Medication synchronization helps ensure someone doesn’t miss a dose. But it goes even beyond that; there are many advantages to medication synchronization in addition to limiting trips to the pharmacy. Today, we’ll talk about what med sync is, its telling benefits, and why it’s so important.
What is medication synchronization and how does it work?
Simply put, medication synchronization is the process of filling prescriptions and collecting them on a single day each month instead of having prescriptions filled as soon as they’re written or collected from the pharmacy as patients need them throughout the month.
Instead, all prescriptions are filed one time each month, drastically reducing the number of trips to the pharmacy and added convenience for people taking multiple prescriptions.
When prescriptions are filled and picked up on one day each month (as opposed to when they’re refilled), it creates peace of mind for everyone involved. For patients, it means they never have to worry about running out of a needed medication because they can’t keep track of all the varying refill dates.
By syncing up 28-day, 30-day, 60-day, and even 90-day scripts, there’s a consistent cycle of refills happening at all times. This benefits the pharmacy because they have fewer prescriptions to fill all the time (and eliminates people forgetting to pick things up) which can lead to better adherence data for them as well.
What kinds of medications can be synched?
Patients who take multiple medications for any condition can benefit from medication synchronization. Even patients who take a single prescription that requires regular refills will see benefits, as it reduces trips to the pharmacy and eliminates any concerns about running out of medications due to timing issues.
How does it work?
Pharmacists play a big part in managing prescription syncing. They take the time to review patient prescription lists and accurately formulate a plan to get them synced up. The pharmacist then does a few partial fills to sync up all meds to a single date. Often, they’ll also schedule monthly or bi-monthly follow-ups for patients to discuss the medications and ensure everything is on the right track.
What are the benefits of medication synchronization?
The obvious benefit is that patients don’t have to go to the pharmacy every month, which reduces stress and eliminates a potential source of anxiety. However, because it’s such a big part of what pharmacists are trained to do, medication synchronization also ensures accuracy and attention to detail. It also improves patient health by ensuring they’re getting the proper medications at the right time.
Medication synchronization is just another way that pharmacists are making prescription management easier for patients everywhere.
All the benefits of medication synchronization include:
- Eliminating unnecessary repeat trips to the pharmacy each month, which saves time and money.
- Minimizing confusing or conflicting refill dates.
- Reducing delayed or missed doses due to missed refills.
- Pharmacists have more insight and control into patients’ medication lists, preventing contraindications, duplicate drugs, and other issues.
- Ensuring the right drugs work with the others and that the proper treatment plans are given.
- Improving medication adherence
- Giving caregivers peace of mind
Medication synchronization is not a new concept. Still, it wasn’t until recently that pharmacies started making medication synchronization standard practice.
The average person visits a pharmacy 35 times per year but only sees their doctor four times. By syncing up scripts, pharmacists can cut this number by more than half and allow more convenient prescription refills. Many companies offer mailed prescriptions and automated subscriptions and can help medication adherence rates skyrocket.
Patients don’t have to worry about going back and forth between pharmacies anymore—pharmacists make sure they’re synchronized, so doctors’ instructions are followed as intended. Nor do they have to wait for a pharmacist to reach out for medication refill reminders. And that’s a win-win for everyone.
For even more automated prescription management and administration, check out Ōmcare’s Home Health Hub. The Home Health Hub offers easy, fast medication management and administration, plus free med delivery in monthly rolls that bundle all necessary medications into one convenient package. Reach out to learn more!