Home Health Plays Critical Role in Patient Medication Adherence

Home Care Alliance
August 16, 2009

The New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI) recently completed a study finding that patients who do not take their medications as prescribed by their doctors cost the country’s health care system $290 billion per year.

NEHI conducted the study “Thinking Outside the Pillbox: A System-wide Approach to Improving Patient Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease,” which found that the billions of lost dollars come in the form of unnecessary hospitalizations and increased medical risks for the one-third to one-half of all patients who do not take their medications properly. The NEHI study also noted that creating “health care teams,” which would include home health workers among other health care professionals, is one of a few solutions to  improving medication adherence...

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