Have you ever been to the doctor and had to fill out the question about your current medications and needed a place to quickly refer to them? Or, have you dropped similar-looking pills and could not tell your morning med from your evening med? Maybe you are a caregiver helping with multiple people’s medications and need reminders, or maybe you’re overwhelmed by the polypharmacy phenomena.
Whether you are a patient or a caregiver, staying organized and maintaining medication compliance is important to a person’s overall health. To bring peace of mind and help you simplify your medication routine, check out these great digital tools designed with your needs in mind.
The Medisafe App
When you have multiple medication schedules to remember, the Medisafe App allows for family scheduling on a central calendar with reminders for each person. The app also issues warnings when any of your medications shouldn’t be taken together that would pose an interaction and gives you updates when your prescriptions are running low, so that you don’t miss a treatment. www.medisafeapp.com
Drugs.com Pill Identifier App
For the low cost of $0.99, this app can help you identify that lonely pill that you found at the bottom of your purse by searching the imprint, drug name, color and shape. Many pills may look similar to one another, so remove the risk of medication error by confirming the pill before taking it. The app has a database of more than 14,000 medications including those no longer on the market. www.drugs.com/apps
PillPack
If you watch TV, you’ve more than likely seen the advertisements for PillPack, an Amazon company. Once you transfer your prescriptions to the PillPack team, they’ll source your prescriptions and deliver your medications straight to your door already pre-packed and labeled for when they should be taken. This service is great for frequent travelers and alleviates the use of bulky medication sorters. Subscribers will also have access to 24-hour pharmacy support. https://www.pillpack.com/
Pillsy Smart Cap
This smart device attaches to your pill bottle and can help you stay on track with your doses by monitoring whether or not you opened the bottle at the scheduled time. The lid will give frequent audible and visual alerts at the scheduled time until you take the meds, and you and your caregiver can also opt in to text message alerts when it’s time for your meds. A calendar feature in the app can show you a history or your activity and also help you discover if someone else had accessed your meds. www.pillsy.com
CareZone app
The CareZone app makes it easy for you to create a cohesive list of medications by taking a few pictures of the label – no typing and trying to spell those complicated medication names! The app can also be used to send reminders when to refill a prescription or take a medication. A tracker for vitals is also available to monitor blood glucose, sleep and weight. The information may be shared with others, which especially comes in handy when there are multiple caregivers taking care of the patient and going with them to doctor appointments. www.carezone.com
These are just a few of the great tools available to patients and families; and while one specific tool won’t work for all patients, it’s important to find what works for you or your love one to help you remain compliant. Medication adherence lowers your risks of unplanned hospital visits and can keep your health condition from worsening. Different lifestyles and routines may bring challenges, but don’t forget to use your pharmacist as a resource for their suggestions if you have trouble keeping your medications organized.
The content of this site is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical conditions or treatments.
