Getting patients with chronic illnesses to take their prescribed medications so they stay well can be a big challenge for doctors.
There are many reasons why an estimated 80% of patients with chronic conditions don’t stick to their care management plans, including medication regimens, according to PatientEngagementHIT. Patients don’t take their medication because they forget, can’t afford the prescription or are afraid of side effects.
The cost of nonadherence was clear in a report released today by pharmacy benefits management company Express Scripts. Commercially insured people who were adherent to their oral diabetes medications had significantly fewer emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations and potentially avoided more than $210 million in healthcare spending in 2016, according to the report, which looked at adherence to diabetes medications.
