Proper Prescription Medication Use Can Help Cut Health Care Costs, Say Medical Professionals

By Courtney Costello- Talk Radio News Service

By properly taking medication, patients can cut the overall costs of health care, said a panel of health care experts.

According to Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League, 75% of Americans who take a prescription medication do not take it as prescribed and the lack of adherence by patients, and in part by their physician, have cost tax payers over $3 billion a year.

“One of the main problems with medication adherence is that patients do not know what to do with their prescription medications,” said Jean Krause, the Executive Vice President of the American College of Physicians Foundation. “Almost half of U.S. adults have difficulty in understanding basic health information.”

Polling presented by the panel also showed that patients who are persistent in taking their medication had fewer emergency visits to the hospital.

“Health care reform needs medical innovations, access for all Americans, and a system to help support use of medicines which will result in patient adherence and compliance,” said William Ellis CEO of the American Pharmacists Association.

“There [just] needs to be support for patients to help them feel empowered,” added Ellis.