When a patient leaves a healthcare facility, the doctor expects the patient to pick up the newly prescribed medications and take them as directed. More often than not, patients either don’t pick up the medication or take it properly causing a lack of medication adherence. This can be avoided if both patient and provider can work together and discuss the goals of care. Medication non-compliance or lack of medication adherence account for up to 50% of treatment failures, approximately 125,000 deaths, and up to 25% of hospitalizations in the United States each year. Medication Adherence has an impact on quality and length of life, health outcomes, and overall healthcare costs.
Pharmacists can play an important role here. Some patients have a hard time expressing their concerns about taking a medication or the obstacles in picking up a medication. Having open conversations about these concerns and obstacles with a pharmacist can lead to solutions and ensure the patient is receiving proper care to treat their disease.
illuminate.health is a pharmacists-led, virtual medication management service that can benefit Health Plans, Self-funded Employers, Patients and Caregivers. The Pharmacist-led service ensures that patients take the right medications at the right time, as well as keeping a close eye on drug-drug interactions and other side effects. Patients with chronic conditions are monitored closely. Sixteen studies showed that the odds of medication adherence doubled when conversations took place over text messaging. illuminate.health provides this service through the tech-enable clinical service offering. Patients are able to directly message pharmacists and receive timely responses to address concerns and obstacles. It allows the pharmacist and patient to track progress and ensure the patient is adhering to the medication regimen. illuminate.health avoids the elephant in the room and focuses on patient needs to increase medication adherence.
