A Dose of Reality: Medication Non-adherence Causes 125,000 Deaths, $290 Billion in Healthcare Costs Annually; Patients Blame Lack of Refill Planning for Missed Doses

While medication non-adherence accounts for more than 125,000 deaths and 10 to 25 percent of hospital/nursing home admissions each year in the United States, a recent patient survey shows that lack of planning to fill prescriptions may be to blame. In fact, one-third of patients surveyed say they miss doses of their medication due to not refilling their prescription before they’ve run out.

To help patients optimize their medication regimen, APhA Foundation’s campaign encourages patients to participate in a medication synchronization program, which allows the pharmacist to help streamline and synchronize the pick-up date of their medication refills.

“In the United States, medications comprise approximately 10 percent of healthcare expenditures, and a staggering $290 billion of this is attributed to medication misuse and regimen non-adherence,” said Mindy Smith, BSPharm, RPh, and Executive Director of APhA Foundation.  “Med sync helps patients stay on their medication regimen and build a relationship with their pharmacist as part of their health care team.”

Through www.alignmyrefills.com, patients can find pharmacies offering a medication synchronization program in their community, as well as helpful information about medication adherence and how the program ensures they stick to their prescription regimen. 

Align My Refills and medication synchronization programs are especially helpful for patients taking multiple, ongoing monthly medications, the elderly, and patients new to chronic drug therapy.

Medication synchronization eliminates multiple calls to the pharmacy for prescription refills, allows for fewer trips to the pharmacy, and provides patients an opportunity to meet with the pharmacist on a monthly basis to discuss their medications. 

Caregivers and family members of patients on multiple medications can also benefit from medication synchronization services, as they are often the people who pick up prescriptions from the pharmacy, and many times are responsible for administering medications.

By working directly with their pharmacists through the Align My Refills campaign and utilizing medication synchronization programs, patients can achieve better health outcomes.

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About the American Pharmacists Association Foundation
The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation, a not for profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C.,  is a trusted source of research demonstrating how pharmacists can improve health care. The APhA Foundation’s mission is to improve people’s health through pharmacists’ patient care services.

The APhA Foundation is affiliated with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the oldest and largest national professional society of pharmacists in the United States established in 1852. For more information, please visit www.aphafoundation.org. Follow the APhA Foundation on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.