AHRQ offers help creating 'pill card' to reduce adverse events.Free, online instructions for creating a pill card--an illustrated medication schedule--using only a personal or lap top computer and printer are now available from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, n.pr formerly known as the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, this agency researches the quality of medical care and health services. (AHRQ AHRQ, n.pr See Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. ), a part of the Department of Health and Human Services Noun 1. Department of Health and Human Services - the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979 Health and Human Services, HHS . One in four Americans does not take prescription medicines as prescribed, AHRQ stated. "Many people who fail to adhere to adhere to verb 1. follow, keep, maintain, respect, observe, be true, fulfil, obey, heed, keep to, abide by, be loyal, mind, be constant, be faithful 2. medication instructions do so because they do not understand how to take their medicines," the agency reported. Medication non-adherence costs an estimated $100 billion annually in hospital admissions, doctor visits, lab tests, and nursing home admissions. Research has shown that using a pill card--which uses pictures and simple phrases to show each medicine, its purpose, how much to take, and when to take it--reduces misunderstandings. A pill card can serve as a visual aid for confirming that patients understand how to take the medicines properly and as a reminder to take medicines. AHRQ's "How to Create a Pill Card" provides step-by-step instructions for making such a schedule. All a person needs is a computer with word processing word processing, use of a computer program or a dedicated hardware and software package to write, edit, format, and print a document. Text is most commonly entered using a keyboard similar to a typewriter's, although handwritten input (see pen-based computer) and software, a printer, and information on all of the medicines to be included. "How to Create a Pill Card" is intended for anyone who takes medicines regularly or who cares for someone who does. To download the instructions, go to http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/pillcard/pillcard.htm. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion