Patient non-adherence leads to poor health outcomes, more medical procedures, and increases in hospital visits that cost Americans $290 billion per year.
Pharmacy students at The University of Toledo will take part in Script Your Future, a national campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of patience adherence.
“We are trying to raise awareness about the importance of keeping the lines of communication open between patients and their health-care providers,” said Michelle Carey, UT pharmacy student and chair of the University’s Script Your Future initiative.
Medication adherence is defined as a patient taking his medications exactly as directed by his physician, pharmacist, nurse or health-care provider. It is estimated that three out of four patients do not take their prescriptions as directed in the United States.
Nearly half of Americans suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypertension that require long-term prescriptions.
During February, pharmacy students have planned several events to improve patient adherence.
Students will provide medication adherence counseling, blood pressure screenings and blood glucose testing at area Kroger stores. They will be at the stores at 5109 Glendale Ave. in Toledo and at the 26530 Dixie Highway in Perrysburg Thursdays, Feb. 21 and Feb. 28, from 12:30 to 5 p.m.; at the 7545 Sylvania Ave. store in Sylvania Saturday, Feb. 23, from 12:30 to 5 p.m.; and at the 4925 Jackman Road store Tuesday, Feb. 26, from 12:30 to 5 p.m.
Other events, listed by date, are:
• Friday, Feb. 22 — students will be at the Walgreens at 1330 N. Reynolds Road from 3 to 7 p.m. to accept expired or no longer needed medications for proper disposal.
• Wednesday, Feb. 27 — students will hand out wallet-sized personal medication lists starting at 6 p.m. before the UT men’s basketball game in Savage Arena.
In addition, pharmacy students will discuss medication adherence and field questions Thursday, Feb. 21, from 7 to 8 p.m. at West Park Place, 3501 Executive Parkway in Toledo; Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Sylvania Senior Center, 7140 Sylvania Ave. in Sylvania; from noon to 1 p.m. at the Margaret Hunt Senior Center, 2121 Garden Lake Place in Toledo; and from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Lutheran Homes Society at Wolf Creek, 2001 Perrysburg-Holland Road in Holland.
For more information on UT’s Script Your Future events, contact Carey at michelle.carey@rockets.utoledo.edu.
