Eye on Health: Medications - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Eye on Health: Medications

A big issue in health care these days is to get patients to take their medications correctly.  
In this week's Eye on Health, Carla Burbidge tells us about one pharmacy offering an easy solution for patients.  

A pharmacist's job is counting out the pills that will improve the lives of patients. It's the patient's job to take those pills correctly, exactly as the doctor ordered.  
If the patient is confused about when to take the medication, or if they forget to take it, there's a problem.  

Bryce Bergeron, Pharmacy Manager, Thrifty White Drug, " as many as 90% of patients do not take their medication correctly"

Thrifty White Pharmacy, there are two in Minot, and 87 stores in the Midwest,  is one of the first pharmacy's to offer what they call, the Healthy Pack.  The pharmacy will organize all of a patient's pills, into individually sealed packets, that simply can be opened and swallowed at the correct time of day.  
  There is no extra charge for the patient, other than for mailing.
The HealthyPack can help people of all ages, it's a real plus for older people.

Bergerson, " when a person has 10-15 medications a day, this makes it easier"

Thrifty White also offers "Med-Sync" -through that  they will automatically send out all of your medications at one time, saving you trips to the pharmacy.  

 
Bryce Bergerson "White Drug is pushing to get people more compliant, healthier, there's less cost for insurance and medical costs, we want to keep people out of the hospital"


When patients take their medications as they should and people stay well,  there are fewer clinic trips and fewer hospitalizations, saving on health care expenses.  Better for everyone.  for Eye on Health, I'm Carla Burbidge