Medication Reminders and Why They Are Important

Patient adherence to taking medications properly and remembering to take their prescribed medications is important, but often neglected and not done properly. Patients not taking their medications as they should is one of the biggest issues facing the medical industry and has become and ever-growing issue between doctors and patients.

Why Do Patients Not Take Their Medications?

There are a few common reasons why patients do not take their medication and/or forget to take their medication.

• Complicated or confusing instructions on when and how to take the medication.
• People have busy lives and they forget to take their medications, take them at the wrong times, or a combination of the two.

Why Not Taking Medication is Such a Problem?

Patients not taking their medications can pose serious risk to their health. Not taking their medications can make them eve sicker than they were before and in extreme cases not taking prescriptions can even lead to death.

Doctors can also not ensure that patients will get better or see any health improvements under their care. A doctor cannot do their job properly and help a patient overcome their health concerns if there is little to no follow through on the patient’s behalf.

How to Solve the Issue

Although though there are a few steps that would need to be done to solve medication adherence issues, one great way for there to be easy improvement is through medication reminders and smart packaging made for medications.

Smart pill bottles, packets, and any other packaging that medications may come in have been gaining popularity in recent years. Smart medication packaging gently reminds patients when to take their medications, how much to make, etc.

This technology takes all of the guess work out of knowing when to take your medications or if you remembered to take them in the morning or not. In fact, 73% of patients that use a bottle with reminders will take their medication when they are supposed to and in the proper dosages. Many smart pill bottles and blister packs can also connect to an app on your phone as well. You can track all of your medication habits through the app, see any patterns, see when you have to refill your prescription, and any other information you may deem useful.

This information can often be gathered and sent to your doctor or other healthcare professional. From there, they can see if you are taking your medication properly, if you are taking the right amount, and if you are taking the pill at the right time.

However, if it is more convenient or if you do not have access to a smart pill bottle from your doctor, you can opt for an app on your phone dedicated to reminding you when to take your medication.

Simply download the app of your choice on your phone and within the app set up a reminder to go off on your phone with when you need to take your medication, what the dosage is, how many times a week you need to take the pills. These kinds of apps are completely customizable and easy for almost anyone to use. If you have a smart watch or a wearable fitness tracker that can receive notifications from your phone, you can also be notified when to take your medication right from your wrist.

Final Thoughts

When it comes down to it, taking your medications correctly and remembering if you have taken them for the day can get challenging. Life is busy, and we often get distracted during the course of the day. When this happens, taking your medication may slip your mind from time to time or be hard to remember on a daily basis.

Medication reminder apps and smart pill bottles are two of the easiest and most convenient ways to remember to take your important medication every day. If you are struggling to remember to take your medication, give ether of these options a shot. We are sure you will see great improvement quickly!