The compliance problem

Many healthcare professionals have firsthand experience with the dramatic effects of poor medication compliance. Compliance issues are especially important with clients who have serious or chronic health conditions.

The inability to manage medications is one of the leading reasons why seniors need additional, and often more expensive, care—such as assisted living facilities or nursing homes:

• 23% of caregivers report issues associated with medications ¹
• 10% of hospital admissions are related to medication issues ^2,3
• 23% of nursing home admissions are related to medication problems ⁴
• 80% of assisted living residents have medications managed by their facilities ⁵

1 "Family Caregiving in the US," National Alliance for Caregiving/AARP, June 1997 2. Schering Report IX The Forgetful Patient: The High Cost of Improper Patient Compliance. 3 Oregon Department of Human Resources, A Study of Long-Term Care in Oregon with Emphasis on the Elderly, March 1981. 4 Standberg, L.R., Drugs as a Reason for Nursing Home Admissions, American Healthcare Association Journal, 10,20 (1984). 5 NCAL Web site

What are the hidden costs of medication compliance?

• Lower productivity—time spent managing medication and compliance issues decreases time spent on other client needs.
• Higher costs—when clients miss important medications, they may need higher levels of care, such as rehospitalization or assisted living.
• Lost clients—clients move to other agencies or facilities because medication management needs are not being met.
• PPS—under the PPS system, repeated visits to monitor medication compliance are increasingly costly to your business.

Understanding the mechanics of compliance.

• The mechanics of medication compliance involve a simple, yet critical process—safely getting the correct number of pills from the correct bottles to your client at the correct times.
• Any device (such as MD.2) that facilitates compliance should be designed to dispense, organize, remind and monitor medications with built-in security.
• Compliance devices should also support a "feedback loop" to provide information and data to the business user—helping them effectively manage the quality of care to their patients and residents.