MEDICATION MANAGEMENT
Polypharmacy
Polypharmacy is the simultaneous use of multiple medications to treat the same or multiple conditions. Thanks to modern medicine, the vast majority of health conditions can be treated – there’s a pill for almost everything!
However, it can be difficult to keep track of the increasing number of prescriptions for ourselves and for our loved ones, especially when coupled with the other activities and responsibilities that demand attention in our busy lives. Precise medication administration is necessary for patient safety and for medication efficacy because improper use can be life-threatening. Luckily, there are many medication management tools at our disposal to help us consistently take the medications that we need, when we need.
Organization Tools
Attempting to rely upon memory alone as a reminder for taking medications is an impractical method for many patients, especially those who have limited time and competing priorities as well as those who are elderly and may be more susceptible to memory loss.
It’s easy to lose track of small medication bottles around the house, especially if you’re concurrently taking multiple medications. One easy solution is to store all prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, nutritional supplements, and other health-related items in the same place so that there’s no guesswork involved. Please note that your medications should be sealed tightly and stored in a cool, dry place to preserve quality over time. Many people make the mistake of choosing the bathroom “medicine cabinet” as their default storage space, but because bathrooms are frequently exposed to moisture and heat, these are actually one of the worst places in the house to store medications.
To prevent under- or overdosing, patients can use weekly pill organizer boxes to pre-sort their daily medications. Some pill organizers even include separate compartments for morning and evening pills for each day! These are pill organizers are highly affordable and easily accessible at almost any drugstore, convenience store, department store, and online.
Digital Tools
Pill organizers may be helpful for keeping track of medications that must be taken on specific days, but they’re not suited for keeping track of medications that must be taken at specific times. There are many digital tools available today to help patients keep track of their medications.
In our digital era, there are downloadable smartphone apps for medication management that send notifications to remind you to take your medication. If you prefer to use your landline, medication reminder phone call services are also a convenient solution. Even a programmable alarm clock can be helpful for keeping track of medications that need to be taken at certain intervals throughout the day.
Technology is also useful for direct contact with Crestview Pharmacy to manage your prescription. We offer convenient online refill services that allow patients to plan ahead for long-term prescription medications.
