Featured image for Mo’ Prescriptions, Mo’ Problems: Deborah Adler Provides Design Solution for CVS Pharmacy

Mo’ Prescriptions, Mo’ Problems: Deborah Adler Provides Design Solution for CVS Pharmacy

by Theresa Christine Johnson on 10/04/2017 | 3 Minute Read

Editorial photograph

Have you ever gotten so incredibly sick that you go to the doctor and walk away with about five different prescriptions? You’ve got antibiotics to take in the morning and evening, decongestant meds every four hours, and pain pills every eight hours as needed. Even though you only need them for a short while, it’s a struggle to keep track of how much you need to take, and when—so just imagine dealing with a medicine schedule like this on a daily basis, due to chronic health issues.

Today, CVS Pharmacy has announced ScriptPath™ Prescription Schedule, a way to “help patients understand the best time of day to take their prescribed medications to ensure greater efficacy, increased safety and improved adherence.” The new label (expected to come into play in early 2018) utilizes easy-to-understand icons to help improve patient understanding and safety, making the process of taking or administering multiple medications significantly less complicated.

Who did they turn to for design help to make it intuitive and effective? None other than Deborah Adler, the designer who worked on Target’s ClearRx prescription packaging system. "I am excited to have collaborated with CVS Health on its ScriptPath prescription management system," said Deborah Adler, Owner of Adler Design. "We are delivering a simpler, more effective way for people to take their medicine. Design matters in health care and this is a powerful example of how design can play a key role in changing behavior and improving health outcomes."    

The Prescription Schedule is the first feature in CVS’s ScriptPath prescription management system which is set into place to help patients with medication management and improve medication adherence. CVS created a scientific system to create the schedule, taking into account the patient’s prescription info and the prescribers’ instructions. Combined with clinical data, patients then receive a schedule of the most effective times of the day to take each medication.

"Fifty percent of patients struggle with understanding how and when to take their prescription medications, and for those with complex prescription regimens it can be even more challenging," said Troyen Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health. "By providing them with a clear and concise dosing schedule, which incorporates all of their current CVS Pharmacy prescriptions and reduces the number of times a patient takes medication each day, we can help improve medication adherence and, ultimately, health outcomes."

Editorial photograph

“Available in English and Spanish, the ScriptPath Prescription Schedule is available at all of CVS Pharmacy's more than 9,700 retail pharmacy locations nationwide, upon request. Because the Prescription Schedule will be most helpful to the more than nine million CVS Pharmacy patients who take more than five medications each day, those patients will be offered a consultation with the store pharmacist when they pick up their prescriptions. The pharmacist will review the Prescription Schedule and the information it provides.”

"At CVS Health, we are committed to helping people on their path to better health. One of the main ways we can do that is to help our patients remain adherent to their medications," said Kevin Hourican, Executive Vice President, Pharmacy Services, CVS Pharmacy. "Patients who take their medications as prescribed have better health outcomes than those who do not. By providing our patients with the personalized information and guidance needed to manage their medications, and most importantly, making it easier to understand and follow prescribers' directions, we can help them remain adherent and better maintain their overall health."

Patients will find the following information on the new ScriptPath Prescription Schedule:

  • Personalized prescription information for the individual patient, including how much medication to take and when to take it

  • Medications separated into sections for Routine, As Needed and Other medications

  • Clear refill instructions for easy refills

  • Notes section for further personalization and to facilitate face-to-face pharmacist counseling

Editorial photograph