Pharmacists play a key role in helping people take their medicines correctly. They help patients understand their medications, solve problems that stop people from taking pills, and work with doctors to create better treatment plans. Studies show that when pharmacists help patients, medicine-taking goes up by 15% to 27%.
Taking medicine as your doctor tells you is very important for getting better. But many people don’t do this right. About half of all people with long-term health problems don’t take their medicines the way they should. This creates big problems for health and costs a lot of money too.
In this article, we’ll look at how pharmacists help fix this problem. You’ll learn about the different ways they help patients and why this matters so much for your health.
How Big Is The Medication Problem?
The Numbers Tell a Scary Story
Not taking medicine correctly is a huge problem in America. According to the CDC’s research on medication adherence, approximately one in five new prescriptions are never filled, and among those filled, approximately 50% are taken incorrectly, particularly with regard to timing, dosage, frequency, and duration. This means millions of people aren’t getting the help they need from their medications.
The money side of this problem is just as big. Direct health care costs associated with nonadherence have grown to approximately $100–$300 billion of U.S. health care dollars spent annually. That’s money that could help people in better ways.
What Happens When People Don’t Take Medicine Right
When people don’t follow their medicine plan, bad things can happen:
- Health problems get worse instead of better
- More trips to the hospital
- Risk of death due to medication non-adherence is approximately ten times higher than the risk of homicide, escalating to around 30 times for individuals over 50
- Higher medical bills for everyone
- Lost time from work and daily activities
Why Don’t People Take Their Medicine?
Money Problems Are The Biggest Issue
Research has repeatedly found that the primary factor impacting medication adherence is cost. When medicines cost too much, people make hard choices. According to Kaiser Family Foundation research, nearly one in four Americans taking prescription medications say it’s difficult to afford them.
People try to save money by:
- Skipping doses to make pills last longer
- Taking less medicine than they should
- Waiting to fill prescriptions
- Not picking up prescriptions at all
Other Common Problems
People also struggle with taking medicine because of:
Forgetting: Life gets busy and people forget to take pills Side Effects: Bad reactions make people want to stop Too Many Pills: Managing one’s own condition is key to preventing or slowing disease progression. According to the Mayo Clinic’s research on chronic disease management, chronic disease self-management can be overwhelming to patients, particularly when a patient has 2 or more conditions to manage Not Understanding: People don’t know why the medicine is important Hard Schedules: Some medicines need to be taken at specific times
What Pharmacists Do To Help
They Are Medicine Experts
Pharmacists know more about medicines than almost anyone else. They study for years to understand how drugs work, what side effects they cause, and how different medicines work together. This makes them the perfect people to help with medicine problems.
Community pharmacists are the last healthcare professionals that patients will see before using their medicine and, therefore, this may have an impact on their perception of the therapy. This puts them in a special spot to make a difference.
They Talk To Patients Every Day
Unlike doctors who you might see once every few months, pharmacists see patients more often. Every time you pick up medicine, there’s a chance to check in and see how things are going. This regular contact helps catch problems early.
They Make Medicine Plans Personal
Good pharmacists don’t treat everyone the same way. They look at each person’s specific problems and create plans that work for that person. Tailored guidance and services: A pharmacist uses the results obtained from the patient’s assessment to develop and deliver tailored guidance and services that aim to remove or reduce identified barriers.
Key Ways Pharmacists Help People Take Medicine
Education and Teaching
One of the most important things pharmacists do is teach. They help people understand:
- What each medicine does for their body
- When and how to take each pill
- What side effects might happen
- Why the medicine is important for their health
Patients who received counseling (N = 586) were significantly more adherent at 12 months (P <.01, P <.05 comparing medication possession ratios 80%) and persistent with statin therapy at 120 and 365 days (P <.05 and P = .05, respectively). This shows that when pharmacists take time to teach, it really works.
