Comparing Pill Packs vs. Bubble or Blister Pack Medication
Medication non-adherence is one of the less-discussed but more impactful challenges facing the healthcare industry. The failure of patients to take their medication in the right amounts at the correct times can be blamed for up to 50% of all treatment failures in the US. Each year, up to 125,000 deaths and possibly 25% of all hospitalizations result from medication non-adherence.
Pharmacies can help reduce the impact of non-adherence by providing patients, particularly elderly patients and those taking a large number of medications to address chronic conditions, with compliance packaging.
In this article, we’ll look at the two most common types of compliance packaging and the strengths and weaknesses of each: pill packs (or strip packs) and bubble packs (or blister packs).
What Is Compliance or Adherence Packaging?
Some of the most common reasons for medication non-adherence are:
- The patient was confused about which medications to take on what schedule.
- The patient lost the medication and was unable to get it replaced.
- The patient forgot to take one or more of their medications.
Compliance packaging addresses these issues by providing patients or their caregivers with pre-sorted, labeled packages containing all the medications an individual takes each day, separated into dayparts (morning, lunchtime, evening, etc.). At each dosing interval, the patient or caregiver simply has to open the indicated package to find the correct medications in the right doses for that time of day.
What Are the Types of Compliance Packaging?
Most compliance packages take one of two forms: pill packs or bubble packs.
Pill Packs
Pill packs, sometimes called pill pouches or strip packs, are small, clear plastic pouches. Each pouch is individually sealed and contains a patient’s medications for a certain dosing period. The pouches come from the pharmacy in a long strip or roll, with each pouch separated by perforations and labeled with the appropriate day and time for the pills inside to be taken.
When each dosing period comes around, the next pouch is torn off the strip and opened, and the pills inside are taken or administered.
Bubble Packs
Also known as blister packs, bubble packs are a larger, customized version of the familiar blister packages used for many over-the-counter medications and some prescription drugs. When a patient chooses bubble packaging, an entire week’s worth of medications is sorted into a single blister pack, with one blister for each dosing period. Each blister is clearly labeled with the day of the week, the daypart (morning, lunch, dinner, bedtime), and, in some cases, the calendar date.
To adhere to their medication regimen, a patient simply takes all the pills inside the blister for the corresponding day and time.
Pill Packs vs. Blister Packs
Each type of packaging has advantages and disadvantages:
- Pill packs are easier to travel with since a few days’ doses can be pulled off the strip or roll and easily carried in a purse, carry-on bag, or pocket. Blister packs typically can’t be separated by day, so an entire week’s medication must be carried whenever the patient needs to travel.
- Blister packs’ calendar-type layout makes it easier to identify missed doses at a glance. Pill packs require someone to read the day/date printed on a specific pouch to determine if a dose has been missed.
- For patients who require different medications at different times of day, each daily dosing period requires a different strip or roll of pouches. For instance, a patient taking different medicines in the morning, at lunch, and at bedtime will require three rolls of pouches. Bubble packs allow all different dayparts to be available in a single pack.
Other advantages and disadvantages can rely on an individual patient or their medications:
- One type may be easier for a certain patient to open, particularly with arthritis or other joint-pain conditions.
- Depending on the patient’s living situation, one type may offer better security against accidental misuse or child protection.
- Certain medications may require the use of a particular type of compliance packaging over another.
Choosing Between Pill Packs and Bubble Packs
If you’re choosing between compliance packaging options for your healthcare facility, speak with your consulting pharmacist to determine which one is right for you. Depending on your patients’ conditions, your facility’s staffing and compliance requirements, and other variables, there may be a clear advantage to choosing a pill pack option over a bubble pack or vice versa.
Angus Lake Healthcare is your local pharmacy consultant, serving facilities and their residents across Central Georgia.
Keep your patients’ medication easily organized and administered with compliance packaging options from Angus Lake Healthcare. Schedule a consultation today to learn more: 478-233-1828.
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