Page 7 - Federal Budget Submission 2016-17

Importance of medication adherence
Adherence to a medication regimen is central to good health outcomes. However, evidence is emerging that there is an increase in consumers failing to collect their prescriptions.27
Medication adherence for many people with chronic disease is extremely poor, resulting in disease-related complications, higher levels of hospitalisation, and increased morbidity and mortality.28 The economic costs of non-adherence are high. 29
Central to good adherence is the quality of the health professional/ patient relationship and effective health communication.31
The Compliance to Medicines Working Group Report to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee highlighted the importance of the patient/clinician relationship and also identified that “consumers value advice from a variety of health professionals about their medicines.”32
30-50%
30-50% of prescribed medicines for long term conditions are not taken as recommended30
Optimising the management of long-term conditions
Chronic diseases, or long-term conditions, place significant demands on the health care system and incur significant health care costs associated with medicines, diagnostic services,
aged care, medical services and in particular, hospital expenses.
In 2011 around 240 million prescriptions were dispensed through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) at a cost of $8.3 billion to the Australian Government and a further $2 billion in patient co-payments to pharmacies. Government real health expenditure per person is expected to more than double in the next 40 years.33
Optimising the management of long-term conditions through quality use of medicines has been shown to reduce or delay the incidence of hospitalisation in patients with chronic diseases34 and to reduce the need for, and spending on, expensive hospital admissions and medical services.35
The Government, through its strong reform agenda seeks to address these rising costs and improve quality of lives. For most people the use of medicines is just one element of contribution to good or better health. This submission recognises the importance of a coordinated, team care approach where health professionals with different skills and expertise work in partnership to deliver care in a synergistic, cohesive and holistic manner.
80%
More than 80% of people over 65 have 3 or more long term health conditions12
Federal Budget Submission 2016-17 I ©Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd. 7