What Is The Technological Future Of Medication Management?

When a patient heads to a healthcare institution and is prescribed medicines, one might expect them to stick to the regimen to improve their health. However, up to 50% of patients fail to adhere to their medications as prescribed.  And around the world, millions are taking medicines. In the U.K., over 26% of adults take prescription medications. Across the Atlantic ocean, in the U.S., some 66% of the adult population take prescription drugs. Down in the South Hemisphere, around 35% of Australians take such medicine on a daily basis.  With those millions of medicine-taking people comes the inevitable risk of medication errors. In England alone, researchers found that over 237 million medication errors are made every year. Ultimately, these add up to the losses incurred both financially and, more importantly, in terms of patient lives. One way to tackle these issues is through medication management. The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) defines medicine management as “the clinical, cost-effective and safe use of medicines to ensure patients get the maximum benefit from the medicines they need, while at the same time minimising potential harm”. However, the methods employed have been stagnant for long and still leave room for improvements, as the numbers show. As healthcare steadily pivots towards digital health, what future do the relevant, novel technologies paint for medication management? Stick with us as this is what...
Source: The Medical Futurist - Category: Information Technology Authors: Tags: E-Patients Future of Medicine Future of Pharma drugs telemedicine apps empowered patients digital pill smart pill NHS digital therapeutics Source Type: blogs