Medication Management Services in the California
We take medication to treat a medical condition and improve our quality of life. But if you have a severe illness or you’re taking multiple medications, taking your medicine in the right dose at the right time may be difficult. If medications aren’t taken as prescribed by the doctor, you may find that your quality of life declines. That’s because misusing medication can lead to uncomfortable or even dangerous symptoms. It may also fail to correct your disorder’s symptoms.
That is why we provide medication management services at Advanced Psychiatry Associates. A medication therapy management program can help you get the right medicine, and teach you how to take it at the correct time. Working with a medication therapy management pharmacist can help improve your treatment outcomes, while also ensuring your safety.
What Are Medication Therapy Management Services?
Medication management services are designed to assist patients in taking their prescribed medicines, so they take them in the proper dosages and at the right times on a consistent basis. Medication oversight can also help prevent side effects associated with misuse and ensure that the drugs you’re prescribed work as they should.
Medication management services for seniors in assisted living facilities are already well known to many. But a similar service is now available to people who are receiving treatment for a mental health disorder at Advanced Psychiatry Associates.
We go beyond merely providing reminders to take medication. We know that people suffering from mental health disorders such as ADHD, depression and bipolar disorder need reminders, encouragement and sometimes physical assistance to help them take their medications properly. Advanced Psychiatry Associates provides compassionate and knowledgeable oversight to patients who need help self-administering prescribed drugs.
What Is Medication Management?
Medication management is the process of providing help to patients who need to take multiple medications in the proper dosages and on schedule. Failure to do so can make it difficult for them to manage or overcome a mental health disorder. When patients have been taking other medications before receiving treatment for mental illness, they’ll need help while deciding the best time to take multiple medicines.
Even if there are no medications except those prescribed for their mental health disorder, they’ll need to plan the best time to take their medicine, especially if they’re still active at work or at school. For patients to keep their disorder under control, the medication must be taken at the exact time it’s needed.
Who Needs Medication Management Assistance?
Anyone who needs to treat a mental health condition needs assistance with medication management. Medication management is also essential for anyone receiving treatment for substance abuse or drug addiction.
This is an essential tool for securing the mental health of patients and minimizing healthcare costs. We also recommend medication management for any patient who has difficulty taking their medications properly.
Non-adherence to prescription medicine may occur because the patient:
- Fails to fill a prescription initially
- Fails to refill the prescription
- Stops using the medication before the time the therapy is completed
- Refuses to keep taking medication for a chronic condition such as bipolar disorder
- Takes a higher or lower amount than what was prescribed
- Does not take the right dose at the correct time
One way a doctor can monitor a patient’s compliance with the prescription is through testing. Blood testing verifies that the correct quantity of the drug is in the blood. If the amount isn’t enough, then it means the person hasn’t taken the medications according to instructions. An excessive amount means that the patient is taking too much of the drug and it isn’t being properly metabolized. In either case, medication management can help the patient regulate dosages properly.
Professional Help for Managing Multiple Medications
It’s important to seek your doctor’s assistance for medication management when you discover that you aren’t complying with your doctor’s prescriptions. Not taking your medicine as prescribed can cause uncomfortable symptoms. It can also prevent the medicine from giving you the relief you need from your mental health disorder.
The team at Advanced Psychiatry Associates can help you better manage your medication. To learn more about the medication management services available at Advanced Psychiatry Associates, give us a call, use our live chat or complete our online form to schedule an appointment. We accept patients ages 14 and older.
Advanced Psychiatry Associates accepts several major insurance plans, including HMOs, Medicare and workers’ compensation plans. We also accept cash payments.
“I’ve been going here over a year now. I’ve always been treated professionally. Everyone is so nice. My clinicians are courteous and caring. Everyone I’ve dealt with has treated me respectfully while I’ve been learning to deal with my diagnoses. Highly recommend this office!”