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I haven’t the foggiest idea how my mom kept track of the numerous meds she had to take when she was in her 80s. She lined the little bottles up like soldiers on the dining table, which she never actually used for dining, but as a holding place for necessities like her meds, bills, keys and eyeglasses. It was one thing to remember to take each medication. What about remembering how often to take it and at what time of day? She could have used an Excel spreadsheet, if she had a computer.
I’m reminded of my mother now that I take three medications a day, plus I change my transdermal Estradiol patch every 3.5 days. I take the three meds first thing each morning, seven days a week, but sometimes I forget to change the patch. That’s why I started to write notes on my calendar to remind me when I should apply a new one.
The renowned Mayo Clinic recently reported that over 50 percent of Americans take two prescription medications, and 20 percent at least five, so this increases the likelihood of taking the wrong dose, or even forgetting to take a medication at all. I’m a perfect example when it comes to changing my Estradiol patch! To address this growing issue, and remove the anxiety out of remembering when to take multiple meds, CVS Pharmacy has come up with an ingenious prescription management system, called ScriptPath.
A PRESCRIPTION FOR PEACE OF MIND (AND GOOD HEALTH!)
ScriptPath Prescription Schedule, the centerpiece of the system, provides a personalized, prominent, complete and clear picture of a patient’s up-to-date CVS Pharmacy prescription information all on one document, including the name of the medications; the most effective times to take each of them (morning, midday, evening and bedtime); how much to take in each dose, as well simple refill instructions and personalized notes. Colorful and easy-to-understand icons are designed to strengthen patients’ safety by simplifying how they take medications and how caregivers administer them.
The schedule is generated by an exclusive and robust scientific system that automatically reviews a patient’s current CVS Pharmacy prescription information and prescribers’ instructions, and then, using clinical data, provides a schedule of the most effective times of day to take the medications.
“Fifty percent of patients, especially those with complex prescription regimens, struggle to understand when to take their medications, said Troyen Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., CVS Health Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. “The ScriptPath Prescription Schedule can help improve medication adherence (whether patients take their medications as prescribed, and whether they continue to take a prescribed medication), and, ultimately, health outcomes,” Troyen emphasized.
