Pharmacy Daily | Free Patient Support site

POOR adherence to chronic disease medication is a worldwide problem of striking magnitude, according to Professor Peter Carroll. The comments come as part of Carroll’s address to media at the launch of a new patient support portal, freepatientsupport.com. The new portal aims to tackle non compliance in Australian patients by connecting them with support programs that can help them maximise the health benefits from their medications by facilitating compliance. “The World Health Organisation says increasing the effectiveness of adherence to medications has a far greater affect on the public health than actually finding something new to treat a condition with,” said Professor Carroll. “There are seriously good medicines out there to treat chronic disease states but they will only work if people take them appropriately on a regular basis,” he added. Launching the website, health entrepreneur and site founder Michael Clayton, said the portal will focus on consumers and the promotion of support services to consumers. “One of the issues our industry faces is that we compete, but we have the same problem and that’s where freepatientsupport.com comes in,” he said. “It is an above brand, patient centred strategy: it’s lifted above the level of the individual manufacturers, the individual NGO’s, I’m lifting it above government, and actually focusing it on the consumer,” he added. The site works in a similar vein to insurance website iSelect, in that it will feature support programs offered free of charge for medicines from pharmaceutical companies, Government agencies, NGOs and charities. “Connecting patients to support services has proven very difficult in Australia, especially if it is done at the level of an individual company, patient advocacy group or health department,” said Clayton. “But if we can aggregate those NSW Pharmacy - National Convention & Exhibition Learn to survive & THRIVE! Friday 21 - Sunday 23 June 2013 Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour www.nswpharmacy-nce.com.au Networking - Education - Products & Service Solutions MARK THESE DATES IN YOUR DIARY! services and locate them in one place where searching, selecting and signing up are easy, then we help overcome a major barrier.” Australians can utilise the site by entering the medication they want a support program for, as well as the condition that the medication is treating, after which they will be shown a range of support programs from which they can then sign up to. Discussing the importance of compliance programs, Clayton also told media of a recent study which indicated that within six months 50% of patients were off their medications. “Free patient support is the start of a solution, the start of a national discussion,” he said. At present, the site can be reviewed by healthcare professionals and industry stakeholders. As such, stakeholders can now register services and support programs on the site; and ‘not for profit’ organisations can register free of charge. The consumer launch is planned for February 2013. MEANWHILE in talking about pharmacists, Professor Carroll struck out at criticism leveled at the profession for taking enrolment fees for patient support programs. “If you can enrol people in these programs and help them take their medications as they should, that gives them a much better health outcome,” he said. “We should congratulate pharmacists not criticise them,” he added.

---

The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 06 Dec 12
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 06 Dec 12