Patient Engagement in Decreasing Medication Wastage at SOPD - Essay Example

? Patient Engagement in Decreasing Medication Wastage at SOPD Patient Engagement in Decreasing Medication Wastage at SOPD Health financial management is one of the essential areas, which influence service delivery in the healthcare sector. Management experts believe in effective provisions, which lead to quality services. In essence, management of finances in healthcare sector influence the amount allocated to the sector. Factors such as increase in cost of medical treatment, life expectancy, and payment system among other factors necessitate management in the health sector. Managing health programs is very essential if the nation has to remain healthy. Medical experts argue that officials in the health care field have often failed to acknowledge series of problems in the sector thus influencing the overall service delivery in the sector. The intention of this paper is to discuss how to engage patients in decreasing medication wastage at SODH. Medical experts have observed that patient adherence to medication is principal factor in management of chronic illnesses. Considering a case of asthma medication, experts allude that regimens response is not impressive, sitting a non-adherence at a rate of 30 to 70 percent (Fincham, 2007). It is apparent that this observation has an impact on the rate of service delivery because it increases the cost of care treatment along side other costs. Apparently, arguing from management perspective, appropriate measures should seek to reduce the cost while increasing the rate of response to medication. Generally, factors that influence a reduction in drug wastage would influence the cost of treatment. This is a positive response to the problem because it aims at projecting a positive response in the sector. Other factors include distribution strategy, drug selection method among other factors that aim at projecting a positive change in the sector (Colbert, 2007). Problem statement Fung & Rush University (2009) alludes that analysts in the medical sector have taken the trouble of investigating factors, which create barriers in medication adherence. the essentiality of this step is evident because solution of a problem lies in identification of factors that propagate the problem. The experts have been able to categorize the barriers to medication adherence as barriers contributed by patients, barriers contributed by medications and clinically related barriers. Arguably, these barriers contribute to the increased cost of medication. This cost is a burden to the taxpayer. In many cases, experts in financial sector and other related sectors have developed proposal, which aim at reducing costs while ensuring effective services. The significance of addressing barriers to medication adherence does not only look at cost of medication, but also the impact on the environment. A reduction in pharmaceutical cost and waste is very vital in this century because it influence the environment. In addition, conservation of limited resources that man has is vital for future generation. Objectives Medical experts have identified a number of objectives, which the program seeks to address. It is arguable that while addressing these objectives the program shall have achieved its goals. Notably, arriving at the goals of the program require contributions from various elements that constitute the program. The study identified the first objective of the program to be reduction of wastage of inhalers i.e. decreasing cost. This objective has a direct effect on the common person who pays medical insurance. In addressing the cost incurred in buying drugs, the sector shall have been able to contain some of the challenges it has in responding to other diseases (Colbert, 2007). It is evident that budget allocation for each illness depend on records of patients that healthcare sector is able to meet. The second objective of the program is engaging patients in disease management. Management of diseases is a factor that cannot occur in isolation. That is various stakeholders have to play their roles effectively in order to reduce barriers in medication. When patients take charge of their treatment programs, the cost incurred in drugs is likely to reduce because cases of patients defaulting leading to complex cases of disease would not be there (Shea, 2011). Instruction provided to the patients play a great role in medication process. Medical experts believe that instructions are very essentials in disease treatment. Many patients, who are able to respond well to instructions provided by clinicians, show a positive response to treatment. The third object that the program wish to address is how to enhance treatment of asthma patient. This objective addresses factors influencing the rate at which medication provided tackle the disease and its prevalence rate. It is arguable that medical costs burden those who pay taxes. It is important to note that patient compliance is a positive response to disease management (Zelman, et.al. 2009). Factors, which contribute to objective, would reduce the overall costs incurred in the process of medication. In addition to the above issue it is arguable that adherence to medication influence disease prevalence. Microbes responsible for the disease formation spread when proper measures are not there to control them. In essence, improving adherence to medication leads to a reduction of prevalence rate. The forth objective of the program is improving communication between healthcare professionals and patients. As mentioned before, communication is an essential tool used by medical professionals in administering treatment. Psychologically, communication ability influence interpretation given to an issue. For instance, communication between patients and medical professionals would influence the kind of treatment offered because clinicians rely on the information provided by the patients in prescribing treatment for the disease (Colbert, 2007). It is the duty of the patients to tell the medical professionals how they respond to treatment. Sometimes some patients fail to mention complication they face while responding to