Patient Medication Diary as an Aid

Posted , 3 users are following.

Doctors

It is of great concern to me the way in which medication is prescribed by our heavily overworked doctors. I am sure every prescription written is done so in accordance with the latest guidelines and with the intention of alleviating a patients risk or illness they present with.

 Patients

I am sure though historical and social zeitgeist there is very few patients who wish to bother their doctors unduly with minor changes in their health.

 Medication

Adverse effects of medication may not reveal themselves for many days, weeks, months or years. Blood tests may or may not reveal subtle changes that might occur and of which only the patient is aware but will not have the time in an allotted appointment to discuss.

 Patient UK

I am very impressed with this site and can see it attracts a wealth of information albeit in many cases from the patients anecdotal. Therefore with the combination of professional and patient knowledge would a professionally constructed downloadable diary be of use for patients and professionals alike.

1. For the patient it would serve as an aid memoir for them to record information about themselves at time intervals when prescribed a new medication.

2. For the professional, including the patients own doctor to obtain a vast amount of personal information expediently.

3. For the researchers a means of appealing for data about a specific medicine through this site. In which members can participate if they want to in uploading the information.

 

General

At present this is just an idea and would like to gauge if there is any agreement to it by all parties.

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    What are you actually asking for / suggesting?
    • Posted

      Hurricane,

      Thank you for your interest.

      What I am trying to propose is a diary for patients to use when on medication, which is constructed to record changes in the physiology. The patient would have the guidance to consider various parts of their body’s physiology for changes such as cognitive faculties, respiratory, muscular, skeletal, urinary, digestive and Skin etc. The diary would direct the patient in recording any noticeable changes in these over a time period of say a week in four weekly blocks culminating in a block ending which would be used to compare the next four weekly blocks and so on. The block ending would record level changes in the form of improving or worsening of these over the four week period and then, each block would include a comparison between block ends in the same manner, (affectively a 13month year).

      The diary would also include additional medication when that is added.

      The diary would show medication prescribed for a certain condition is beneficiary to the patient, (expected), as well as adverse side effects, (unexpected). The patient would be guided when to seek assistance if the problem persists or worsens over a given time frame.

      I trust this assists you in your question.

      Thank you.

    • Posted

      Hello Tony,

      It does certainly give me a clearer picture of what you're thinking of. 

      I'm kind of intrigued, are you a patient / relative / professional / person who's just interested?

      All the best

      Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the links but they were to drug diary apps which can be found via Google. I have not noticed this discussion in the past but will bring it to the attention of our site director to see if there is interest. We do not normally allow posts like this asking for users thoughts on developing apps etc and suggest using Facebook/Twitter to post but I will reply later if I get any news from the director.

    • Posted

      Hurricane,

      Thank you for your interest and I am glad you are now somewhat enlightened.

      I guess I fall into all four categories but most definitely I am concerned with the need to obtain valid information both for patient and professional. This came about whilst tracking information about certain medications and it appears for the UK this site is Rome, as I continually found myself here.

      Kind regards.

      Note to Emis Moderator: My proposal is not for an app but for an approved diary form that users of patient.info, (approved by you) can use. The form can be printed off as an aid when they or people they know are embarking on or are on medication. I have no alterior motive apart from guaging interest.

    • Posted

      Hi Tony,

      I asked our clinical editor about this and she has said for now it would be too complex for us to write what you are suggesting but we will see if any other users comment or suggest anything.

      Regards,

      Alan

    • Posted

      Hi Alan,

      Thank you for your reply and do understand about how complex this may be. I just thought that there is a lot of information that could be gathered about medication post licensing. Therefore professional users of this site may be better placed to construct such a tool. Not to mention potential information that goes beyond just anecdotal to anyone researching potential side effects. I also believe the patients who use this site and download such an aid would participate, rather than sourcing a cohort on an ad hoc basis.

      I thought when I first saw your comment that I had somehow infringed site etiquette in doing something wrong.

      Kind regards

      Tony

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