Many Americans with chronic conditions either don’t take their drugs or don’t take them correctly, a new report finds. And nursing homes are suffering the consequences.
Poor adherence is associated with up to 40% of nursing home admissions, according to the National Council on Patient Information and Education. It also could be costing the nation as much as $177 billion in medical bills and lost productivity per year.
The drugs themselves may be to blame. The wording of directions for drug dosing is too confusing, the typeface on the labels is too small and the instruction materials are given in too many formats, experts say.
