Useful prescription drug information: Addressing access for all

Abstract

A drug events are expensive, with an estimated $3.5 billion in additional medical costs resulting from 700,000 emergency department visits and 120,000 emergency hospitalizations each year, according to CDC. Many of these adverse events result from misuse of prescription medications or unintentional overdoses resulting from not understanding a medication’s instructions. With a growing number of people in the United States with limited English proficiency, as well as an increasing number of older patients, the pharmacist’s role in educating patients about proper medication use is more important than ever.