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Making Prescription Medication Labels Easier to Understand: A Project Update
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Three Wisconsin pharmacy systems, Hayat, Hometown and UW Health, are in the process of implementing easy-to-understand prescription medication labels in their 65 pharmacy locations. With help from Wisconsin Health Literacy, labels at the 3 systems were redesigned to comply with the United States Pharmacopeia patient-centered label standards. The project is funded through the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment of the Medical College of Wisconsin and continues through December.
Early survey results from patients receiving prescriptions with new labels show 9 of 10 feel it is important make labels easier to read. A website survey found that 1 in 4 Wisconsin adults had taken a prescription wrong because of confusion over label directions.
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Patient Advisory Council Member Spotlight:
Helen Williamson
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Helen Williamson, a member of the project's Patient Advisory Council (PAC) and a self-described "life-long learner," comes from a 30 year career in education. Following her retirement, she wanted to continue using her skills and interests to help others.
With that in mind, she became an adult tutor through the Sheboygan Literacy Council. During a tutoring session, one of her adult students, a native Spanish speaker, shared a prescription and asked if she was interpreting the instructions properly. In fact, she was not. That alerted Helen to a problem for those with limited English skills. When given the opportunity to join Wisconsin Health Literacy’s Patient Advisory Council as part of the project to improve prescription drug labels, she knew this was something she wanted to be part of.
Using what she’s learned at the PAC and this year’s Health Literacy and Medication Label Summits, Helen has improved her own family’s health literacy, especially in regards to the use of medications. She will make a presentation in the fall to tutors of the Sheboygan Literacy Council to help them assist their adult learners with medication and health literacy matters. In addition to this project, she is also a patient volunteer on Aurora Health Care’s Plain Language Team, whose mission is to improve the readability of the materials provided to patients.
Helen says, “This project has taught me much and helped me find other ways of serving others. I am most grateful for the opportunity.”
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Still Time to Vote for Your Favorite Label!
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Over 800 people have already completed the Favorite Label survey and shared their opinions on what makes a good prescription label. We are well on our way to our goal of 1000 responses. Have you taken the survey yet?
If you haven't, please take a moment to take the (very short) survey. You can also choose to share a story about when you or someone else was confused by medication labels. Keep reading for a look at some of the stories we’ve received so far.
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Here Are Some of the Stories: What's Yours?
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Here are a few stories from the Favorite Label Vote. These cases illustrate the impact of unclear prescription medication labels:
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"Recently, a Spanish-speaking patient was rushed to the ER due to an insulin overdose. The instructions provided in Spanish were not reviewed for appropriateness, and, as a result, did not mirror the English instructions on the bottle. The patient was taking almost three times the recommended dosage, because the instructions in Spanish read: “Take up to 3 tablets every 24 hours,” and she understood it to mean that she needed to take 3 tablets, 3 times a day, every 24 hours."
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"An elderly relative accidentally took 1.5 times the dose of a medication for about 4 days. The label stated: take 1 1/2 pill twice daily. The instructions were to take ½ of a pill 2 times a day. The way the instructions were typed on the label, led my relative to believe she should take 1 and ½ pills 2 times a day. She should have taken 1 pill per day, but she was taking 3 pills per day."
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Medication Label Summit Shows Support for Better Labels
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Attendees of Wisconsin Health Literacy’s Medication Label Summit, held on April 3, complimented the diverse background of speakers and the practical information they gained. Participants especially appreciated the panel of pharmacists sharing their experience on implementing new labels.
After the Summit,
93% of attendees reported they were energized to make labels easier to understand, and 90% felt they understood the positive impact of patient centered labels. In addition, 93% felt that Wisconsin Health Literacy's project can serve as a model for changes in other states. As one attendee said, "It was great to be a part of this summit. Not only does it apply to my work, but it applies to the community our organization serves. I was able to share a wealth of information with my colleagues.”
Videos from the Medication Label Summit will soon be available on-line. Watch for an announcement.
Don’t miss
these informational and inspiring presentations.
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Wisconsin Health Literacy | (608) 257-1655 | www.wisconsinhealthliteracy.org
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