Archive: Business & Technology

Buffalo, NY- Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania, announced today they have introduced the Rx Timer CapTM. The Rx Timer CapTM is a patented smart capTM with a built-in LCD timer that fits the same standard vials patient’s medications already come it. Tops will give away a free Rx Timer Cap As part of Tops’ wellness program encouraging customers to “Shop for Better Health.”

A free Rx Timer Cap, which fits the same standard vials patients’ mediations already come it, will be given away with any prescription purchase at all Tops Pharmacy locations. Additional Rx Timer Caps may also be purchased at any Tops Pharmacy.

“We’re always looking for ways to provide more convenience to our customers, especially when it comes to helping them make better decisions about their health,” said Heidi Polek, Tops’ Manager of Pharmacy Operations. “Introducing this new product in our pharmacies will undoubtedly help reduce medication errors and provide peace of mind for caregivers and patients.”

The Rx Timer CapTM is a simple, easy-to-use device that fits on the original prescription bottle, replacing the standard cap with one incorporating a digital LCD readout. The display works like a simple stopwatch counting up the hours and minutes since the container was last opened to tell patients exactly how long it has been since they took their last dose. Activation is automatic and foolproof since there are no alarms to program, no buttons to press and no instructions to read. The mere act of opening and closing the container resets the timer.

Non-compliance with medication dosage instructions is the most common factor in diminishing the effectiveness of medications to save lives and keeping Americans healthy. Studies have shown that today less than half of all Americans take their medications as prescribed by their physicians. In addition, almost 25% of caregivers report problems with medication management. Furthermore, in studies conducted by the World Health Organization and the New England Healthcare Institute, it was shown that medication non-compliance is the single greatest cause for readmission to hospitals, and is responsible for 30-40% of the hospital admissions for people over the age of 65. Further, it is responsible for 125,000 deaths per year and costs about $290 billion annually.

Remembering to take your medications on time is a major key to medication adherence. By automatically keeping track of the interval between doses, the Rx Timer CapTM reinforces the importance of adherence and makes it much easier for patients to take their medications as prescribed by their physicians.

In an independent study conducted with the drug Niaspan (used for the treatment of high cholesterol), 10,000 patients were split into two groups. The test group was given their medication in containers utilizing the Rx Timer CapTM, while the control group received their medication in containers with a standard cap. Over a 90-day period patients in the test group with the Rx Timer CapTM experienced an astounding 33.9% increase in compliance with dosage instructions. Tops Friendly Markets is the first retail pharmacy in New York to offer the Rx Timer CapTM to its customers.

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