USciences: Script Your Future

non-adherence. Between 33 and 69 percent of medication-related hospital admissions in the U.S. are due to poor adherence, with total cost estimates for non-adherence ranging from $100-300 billion each year including costs for additional doctor visits, emergency room visits, hospital admissions, and additional medicines. Nearly three out of four Americans don’t take their medications as directed, resulting in serious health consequences, especially for people with chronic diseases. Many factors contribute to non-adherence, but the effect is always the same—patients are putting their health and their future at risk. Script Your Future is a national campaign to raise awareness about the importance of medication adherence as a vital first step toward better health outcomes. In partnership with more than 100 public and private stakeholder organizations, the campaign provides tools to help patients and health care professionals better communicate about ways to improve medication adherence. Student pharmacists and other health professions students can help. Script Your Future knows that it takes the active involvement of the entire health care team to improve adherence. Health care professionals play a critical role in helping patients with chronic conditions understand the safe and effective use of prescribed medication. Pharmacy, medical, nursing students, and other health professions students, as well as community members, all have a unique role to play in improving medication adherence.