More than half of patients experience challenges when filling prescriptions and are uncertain about who to trust for prescription medication information or costs, a new survey from Surescripts found. As a result, one in four patients has abandoned a prescription because it was too expensive.
"With more patients than ever relying on expensive medications to treat chronic conditions, the need for patients to have accurate prescription cost information at the point of prescribing has never been greater," said Frank Harvey, the company's president and CEO.
Price transparency and affordability are major pain points as patients struggle to navigate prescription pricing. Getting clearer cost information before picking up a prescription would make managing medications easier for 36% of patients. However, only 26% discuss medication costs with their provider at half or more of their visits, and just more than half believe their needs are fully met in these conversations.
Prior authorization plays a significant role. Twenty-nine percent of patients who have filled a prescription in the past 12 months saying they experienced delays because of prior authorization. This number rises to 36% when patients take two or more prescription medications a day. The impact of these delays extends beyond inconvenience, with 13% of patients reporting that their health actually worsened because of delays caused by prior authorization processes.
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Patients want to take control of their prescribing experience, and nearly 8 in 10 said digital solutions would help the average patient. Fifty-nine percent already are using apps to manage their medications, while only 17% still rely on manual options such as paper, faxes or phone calls. Nevertheless, only 51% of patients said they are familiar with digital price comparison tools. Of this group, frequent use is low, with only 10% saying they use the tools often.
Despite the low use, however, there's significant interest in these tools. More than three-quarters said they would be likely to use a digital tool where they could view their prescriptions, compare prices and choose where to fill each prescription. Nine out of 10 clinicians (87% of pharmacists and 92% of prescribers) said having a tool to let patients check prescription prices and availability would help their patient interaction.
"The survey reinforces the essential role health care providers play in empowering patients with digital tools that support them to make confident and timely decisions about their care, elevating the overall care experience," Harvey said.
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