Medication Reviews
Pharmacists look at all the medicines a person takes to make sure they work well together. They check for:
- Dangerous combinations that could hurt you
- Medicines that do the same job (and might not all be needed)
- Doses that might be too high or too low
- Easier ways to take multiple medicines
Problem Solving
When people have trouble taking medicine, pharmacists help find solutions. If someone forgets to take pills, the pharmacist might suggest:
- Pill boxes with daily compartments
- Phone apps that send reminders
- Simpler schedules with fewer doses per day
Making Medicine Schedules Easier
The daily pill quantity was reduced from 7.2 ± 3.9 pills to 5.4 ± 2.8 pills (P <.001), and the daily dosing frequency was reduced from 2.0 ± 0.5 times to 1.5 ± 0.5 times (P <.001). Based on electronic refill records, these modifications resulted in an improvement in adherence from 81% to 89% (P = .003).
This example shows how making medicine schedules simpler helps people stick to their treatment.
Working With Other Doctors
Pharmacists don’t work alone. They talk to doctors and nurses to make sure everyone is helping the patient in the best way. Patients assigned to team-based care, including pharmacist-led medication reconciliation and tailoring; pharmacist-led patient education; collaborative care between pharmacist and primary care provider or cardiologist; and two types of voice messaging (educational and medication refill reminder calls) were significantly more adherent with their medication regimen 12 months after hospital discharge (89%) compared with patients not receiving team-based care (74%).
Special Services That Help
Medication Therapy Management
Medication Therapy Management is a special service where pharmacists spend extra time with patients. They look at everything about a person’s medicines and health to make a complete plan.
During these visits, pharmacists:
- Review all medicines and supplements
- Check for problems or interactions
- Make sure doses are right for each person
- Create easier ways to remember medicines
- Set goals for better health
It has been shown that pharmacists can have a significant impact on improving medication adherence.
Medication Synchronization
This service helps people get all their medicines on the same day each month. Instead of making multiple trips to the pharmacy, everything is ready at once. This initiative resulted in a 30% increase in prescriptions and revenue of the pharmacies that implemented it while the patients appreciated the customized service and the convenience it provided.
Technology Help
Modern pharmacies use technology to help people remember their medicines:
- Text messages to remind about doses
- Apps that track when you take pills
- Automatic refill programs so you never run out
- Online portals to ask questions
How Much Do Pharmacist Programs Help?
The Numbers Show Real Results
Research proves that when pharmacists help with medicine adherence, good things happen:
A cumulative patient adherence improvement in this review ranged from 15% to 27% attributed to utilization of different interventions and different combinations of interventions together with patient satisfaction with the treatment when depression improved.
The observed baseline percentage of adherent patients, close to 50%, aligned with the figures previously reported by the WHO. Interestingly, there was a gradual increase in these percentages.
Money Savings Are Huge
The median intervention cost per patient per year was $246 for CVD prevention and $292 for CVD management. The median change in healthcare cost per person per year because of the intervention was −$355 for CVD prevention and −$2,430 for CVD management.
This means that for every dollar spent on pharmacist help, much more money is saved in hospital visits and other medical costs.
Different Types of Patients Need Different Help
People with Heart Problems
People taking heart medicines often need to take several different pills. Pharmacists help by:
- Explaining why each medicine is important
- Finding ways to take fewer pills per day
- Watching for side effects
- Making sure blood pressure stays controlled
Diabetes Patients
It’s hard sometimes for patients to realize the importance of medication adherence, because they might have type 2 diabetes for years until they actually start to exhibit symptoms. So, when you’re not feeling anything negative, sometimes it’s hard to understand why you need to take the medicines.
Pharmacists help diabetes patients by explaining how medicine prevents problems before they start.
Mental Health Patients
Taking medicine for depression or anxiety can be especially hard. Mental health patients struggle with medication adherence, providing opportunities for pharmacists to have a critical role in implementing key interventions for this patient cohort.
Pharmacists help by:
- Talking about side effects that worry patients
- Explaining how long it takes for medicine to work
- Checking in regularly to see how people feel
Older Adults
Older people often take many different medicines. According to research from the National Council on Aging, the vast majority (87.6%) of adults aged 65 years or older in the United States have at least 1 chronic disease, and 63.7% have 2 or more chronic diseases.
