Prescribing medications to address mental health concerns is not something doctors do lightly. They prescribe these medications with the belief that they can improve people’s mental health and quality of life. Medical professionals also understand that care extends beyond the mere prescription. This is an approach called medication management. Medication management comes from recognizing that not everyone reacts to medications the same way. It is a type of care that helps deal with any issues related to a patient’s lifestyle or reactions to the medication. Applying the medication management framework comes with many benefits.
Find out more about medication management in Virginia by calling 703.935.8544.
Benefits of Medication Management
Managing medication effectively is a partnership between medical professionals and patients. The doctor is an expert in their field, just as the patient is an expert in their life and medical history. Medication management puts these knowledge bases to work collaboratively. Explore the benefits of medication management below.
1. Thorough Assessments
Medication management is about far more than just prescribing a medication and telling the patient to come back in a year for their next check-up. Using this approach results in a much deeper assessment of where a patient is and what their needs are. Medication is a part of this but so are therapy sessions and lifestyle changes that support better mental health.
2. Lifestyle Accommodation
Medication management takes a broader view than just the psychological impact that a prescription can have. This method also looks at what social and financial concerns people bring to the table. Managing medication properly means considering where a patient stands on all of the following:
- Health literacy
- Financial concerns
- Language barriers
- Cultural considerations
For instance, someone who lives paycheck to paycheck may not be able to afford a prescription refill unless it falls at a certain time of the month. Another example is devoutly religious people. Many different religions require or expect people to fast at different parts of the year; that must be planned for if medication must be taken with a meal.
3. Patient Engagement
Another benefit of medication management is that it keeps patients more engaged in their healthcare. Managing medication in such a comprehensive, collaborative way ensures people know what is going on and feel like they are in control. Patients who receive medication management services are, in fact, more than two and half times more likely to stick to their medication plan than people who do not receive medication management.
4. Reduced Costs
A failure to optimize medications costs the healthcare industry and its patients billions of dollars every year. The solution is medication management. While this approach does still include the upfront and ongoing cost of medications, the ultimate savings to patients who are living healthier lives is enormous. Medication management also prioritizes eliminating unnecessary medications, switching to cheaper alternatives, and ensuring patient health is at the forefront. That means people are paying less for healthcare costs in the present and the future.
5. Better Outcomes
The most significant benefit of medication management is that it produces better outcomes for people. It isn’t hard to see why. Medication management takes the time to ensure people stick to their medication regimen, are taking effective prescriptions, and get their treatment adjusted whenever necessary. Those are naturally-sound building blocks that produce high levels of care and healthy patients.
Managing Medication at Insight Into Action Therapy
There really is no better approach than medication management for people who receive mental health treatment and take prescriptions as part of that treatment. It is comprehensive, takes time to understand each individual, and customizes treatment to what a person actually needs. Moreover, managing medication with this framework is flexible. People’s needs change over time. Medication management can change with people when necessary.
Discover other benefits of medication management by calling Insight Into Action Therapy at 703.935.8544.
