Apart from dealing with the treatment and care of their patients, hospital management also ensures that patients take the right medication during the treatment and after it. Managing the medication in hospitals and providing prescription assistance to patients is one of the primary responsibilities of healthcare staff. According to research, medication management is one of the five ways to reduce hospital readmissions.

However, medication management is quite complex, and hospital management usually has to deal with several difficulties during the process. Here are the challenges that hospital management faces in medication management.

Medicine Shortage

The primary challenge that hospitals face during medication management is the shortage of drugs in hospitals. According to a report by the American Hospital Association, around 80% of hospitals said that getting enough medication was extremely challenging. Moreover, the shortage of medication and slow drug supply can result in other issues too. Due to the absence of medicine, doctors look for an alternative medication that’s usually more expensive and can result in health risks. Doctors also have to make difficult decisions like concluding which patients should get immediate medicines and delaying other patients’ treatments.

Many doctors have stated that sitting with patients and their loved ones, informing them that they can’t get the medication they need desperately, is one of the hardest things they have to do. In the United States, many patients and their families blame hospitals for medicine shortage and choose not to believe that life-saving medicines aren’t available all the time.

Medication Safety Risks

According to a report by the Institute of Medicine, hospitals usually experience at least one medication error every day. The occurrence of even one medication error means that the medication management in a hospital has failed. Even the smallest medication error can lead to major health risks, and even prove fatal.

Hospitals are struggling to reduce or eliminate the number of medical errors, but many factors lead to such errors. Hospitals can ensure that there is no human error, but no system exists to identify if the medication is completely safe.

Patient’s Financial Conditions

According to a news report, one in four patients find it difficult to afford their medication. Moreover, every one in eight patients reported that they or their family members had to reduce dosage due to financial constraints. Due to the high number of patients who can’t afford medication, hospital management can’t ensure that patients take the medication they are prescribed. Therefore, hospitals can’t provide medical care like usual to these patients.

However, at Advocate My Meds, we provide prescription assistance to patients who can’t afford necessary medication.

Check if you’re eligible for our prescription assistance organization, and enroll today! You can also get in touch with us for further assistance.