When patients fail to pick up their prescriptions from your pharmacy, it can have a huge impact on your store. Prescriptions that are abandoned are a loss of revenue, resulting in wasted resources, not to mention the labor that is involved in filling a prescription that will only be returned to stock.
Medication abandonment and nonadherence are significant issues that can lead to hospitalizations, worsened health outcomes, and even death. These impacts are especially worrisome for those patients with lower incomes.
In a 2023 KFF survey, 21% of adults reported not filling a prescription at all, while 31% reported not taking their medications “as prescribed” due to the cost. Instead, they said they cut pills in half, skipped doses, or took over-the-counter drugs instead.
The question now is why do patients abandon their prescriptions? In order to battle non-adherence and abandonment of prescriptions, you need to understand what might be keeping them from taking their medications and/or picking up their prescriptions.
Here are some factors that may be swaying them to go cold turkey:
- Financial troubles. This is the most common reason a lot of people are struggling to afford the medicine they need.
- Bad side effects. No one wants to experience side effects that can be severe, uncomfortable, or are disruptive to their daily lives. Without help in managing side effects, they might just decide to stop treatment.
- Lack of knowledge. If patients don’t know what the purpose of the medication is, how to use it, and the potential risks of not adhering to their prescribed treatment, they might stop the treatment altogether.
- Difficult medication plans. When patients are prescribed a handful of medications or a dosing schedule that’s complicated, they might have a hard time managing their treatment plan. This can be confusing, leading to missed doses or abandonment.
- Limited access to health care. Patients who live in communities with very little access to pharmacies or healthcare providers often have a hard time getting their medications filled or getting follow-up care. This can lead to non-adherence.
- No transportation. If your patients don’t have reliable transportation, it makes it quite difficult for them to get
to their doctors’ appointments or to a pharmacy. As a result, they’ll miss medications or abandon their
treatment plan. - Anxiety struggles. Believe it or not, some patients will stop treatment because of their fears. Others stop their medications because they have doubts, or they worry about taking medication, side effects, or the treatment itself.
- False information. No matter who the information is from, incorrect or misleading information can make patients doubt the safety and necessity of their medications. This can result in non-adherence or complete abandonment.
- Expensive medications. Your patients with high out-of-pocket costs are more likely to abandon their prescriptions.
- Social determinants of health (SDoH). Factors such as living in medically underserved areas or lacking reliable transportation can create barriers to accessing medications.
The good news is there are ways for you to address your patients’ abandonment, and it all boils down to trust. Building trusting relationships with your patients encourages honest conversations about barriers and concerns.
As their pharmacist, you can help through personal connections. Recognizing your patients’ faces and giving them personalized attention will build trust. Your patients might be more open and comfortable talking with you about any concerns or side effects. Showing empathy as you’re counseling your patients will help them further understand how the medication works and what to expect. It’s also a good idea to follow up by calling or checking in on them so they know you genuinely care.
Other ways you can assist your patients with medication adherence include:
Help them manage their medication schedules to be easier by cutting down the doses and timing it better. If they have inhalers or injectors, show them how to use them properly. Teach them how to read labels and how to recognize when they miss a dose.
You can also improve patients’ access to your pharmacy, along with convenience to make it easier for them to access your services. For instance, you can line up their prescriptions to be refilled at the same time, so they only have one trip to get all that they need. Offer home delivery or curbside pickup for those who cannot drive or have other needs. And when the cost of drugs is a barrier, work with the prescribers or suppliers to find lower-cost alternatives.
Don’t forget automated reminders, such as texts, apps, or phone calls to give a little nudge to patients to remind them when doses are due or when it’s time for refills. Keep an eye on the AI tools that can flag adherence issues based on refill patterns or behavior changes. And think about smart packaging for your pharmacy if you don’t already have it. Pill bottles with timers or alarms can help your patients stay on track with their medications.
When you embrace such things as personalized care, the use of technology, and explore support programs that are out there for your patients, it shows that your pharmacy truly cares for your patients’ health.
You can improve patient adherence with the right strategies. Here are some of the ways you can reach out:
Give them prescription discount cards
You can recommend prescription discount cards as an alternative that provides lower prices. By offering a discount card, your patients can often save significantly on their medications. This can reduce the financial strain of insurance costs.
Look into patient assistance programs (PAPs)
These offer relief to patients who are eligible and struggling with medication costs, especially those who are uninsured or underinsured. These programs ease financial strain and help fill in critical gaps in care.
Introduce them to manufacturer coupons
These coupons provide direct discounts on specific, brand-name medications at the pharmacy counter. They make expensive brand-name medications affordable and reduce the likelihood of abandonment.
Work with community health centers
These improve patients’ access to affordable medications, medication counseling, adherence support, and direct dispensing services. They address not only medication needs but also broader health and social determinants. Working with or alongside these centers, you can extend your reach to populations that are vulnerable, ensuring patients receive the affordable care options they need.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and run by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited warehouse with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
