Ella Boyd, VMD, Ocean County Health Department (OCHD) Public Health Coordinator, said the OCHD continues to offer its Safe Medication Management Program to help in understanding the sometimes confusing medical jargon found in everything from medical prescription instructions to over the counter medication labels. The Ocean County Health Department will be holding this free program on Thursday, January 14^th, 2010, at 10 a.m., at the Health Department main site at 175 Sunset Avenue, Toms River. Registration is not necessary. “We offer a free program, funded by a special grant we obtained through the Ocean County Office of Senior Services. It provides the resources to send a registered nurse to speak before groups of senior citizens and others to discuss in simple words, the ‘hows and whys’ of understanding prescriptions and taking medication correctly,” Boyd said. 

 

According to Freeholder Deputy Director Gerry P. Little, liaison to the OCHD, studies have shown that 90 million Americans nationwide have inadequate or marginal literacy skills that can hinder their ability to read and understand their medical prescriptions and doctor’s instructions.

 

“Some of us may be embarrassed to admit to our doctors that we do not understand medication instructions,” Little said. “The Safe Medication Management program can help people overcome communication difficulties that result from poorly written or misunderstood instructions.”

 

According to Leslie Terjesen, Public Information Officer, the Safe Medication Management seminars focus on the following points:

 

·         Understanding your prescription

·         How to take your medication correctly

·         Medication interaction

·         Over the counter medication – facts and fiction