At Home Nursing Care announces a new medication management program to reduce hospitalizations and improve the quality of life for our patients.
Every year in the United States, 7,000 people are killed and 2 million people are harmed by medication errors. (40 % of all medical errors in the United States are medication errors). This unnecessary suffering robs patients of their chance to heal and costs the economy $3.5 billion dollars.
18% of Older Americans Take 10 or More Medications
The reasons for the errors are many. They include problems in our health care system, socioeconomic factors, caregiver engagement and functional issues such as dementia.
Some of the confusion comes from the vast number of medications that Americans are prescribed. 40 % of adults over 65 years of age take 4 to 9 medications, and 18% take 10 or more medications. At the same time, 81% of adults report that they cannot say the reason they are taking the medication.
As the quality nurses who work for At Home Nursing Care understand, every prescription written is supposed to have these facts; the name of the patient, the date of the prescription, the strength, quantity, how the medication should be taken, the number of refills and the doctor’s signature. Still, 12 % of all prescriptions written contain errors.
Patients are often confused by their medications, they may skip medications, they may not refill a prescription or they are never taken off a medication that they no longer need.
On the health care delivery side (think of physicians and hospitals), medication interactions are not addressed, the medication list is incorrect or not updated, patients are sent home with the wrong medications, there is no care provider who is made responsible for the medications and chronic medications are not adjusted for current issues.
At Home Nursing Care can help. With doctor’s orders, the nurses of At Home Nursing Care can be the provider who oversees the medications, reviews them, checks for interactions and streamlines current prescriptions. Our in home nurses can create an easy, clear, legible and understandable medication plan.
Denise Callas, Nursing Supervisor, At Home Nursing Care
We offer the Phillips Lifeline automatic medication dispenser for those who need it, and we also provide clearly labelled pill boxes, filled by a licensed nurse.
Lifeline Pill Dispenser, Filled by an RN
If you or someone you love would benefit from medication management for seniors, give At Home Nursing Care a call at 760-634-8000. We are here to help. Also, visit us online at athomenursingcare.com.
At Home Nursing Care offers quality non medical in home care caregivers and also licensed nurses who can provide care in the home. We are licensed by the California Department of Public Health for our skilled nursing services and we are Certified by the California Association for Health Services at Home and the American Board of Home Care for our non-medical in home care. Call for more information about theHome Care in Los Angeles and San Diego we can provide, and which would be best to fit your needs.