Compounding pharmacies create personalized medications tailored to individual needs, but many patients don’t fully understand their value. Educating patients can lead to:

• Better health outcomes: Patients are more likely to follow treatment plans.

• Increased trust: 80% of patients feel more satisfied when they have access to clear, educational resources.

• Improved adherence: Nearly 50% of patients don’t take medications as prescribed, leading to $300 billion in avoidable costs annually.

• Stronger relationships: 68% of patients are more likely to return when they feel informed.

Compounded medications, while only 1-3% of prescriptions, play a crucial role in healthcare by offering solutions for allergies, dosage adjustments, and alternative forms like liquids or flavored options. By investing in clear, accessible content - like videos, guides, and infographics - pharmacies can address common concerns, improve outcomes, and stand out in a competitive market.

Raise the Bar: Compounding Pharmacy w/ Megan Reed ...

What Compounding Pharmacies Do

Compounding pharmacies specialize in creating medications tailored to individual needs, offering alternatives to mass-produced options. They adjust dosages, change forms, or remove allergens to ensure treatments meet specific patient requirements.

Compounding Basics

Compounding pharmacies serve patients who don't respond well to standard FDA-approved medications. Dr. Robert Shmerling, Senior Faculty Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, explains:

"Any pharmacy that provides medications that are not commercially available and prepares them onsite to meet your specific needs is a compounding pharmacy."

Although these prescriptions make up only about 1% to 3% of all prescriptions in the U.S., they play a critical role in healthcare. For example, compounding pharmacies can:

• Transform pills into liquid form for easier swallowing

• Remove allergens like dyes or preservatives

• Adjust medication strength to suit individual needs

• Add flavoring to make medicines more palatable

503A vs 503B Pharmacies

Two types of compounding pharmacies operate under different regulations. Here's a quick comparison:

Common Patient Questions

Patients often have concerns about compounded medications. Here are some common topics:

Safety and Regulation
Compounded medications are held to strict quality standards. Of the 56,000 community-based pharmacies in the U.S., about 7,500 specialize in compounding.

Common Applications
Compounded drugs are frequently used for pain management and hormone therapy. The FDA highlights their value:

"A drug may be compounded for a patient who cannot be treated with an FDA-approved medication, such as a patient who has an allergy to a certain dye and needs a medication to be made without it, or an elderly patient or a child who cannot swallow a tablet or capsule and needs a medicine in a liquid dosage form."

Quality Assurance
To ensure safety and effectiveness, compounding pharmacies follow rigorous practices, such as:

• Adhering to USP guidelines

• Maintaining sterile environments

• Conducting regular testing and quality checks

• Keeping detailed records

• Providing ongoing staff training

These measures help build trust and ensure patients receive high-quality, customized care.

Benefits of Patient Education Content

Building Patient Trust

Educational materials play a key role in building trust between compounding pharmacies and their patients. Research highlights that 80% of patients feel more satisfied with a provider encounter when they have access to educational resources. By offering clear and helpful information, pharmacies can foster both trust and satisfaction.

Better Treatment Results

Did you know that nearly 50% of patients don’t follow their prescriptions, leading to an estimated $300 billion in annual costs? Educated patients are more likely to understand how to take their medications, follow instructions, recognize side effects, and communicate questions to their healthcare providers. In fact, 80% of patients report having follow-up questions after seeing a provider. By addressing these questions upfront with detailed content, pharmacies can help improve treatment outcomes while strengthening their role as a dependable healthcare partner.

Standing Out as a Pharmacy

Educational content isn’t just helpful - it’s a way for compounding pharmacies to showcase their expertise and dedication to patient care. When pharmacies provide accessible resources, 68% of patients are more likely to return. This not only enhances a pharmacy’s reputation but also helps them stand out in a competitive market. Plus, clear communication reduces potential risks.

Risk Management

Hospital-acquired infections cost U.S. healthcare facilities around $28.4 billion annually. Providing clear, action-oriented materials that follow CDC language and align with care protocols can help reduce risks.

To make the most of patient education, ensure your materials:

• Use CDC plain-language health literacy guidelines

• Represent diverse and inclusive perspectives

• Offer actionable steps for patient care

• Align with established care protocols

How to Create Patient Education Materials

Here’s how you can create materials that effectively address patient needs and enhance understanding.

Key Topics to Address

When designing patient education materials, it’s important to focus on topics that patients care about most. For compounded medications, this means explaining specific details about the drugs, how to use them, and any potential risks. Since compounded medications aren’t FDA-approved, it’s also important to clearly outline the quality standards and testing processes in place.

Here’s what you should cover:

• Medication details: Explain the compounds, ingredients, and what patients can expect.

• How to use the medication: Provide step-by-step instructions for proper administration.

• Safety information: Highlight storage instructions, expiration dates, and possible side effects.

