Good Medicine for Your Company: Helping Employees Follow Doctors' Orders
Are your employees taking their prescription medicine just the way the doctor ordered? The National Council on Patient Information and Education tells us that more than half of Americans (54 percent) do not always take their prescribed medicine as directed.
At Humana, we know that when members with chronic conditions take their medicine the way their doctors prescribe it, their health is better and costs go down. So medication adherence, or encouraging members' to follow their doctor's treatment plan when it comes to taking medicine, is a priority for Humana.
Some of the things that keep members from filling and taking their medicine as directed are money problems, lack of medicine and forgetting to take it. Humana has programs aimed at breaking down those barriers and improving medication adherence.
RightSourceRx: Silverlink Refill Reminder
Employees who use Humana's RightSourceRx get both a phone call and an e-mail refill reminder. Each one gives members the chance to order their refill at that time.
In addition, Humana nurses and pharmacists will soon be able to sign patients up for RightSourceRx mail order on the members' behalf.
Medication Adherence Toolkit
This kit helps Humana nurses and pharmacists identify members who may have trouble taking their medicine as they should. Humana nurses and pharmacists work with members to assess barriers they may have to adhering to their medication regiments. The kit offers resources that can help the members get on the right track with their medications.
New Rules Provide Alerts
Starting in 2011, new rules will be in place to help Humana members, nurses and pharmacists, as well as the patients' healthcare providers, become more aware of medication adherence. For example, members will soon receive messages and education about their conditions on their SmartSummary updates. This will help members understand the need to follow their doctors' orders.
