Taking blister-packs to task: synmed saves the day for seniors isolated by covid-19

For a substantial number of seniors, the onset of the Coronavirus has magnified the sense of isolation that had already been widely prevalent in skilled/unskilled healthcare facilities, assisted living residences, and retirement communities. Now, with greater restrictions on who can see them and when, there predictably has been a dramatically negative impact on their emotional health. 

That alone would be reason enough for concern.

Unfortunately, it also comes with cause for alarm.

More than half of adults over the age of 65 admit they forget to take their medications as directed; in turn, draining $177 billion from the U.S. healthcare system in terms of medication-related morbidity and mortality costs. Non-adherence of that magnitude has resulted in higher hospitalization rates, more expensive health insurance premiums, and across-the-board shortfalls in patient outcomes.

SynMed Solutions for Self-Administered Medication Management

The effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus has put additional responsibility on the elderly to manage their own medication regimens. In some cases, healthcare professionals themselves may be prevented by law from physically assisting patients. So, anything that can help could literally be considered a godsend, especially in the eyes of family members concerned for the wellbeing of their loved ones. 

That’s where SynMed comes in. 

Our multidose, blister-card packaging options provide intuitive solutions for simplifying the process for residents and caregivers alike. Meds are organized by day and time for safer and more convenient administration. Patients can see at a glance whether they took a dose or not. Even better, prescriptions are inherently synched for a monthly refill at the pharmacy, supplying a safer alternative to filling weekly pillboxes. 

Driving Better Results from Push-to-Pull   

Each individual blister card has the capacity to hold up to 16 medications of various shapes and sizes and may be labeled with the patient name and a detailed list of every drug included inside the pack (including corresponding descriptions and colour-coded images or pictograms to indicate dosage time). Perforated edges around each allow the patient to tear off an entire row, turning the blister into its own labeled medication cup. 

SynMed packaging has been proven to reduce med pass time by 30-50 percent. A typical blister card features individual rows for every day of the week and columns to indicate morning, noon, evening, and bedtime doses.

Just as importantly, controlled substances are highlighted in bold red printing for greater accuracy, fact-checking, and control of these drugs. That allows for fast access to essential information in the case of an emergency, and also makes for a useful reference tool when discussing MTM issues. 

MedSync from Square One

In the beginning, it’s best to work with patients currently taking three to five medications. Those are easy to sync and generally provide a strong foundation for getting familiar with the process. From experience, we’ve found it’s helpful to start with those who are consistently late or early for refills, working out a workflow pace that can scale up later on. 

With confidence comes a greater comfort level as the unfamiliar becomes more routine. Every independent pharmacy and short- or long-term care facility has something to gain.

SynMed can help you start.