Medication Mismanagement On The Rise
This article points to one of the growing impacts of the cost and complexity of drug treatments, another indicator of how U.S. health care is in serious need of a makeover. The complexity of drug offerings is staggering, with hundreds of new pharmaceuticals hitting the market each year, and hundreds more in the pipeline. In addition, the cost of these treatments is directly driving double digit increases in health care costs. Pharmacy Benefit Management companies (PBMs) and drug utilization review firms are growing at a rapid pace, trying to manage the allocation of benefits and help health insurance payers to reduce the increases in costs. As the complexity of drug interactions skyrockets, Independent review organizations (IROs) are playing an increasing role in reviewing the medical necessity of drug utilization, by using specialists to provide medical peer review of drug benefits.
More prescriptions, greater confusion
Medications improve the lives of seniors, but errors in taking them can be lethal
"Medication mismanagement among seniors is a growing problem in the United States. Some experts estimate that half of all seniors mismanage one or more of their medications, and seniors are twice as likely to end up in emergency rooms because of drug safety issues.
As the baby boom generation ages - and older Americans take more medications to deal with chronic illnesses - medical professionals have become increasingly concerned about the issue.
"Not only is it getting worse, it has become one of the major sources of hospitalizations in the country and one of the greatest preventable causes of illnesses - and costs associated with illnesses - in this country," said George Lowe, director of medical services at the Overlea Physicians medical clinic in Northeast Baltimore. About 60 percent of his patients are seniors."
Read the entire article: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.md.meds09mar09,0,85144.story
