Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By: Justin Ceravolo, PharmD
According to researchers from the Mayo Clinic and Olmsted Medical Center, approximately 70 percent of Americans take at least one prescription medication, while more than half take two. It is common for older adults to take as many as half a dozen prescription medications, leaving them most at risk for medication consumption errors.
Conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, acid reflux, asthma, Parkinson’s disease and arthritis are among those that most affect the aging population. It’s not surprising that several seniors report feeling overwhelmed or confused about their medications, not only with regards to scheduling and dosage, but also in relation to which medication treats which condition. It’s well known that taking medication incorrectly, including over the counter and herbal supplements, can result in serious health consequences if not addressed.
Simply keeping track of which medication can be taken when isn’t enough to limit the risk of serious errors. There are several factors that play a significant role in personal healthy and the success of prescribed medications, including knowing and understanding which foods and beverages can be consumed with each medication, and knowing where pills should be stored.
So, how can we help patients keep track of their medications, and ensure they’re maintaining a safe medication consumption schedule?
Cypress Pharmacy offers an innovative medication packaging service designed to help increase medication compliance for patients with even the most complex regimes. The Medicine-On-Time® system is designed to reduce risks of medication misuse and improve overall patient health. The patented multi-
dose packaging system provides each patient with color-coded cards representing the time of day medications should be taken.
Pharmacists and technicians prepare each package with labels of precise times for the medication to be taken, helping to minimize risks of dosage mistakes. For multi-dose packaging, all of a patient’s capsules, tablets or chewables, required for each day, are placed together in a single pill cup.
These personalized pill cups come perfectly organized in color-coded calendar cards, making it easy to keep track of each medication and for which day. It’s even possible to remove a single dose, or several from the calendar card so patients have total convenience on the go.
Medicine-On-Time® can also be used to manage prescription refills. Cypress Pharmacy will synchronize refills and prepare the next medication package well in advance, taking patient worry of ‘running out’ completely out of the equation. This innovative packaging system is a perfect remedy to successfully managing multiple medications prescribed by multiple doctors.
For more information on how the Medicine-On-Time® packaging system can help you or a loved one, please call 239-481-7322 or visit www.cypresspharmacy.com.
Cypress Pharmacy has been providing pharmaceutical and health care services in Fort Myers for more than 40 years. The entire staff, including pharmacists T.J. DePaola and Justin Ceravolo, are dedicated to providing the best possible service to every customer. For more information, call 239-481-7322 or visit www.cypresspharmacy.com.
