West Lothian Council has adopted a new medication management system to help improve medication adherence and compliance, said to be by 80%.
The programme, called YOURmeds, allows users to keep track of when they need to take their medication and report whether they have done so or not. This data then allows their GP and other relevant healthcare professionals to keep track of adherence and make an informed decision about the best course of action for their treatment.
NHS figures suggest that fewer than 1 in 2 people take their medication correctly, YOURmeds notes that more serious issues such as falls, sickness and rapid deterioration can arise as a result.
Since the rollout of the programme in March, West Lothian Health & Social Care Partnership have reported saving up to £9 for every £1 spent on YOURmeds.
According to Angela Spink, Support at Home Team manager for West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, the council has been able to save approximately £6,000 per person with direct savings coming from a reduction in medication visits.
YOURmeds also claims to offer patients with long-term health complications a more independent way of life, as continually tracking a medication schedule negates the need for carers to frequently visit their home to administer doses.
Angela, adds: “YOURmeds has been one of those technology solutions that we’ve piloted with a small number of patients and we’ve been very pleased with the results it has delivered.”
“YOURmeds works as an assessment tool to see what package of care a service user needs. We can very quickly see whether someone needs additional care and home visits to support them with their medication or if the YOURmeds solution is sufficient. Many of our patients are independent and don’t want several visits a day from a health care professional to check they’ve taken their medicine – YOURmeds provides them with that freedom.”
Due to the ongoing success of YOURmeds so far, the council now has plans to roll the programme out further into the community going forward.
