Have you ever sat there wondering if you took your medications that morning? Ever counted the number of pills left in the bottle to try and figure out if you have the right number left? Do you take your medications at the right time each day?
Medication adherence, or the extent which individuals take their medications, is the key to drug therapy. It has been found that the more complex the medication regimen, the lower the adherence. Studies have shown that up to half of prescription medications are not taken properly (i.e. taken at the wrong time, missed doses etc.). When medications are missed or taken at the wrong time, the patient may suffer from unwanted side effects or worse the drug may not work at all.
At Stafford Pharmacy we offer blister packaging services for our clients. Medications are packaged into easy to use weekly cards. These cards organize the medications to ensure that the correct medication is taken at the correct time each day. For each day of the week, the medications are packaged into four convenient time slots: morning, noon, evening and bedtime. When a patient chooses to have their medications blister packaged, the pharmacist reviews the medications to ensure that they are packaged in the appropriate time slots and that there are no drug interactions. This review occurs each time medications are packaged and when new medications are added to the regimen.
Patients can choose to either pick up their blister packs, or have them delivered on a weekly, biweekly, or on a monthly basis. These deliveries and pick-ups are automatically scheduled, so that your medications are ready for you the day before your blister package is scheduled to start!
The benefits of blister packages for the patient and/or caregiver are many and include:
- SAFETY: The patient gets the correct medication at the proper times. No double dosing or missed doses. Blister packaging saves lives.
- ADHERENCE: It is easy to see if the medications were taken, and if there were any missed doses.
- PROFESSIONAL MONITORING: The pharmacy staff will fill your prescriptions for you and call you if you forget to pick up your medication, or deliver for you on your scheduled days.
- CONVENIENCE: No more fussing or organizing your medications on your own. No more guessing when to take your medications.
Our blister packaging service is for anyone who wants to ensure that they are getting the most from their medications. We recommend blister packaging for anyone who wants to ensure they are taking their medications correctly, including:
- Patients taking 3+ medications multiple times per day
- Seniors on chronic medications
- Patients unable to administer medications to themselves and are being cared for by a family member or caregiver
- Patients with memory impairment
Blister packages save lives by ensuring medication adherence. If you would like to start using blister packs, speak with a member of our pharmacy team today today!
Drugs don’t work in patients who don’t take them. – C. Everett Koop, M.D