Rite Aid Pharmacists Now Using Prescription Advisor Reports to Promote Medication Compliance

PRESS RELEASE

According to the New England Health Institute (NEHI), approximately half of prescription-taking Americans take their medications incorrectly, resulting in approximately $290 billion in avoidable costs annually. To help patients control their health care costs and maximize the benefits of prescription medications, Rite Aid pharmacists are now offering personalized Rite Care Prescription Advisor reports that show how well patients are doing taking prescribed medications that must be taken on a regular basis.

At the center of the Rite Care Prescription Advisor program are consultations with Rite Aid pharmacists, which focus on helping patients understand the importance of taking their medications as prescribed. Since many health conditions treated with regular medications do not cause symptoms, many patients don't realize that not taking medications as directed can significantly increase their risk of serious health complications. As one of the most accessible healthcare providers, pharmacists are uniquely qualified to counsel on the ever-expanding variety of medications that are often prescribed by multiple doctors specializing in different fields of care.

"We're witnessing a new era of patient care that is more effectively utilizing community pharmacists to ensure that medications are taken as prescribed, which can lead to better patient outcomes and lower overall healthcare costs," said Robert Thompson, Rite Aid's executive vice president of pharmacy. "At Rite Aid, we believe face-to-face counseling is critical to improving therapeutic outcomes. The Rite Care Prescription Advisor is a new tool designed to do just that by facilitating meaningful face-to-face counseling and enhancing the pharmacist-patient relationship.

Rite Aid pharmacists are already using the new reports in their day-to-day interactions with patients. To encourage more customers to try their free Rite Care Prescription Advisor reports, Rite Aid is placing ads in weekly newspaper circulars and including a snapshot of patients' Rite Care Prescription Advisor report on their private prescription information along with a suggestion to speak to their Rite Aid pharmacist for details on the new program.

Patients who choose to participate will receive a complete personalized Rite Care Prescription Advisor report showing a compliance score for each prescribed medication, depicted in an easy-to-read line graph. Scores are also calculated and graphed across multiple medications used to treat the same or related health conditions and combined for an overall score based on all medications taken regularly. Rite Care Prescription Advisor reports can also be accessed through a patient's MyPharmacy account at www.riteaid.com.