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MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, WA -- (January 22, 2002) -- Hundreds of thousands of people in the Northwest take multiple medications for chronic conditions. If you're one of them, review all of your medications with your doctor. You may be in for a surprise.
That's the conclusion of a successful six-month pilot effort by Premera Blue Cross with assistance from the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA), aimed at reducing medication errors by encouraging people to review their medications with their doctors.
Premera Blue Cross released results today of a voluntary survey among 11,000 Premera Blue Cross members involved in the pilot. The survey revealed that when members' own doctors had a chance to review all medications their patients were taking, doctors found more than one in four patients needed medication changes.
"Thousands of people must juggle many different pills each day," noted Dr. Roki Chauhan, Premera Blue Cross Medical Director for Quality. "These medications are prescribed by different doctors for different conditions, and sometimes filled at different pharmacies. To that, add in self-prescribed over-the-counter drugs and herbal remedies. If you're not careful you can have a formula for trouble. The message here: be sure your doctor knows ALL the medications you're taking."
| CONTACT: Scott Forslund, Premera Blue Cross Phone 425-670-5070 Fax 425-670-5575 Pager 425-514-9619 |