Transcript The Red Bag Project - Home

The Red Bag Project
Presented by
Susan Reece, FCS Agent
Why?
• Older adults continue to take more medications
– Those 65+ consume more than 30% of all
prescription medications.
– They purchase 40% of all over-the-counter
meds.
– They take 2-7 prescription medications daily
(Minnesota Poison Control System)
Why?
• Improper use of medicines may pose
significant risks for the elderly.
– Direct & indirect cost due to drug noncompliance, inappropriate prescribing
&/or monitoring by health care
professionals = $100B annually
(AARP)
Contributing Factors of Senior Drug
Misuse
• Poor communication between patient
and the health care provider
• Use of several prescriptions
• Use of internet pharmacy
• Inability to take medications
• as prescribed.
Pitt County, NC Demographics
• Within the next 30 years the NC senior
population is expected to double.
• 23% are low literacy (44% of the low
literacy population lives in poverty)
• 18% of Pitt Co. residents live below
poverty (13% statewide)
Health Literacy
• Can people obtain, process and
understand the basic health information
& services needed to make appropriate
health decisions?
• Does low health literacy increase the
risk of medication misuse?
A Collaborative Effort
• Health Literacy Council
– Pitt County Health Dept.
– Pitt Community College
– Pitt County Memorial Hospital
– Literacy Volunteers of America
– Campbell University’s School of Pharmacy
– NC Cooperative Extension
Manage Meds Effectively
• Medication Chart Includes:
– Medication Name
– Dosage
– Side Effects
– Warnings
– Purpose of the Drug
Manage Meds Effectively
• Medication Chart Includes:
– Suggested questions to ask the
physician, nurse or pharmacist
– A list of tips to ensure medication are
used safely
All materials are in larger print and in
simple language for low level readers.
The Red Bag Project
• With a $5,000 grant
– 2,000 Red Bags were purchased
– Medication Safety Cards were printed
Implementing the Program
• Medication Safety ppt. developed by the
Campbell University’s School of
Pharmacy is delivered to senior groups
throughout Pitt Co. NC
• Participants are then eligible to receive
the materials.
• Participants must fill out a card with
contact information to determine
program effectiveness
Piloting the Program
• A random sample of 30 patients at the
ECU Geriatric Clinic revealed:
95% had used the Red Bag and had
written a list of medications.
Evaluating the Program
• Do you use the bag?
• Was it helpful to keep meds in a central
location?
• Was it helpful to have meds listed?
• Did you take the bag to appointments?
• Would you recommend this program?
Expanding the Program
• Media Blitz
Expanding the audience
• Educating EMS
• Educating the hospital
• Educating Health Care Providers
• Others????