NACDS' stance on medication adherence emphasized in NYT article

ALEXANDRIA, Va. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has praised a New York Times article that underscored medication therapy management and the consequences of nonadherence.

The article emphasized the use of technological solutions to enhance medication adherence, and said that “[medication nonadherence] undermines even the best cost-saving and clinical intentions of evidence-based care.” These ideas are consistent with NACDS’ focus on expanding e-prescribing, fostering electronic health records and increasing access to and use of pharmacist-provided medication therapy management services, the pharmacy group said.

In response to the article, NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson said, “The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has pledged to own the issue of medication adherence. We made this pledge because we know that pharmacists have the education and skills to work with patients to increase medication adherence rates, improve patient health and reduce overall healthcare costs.”

As previously reported by Drug Store News, an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine last month noted that more than $100 billion is spent each year on avoidable hospitalizations. The statistic is just the tip of the iceberg, the authors wrote, as the New England Healthcare Institute projected in July 2009 that $290 billion in total annual costs, or 13% of all healthcare expenditures, were caused by poor medication adherence.