Consumer Education Called the Key
To Reducing Health Care Costs

Kansas City, MI–"The health care costs caused by patients and employees who incorrectly take prescription medicines is staggering," says Dorothy L. Smith, Pharm.D., President of Consumer Health Information Corporation, McLean, VA. As the keynote speaker, Dr. Smith urged attendees of the Ellis Management Marketing Group's (EMMG) national conference to "educate consumers BEFORE they become patients."

"It is estimated that approximately 50 percent of all prescription medicines are incorrectly taken," says Dr. Smith. "Translated into dollars and cents, incorrect use of medications leads to increased overall health care costs and decreased productivity, amounting to a total estimated cost of $100 billion annually."

The conference, "Achieving Better Medication Compliance: Everyone Benefits," gathers pharmaceutical executives, pharmacists, employee benefit managers and health care professionals to discuss the issues of patient noncompliance with prescription medications.

This morning, Dr. Smith focused attendees on the goals of patient compliance. "Increasing patient compliance leads to faster recoveries, less time away from work, increased quality of life, and decreased treatment costs," notes Dr. Smith who has over 20 years experience in clinical pharmacy and patient education.

As the complex debate of health care reform continues, Dr. Smith urged the health care industry to address issues that impact the total cost and quality of pharmaceutical care. "It is more cost-effective to educate patients on HOW to take prescribed medications than to continue to pay for the costly complications of noncompliance," says Dr. Smith.