Help the person I take care of keep up with Taking their Medication
Market: Caregivers
Scenario: A 52-year-old caregiver needs to help her mother remember to take her medication. She begins by understanding the medication regimen and then plans how to fit it into their daily routine. The caregiver sets up medication reminders, monitors adherence, and communicates with the healthcare team to ensure her loved one takes the medication as prescribed.
Average Difficulty: Intense (30-40% Range)
41 Outcomes 7% to 54% Difficulty
Research Insights
This study identified the most difficult aspects of remembering to give medication for caregivers, including fitting the medication routine into the daily schedule, preventing missed doses when the schedule changes, and managing the emotional toll of being responsible for someone else's medication. Caregivers also struggle with adjusting the medication plan when needed and finding trustworthy information about potential side effects.
Job Steps
1. Understand Medication Goals
2. Organize and Schedule Medications
3. Set Up Medication Environment
4. Confirm Access to Medication (through Insurance or pay out-of-pocket)
5. Ensure Medication Adherence (Meds Taken Consistently and Correctly)
6. Monitor Medication Supply and Refills
7. Adjust Medication Routine as Needed
8. Prepare for next medication Cycle
Themes Identified
- Medication Management: Understanding the purpose of each medication, preventing drug interactions, and adjusting the medication plan when health needs change.
- Emotional Well-being: Managing the emotional toll of taking multiple medications, feeling in control of the medication routine, and maintaining a positive attitude towards the medication regimen.
- Integration with Daily Life: Incorporating the medication routine into daily schedules, remembering to take medications when routines change, and managing the medication routine while traveling or away from home.
Recommendations
- Offer personalized medication scheduling tools that can easily adapt to changes in daily routines.
- Provide resources and support for managing the emotional aspects of caregiving, such as stress management techniques and caregiver support groups.
- Curate reliable and easy-to-understand information about medications and their potential side effects.
- Implement secure messaging features that allow caregivers to communicate directly with healthcare providers about medication concerns.
- Develop a centralized platform for tracking medication adherence and sharing updates with the healthcare team.
Cautions
- Avoid using medical jargon or complex language when providing medication information to caregivers.
- Do not underestimate the emotional impact of caregiving and the need for support in managing stress and burnout.
- Be mindful of the privacy and security concerns associated with sharing personal health information online.
- Do not create a one-size-fits-all solution, as each caregiving situation is unique and may require customized tools and resources.
- Ensure that any medication reminders or adherence tracking features are reliable and do not contribute to caregiver stress or burden.
Outcomes
The difficulty percentages below represent the proportion of the market that finds this outcome difficult to achieve.
| Difficulty | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 54% | Decrease time waiting for a doctor's call |
| 51% | Increase ease of handling insurance coverage issues |
| 48% | Increase support for managing medications in patients with cognitive difficulties (e.g., Alzheimers, dementia, head injury, etc...) |
| 46% | Increase the ease of dealing with medication supply issues |
| 44% | Increase the availability of appointment slots |
| 41% | Decrease time spent handling insurance-related paperwork |
| 34% | Decrease the complexity of understanding insurance processes for medication access |
| 33% | Increase the empathy I receive from healthcare professionals about medication anxiety |
| 32% | Increase the ability to adapt medication routine to unforeseen changes |
| 31% | Increase the ease of accessing their medical records |
| 30% | Increase the ease of changing daily medication doses |
| 30% | Increase availability of remote patient monitoring options |
| 30% | Decrease the time it takes to adapt to medication changes when there is a new diagnosis |
| 28% | Increase the ease of keeping up with dosage changes when multiple medications are involved |
| 26% | Increase the number of communication options with doctors |
| 26% | Increase clarity and justification in co-pay explanations |
| 25% | Increase the ease of adjusting routine when medication changes |
| 25% | Increase the ease of accessing their insurance information |
| 24% | Decrease emotional stress in ensuring medications are not skipped |
| 24% | Decrease the time it takes to schedule appointments |
| 24% | Decrease time spent organizing medications |
| 23% | Decrease time spent monitoring low quantities |
| 22% | Increase understanding of medication side effects |
| 22% | Increase clarity in doctor's explanations and advice |
| 21% | Increase the ease of dealing with medication appearance changes |
| 21% | Increase consistency of process and communication across multiple caregivers during medication changes |
| 21% | Increase the ease of adjusting or changing medications |
| 19% | Increase the ease of managing mail-order medications |
| 19% | Increase the ease of managing multiple medications |
| 18% | Decrease time taken to receive medication refills |
| 18% | Increase the effectiveness of how I organize medication (e.g., labeling and storage) |
| 17% | Increase ease of tracking actual medication intake |
| 17% | Increase the timeliness of medication refill reminders |
| 17% | Increase certainty that medication is taken at the right time |
| 17% | Increase effectiveness of medication reminder tools |
| 14% | Increase the ease of establishing and maintaining a consistent medication routine |
| 12% | Increase the involvement with doctor and pharmacy to ensure understanding of medication goals |
| 11% | Increase the ease of setting up a medication schedule |
| 10% | Decrease the number of times that I do not understand the doctor's medication instructions |
| 10% | Decrease the time it takes to understand the purpose and timing of medications |
| 7% | Increase the ease of setting up a medication environment |
