Why Medifriendrx is the Better Choice for Your Pharmacy or Clinic
Patient compliance describes the patient’s willingness and adherence to taking their medication as prescribed, in the correct dose, for the correct amount of time and in the correct way. There are many factors that contribute to one’s compliance or non-compliance with any given prescription.
Why some people don’t pick up/take medication as prescribed:
- Inconvenience
- Pharmacy Distance
- High drug costs
- Fear of medication side-effects
- Not understanding the protocol
- Not seeing immediate results
- Mistrust
These are just some of the reasons why non-compliance with medication can take place. According to the CDC, 20 to 30 percent of new prescriptions are never filled at the pharmacy. This number is problematic because there are many chronic diseases that need to be controlled and managed by long-term medication such as diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, cancer and even mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. There is a high cost to non-compliance with many of these medications. For instance, twenty five to 50 percent of patients being treated with statins (cholesterol lowering medications) who stop their therapy within one year have up to a 25 percent increased risk for dying. Risks to abruptly stopping depression medications such as SSRI’s can lead to suicide.
How to Combat Patient Non-Compliance
According to The American Medical Association STEPS Forward™ module on medication adherence, inadequate communication can account for 55% of medication nonadherence. By putting the pharmacy at the patient’s point of care, physicians can ensure that medication is distributed correctly and answer any questions the patient may have.
Fostering a better physician-patient relationship is the first step in building trust and mitigating the anxiety or fear of taking the medication. The traditional drug distribution model creates a disconnect between the doctor and patient, the doctor will write the prescription and the patient is sent on their way to navigate the rest.
Medifriendrx® and Patient Compliance
By implementing an in-clinic pharmacy or kiosk, the patient is not left to their own devices and can fill their prescription right at the point of care. This eliminates any confusion or miscommunication between the doctor and patient.
Our Medifriend® prescription kiosk is a physician and patient-friendly option that can assist in boosting patient compliance. For questions or to learn more about adding a kiosk to your clinic or hospital please reach out to us at hello@medifriendrx.com.
*Source: American Medical Association
*Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)