compliance.
- The
mechanics of medication compliance involve a simple, yet
critical processsafely getting the correct number
of pills from the correct bottles to your client at the
correct times.
- Any
device (such as MD.2) that facilitates compliance should
be designed to dispense, organize, remind and monitor medications
with built-in security.
- Compliance
devices should also support a "feedback loop" to provide
information and data to the business userhelping them
effectively manage the quality of care to their patients
and residents.
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