![]() Taking medications incorrectly can be dangerous, and for 700,000 people this mistake results in a trip to the hospital and thousands more dollars spent. Unfortunately, medications can’t work if they’re not taken. That might mean they take the med at the wrong time, forget proper technique for an injection, eat food before taking the med when they aren’t supposed to, or just forget to take it altogether! You’ve probably heard the statistics: 50% of patients don’t take their medications as prescribed. Photo Credit © Syda Productions via Dollar Photo Club.Think. Download a couple and see which one you like best–it is certainly worth a shot. The best way to find out which one is right for you is to try one out. A few offer coupons and refill reminders, while others can be used to track things like cholesterol. Though most medication apps have similar features, some will fit your needs better than others. Using a five-point scale, they rated all the apps listed below at least a four. These apps are all free and available for both iOS and Android devices. The American Pharmacists Association has a list of their highest-rated apps for medication adherence. You probably have a friend, a pharmacist, or a doctor who would happily recommend one. And 66% of Americans say they are eager to use their phones to help manage their health ( 2015 online health survey). You’ll be surprised how many people already use medication reminder apps. Some apps even allow you to print out medication schedules. Aides and caregivers can also use them to help their clients. Many apps allow multiple users so you can help manage medications for your whole family. Perhaps you are interested in these apps, not just for yourself, but for a loved one. The app can act as a central hub giving you that extra layer of protection. If you take medications prescribed by more than one doctor or filled at more than one pharmacy, these features can really help. Many of these apps also have safety measures built in like drug interaction or allergy alerts. Having the right name and the exact dose of all your current meds will help you get the best possible treatment. When this happens you can just show them your phone when they ask what medications you are taking. Sometimes you have to see a doctor you don’t know, like a specialist or an emergency room physician. The apps track all this so you can monitor your progress–and show your doctor how well you are doing! You can indicate that you already took your pill, that you want to be reminded again later, or to dismiss. Most can be set up to vibrate, ring, send a text, or pop-up a visual notification when it is time to take your medicine. They can be adapted to alert you in a way that works best for you. If you can receive a text message on your phone, then you can use one of these apps. Many of them are free and have benefits that go beyond just reminding you to take a pill. On the iTunes store alone, there are nearly a hundred medication reminder apps. Take heart, your solution might be as close as your mobile phone, and as simple as downloading an app. This happens to a lot of people especially when they have to take more than one pill, more than once a day. You know you need to take your medication but darn it, sometimes you just plain forget.
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