drugs. Further, good communication practices among healthcare professionals contribute positively to medication adherence. Implementation of the program Program implementation phase is a crucial stage that influence the outcome of the objectives set. The implementation phase involved key players in the health sector i.e. patients and professionals in the health sector. Primarily patients attending asthma clinic were the center of concern for the program. Steps taken in the implementation process systematically addressed the four objectives of the program. The program categorized the implementation phase into two phases. Control phase Health sector believe in controlling diseases because it is a preventive measure. It arguable that ability to control infection influences positively in cost incurred in treatment. The point is control phase reduces chances of new infections, which has a bearing on costs for medication (Berger, 2008). Another important point guiding the control phase is a move to avoid readmission with similar illness. Healthcare experts have observed that when proper control measures are not in place, chances of readmission are high. Measures that aim at controlling future infections stress on control phase. Control phase addressed issues that promoted prevalence of asthma infection, how to avoid the infections and measures that should follow when infected. Phase II The phase II of the implementation program involved the patients and the healthcare nurses. The phase involved the use of questionnaire to address factors affecting patients. As observed in the objectives of the program, communication between the nurses and the patients was key factor. Granting opportunity to ask questions gives the patients the urge to know more about the disease and its effects in the society (Carroll & Edwards, 2011). It is also important to note that nurses are able to teach the patients on best health practices alongside treatment prescription. As argued before, treatment does not occur in isolation, but involves all the parties concerned. The questionnaire developed addressed how patients would take inhaler while at home. This is an important step because out patients do not have much time to take with nurses or other medical professionals. The questionnaire also took care of stock taking of inhaler used by patients. Provision of patient education in relation to information entered in the questionnaire is another important segment of the implementation phase. This process provides an opportunity for the patients and the medics to discuss issues addressed in the questionnaire and their effects on the patients. The nurses also engaged in checking the compliance of the patients to drugs provided. This area is very critical because it helps in evaluating the response to treatment. Sometimes some patients end their prescribed doses without responding effective to the treatment. This method offered an opportunity to both patient and medics to explore challenges in medication process. Calculation of amount of inhalers left consumed is also part of the implementation phase. The number of inhaler supplied to a patient in relation to response time is very essential in preparing future financial records in the field. Results Results of the implementation phase are very essential because they help in making recommendation and evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Medics conducted stock check on the program by monitoring remaining inhalers (Berger, 2008). Further, medics had to check patient compliance to asthma treatment. The argument here was to report to the doctor cases of under or over dosage. This would help in adjusting treatment to the patient. In addition, it helps the doctor to identify side effects of under or over dosage of drugs. Since the intention was to reduce wastage, calculation of inhalers used for treatment helps in budgeting and cutting cost of treatment. Computation of the results after four weeks saved HK$ 13, 000. Further, computation indicated that the program could save $170, 000 in a year. This result is quite impressive owing to the research conducted. Conclusion It is apparent from the results of the program that financial management in the health sector is possible and leads to reduction of cost of medication. Information from patient questionnaire helped doctors target SOPD consultation discussions on gaps in patients’ understanding of disease. Further, it gave information on patient understanding on drug knowledge. Engaging patients in the disease management enhances disease control while cutting the cost incurred in the same. Another important factor that the program addressed is safety in medication and awareness of drug compliance. The practice of surveying patient’s remaining inhaler stock at home is now widely performed in the hospital wide and decrease cost. References Berger, S. (2008). Fundamentals of Health Care Financial Management: A Practical Guide to Fiscal Issues and Activities. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Carroll, S. S. & Edwards, N. J. (2011). Reducing Hospital Readmissions: Lessons from Top-Performing Hospitals. Retrieved on 6 Mar 2012 from https://www.aamc.org/download/250806/data/lessons_from_top_performing_hospitals.pdf Colbert, M. A. (2007).Functional health literacy, medication-taking self-efficacy and HIV medication adherence. Manila: ProQuest. Fincham, E. J. (2007). Patient compliance with medications: issues and opportunities. London: Routledge. Fung, C. S. & Rush University. (2009). Factors associated with medication adherence of patients with congestive heart failure. Manila: ProQuest. PRHI Readmission Reduction Guide: A Manual for Preventing Hospitalizations. (2011). Retrieved on 6 Mar 2012 from http://www.prhi.org/documents/ReadmissionReductionGuide-Final2-1-11.pdf Shea, C. S. (2011). Improving medication adherence: how to talk with patients about their medications. Maryland: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Zelman, E. W. et.al. (2009). Financial Management of Health Care Organizations: An Introduction to Fundamental Tools, Concepts and Applications. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Read More