• Quality standards: Share information about testing and quality control measures.

• Contact information: Let patients know how to reach pharmacists for questions or concerns.

Once you’ve identified the key topics, the next step is choosing the right format to deliver the information.

Effective Content Formats

Different content types resonate better with patients, depending on the message. For example, videos are highly engaging and can drive 300% more traffic, with 84% of viewers more likely to take action after watching.

Here are some formats to consider:

Writing Clear and Simple Instructions

Patient materials need to be easy to understand and actionable. Aim for a 6th-grade reading level, as recommended by the American College of Physicians (ACP). Keep these tips in mind:

• Use simple, straightforward language.

• Break instructions into clear, actionable steps.

• Incorporate visuals like diagrams or photos.

• Avoid unnecessary medical jargon.

"Patient education isn't just a service; it's a commitment to empowering individuals with the knowledge they need for better health." – MediVera Compounding Pharmacy™

For instance, MediVera Compounding Pharmacy™ rolled out multilingual PDF instructions for Trimix Injections in 2023, offering materials in six languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, French, Polish, and Russian. This approach made the instructions accessible to a broader audience.

Collaborating with Healthcare Experts

To ensure accuracy and relevance, involve healthcare professionals in creating your materials. Their expertise can help maintain credibility and precision. Here’s how to make that collaboration work:

1. Create an expert review team

Work with physicians and pharmacists to verify that the information is technically and clinically accurate.

2. Gather diverse input

Incorporate feedback from specialists across different fields to cover all important aspects.

3. Update regularly

Schedule periodic reviews to keep the content aligned with the latest practices and standards.

4. Be culturally aware

Use language and visuals that resonate with your target audience’s cultural background.

Tracking Education Results

Tracking patient education allows compounding pharmacies to fine-tune their materials and improve patient outcomes.

Success Measurements

To gauge how well patient education efforts are working, focus on specific metrics that show better understanding and engagement. Key indicators include:

PlatformQ Health's learning management system is a strong example of how tracking can be done effectively. They assess knowledge improvements through baseline and follow-up data while using the Patient Activation Measure to predict behavior changes. These insights help refine education strategies for better results.

Patient Input and Updates

Gathering feedback digitally is a great way to boost response rates. For example, text messaging often sees 10x higher click-through rates than email. Use mobile-friendly surveys right after consultations, offer multilingual forms via QR codes on prescription labels, and keep an eye on social media and online reviews.

"Online reviews are a body of data and research - a real-time focus group. If people adhere to and utilize feedback and comments to do better, they will do better. The hospital reputation grows, the physician reputation grows, the patients come, and you build your business."
– Ken Szydlow, Chief Marketing Officer, St. Luke's University Health Network

A study from Johns Hopkins Internet Learning Center, which included 37,755 participants, found that acting on feedback led to notable improvements. Learner satisfaction rose from 3.8 to 4.1, while knowledge gains increased from 17.0% to 20.2%.

Education Success Stories

Case studies highlight how targeted education can make a big difference. Here are some examples of successful patient education programs:

• PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy: In October 2022, they introduced QR codes on pediatric neurology medication labels. These codes linked to instructional videos in English and Spanish, helping patients better understand the medication process and boosting adherence.

• CPESN® Hawaii: Their mobile clinics bring healthcare and education to remote areas. By combining hands-on education with practical services, they’ve seen improved patient engagement and health outcomes.

• Allure Specialty Pharmacy: Partnering with community groups in New York, they provide disease management and wellness education, extending the reach of their programs.

Patients often remember less than 20% of the information they’re given during counseling. This makes it crucial to offer engaging, easy-to-access content across multiple platforms. By tracking efforts and using feedback to improve, compounding pharmacies can create education programs that truly make a difference.

Conclusion

Educating patients plays a crucial role for compounding pharmacies. Poor medication adherence costs the U.S. healthcare system nearly $500 billion every year and is linked to 125,000 deaths annually. This makes patient education a critical area of focus.

Research highlights that 80% of patients report higher satisfaction, and 68% are more likely to return when education is emphasized. Since compounded medications make up only 1-3% of prescriptions, tailored education becomes even more important.

Compounding pharmacies have a unique edge due to their frequent interactions with patients. Their accessibility and regular contact allow them to serve as trusted health educators within their communities.

This idea is echoed in a global health perspective:

"Patient education allows patients to have the skills they need to sustain their lives and to manage their illnesses, assists them in this respect, improves individual's health level to an upper level and ensures that patient develops correct health behaviors" - World Health Organization (WHO)

Informed patients not only achieve better health outcomes but also help streamline pharmacy operations. With fewer routine questions, resources can be better allocated. Meanwhile, non-adherence in other areas continues to drive preventable deaths and high costs.

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