Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - (Page 5) www.drugtopics.com JULY 28, 2008 DRUG TOPICS 5 Of Interest to Pharmacists Medication compliance failure is costly but avertable Martin Sipkoff P atients often fail to take medications, leading to health problems. The technology to improve compliance is moving to the Internet, including cell phones and dispenser interconnectivity, engaging pharmacists and caregivers. “The causes of noncompliance often go beyond forgetfulness,” said Lynn Benzing, CEO of Patient Mar- Med-eMonitor is a new kind of talking pillbox that keting Group, Inc., a pharmaceutical consultancy in connects to the Internet. Princeton, N.J. “It is a complex issue that really requires much more than a quick fix.” ance. “This represents a new model of practice, Chain According to research by the National Council on pharmacies are becoming more involved in compliPatient Information and Education and the National ance therapy, and more community pharmacists see Community Pharmacists Association, compliance is of the complexity of compliance offering new revenue strongest concern among patients 65 and over. Those streams, new marketing opportunities,” Rickles said. patients have more long-term, chronic illnesses and "Chain pharmacies are becoming more involved in now buy 30% of prescription medicines, often com- compliance therapy, and more community pharmacists bining multiple medications over the course of a day. see the complexity of compliance offering new revenue Lack of compliance occurs among both higher-income, streams, new marketing opportunities." well-educated people and those at lower socioeconomic One technology that addresses that complexity is levels. Poor compliance is estimated to cost about $177 InforMedix’s Med-eMonitor, which won a Best Inbillion annually in total direct and indirect health care, novation award for healthcare technology at the 2008 according to the American Pharmacists Association. Consumers Electronic Show in Las Vegas. “This is not The market research firm Forrester Research reports a device,” said Bruce Kneeland, the company’s VP for that the market for home health monitoring technolo- pharmacy sales and consumer affairs. “It is a service gies is expected to reach $5 billion by 2010 and as the system, a technology that has proven its ability to meet population ages and more technology emerges, it is multiple needs over time.” expected to hit $34 billion by 2015. “There are more At the Third International Conference on HIV and more tools helping patients Adherence, researchers from the manage their medications," said San Francisco General Hospital Anne Burns, R.Ph., VP of proAIDS Division of the University fessional affairs for APhA. “Adof California, San Francisco, reherence is a complicated issue ported that use of Med-eMonitor that needs to be addressed across achieved an 89.5% medication the full spectrum of health care. adherence rate. “Without nearPharmacists should be aware of perfect adherence, complex antiavailable technology.” retroviral cocktails simply do not As health plans and Medicare work. Yet trying to improve adbegin to pay pharmacists for herence to HIV therapy today is medication therapy management like trying to monitor thousands (MTM), knowledge of compliof patients with high blood presance technology is increasingly sure, but with no equipment,” important to the bottom line, said UCSF’s David Bangsberg, said Nathaniel Rickles, Pharm. M.D., in announcing the results. D., of Northeastern University “The Med-eMonitor system Intelecare sends messages to cell who has studied the role of phar- phones to let patients know when to functioned [well] in this very take their meds. macists in medication complichallenging population.” http://www.drugtopics.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 Contents E-Prescribing's Return on Investment Far Outweighs Cost to R.Ph.s Medication Compliance Failure is Costly But Avertable Most Common Reasons for Noncompliance Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - Contents (Page 1) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - Contents (Page 2) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - E-Prescribing's Return on Investment Far Outweighs Cost to R.Ph.s (Page 3) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - E-Prescribing's Return on Investment Far Outweighs Cost to R.Ph.s (Page 4) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - Medication Compliance Failure is Costly But Avertable (Page 5) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - Most Common Reasons for Noncompliance (Page 6)
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