Pharmacists help older adults by:
- Simplifying complex medicine schedules
- Using larger print labels that are easier to read
- Suggesting pill organizers
- Watching for dangerous combinations
How to Get the Most Help from Your Pharmacist
Ask Questions
Don’t be shy about asking your pharmacist questions. Good questions include:
- “What exactly does this medicine do for me?”
- “When is the best time to take this?”
- “What should I do if I miss a dose?”
- “Are there any foods I should avoid?”
- “What side effects should I watch for?”
Be Honest About Problems
If you’re having trouble taking your medicine, tell your pharmacist. Common problems include:
- The medicine costs too much
- You keep forgetting to take it
- Side effects are bothering you
- The schedule is too complicated
The more trust the patient has in the pharmacist, the more he or she will open up and disclose any apprehensions or difficulties about taking his or her medication.
Use One Pharmacy for Everything
When all your medicines come from the same place, your pharmacist can see the complete picture. This helps them catch problems and make better suggestions.
Take Advantage of Special Services
Many pharmacies offer services beyond just filling prescriptions:
- Medication therapy management
- Vaccination services
- Medicine reviews
- Blood pressure checks
Working Together as a Team
Pharmacists and Doctors
All members of the healthcare team communicating effectively with the patient and carer; Making it as easy as possible for older patients to take their medicines correctly; Sustaining the effort, as no intervention is self-sustainable.
When pharmacists and doctors work together, patients get better care. The pharmacist might notice something the doctor missed, or suggest a better way to take medicine.
Patients as Partners
The majority of patients (79%) prefer having an active role in decision making, and joint goal setting is one of the major determinants of a successful intervention.
The best results happen when patients, pharmacists, and doctors all work together toward the same goals.
What the Future Looks Like
Technology Will Help More
New technology is making it easier for pharmacists to help patients:
- Smart pill bottles that track when you take medicine
- Apps that connect patients with pharmacists
- Computer programs that spot problems early
- Video calls for remote consulting
More Training for Pharmacists
Pharmacists are getting more training in how to help with medicine adherence. This means they’ll be even better at solving problems and helping patients.
Better Insurance Coverage
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends that insurance companies cover and support strategies that may improve adherence (such as reduced cost-sharing for medications that prevent CVD, 90-day supply, innovative packaging methods). Promote improved adherence as an outcome metric.
Insurance companies are starting to understand that paying for pharmacist services saves money in the long run.
Real Success Stories
Heart Disease Example
In a recent study, patients assigned to team-based care, including pharmacist-led medication reconciliation and tailoring; pharmacist-led patient education; collaborative care between pharmacist and primary care provider or cardiologist; and two types of voice messaging (educational and medication refill reminder calls) were significantly more adherent with their medication regimen 12 months after hospital discharge (89%) compared with patients not receiving team-based care (74%).
Breathing Problems
Significant increases in the percentage of patients adhering to their dosing regimen and improvements in COPD outcomes were evident after 3 months of follow-up. In the case of asthma outcomes and DBP significant improvements were observed after 5 months.
Why This Matters for Public Health
Preventing Disease
When more people take their medicine correctly, fewer people get sick. This means:
- Less strain on hospitals
- Fewer emergency room visits
- Lower healthcare costs for everyone
- Healthier communities overall
Fighting Health Differences
Some groups have more trouble accessing healthcare. Pharmacists can help bridge this gap because they’re often easier to reach than doctors. Many neighborhoods have pharmacies even when they don’t have doctor offices nearby.
Final Thoughts
Pharmacists do much more than just count pills and fill bottles. They are healthcare experts who can make a huge difference in helping people stay healthy. When pharmacists work with patients to solve medicine problems, everyone wins.
The research is clear: pharmacist help improves medicine adherence by 15% to 27%. This translates to better health, fewer hospital visits, and lower costs for patients and the healthcare system.
If you’re having trouble taking your medicine the right way, don’t struggle alone. Talk to your pharmacist. They have the training, tools, and time to help you find solutions that work for your life.
Remember, taking medicine correctly is one of the most important things you can do for your health. With the right help from your pharmacist, it doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming.
Ready to get more support with your medications? Contact Crystal Lake Pharmacy to learn about our medication therapy management services and how we can help you achieve better health outcomes through proper medication adherence.