What Is Medication Management?

We know it can be tricky to manage multiple prescriptions every day. Keeping your current medications organized can be time-consuming and even frustrating at times. “Pill fatigue” occurs when you become overwhelmed with keeping track of your daily pills, which can cause you to become less motivated to take your medications, potentially decreasing your quality of life and treatment plan.

Research shows that as many as 50% of people around the world don’t take their medications as prescribed due to pill fatigue.

Read on to learn more about how medication management services can help you feel whole.

What Is Medication Management?

Medication management, also called medication therapy management (MTM), is a special health program that ensures you fully understand all your medications so you don’t experience any issues. In addition to prescribed medications, medication management can also include over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbals and other supplements.

Mismanagement and misuse of medications is a major public health problem in the U.S. According to the American Pharmacists Association, about 1.5 million preventable adverse effects occur each year from not taking medications correctly, causing $177 billion in injury and death.

Taking medications incorrectly is a patient safety concern. And not taking your medicine properly can lead to decreasing their effectiveness, which might lengthen your treatment.

What to Expect in a Medication Review

Your AdventHealth Primary Care+ providers can help you manage your medication therapy through a medication review.

During a medication review session, you will:

• Bring in all medications, prescribed and otherwise, in their original bottles
• Have your full medication regimen reviewed by a medication management professional to check the correct dosage and times they are taken during the day and to make sure they are all safe to take with no drug interactions
• Receive basic education on what your medications are and what they do
• Discuss the best ways to organize and keep track of your medications
• See if it’s possible to take less medications
• Talk about generic options for brand-name medications, which may help overall costs
• Be able to ask any questions you may have regarding medication management
• Alleviate any fears that may be keeping you from taking your medications

Feel free to take notes during your session so you can review them later.

Who Should Consider Medication Therapy Management?

Medication management is best for people who:

• Are older with mild cognitive impairment
• Are taking drugs that require close monitoring
• Experience frequent medication-related problems or side effects
• Have a chronic condition requiring more than one therapeutic
• Have a disability and would benefit from working with caregivers
• Have prescriptions at more than one pharmacy
• Have recently been discharged from the hospital
• Take multiple medications

If you qualify for medication therapy management, contact your doctor to access this service.

Follow Medication Schedules and Doses

During your medication therapy management, an AdventHealth Primary Care+ team member will help you better understand your medications and when they should be taken during the day by creating a personalized medication schedule unique to you.

For example, some therapeutics cannot be combined, so they need to be taken at different times. Certain drugs may make you sleepy and should be taken at night.

Not taking medications at the proper times or dosages can potentially be harmful to your overall health and may set back your recovery.

Make Sure All Clinicians Know What Medications You Take

Unknown to many, dietary and herbal supplements are considered medications. Sometimes, a drug you’re prescribed can have a bad interaction with them, which is why you need to bring a list of all medications you’re taking, including over-the-counter drugs like allergy pills, to your medication management session.

During your medication management session, your AdventHealth Primary Care+ health professionals examine everything you take each day to ensure no problematic interactions could make you sicker or negatively impact your medications' effectiveness.

Store Medications Safely

Once you have your medications evaluated and scheduled, it’s important to store them correctly so they continue to work efficiently and don’t lose any potency. Most medications should be stored in a cool, dry space without excess sunlight or moisture. Pay special attention to drug storage directions on the label, as some medications require refrigeration.

Always keep your medications in a secure, closed space such as a cabinet or closet, and keep their caps properly sealed and high enough so they’re out of reach for your little ones.

Manage Expired or Discontinued Medications

Just like food, all medications have an expiration date where they no longer work as well as they should. Check your medication labels often to see if you have drugs that have expired or are close to expiring in case they need to be replaced.

If you have expired medications or no longer need them, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises disposing of them through a drug take-back program in your area to ensure they’re properly discarded.

Ask Your Pharmacist About Affordable Alternatives

When first meeting with your doctor to learn what medication management is and how it can help you, make sure to ask about any cost-effective alternatives you can use, such as generic forms of your current prescriptions.

Generic medications include the same active ingredients as the brand-name ones but are offered at a lower price. Generic drugs may look different, such as a different color, but they’re just as safe and effective.

Ensuring you can afford your medications allows you to fully adhere to your prescribed regimen, which helps your overall health in the long run. We know that medications can be expensive, even with health insurance. You deserve access to the medications you need to feel whole in body, mind and spirit.

How to Balance Prescription Medication Schedules

We know that managing multiple medications at once can cause worry and confusion. That’s why at AdventHealth Primary Care+, our medical team is ready to help you create a stable prescription drug schedule to ensure you take your medications at the right time and dosage.

Create a “My Medicines” List

During your initial session, you’ll create a medication list or pill chart showing everything you take, even over-the-counter medications and supplements, and list the correct dosages and times of the day they need to be taken. You should also discuss setting up a reminder schedule for prescription refills to simplify the process.

Consider Using a Pill Organizer

Imagine you have medications that need to be taken in the morning or at night. When you’re groggy after first waking up, it can be easy to mix up your pills and accidentally take the wrong ones.

A pill organizer is a reliable tool for taking the right dose at the right time. It’s great for medication safety and overall patient care. You can purchase pill organizers that have as many spaces as you need to make taking your daily medications an easy experience.

Understanding What Medication Management Is

Medication management is important for your wellness journey. Whether you’re in recovery from a disease or surgery or you’re managing a chronic condition, it’s extremely important to take your daily medications at the right dosage and time.

Medication therapy management empowers you to take the lead in your health care journey by giving you a better understanding of what every pill you take is and why it’s important. It also creates a better partnership between you and your AdventHealth Primary Care+ team.

We’re here to partner with you for every step in your wellness journey. If you have further questions or wish to schedule a medication management session, find an AdventHealth Primary Care+ provider near you. You deserve to feel whole.