On February 5, Patient Engagement HIT reported that strong communication between patients and providers, patient education and reduced costs help patients better manage their medications, according to a survey from DrFirst.
More than half of the 200 patients surveyed said they are not confident in managing their drug regimens because they did not receive enough education about their prescriptions. Patients in the survey also said there is not enough time during a doctor visit to receive this education.
Doctors are using patient education tools to support safe medication use, but patients say written tools are their least preferred method to receive medication education. Aside from face-to-face interaction, patients said their most preferred way to learn is to receive a video link that outlines the drug protocol.
“Especially for people with chronic illness that are facing challenges like depression, or transportation, or complexity of medication regimens – that these interpersonal, trusted interactions with a nurse tend to be very effective,” said Peter Goldbach, MD, chief medical officer for Health Dialog, the population health management arm of Rite Aid Pharmacy. Read more
Great Plains QIN is partnering with healthcare providers in our region to develop ways to avoid medication safety issues. We are also working to provide education and tools to help individuals better manage and communicate medications prescribed. If you want to get connected and have accesses to resources, education and information on medication safety and other related topics, join the Great Plains Learning and Action Network. We welcome your participation. Join today.